Castor Oil Health Benefits & How To Use

Castor oil is one of the most sacred, healing oil on this planet! From healing gut health to beauty, it is good for everything! Find out how it can help you & how to use. 

In this article, we talk about the immense health benefits of castor oil and how you can use this powerful, sacred oil as a therapy to heal your whole body. I cover all the benefits in this article to make it comprehensive for you so that you can immediately start with a regimen and get the health benefits of this very affordable 'oil therapy.'

History of castor oil -

The scientific name for castor oil is Ricinus communis and it is usually called the castor bean, palma-christi,  or simply castor oil. Castor oil is extracted from the castor seed (called castor bean) and this oil has many medicinal benefits. It is also used in many industrial and cosmetic applications. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in ricinolein (a triglyceride).

It is native to India, Mediterranean region and Africa. Castor seeds have been discovered in Egyptian tombs dating back 4000 BC. Cleopetra used it in her eyes to brighten them. Greeks used it for lighting lamps and for body salves and hair care. The Ebers Papyrus (ancient Egyptian medical treatise from 1552 BC) has described castor oil benefit as a laxative. In India, castor oil is revered for its laxative and quick detoxifying properties (cathartic) to clean the body. Ayurveda, Unani, siddha and such medical systems consider castor oil with high prestige and it is often regarded as the king of medicinal oils. In Ayurveda (and basically, all over India) castor oil massage is a very popular remedy for sore, arthritic joints. It is also given to babies and young children to rid of parasites and worms. 

The ancient Romans also used castor oil for lamps and as a laxative. In Haiti, it is given to newborns to cleanse their digestive tract, hence, used as a purgative.

Now, let's talk about what castor oil can do for you.

Benefits of Castor Oil -

Hair & Skin - Castor oil, due to its high vitamin e content, is amazing for hair growth as well as skin health. Castor oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which makes it a great skin moisturizer as it locks in moisture. Mixing castor oil with some other carrier oil like coconut oil, olive oil, etc makes it easy to apply since castor oil alone can be a bit heavy and too thick. Castor oil has also been tauted for its hair growing properties since it strengthens the hair follicles, thus reducing hair fall and promoting growth. It moisturizes the scalp and is a great remedy for dry scalp or dandruff. You can also apply castor oil on your eyebrows, eye lashes as well as hairline - simply take few drops and apply right before bedtime. 

Gut Health, Lymph Support & Detoxification - We all know that castor oil is used as a laxative - you take a spoon or two in warm water or milk and it cures constipation by going into the small intestine and being digested as ricinoliec acid, but what most people do not know yet is that this amazing oil also helps in gut microbiome. Applying castor oil pack helps in supporting lymphatic system - the lymph nodes filter out toxic waste, bacteria, pathogens, and proteins so applying castor oil helps in optimum functioning and in maintaining effective drainage of the lymphatic system. Lymphatic system also impacts our digestive health and castor oil not only aids detoxification but also inhibits inflammation in the abdomen, thus improving the gut health and issues like ibs, ibd, leaky gut, stomach aches, cramps, indigestion, etc.

Increases Immunity - By healing the gut and aiding in whole-body detoxification, it is no surprise that castor oil increases the immunity by increasing white blood cells (T-11) and lymphocytes within an hour or two of application. The white blood cells returned to normal levels within the 24 hours. Therefore, the use of castor oil, in turn helps the body to produce more antibodies and get rid of viruses, bacteria, fungi and cancer cells. 

Good Circulation & Blood Flow - Castor oil increases blood flow by virtue of helping the lymphatic system as it is also responsible for healthy circulation and blood flow in the body. This is also another reason why castor oil indirectly supports heart health. 

Pain Relief, Arthritis, Muscle Stiffness & Soreness - Castor oil is excellent in relieving inflammation and due to its lubricating properties, it is used as a massage oil for painful joints and stiffness. Simply warm some castor oil for a minute or so and apply directly on the joints, muscles, or even all over the body. You will see improvement right away. 

