Here is what I know to be true ladies: We SUCK at self-care.
I’m not saying men are great at it either, because Lord knows they have their own obstacles, but what I do know is that most women I know have two gauges: suppression or explosion. And frankly, it’s not healthy.
So this week I thought I would talk about a form of self-care that I really dig – especially for those of you suffering from PMS, PCOS, endo and fibroids and that is castor oil packs. However, since I know that most women will prioritize everyone except themselves, I thought I’d tell your partners about it instead! Essentially, I’m telling on you, which brings me to the focus of this week which is:
An important PSA about Castor Oil packs for women.
Here is an overview on who can benefit from castor oil packs:
- Women with PMS so bad that it feels like someone is wringing out your uterus in a sad, sad rage.
- Women who struggle with estrogen-related conditions, such as: fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, endometriosis, adenomyosis, ovarian cysts and fibroids.
- Individuals who grapple with constipation.
- Individuals who’ve been told that they have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or who have been struggling with estrogen-related issues (because the liver is always a part of the picture).
Where can castor oil packs be used:
- On the pelvic region: You can place this generally just over top of the area affected, or concentrate on a specific location where you know, for example, that cysts are present.
- Over top of the navel: This location will be great if you’re struggling with constipation.
- On the upper right quadrant just underneath the breast which is partially on and off of the right rib: This is where your liver is located.
- On the breast: where there is a fibrocystic breast
What does the castor oil pack do exactly?
- Increases circulation
- Promotes detoxification
- Improves lymphatic drainage (via circulation)
How often should you do a castor oil pack: roughly 2-3x per week at minimum.
Who shouldn’t do a castor oil pack: Cancer patients or women who are pregnant or are breastfeeding.
What should you look for when purchasing castor oil, and what do I suggest?
- Always get it in a glass bottle! It’s a HUGE pet peeve of mine to see oil of any kind in a plastic bottle (which leaches foreign estrogens in the oil). This is a huge no-no for women who’ve got estrogen related conditions.
- Make sure it’s organic, like the one from my friends at St. Francis Herb Farm. Otherwise you have no idea about the processing methods used and you risk having traces of hexane in the product (which is a by-product of the gasoline industry).
How do you do a castor oil pack? Well, I’m glad you asked:
Ingredients
- St. Francis Herb Farm Castor Oil
- Flannel pack or an old rag
- A ratty shirt or an additional rag
- Hot water bottle (not a heating pad as it can burn)
Instructions
- Soak a piece of unbleached flannel or an old rag with castor oil.
- Place the castor oil pack over the location based on your issue (see post above).
- Place a ratty shirt or an additional rag over top and then place a hot water bottle over top of that.
- Leave on for an hour and take that time to relax.
