The use of castor oil & castor oil packs is one of the oldest, most widespread healing rituals in the world from Traditional Chinese Medicine to Indian Ayurveda to modern Naturopathic Medicine. Castor oil packs were Edgar Cacye’s primary health intervention strategies, he strongly recommended using castor oil packs to stimulate waste elimination and lymphatic circulation. Edgar Cayce taught the public about its healing properties for a vast range of health issues, so much so that Castor Oil became known as “Palma Christi,” or “Hand of Christ.”
The warming, nourishing oil stimulates the lymphatic system & aids function, detoxification & regeneration of the tissues of effected areas in the body. These actions along with castor oils inflammatory modulating & analgesic affect are attributed to its fatty acids profile and triglycerides, most notably ricinoleic acid and triricinolein. These factors work to rid the body accumulated waste in the blood, lymph, and tissues which, when built up, we call dis-ease. When applied to the body, castor oil warms up the tissues of the muscles & organs, increasing blood, lymph & bile flow, moving stagnation. The most wonderful aspect of castor oil is its wide scope of applications as it works to assist the body in healing wherever its applied.
Widely, our understanding of what physical symptoms are & what their purpose is, is grossly misunderstood. Symptoms although incredibly unpleasant, uncomfortable, scary and even sometime dangerous, are the body’s therapy. A mechanism to eliminate waste and toxins out of the body when there is a build-up. To bring balance & homeostasis back from a state of dis-ease. Suppression of symptoms with pharmaceuticals & even synthetic supplements, may give comfort & stop the symptoms but they tend to push waste further into the tissues resulting in more serious disease further down the track. A good example (not the only one) of this is the use of synthetic analgesics i.e. paracetamol for fevers & the correlation with cancer later in life. The fever is the body’s innate therapy for removing waste & toxins, stopping the fever with things like Panadol increases of the risk of those toxins being stored in the body resulting in cancer later on. Castor oil is a fantastic way to aid the body to eliminate, detox & regenerate without stopping the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
When using castor oil, it’s not uncommon to see a short increase in symptoms otherwise known as a healing crisis before you feel better. I have personally experienced this when using castor oil where a few hours after application I will feel worse, have a sleep & then wake up feeling better.
As castor oil is incredible at absorbing & removing toxins, it will also absorb toxins from farming & storage processes, so it is essential to use only organic, cold-pressed castor oil stored in glass bottles.
Some of Castor Oils Well Known Applications & Benefits
Castor Oil Packs:
For centuries, castor oil packs have been used for: Liver cleansing and detox, fatty liver, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, IBS, colitis, Crohn’s disease, thyroid conditions, bladder & kidney conditions, insomnia and other sleep problems, lung conditions, stress reduction, anxiety, depression, ADHD, inflammation, arthritis, joint pain, colds & flu etc, etc. More details bellow.
As a Beauty Product:
Deeply moisturizes, leaving skin supple and radiant.
Diminishes the appearance of wrinkles.
Alleviates inflammation.
Soothes dry, irritated, and itchy skin.
Supports healthy skin terrain & microbial balance
Benefits for Hair:
Improves scalp blood circulation and moisturizes dry skin.
Strengthens hair, preventing split ends.
Supplies essential nutrients for healthy hair growth.
For Oral Health
· The ancient practice of oil pulling has been used for centuries to clean the mouth & to treat & prevents oral health problems. Castor oil’s unique chemical structure makes it a magnet for removing toxins from the teeth & gums. After brushing your teeth, swoosh castor oil with purpose, for 1-2 minutes, then spit & rinse. Repeat daily.
For Skin Conditions
· Apply topically daily for white heads, blackheads, acne, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, fungal irritation, or warts.
How to make Castor Oil Pack – The Easy way
You can buy premade castor oil packs or find many complicated DIY instructions online which often puts people off, including myself for a long time. After experimenting on myself for a while now, I have come to realise that it absolutely does not need to be complicated. This powerful remedy needs little fuss to facilitate the body’s innate healing mechanisms.
What you need:
· Organic castor oil in a glass bottle you can purchase here or any good organic/health food store
· An old cotton towel or doubled over piece of cotton flannel (natural fibres only)
· A hot water bottle
· A t-shirt that will fit snugly over the cloth & hot water bottle (preferably one that you don’t mind getting oil on, which doesn’t generally happen, but we are working with oil!)
Apply castor oil to the organ/area of concern, be sure to apply as thick a layer of oil as possible. Place an old towel/cloth over the area. Place a hot water bottle over that & then a top/t-shirt over that, that will hold it all in place. Lie down & rest for 30-40 minutes. I recommend doing this before bed or with time to have a nap after. In my experience you can feel quite tired afterwards. Additionally, detox pathways are most active while sleeping, having a sleep after the castor oil pack will enhance the detoxifying action. Repeat to 2-4 times per week until symptoms cease.
Some of the Applications for Castor Oil Packs (I’m sure I’m missing some!)
Liver Castor Oil Pack
For liver cleansing and detox, fatty liver, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, IBS, colitis, Crohn’s disease, insomnia and other sleep problems, stress reduction, anxiety, depression, ADHD, inflammation, arthritis, joint pain, cold, flu etc.
Abdomen Castor Oil Pack (covering the liver, spleen, stomach)
For digestive complaints such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, IBS, IBD, colitis, Crohn’s disease.
Reproductive Organs Castor Oil Pack
For a variety of gynaecological conditions including fertility, endometriosis, menstrual cramps, period regulation, uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, ovarian cysts, hormonal imbalances (PCOS, menopause, estrogen dominance).
Thyroid Castor Oil Pack
Thyroid issues: hypothyroid, hyperthyroid, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, nodules, etc.
Over the kidneys/adrenal glands
For any condition that has a sympathetic dominance hypertension, anxiety, asthma, gut issues & urinary tract/bladder issues.
Castor Oil Packs for Injuries & Arthritis
For pain relief from, injury or arthritis place over effected area.
Lung Castor Oil Packs
For asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, cold, flu etc.
Face & lymph nodes
For earaches, sinusitis, & upper respiratory massage & towards lymph nodes for 10 minutes no cloth or hot water bottle needed.
Migraines
Massage a thick layer of castor oil into the forehead, temples & neck. Rest & have a nap, no cloth or hot water bottle needed.
PLEASE NOTE: this article is for educational purposes only & is not medical advice.