Five years ago I would have been, like… what? Excuse me? Slather myself in an old wives tale type oil with the expectation of internal relief?
YUP. (Start singing it now: “This is how we do it” by Montell Jordan)
Turns out our Grandmas knew what they were talking about. This oil is coming back on the radar with voracity. It has a HOST of benefits for many common issues + can really bring quite a bit of relief.
I am currently in the middle of a METAL DETOX (which if you don’t know metals are tough to get out and they put a TON of BIG ole roadblocks up in many of our systems, creating a multitude of issues.) Anytime you are doing a detox your body just may do a little squirming in the process of letting go. It’s to be expected. And Castor Oil packs were my best friend in those first few days of my detox.
But I haven’t left them behind. I am still currently using them for ongoing detox because they are GREAT for assisting the liver in releasing what can clog up that beauty of a filtering organ. Trust me, that organ needs to be as available as possible to do a good job or your body throws a whole out-of-control dance party of toxic overload + chaos. And the products we use, the food we eat, the contaminants in the air ALL going through our bodies one way or another.
Here are just a few of the possible health benefits of Castor Oil Packs:
detoxifies the body
reduces inflammation
boosts circulation
increases lymphatic drainage
strengthens immune system
reduces food sensitivities
relieves joint pain
They are so simple to use + really inexpensive.
All you need is:
The instructions are SO basic.
Get a glass baking dish or storage container.
Lay out a LONG sheet of plastic wrap centered over the pan. Make sure it is large enough to generously wrap around the area where you will be applying the castor oil pack plus an extra few inches for overlap.
Place your flannel fabric down in the glass pan on top of the plastic.
Make sure it is pressed down into the bottom of the pan so when you begin pouring the oil it doesn’t spill onto the countertop or floor.
Slowly pour small amounts of the castor oil onto the flannel, allowing it to soak in. Keep slowly adding more until it feels spongey and is nicely saturated with enough that it will transfer to your skin.
I often rub a little castor oil directly onto the area where I will be applying the pack as well.
now gently pick up the saran wrap, apply to area and wrap the saran wrap around, attaching it to itself to hold the pack in place. Most often I wrap another 2-3 runs of the wrap around to hold it firmly and contain the heat.
find a cozy spot and put a towel down in case your pack leaks, this oil can stain clothing and other fabrics.
Heat your pad to the warmest setting you can comfortably sit with and leave it on for 2 hours.
Remove heat after 2 hours. You can leave the pack on overnight but make sure you unplug that heating pad + remove it.
Store your fabric castor oil pack in an airtight container for the next use. You may need to add a little more castor oil for each use.
Replace pack every 2-3 months.
I’m so excited for you to try this. Every time I do it I feel like I am pampering my body, making internal change, and removing the unwanted. It’s good for me + in addition to what I know it is doing it is also creating many extra benefits I am completely unaware of. SO GOOD!
And hey, of course, I add my favorite essential oils to it, depending on my desired outcome for what I am using it for. I OFTEN grab a citrus + fir combo to help me feel encouraged, uplifted, grounded + to move through + forward. They help me to accept myself + to hold tight to HOPE for the future, while releasing all the head stuff I need to let go of!
Every single day I want to CHOOSE just one thing that helps create lasting change to a healthier tomorrow! This is one easy thing I can do to feel successful in that journey. How about you? What have you tried lately?
