Castor Oil Packs for Wellness
When it comes to supporting our colon, liver, lymphatic system, hormones, and more, the castor oil pack is a wonderful wellness multi-tool. Castor oil packs are an ancient practice (along with the many uses of castor oil), and have been used in the functional space for over a hundred years.
What is castor oil?
Castor oil, formally known as Ricinus communis, comes from the castor bean plant. The main active compound of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, a type of fatty acid shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used for thousands of years for various reasons. In addition to the many systemic benefits of castor oil, it may help with skin anti-aging and hair growth (specifically eyelashes and eyebrows).
What is a castor oil pack?
A castor oil pack is the practice people use to reap the benefits of the oil. In some cases, you may use castor oil topically without a pack, but many people prefer the convenience of wearing a pack (since premade ones are so readily available now), along with the additional benefits this offers. It is quite simple: a tablespoon of castor oil placed in the middle of a cotton square, placed over the liver.
Potential Benefits
Lymphatic Drainage
Castor oil can enter the lymphatic system via “peyer’s patches,” a small group of lymphatic tissues. From here it helps to stimulate lymphatic drainage. Combined with other practices like deep breathing, dry brushing, and manual lymphatic drainage, castor oil packs are a wonderful support for getting lymph flowing.
Inflammation Management
The main component of castor oil, ricinoleic acid, is a natural anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the body’s response to a foreign invader (infection, pathogen, bacteria, etc.), but sometimes the body needs assistance in calming this response. Placing a castor oil pack over the abdomen, neck (thyroid and lymph nodes), or other areas of the body can help manage inflammation, or swelling.
Boost Circulation
With a sluggish lymphatic system, blood flow will suffer as well. We need both functioning optimally for overall wellness. So castor oil indirectly supports circulation by supporting lymphatic flow.
Constipation Relief
We know how important healthy, regular elimination is for our overall health. While it is important to seek out any root cause for chronic constipation, we also want to keep things moving in the interim. Castor oil packs are great in that they can support both of these goals. Castor oil helps stimulate the gut to help keep you regular, in a gentle manner that laxatives do not offer. There have been studies showing that castor oil packs over the liver help to relieve constipation; it’s even been shown to fare better than conventional laxatives when taking into account cramping and urgency.
Castor oil is a powerful natural agent for healing, and while some of the above are very direct in their mechanisms, you may also notice better liver health, hormonal balance, thyroid health, immune health, and more. It may also improve symptoms of endometriosis (worn over the liver or pelvic region) and other inflammatory conditions.
How to use a castor oil pack
Today, there are many brands offering pre-made castor oil packs with a thick piece of fabric (cotton on one side, typically a PUL material), with straps connecting it to wrap around the body. However, you can use a simple cotton flannel and lay down on a towel (to minimize the mess). To get started, you simply add one tablespoon of castor oil (ideally organic and hexane free) to the middle of the pack (cotton side if it’s premade). Then place over your liver and rest.
Ideally, you’d be relaxing when wearing the castor oil pack to reap the most benefits. It can also be worn overnight, if your body tolerates it (best to work up to that). It’s generally advised to start with 20-30 minute sessions a few times a week.
Who should not use a castor oil pack
Castor oil packs should not be worn during pregnancy or during menses. They should not be worn over an open wound. As always, please speak with your own practitioner to see if a castor oil pack is right for you.
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How have we used castor oil packs in our home
I first learned about castor oil packs in 2015, and although the practice seemed a bit out there to me, I gave it the old college try. At the time, I was dealing with debilitating endometriosis, infertility, and a whole collection of other symptoms. Admittedly, I was not consistent with using castor oil packs – I had a lot of things to implement and laying still for 30 minutes a night (no fancy castor oil packs like we have today) didn’t appeal to me. Eventually, we got pregnant and I discovered healing through a variety of approaches. But castor oil packs came back into our home after our first child was born.
My husband, who as a small child had abdominal surgery, developed a small bowel obstruction a week after I gave birth (talk about an emergency) – we discovered this was likely due to adhesions that formed over time from childhood. While we completely ignored the recommendations from the surgeons and dietitians in the hospital (I can’t even begin to tell you how ridiculous their plan forward was), one thing my husband implemented was nightly castor oil packs. We can confidently say that over time, this helped to heal a lot fo what was going on internally ALONGSIDE a nutrient-dense diet (avoiding harsh foods like cruciferous veggies, nuts/seeds, or raw greens – these can be incredibly irritating to the gut, especially when compromised).
Over the past decade, I’ve worn castor oil packs with more or less consistency (when not pregnant), but the real benefits have been for my children when they’ve struggled with various issues. One child went through a season of bad constipation, and introducing castor oil packs to this child helped a lot (along with our favorite kids poop support!). Years later, we added castor oil packs for 2 children after establishing a mineral balancing protocol. To say the effects were incredible would be an understatement. At this time, the kids ages were 7 and 5, and without going into each child’s unique issues, we noticed OVERNIGHT changes – behavior, mood upon waking, digestion. This has now become a regular part of our older children’s routines (that they honestly enjoy), that we try to keep up with 3-4x/week.
Can you use castor oil packs with kids?
Over the past decade, I’ve worn castor oil packs with more or less consistency (when not pregnant), but the real benefits have been for my children when they’ve struggled with various issues. One child went through a season of bad constipation, and introducing castor oil packs to this child helped a lot (along with our favorite kids poop support!). Years later, we added castor oil packs for 2 children after establishing a mineral balancing protocol. To say the effects were incredible would be an understatement. At this time, the kids ages were 7 and 5, and without going into each child’s unique issues, we noticed OVERNIGHT changes – behavior, mood upon waking, digestion. This has now become a regular part of our older children’s routines (that they honestly enjoy), that we try to keep up with 3-4x/week.
Have you used castor oil packs in your home? What have you noticed, or how has this worked into your wellness journey?
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