Liver Cleanse - Castor oil packs are a famous remedy for liver cleansing. Liver is responsible for flushing out excess hormones, drugs, chemicals and it does this by cleaning the blood coming from the intestines. Modern day lifestyle has left our livers over-burdened and not able to function optimally. Applying castor oil on liver and massaging before bed will help the liver in detoxification and help pick up liver metabolism.

Thyroid & Insulin Balance - Liver is responsible for converting the thyroid hormone T-4 to T-3 as well as for balancing insulin (blood sugar) and it is also involved in over 500 functions in the body. Most people who have sluggish liver have thyroid imbalance and vice versa. Therefore, castor oil packs will help with thyroid and sugar balance by indirectly supporting liver health. 

Restful Sleep - Massaging with castor oil and applying the 'castor oil pack' right before bed helps in promoting deep, restful sleep. The massage, along with the warmth of the flannel helps in promoting calmness and preparing the body to sleep. You can also massage some castor oil on feet soles right before bedtime.

Hormonal Balance for Men &  Women - Castor oil has been used since centuries for women's health issues like cysts, fibroids, adrenal imbalance, PCOS and so on. It can also help men balance the adrenals and most of all, it is great aid for both men and women in reducing estrogen dominance. Most of the cancers have root in hormonal imbalance as well as high estrogen dominance - castor oil, by virtue of liver and lymph detoxification, helps in flushing out excess estrogen and aids in balancing the hormones.

Another point is that in our gut, we have specific bacteria known as estrobolome, that helps in metabolizing estrogen. Castor oil is able to go to our intestine walls and break down the bad bacteria (the biofilm) and flush out yeast, candida, bacteria, and toxic waste. By doing this, the much necessary bacteria like estrobolome are able to flourish and survive - thus, castor oil helps in hormone balance and in preventing estrogen dominance.

As a side note, castor oil can also be used to dissolve not just cysts, but also moles and corns.

Fertility Aid - Castor oil works great as a fertility aid for women. Castor oil stimulates blood flow, enhances better circulation and helps in removing waste as well as excess hormones in the body - all this adds up to better reproductive health for women, which in turn means, better fertility. Many women who have tried this ancient practice of castor oil packs report that they became pregnant while earlier they were struggling. Castor oil is a saint! and this remedy cannot be ignored if one is trying to get pregnant.

Weight Loss - By applying castor oil on abdomen, you are enhancing detoxification and this helps in flushing out belly fat. Castor oil boosts metabolism and due to its laxative effects, it helps move stubborn toxic waste and fat out of the body. Applying castor oil daily is the key - this is not a one-time miracle cure!  

How to apply?

Liver - For liver health, apply castor oil directly on the right side of your abdomen, just below the diaphragm and massage till fully absorbed. You can also apply it on a cotton flannel and then tie this flannel throughout the night. This is called castor oil pack therapy.

Fertility - Apply castor oil all over abdomen. Place a piece of cotton cloth on the abdomen soaked with little bit more of castor oil. Now, you can put some towel and then warm water bottle that covers all of the abdomen. Leave this for 1 hour and do this daily for best results. 

Sleep - Massage castor oil on feet soles as well as liver and abdomen. You can massage some on your temples, hair and neck area to promote even deeper sleep. 

Weight Loss - Apply on abdomen and liver and massage till absorbed. You can then use flannel to cover for the night to avoid staining and also use hot water bottle for more benefits. 

Beauty - Massage a few drops of castor oil daily on bald spots, hairline, edges, and just all over your scalp. Massage your face with castor oil and mix with some coconut oil if desired. Make sure to massage some on your eyebrows as well as eyelashes to promote growth and help in relaxing tired eyes.

Joints/Hands/Stiff Muscles/Neck - Simply warm some castor oil and massage on desired area daily. You can do this 2-3 times per day depending on the severity of your condition. 

Who should NOT use castor oil packs?

Pregnant women should not use castor oil in any way as it can induce labor. Those with auto-immune conditions are advised to use castor oil packs on alternate days as castor oi is known to boost white blood cells. Though very rare, some people might be allergic to castor oil - in that case, just do a small patch test and you will know.

This is it! What a beautiful, powerful and affordable therapy that you can start right away and reap so many benefits.

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To 'Healing with Castor Oil' - till next article.

-Somyata.

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