Five benefits of castor oil packs
Castor oil packs are a simple and powerful detoxification technique that helps improve your lymphatic drainage and detox your body. The castor oil plant is native to India. Castor oil comes from the castor seed , and is comprised of fatty acids, 90% being ricinoleic acid.
Castor oil is widely used as a home remedy for the abdomen. Applied to the skin, it travels through the tissues and reaches the lymphatic system. Heating it up can help to drive the oil in deeper. Using castor oil regularly can increase lymphocyte production.
To do a castor oil pack, you will need:
– cotton flannel or a castor oil pack compress
– organic castor oil
– hot pad or hot water bottle
– water with electrolytes
Simply spread a tablespoon of castor oil on the flannel or compress, place it on your liver while you are laying down (it may feel a bit cold at first), and then place the hot pad or hot water bottle on top of the pad.
If you are using a cotton flannel you may want to also wrap a piece of plastic wrap on it and around your abdomen to keep it in place, but if you are using the compress, you don’t need the plastic wrap.
That’s it! You can now relax for up to an hour while the castor oil and heat work their magic. Make sure to drink plenty of water with electrolytes to keep hydrated.
After removal, make sure to wipe the area down with water or a towel to avoid staining of your clothes.
Below are five benefits of doing castor oil packs.
Castor oil packs increase lymphatic drainage
The lymphatic system is a part of your immune system that helps remove toxins, bacteria, viruses and unwanted cells from your body. It also helps transport nutrients throughout your body and aids in digestion. If you have an infection that won’t go away or a chronic illness, then your lymph nodes will continue to swell up because they aren’t able to get rid of those toxins and bacteria on their own. This is when castor oil packs come in handy!
Enhance liver health
Castor oil can help reduce the incidence of fatty liver and has been shown to lower elevated liver enzymes (such as AST and ALT. It can also aid in liver detox when detox pathways become sluggish or overloaded.
Reduce inflammation
Castor oil packs have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. Reducing inflammation is often at the root of many chronic diseases today.
Support the immune system
Castor oil has can help to support and enhance the immune system, specifically T lymphocytes. Castor oil has also been studied for its efficacy as an anti fungal and anti microbial agent.
Support digestion
Castor oil can also assist the gastrointestinal tract. When placed in the abdomen, it has been shown to reduce nausea, reduce constipation, and improve digestion.
As always, check with your doctor before using castor oil packs. Please keep in mind not to use castor oil packs during pregnancy or menstruation.