Castor oil is derived from the bean Ricinus Communis, also known as Palma Christi plant. This plant has been used therapeutically for centuries in folk medicine of ancient India, Africa, Greece, and the Americas to name a few.
I first learned how to do castor oil packs at The Optimum Health Institute of San Diego which is a holistic detox center. I worked there for several years as an abdominal massage therapist. They recommended castor oil packs over the liver and abdomen as a part of their detox program for certain guests, depending on their individual needs.
I was later trained in castor oil packs during my apprenticeship with Dr. Rosita Arivgo. It was a part of the certification program for the Arivgo techniques of Maya abdominal massage. Later, while working side by side with fertility acupuncturists of Reproductive Wellness for 6 years, I learned their perspective on castor oil packs and its application depending on our client's needs, including those going through IVF. I was able to witness how these amazing packs have helped a variety of issues throughout the years.
Castor oil packs are wonderful for detoxification of the internal organs including the colon, liver, small intestine, and uterus. It increases healing circulation and detoxifying lymphatic flow. It can help shrink fibroids, unblock fallopian tubes, and increase fertility especially when used consistently and in conjunction with womb massage and Yoni/pelvic steaming.
When applied topically with heat and compression, the castor oil is able to penetrate deeply into the skin. Research has shown that castor oil has a unique chemical profile rich in ricinoleic acid which has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. It increases lymphocyte production and the level of activity of T-cell lymphocytes. T-cell lymphocytes originate from bone marrow and the thymus gland and identify and kill invaders such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It also has positive effects on immunity. Read more about the science of the castor oil pack here.
Castor oil packs are not for everyone. Be sure to consult with a doctor or health care professional to find out if castor oil packs are right for you.
Here at Rebirth, we can recommend a castor oil pack schedule tailored to your needs after performing a Detox Abdominal or Womb massage on you and reviewing your health history.
Depending on what your goals are, and your individual needs, castor oil packs should be done 2-4 times a week on a healthy individual. Certain issues will require doing the castor oil pack at a specific time of your cycle and for a certain length of time.
Depending on what your goals are, you may also want to be on an empty stomach while doing the pack. Please note that you should not do the packs while pregnant. They should be used minimally or not all if you have an autoimmune disorder or are breastfeeding.
I have been recommending castor oil packs for years to my clients for the following reasons:
soften scar tissue
increase blood flow to the uterus
increase fertility
reducing bloating
constipation
endometriosis
painful periods
boosting the immune system
shirking cysts
overall detoxication
speeding recovery postnatal
healing pain related to c-section scars
unblocking fallopian tubes
shrinking fibroids
To watch the full video please click here.
What you will need for the castor oil pack:
undyed wool flannel (cotton is ok if your allergic to wool)
castor oil
small bowl
trash bag
large towel
small hand towel
heating pad
bed or sofa to lay on
Step 1: Take out the cotton or wool flannel and place it into the bowl. Again, I cannot stress enough of how important it is to use an undyed cloth. You don't want the dyes in the flannel to absorb into your body. And yes, you need to use the flannel! Simply rubbing castor oil on your skin doesn't compare to doing the actual pack. I know it's a hassle, but the juice is worth the squeeze! You can do it!
Step 2: Soak the flannel in the castor oil. For the sake of this video, I used a bowl since I didn't have a stove or pot on site. Please note that you can first heat up the castor oil in a pot and use that instead of the bowl. Make sure it's just slightly heated so that you don't burn yourself.
Step 3: Massage the castor oil into the flannel.
And I mean completely dripping with castor oil! The more you put on, the more your body absorbs.
If you have these dry lighter spots like the photo above, ADD MORE CASTOR OIL!
Step 4: Set up your space. I do the pack in bed or on the couch. I get myself water or tea, a book or the tv remote in arms reach. You won't be able to stand up while the pack is on.
Step 5: Set down a piece of plastic or mattress projector. Castor oil stains!
I grab a clean trash bag and cut the sides to make it as wide as possible, then set it down on the couch or bed.
Step 5B: Place the large bath towel (that you don't mind getting stained) down on top of the trash bag. This towel serves as a barrier between the plastic and yourself and you will also use it to wrap the heating pad later on.
Step 6: Lay down on the towel and place the flannel on the lower part of your abdomen.
Step 6B: Place the hand towel or piece of plastic wrap over the flannel in order to protect the heating pad from getting castor oil on it. Please note that some people prefer to use a hot rubber water bottle (available at CVS) instead of an electric heating pad. However, I find the hot water bottles don't keep the heat long enough and can also get too hot. They are more difficult to regulate heat with.
Step 7: Wrap the large bath towel you're lying on over the heating pad. You'll soon feel the pack heating up.
It should be on medium to medium-high setting depending on your heating pad. Not burning but very warm. Ahhhh, so relaxing!
Make sure to add more oil every time you use it!
Some will say you can reuse this up to 60 times. I'm a bit of a germaphobe, I would personally only use it about 10 times before making the switch over to a new one.
Promo! We sell herbal-infused castor oil at Rebirth! We use herbs to help boost the effects for the pack such as:
Calendula for reducing and softening adhesions
Ginger for its anti-inflammatory and warming properties
Yarrow to help balance menstrual flow
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!