Castor oil packs have been all the rage lately. Have you been wanting to add castor oil packs to your wellness routine? You can try them out and see if they are right for you by implementing this simple, at-home practice!

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Castor oil packs have been used worldwide in traditional Chinese medicine, Indian Ayurveda, and Ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean holistic medicine practices. Castor oil packs might help support hormones, gut health, immunity, and more. I have personally loved adding castor oil packs to my own routine for years now. I’ve noticed my energy, sleep, and digestion improve. You can try out castor oil packs to see if they are right for you by implementing this simple, at-home practice!

WHAT IS CASTOR OIL 

Castor oil is a multipurpose vegetable oil. It is extracted from seeds of the Ricinus communis plant, originally native to India. Castor oil is best known for being rich in ricinoleic acid. In fact, ricinoleic acid makes up 75-85% of castor oil. Ricinoleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid, offers impressive anti-inflammatory benefits and is likely why castor oil has made a name for itself in ancient medicine. 

Another unique (and impressive) fact about castor oil is that it can permeate through the lower layer of the epidermis, allowing it to travel deep within the skin, where blood and lymphatic vessels are located. This allows castor oil to be absorbed into the bloodstream and work its magic throughout the body!

WHAT ARE CASTOR OIL PACKS

Castor oil packs are one of the oldest non-invasive healing remedies in the world and are the most common way to reap the health benefits of castor oil. You can create a castor oil pack by soaking an organic cotton flannel in castor oil and applying it directly to the skin. Since castor oil can permeate deep throughout the skin, it is easily absorbed by the body, resulting in inside-out healing and balance. 

CASTOR OIL PACK USES 

Castor oil packs have endless uses, and they can safely be used by children, adults, and even the elderly. 

For centuries, castor oil packs have been used for:

• Body, mind, and soul wellness and health optimization
• Hormonal imbalances (PCOS, menopause, estrogen dominance, etc.)
• Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, IBS, colitis, Crohn’s disease
• Insomnia and other sleep problems
• Stress reduction, anxiety, depression, ADHD
• Period regulation, endometriosis, TTC, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breasts
• Cancer, tumors 
• Thyroid issues (hypothyroid, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, nodules, etc.)
• Liver cleansing and detox, fatty liver
• Inflammation, arthritis, joint pain

7 WAYS CASTOR OIL PACKS CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

By permeating the skin, castor oil packs have been shown to decrease inflammation, improve circulation, boost detoxification, and more. Read on to see how castor oil packs can specifically improve your health and bring balance to your body. 

A simple way to remember how castor oil can improve your health is to think of the acronym FAITH:

F – Function of Digestion, Absorption and Elimination

A – Antioxidant Status

I  – Inflammation Regulation

T – Tension And Stress Reduction

H – Host Microbial Balance

Let’s go even deeper into each one of these specific benefits. Read on to see 7 ways castor oil packs can specifically improve your health and bring balance to your body. 

REDUCES INFLAMMATION 

The main component of castor oil, ricinoleic acid, has a structure similar to prostaglandins. These compounds naturally reduce inflammation in the body. It also removes excess iron from the body, which lowers inflammation levels.  And castor oil is also known for reducing P8, a chemical messenger that triggers the sensation of pain. For this reason, castor oil provides a holistic approach to pain relief and is commonly used to reduce joint pain.

SUPPORTS DETOXIFICATION & LIVER FUNCTION

Castor oil increases the production of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is one of the most potent antioxidants that support the detoxification of heavy metals. Regular exposure to chemicals and pesticides (via air, food, and water) depletes glutathione stores. Unfortunately, most Americans are already deficient in this vital antioxidant. 

Unfortunately, low levels of glutathione have been correlated with increased risk of leaky gut and imbalanced gut microbiomes—cue: autoimmune disease. This is why castor oil is a great accompaniment to a reset program. A gentle “reset,” as opposed to a harsh detox program, helps avoid common detox symptoms, like headaches, skin irritation, moodiness, and joint/muscle aches and pains, while still providing all the results! 

An important component of detoxification is also making sure drainage pathways are open and able to release the toxins that are trying to make their way out of the body. Castor oil packs are a valuable tool to aid in the opening of important pathways, such as the bowels, liver, lymph, etc., to help aid in this process. 

STIMULATES HEALTHY BOWELS 

Healthy, regular bowel movements are a key part of our detoxification system. Wearing a castor oil liver pack moves you into the parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ state. If we are constantly stuck in the sympathetic “fight or flight” state (the state of stress), that just adds to problems going to the bathroom. 

Castor oil is a natural, safe laxative substitute. It stimulates smooth muscle contractions in the bowels through prostaglandin EP3 receptors. This approach is effective and gentle in supporting a healthy digestive and detoxification system. It can also aid in the relief of occasional constipation.

