Castor Oil: life-changing benefits & uses
If you’ve gotten on the crunchy side of the internet for even a SECOND in the last few years, you’ve likely seen castor oil referenced.
There’s a reason!!
(And there’s SO much more to it than a laxative or a labor-inducer!)
Let’s chat about the benefits of castor oil, the scientific why behind its potent abilities, and all the ways you can use it!
Firstly - what is castor oil?
Castor oil has been around for quite literally thousands of years and dates back to Ancient Egypt (around 4000 B.C.), which for an ancestral-approach-loving-gal, immediately gets me interested.
This oil is expressed from the castor bean and has incredible anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and regenerative properties.
It can be used in a myriad of ways (that we’ll talk about!) - from eyelash and eyebrow growth to sore muscles and from liver detoxes to thyroid support - it truly feels a bit like a miracle product!
My favorite castor oil & supplies
While this is not sponsored, I do want to draw attention out of the gate to what makes a good castor oil - because it is an oil that has the propensity to oxidize, buying cold pressed oil in dark bottles is important.
I personally always prefer organic products as well, so my favorite brand to use is Queen of the Thrones. This larger bottle lasts a LONG time, but you can also select a smaller version if you want to give it a try before committing to a big stock!
I also am a huge fan of their wraps (and yes, I have them all!)
The liver wrap is great for, well, the liver, but also for general use! I’ve enjoyed wearing mine on my back (lower back for pain, mid back for kidney support, etc) and also as a chest wrap for both lung and breast health!
And you know as a Hashimoto’s gal I’ve got the thyroid wrap, which is perfect for a neck wrap for neck ailments of any kind (sore throat, etc), as well as thyroid gland support!
Lastly, the kids’ size wrap is phenomenal for those precious small ones - all three of my boys use it sporadically either as a liver detox support or if a nasty respiratory infection comes up, they wear it as a chest wrap!
Now finally, the magic of castor oil:
What is it that makes castor oil so great?
Quercetin & Ricinoleic Acid, my friends. (…and Vitamin E and Omega Fatty Acids!)
These two compounds have incredible anti-inflammatory, detoxification, oxidative-stress-protection, and even anti-cancerous properties.
Which means that castor oil as a topical treatment can help support digestion, decrease inflammation and oxidative stress damage, promote stress reduction, support circulation, aid in detoxification, support lymphatic health, and encourage cellular health and restoration. It’s really amazing!
My top favorite ways to use castor oil:
Liver detox - let’s start with the most talked-about way to use castor oil! Because castor oil can support detoxification, promote glutathione production, and decrease inflammation, the liver is a wonderful spot to place a castor oil pack.
The process is especially simple with a tie-around wrap: apply about a tablespoon of oil and use the cloth to spread the oil around (I fold the wrap in half lengthwise and smoosh it around from the clean side, then open it and fold in widthwise and do the same thing. If you can figure out that process from this description, one of us deserves an award.)
Secure the wrap over the liver (directly under the ribcage and a bit toward the right side - about 3/4 of the fabric should be in the front and the rest around the side/back of your torso) and tie securely.
You can either keep the wrap on for a few hours (I would recommend going slowly as a starting point) or you can wear it overnight.
Be warned - it can stain over time! I have a couple pairs of designated PJ’s I wear for castor oil nights and my sheets just perpetually have an oil stain nobody else can see. I’m okay with that 😅, but if you’re not, you may want to put a towel around the wrap or under your body!
It is also not recommended to wear castor oil liver packs during pregnancy or during your period, as it has the ability to increase bleeding.
I like to do my castor oils packs around 3 times a week!
Moisturizer - Castor oil is an incredible skin soother and I typically use it in smaller amounts/areas like the eyebrows, forehead, and even the neck area (double bonus for getting some thyroid application). It’s ultra-rich in supportive fatty acids that can penetrate deeply to leave your skin nourished and smooth.
Pain relief - because it’s so anti-inflammatory, castor oil applied topically to painful areas like joints, sore muscles, etc. can provide great relief. I have often used it on sore knees, back pain, injuries, etc to promote healing!
Lung support during illness - one of my sons has a propensity toward respiratory infections and needing medical support for low oxygen during illness. During his last bout of struggling a bit with up and down O2 readings and congested lungs, using a kids’ liver pack over his chest was one of the saving graces that kept us from needing additional support!
Targeted organ support - We’ve already covered some great options with liver and lung support and briefly mentioned thyroid, but castor oil can also provide wonderful support for just about any organ or tissue - I’ve used wraps or topical applications over my kidneys, over my chest/heart/breast tissue, and when doing lymphatic massage around my armpits, neck, etc.
As an aside, one of the things that made me fall even more in love with castor oil was discovering the effectiveness of quercetin against breast cancer tissue; it has been shown to inhibit tumor cell growth as well as initiate cell death in tumorous cells…that’s huge!!
Naval application - if you haven’t seen the castor oil wrap trend, you’ve maybe seen the “naval pulling” phenomenon which is quite simple and accessible - you just massage a bit of castor oil into your belly button before going to bed! It has the potential to support gut microbiome and digestive health, and good gut health is far-reaching for the rest of our well-being!
As with all my posts, this is not medical advice!
As a momma who loves medical autonomy, feeling empowered, and information & freedom, castor oil has been a fantastic and supportive part of my family’s health journey.
I hope this helps get you started with the magical uses of castor oil!
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