The Blog
The Blog
Your body is a pretty amazing place. While you’re going about your day, it’s working hard to keep everything running smoothly.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, the body often has to work a little harder than it’s designed to do – especially in the digestion and detoxification department.
Many people are dealing with poor gut health brought on by an inflammatory diet, alcohol, medications and exposure to environmental toxins. On the detoxification front, our body’s main filtration organ, the liver, gets inundated with toxins and chemicals in our food, water and personal care products.
These two areas of the body, the digestive system and liver, work together to help flush out waste, toxins and excess hormones. The liver filters and the colon expels it. When one or both are struggling, it impairs effective detoxification and can lead to higher levels of toxins and hormones in the body.
The result? A whole number of issues – including hormonal imbalances, increased inflammation, low energy, fatigue, and acne.
For our clients in The Clear Skin Solution, we include lifestyle practices in their acne-clearing protocols to help naturally support their detoxification organs. Castor oil packs are one of our favourites as it helps ease constipation, stimulate liver and lymph detoxification and ease period pain.
You can find premade kits (like the ones available from Queen of Thrones) or purchase the items individually. Organic castor oil can be found at most health food stores or from many online retailers.
Castor oil has been used since ancient times in Egypt, China and India. It was made into compresses and poultices as well as used in anointing ceremonies. Derived from castor seeds, it’s a very thick oil that can be used topically and internally.
Castor oil has natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as promotes wound healing. You can use it as a spot treatment on acne, too.
It also has high levels of the rare compound called ricinoleic acid that acts as a skin-conditioning agent. This is why it’s used extensively in personal care products.
Check out my DIY Deep Conditioning Hair Mask with Castor Oil or Oil Cleansing for Clear Glowing Skin.
Traditionally, a castor oil pack is a combination of the oil and a piece of fabric (usually flannel or cotton) that is applied over the liver. The pack is worn for a minimum of one hour. It can be used on other parts of the body, as well. For example, over the throat for thyroid health, over the chest for respiratory support, or over the abdomen for digestion or period pain.
There are many different uses for castor oil packs, including:
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