BALANCES THE GUT MICROBIOME

Oftentimes, the gut contains pathogenic bacteria wrapped in biofilm. Biofilm is the gross, slimy protective layer bad bacteria can produce. Harmful bacteria produce biofilm to protect themselves from being eliminated or destroyed, making it hard to achieve balance in the microbiome. 

However, castor oil can break down the biofilm barrier, allowing harmful bacteria to be eradicated from the gut and beneficial bacteria to survive. Since 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut, a balanced gut microbiome is key to a healthy, regulated immune system. This makes gut health the most important factor in healing and reversing autoimmunity.

In addition, castor oil packs can improve digestion. The gallbladder is responsible for a lot of digestion and if we don’t have a gallbladder or if it is working overtime, the liver will need to compensate for that and will work harder. By helping the gallbladder (or liver if the gallbladder is removed or compromised, this can lead to improved digestion of macronutrients resulting in decreased bloating and indigestion. 

SUPPORTS ANTIOXIDANTS AND AGING

Castor oil packs help increase nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is an antioxidant that opens and aids in the vasodilation of blood vessels, which improves energy, circulation, and the natural aging process. 

Nitric oxide is also very helpful in getting rid of Candida and yeast in the body. Therefore, adding castor oil packs when doing a candida elimination makes a great addition to microbiome health and when you are trying to get rid of infections in the gut. 

BALANCES HORMONES

The compression of a castor oil pack on your skin stimulates the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine and oxytocin (A.K.A., the love molecule). This promotes deeper sleep, relaxation, and feelings of satisfaction. 

In addition, oxytocin naturally decreases our stress hormone, cortisol, and when cortisol is low, our levels of progesterone are naturally higher, giving us more energy. Progesterone is needed for hormonal balance, fertility, and a healthy menstrual cycle. This is one of the reasons why castor oil packs have excellent period support during that time of the month. They can help speed up the elimination of the uterine lining, which leads to a shorter duration of bleeding

Castor oil packs also support estrogen dominance. They improve glutathione levels, a powerful antioxidant that gets rid of excess estrogens, toxins, and byproducts of plastics, like BPA. They also regulate bowel movements and provide relief from constipation so excess hormones can leave the body. 

RELAXES THE BODY 

Castor oil packs applied directly to the body stimulate sensory receptors in the skin and cause a relaxation response via somatic-visceral reflexes. This process promotes a relaxed state and reduces feelings of stress. Stress is the antithesis of health and has lasting, damaging effects on the gut. Hence, stress management is a key part of any gut healing program. Introducing castor oil packs is one way to physiological combat stress in the body.

In addition, castor oil packs can stimulate the limbic area of the brain, which is responsible for emotion. When this area becomes flooded with dopamine, it can help with concentration and motivation and make you feel happier. 

This process also stimulates the sensory receptors in the human skin and sends a message via the somatic-visceral reflexes to induce a relaxed state while reducing feelings of stress. As we know, stress management is key for optimal gut and autoimmune health! 

OTHER BENEFITS OF CASTOR OIL PACKS WORTH NOTING

Other well-known and specific common uses of castor oil packs include: 

• Cleanse symptom support (secret to cleansing symptom free!) 
• Chronic fatigue 
• Indulgence or hangover “helper”
• Insomnia
• Ovarian cysts or fibroids 
• Weight loss
• Skin health 

HOW TO USE CASTOR OIL PACKS 

To reap these health benefits and more, you can create your own castor oil packs at home. It’s a simple and easy way to improve your overall health. Follow these instructions to make and use your own castor oil pack:

What you need:

• A piece of organic cotton flannel
• Organic, cold-pressed, hexane-free castor oil (ideally in a dark, glass bottle to protect from oxidation)
• A glass container, bowl, or ziplock bag
• Saran wrap (optional)

What to do:

1. Soak a piece of organic cotton flannel in 1-2 tbsp castor oil. I recommend using a glass container or bowl, but you can also use a ziplock bag.

2. Apply the castor oil-saturated flannel directly to your skin. The most common placement is on the right side of the body, right below the ribcage (where your liver is), to support detoxification. You can place saran wrap or a thick towel on top of the flannel to avoid getting castor oil on anything else. Note: Castor oil does stain, so wear a dark shirt! 

3. Wear the castor oil pack for a minimum of 1 hour each day, or you can wear it overnight while sleeping for best results.. 

Castor oil pack contradictions: Do not use castor oil packs when pregnant!

WRAPPING IT ALL UP

The ricinoleic acid found in castor oil offers impressive health benefits, including support for detoxification, gut health, immune function, and more. These benefits prove that utilizing castor oil packs is an effective tool for healing the gut and reversing autoimmunity.

If you are looking to support drainage pathways and combine your castor oil pack with a simple and effective cleanse, check out my Gut & Autoimmune Reset and Reboot program. The combination of this program (I walk you through everything) and wearing a castor oil pack during and the month following the reset, is a way to see fast improvements in your energy, digestion, and overall gut and autoimmune health! You can check it out here and learn more! 

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