Written by Claire Broeren (Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist)
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What is Castor Oil?
Castor Oil is derived from the castor bean. Castor oil is most well known for its laxative effectwhen taken orally, however it has numerous other benefits when applied on the skin. Castor oil packs can be a great and easy way to support your overall health day to day.
What Women’s Health conditions can they help with?
• Fertility Issues
• Pelvic Adhesions
• Endometriosis
• Uterine Fibroids
• Hormonal Imbalance
• Ovarian Cysts
• Menstrual Cramps and pain
What else can they help with?
• Digestive Complaints (constipation/bloating)
• Liver Detoxification Support
• Promotes hair growth (used as a hair mask)
• Acne (antibacterial effect)
• Wrinkles (stimulates collagen and elastin)
• Can prevent premature greying (Helps your hair retain its pigment)
• Supports the immune system
• Supports the lymphatic system
What do you need?
• Organic Castor Oil
• Flannel Cloth (or you can buy a castor oil pack wrap online)
• Hot water bottle
• Some old towels
• Glass container
How to do a castor oil pack for menstrual health:
• Pour some castor oil in a glass container and soak the flannel cloth in castor oil
• Have a hot water bottle ready to go
• Lie down on an old towel
• Place the flannel cloth over the lower abdomen/uterus
• Place hot water bottle over the top (make sure it’s a bearable temperature - you can place a
towel between if you need)
• Relax for 30-60 minutes to allow the castor oil to soak in - good time to do a meditation
• Afterwards place the flannel cloth back in the glass container and store in the fridge for next
time (make sure it’s room temp when you re use it again).
• Wipe off any excess castor oil (Beware it stains everything - so watch out with clothing!)
Other areas of the body you can do the castor oil pack:
• Right side of the abdomen (Over the liver) - helps support liver detox
• Over the abdomen for digestive issues
• Over Joints (for inflammation/swelling)
You can also topically apply just the castor oil through your scalp as a hair mask, allow to soak in for 30 minutes and rinse out, as well as the face for wrinkles & acne. There’s no definite guidelines of how frequently you should do a castor oil pack - so see what works for you!
When shouldn’t you do a castor oil pack?
• During your bleed if you are someone that has heavy periods - Castor oil causes uterine contractions and can actually make your period heavier
• Pregnancy
• If you’re trying to conceive - only do castor oil packs in your follicular phase from when you finish bleeding to ovulation.