Barb, our comunity pool’s resident mascot, rarely misses a day, stays well past the adults-only two hours every weekday morning, and instead of walking like the rest of us, actually does a combination of swimming and dog-paddling the whole time.
Not bad for a woman in her 70s. However, whenever her doctor tells her some new condition she’s acquired due to aging and suggests eventual surgery, she researches it on social media and other Internet sites and believes pretty much everything she reads. In fact, the more nefarious the source, the more faith she holds with it.
Here’s a zinger she shared this past summer that still has me chuckling…
CLAIM: Rub castor oil into eyes daily to get rid of cataracts.
TRUTH: There’s NO evidence castor oil can help treat or prevent cataracts or much else. (So says Cleveland Clinic & other experts)
“Surely that can’t be true, I said. “If it were, wouldn’t eye doctors have been using this all along?” And wouldn’t it have already destroyed the multimillion-dollar cataract surgery industry, which queues the patients up like a production line?
I confess, I do enjoy drawing her out for my own entertainment. Because walking round and round a 10th-of-a-mile track can get pretty boring, even though it twists and turns, even though the sun’s shining and you’re in the water.
“Did your doctor suggest this?” I added.
“No,” she replied. “He said I’d eventually need surgery. But I read this on TikTok after, and I’m trying it. I bet the next time I go back to the eye doctor my cataracts will be gone. Won’t he be surprised?”
Yep. So will I.
Actually–and I told her this–cataract surgery is a breeze. Nothing to be afraid of. In fact, it’s like the LSD trip I was always too scared to take for real, with no “bad trip” worries. In fact, in addition to finally being able to see clearly again, I saw everything so intensely right after–blues bluer, greens greener, brights brighter–and all in such sharp definition. Like my own personal HD upgrade.
Man, I could do that surgery again and again if insurance would cover it!
Long story short…
By the time the pool closed on Labor Day, Barb had a return-trip to the eye doctor. “What did he say about your cataracts?” I asked.
“Nothing! They must be gone.”
“More likely they haven’t progressed,” I returned. “But they will. Slowly.”
“Nope, they’re gone,” she insisted.
“Well, you might ask for clarification next time.”
“Don’t have to. I know.”
Oooooooh-kay. Whatever you say. For the rest of the summer, Barb went from walker to walker, around the serpentine pool, sharing her miracle cure. But I feel privileged she shared it with me first. It gave me longer to chuckle to myself.
Not to spoil the fun, but just to be clear: Here’s what castor oil CAN do, & NONE of it’s good
- If ingested orally, cause dangerous diarrhea in the short term and dangerous constipation in the long term, along with bloating, cramping and vomiting. (Castor seeds are also the source of the deadly poison ricin, you know.)
- If applied to skin, either directly or through a so-called castor oil pack, cause irritation, rash and other allergic reactions.
- If applied to eyes, cause burning, pain, blurred vision, redness and even eye damage.
- If applied to hair, result in scalp irritation, clogged pores, acne and even a rare scalp disorder.
- If given to a pregnant woman, cause premature contractions.
- Negatively interact with medications like antibiotics, blood thinners and diuretics.
- Aggravate appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease or other gastrointestinal conditions.
You might also want to read How TikTok Profits Off of Dangerous Health Posts on Vox.
& {sometimes} WHY 
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