Castor oil...I'm sure you've heard the buzz about this miracle oil. Widely known for a myriad of health benefits, everything from digestion, to skin moisturizing and speeding hair growth, to pain relief for chronic conditions like arthritis, and more recently the famous application of a "castor oil pack" for liver detoxification.
If you're anything like me, sometimes *new health "hacks" and trends can feel overwhelming and intimidating, especially if it seems complicated to carry out, and difficult to fit into our already busy days.
*To be clear though, castor oil has been used for thousands of years as a traditional therapy documented all the way back to ancient Egypt.
The "newness" and mystery of the castor oil pack, along with my over-analytic, overthinking virgo (rising) brain, ultimately stopped me - for years - from ever trying a castor oil pack, until...I found myself in the midst of my first year postpartum at a wellness check, telling my doctor about the pain in my left lower abdomen. It was my left ovary.
A little back story - I had been diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis after high school and have had this familiar pulsing pain from cysts since before I became a mother. My chronic pain and inflammation had decreased, and my cycle regulated after making some major dietary and lifestyle changes. (Just one of the many experiences I've had that has fueled my passion for natural wellness & herbalism. Possibly another blog soon to share more on this ♡ )
As I sat in my naturopathic doctor's office, explaining the dull, achy, cyclical pain that seemed to be resurfacing after years of being gone, she immediately responded "CASTOR OIL!"
If you already know, then you know that castor oil is MAGIC. And if you don't know....prepare to fall in love with this liquid gold.
Castor oil is commonly used topically (usually applied to the abdomen) to support:
- Optimal digestion
- Improved circulation and lymphatic drainage
- Reduce inflammation
- Alleviate constipation
- Liver and gallbladder detoxification
- Pain relief (menstrual cramps, fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc.)
- Cysts and fibroids, PCOS, endometriosis, and hormonal imbalance
All this potent medicine, delivered from the outside in...penetrating the surface of our skin, with the applied heat increasing blood flow to allow for the medicinal properties in the oil to reach our internal organs beneath. How amazing is that?! If that's not magical, then I don't know what is. Studies have even shown that castor oil packs significantly increase the number of T-11 cells (cells that protect the body from pathogens and infection) in the body...hello immune system!
LET'S BREAK IT DOWN FURTHER, because although I do believe in the magic of Mother Nature, I also love diving deeper into the "why" of how things work 🤓:
When applied topically, castor oil is absorbed into the body through the skin. Once the oil penetrates the skin, it stimulates the lymphatic system and increases circulation. I want to take a moment to acknowledge our lymphatic system here and just touch on why it's so important. The lymphatic system is a part of our immune system, and mainly responsible for regulating body fluid levels, aka lymph. The lymphatic system is also in charge of filtering out toxins, viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells. Very big work!! And castor oil is like a key that can turn it on and boost its activity, thus speeding up the process of removing harmful and unwanted toxins in the body. Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, and lots of it...it's about 90% of the total fatty acids in the seed oil. Ricinoleic acid is the therapeutic active ingredient in castor oil, and is both analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory. Studies have also shown ricinoleic acid's effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of viruses, bacteria, yeasts and molds.
SO, WHAT IS A CASTOR OIL PACK?
A castor oil pack consists of soaking a piece of cotton cloth or flannel with castor oil and applying it to the abdomen (or any affected area - as you can also use castor oil packs on injuries, achy joints, etc.).
Once you've applied your oil-soaked cloth to your body, you cover with a towel or plastic wrap to avoid a mess. Then you apply heat. Heat is of the utmost importance here, because it's the heat that delivers the medicine of the oil deeper into the body and significantly increases efficacy. And then you let the castor oil pack sit for at least 20 minutes, or up to an hour, or more.
I have my own little modified version of the aforementioned castor oil pack that I want to share. It's super simple and very easy! I love to do these castor oil packs on my abdomen, focusing on my liver and womb, at night before bed.
HERE'S WHAT I DO:
- Apply oil directly to skin - I apply my oil to my lower abdomen because I'm targeting my ovarian cysts, and the right side of my abdomen above my liver. And yes, directly to my skin. I don't bother with the cloths or the soaking...just a good amount of oil, not too much so it's spilling over, but just enough to lather and rub in.
- Gently massage the oil into the skin - I LOVE this step because it creates a moment for connection, to turn all my attention inward, to visualize, to express gratitude for all my body does, and to set intentions for healing. Don't underestimate the power of this pause and shifting into mindfulness...this right here is medicine in itself!
- Cover - I usually just pull my shirt back over the area. No need to complicate things! I don't think I've ever had castor oil staining or ruining any of my clothing.
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Apply gentle heat - I have an electric heating pad with an adjustable heat level that I have had for years (comes in handy for menstrual cramping, sore tummies, and those after-birth pains, iykyk). I keep it on my nightstand so it's within reach for easy castor oil packs before bed.
- Relax - I'll usually cover up with my blanket to keep the heat in and get nice and comfy. I'll watch a show, journal, or literally just fall asleep while the warmth on my belly reminds me of all the healing benefits my body is receiving. You can remove the heat source after 20 minutes, but I like to leave it on for as long as I can, or as long as my body tolerates the gentle heat...most of the time falling asleep with it on.
Simple right?! And doable! I think this just adds a few minutes, at most, to my nighttime routine. I love working with castor oil in this way. I skip all the extra steps of prepping cloths and soaking them, and the clean-up afterward. I was mistakenly under the assumption that I needed special supplies in order to do a castor oil pack. Don't get distracted by all of the "accessories" and "supplies" that are available online or at stores. It can be overwhelming and also confusing...there are wraps, wraps with adjustable elastic straps, and velcro straps, special cotton flannels, additional inserts, all with special washing instructions. But, I am telling you...all you're going to need is:
- your castor oil
- and a source of heat
Keep it simple. Keep it straight forward. Easy really does it. And please, do let me know if you try it!
Important things to note about castor oil:
- Do not use on your abdomen while actively menstruating
- Do not use on your abdomen while pregnant
- Be sure your castor oil is hexane-free, 100% cold-pressed, and organic because you only want high quality oil absorbed into your largest organ, the skin.
- With anything you put on your body, test a small patch of skin first, to be sure your skin does not react
The oil I use:
I use our very own Calendula Infused Castor Oil to lather myself with at night for my castor oil packs. This herbal infused oil was formulated with the intention to really support and care for the reproductive organs and overall womb health. Calendula is a powerful anti-inflammatory, lymph mover, and has been associated with menstrual and hormonal regulation. Infusing the healing and pain-relieving properties of calendula in the liquid gold that is castor oil, increases the healing benefits for anyone looking for a natural way to alleviate the symptoms of uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, pelvic imbalance, or any other complaints of pain.