Castor Oil: An Add-on Service
Transform Your Autumn Healing Sessions
After healing from a cold I just gave myself a castor oil pack as part of a self care regiment and want to share the gift of castor oil with you!
Autumn is just so gorgeous here. I have been living and doing business in the sierra foothills of California for 17 years. Before 1850, when it was flooded with greedy-eyed gold seekers, this town was known as U’stomah, home and territory of the Nisenan Tribe. Now, it is known as Nevada City. According to surveys and sunset magazine, it is now again one of the most sought after places to live. My students who fly in from other states are charmed and say Nevada City looks like it’s Christmas 365 days of the year.
Right now, the colors of turning leaves against the white washed fences and Edwardian architecture is quite stunning. There is something about antiquities that is just so charming. I have a process to share with you that has a history with the 1800’s as well!
Local history of castor oil:
Though Castor oil has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 b.c., it has been used medicinally in the United States since the days of the pioneers. Traveling medicine men in the late 1800s peddled “cure-all” formulas, using the oil in their remedies. It has been used internally and externally for a variety of ailments and conditions for centuries!
The gift of castor oil:
Rubbing castor oil into the abdomen and liver
You can use castor oil topically all of the time with clients because of its anti-inflammatory properties. As a gratitude gift, I am going to teach you ways to weave it into a session as an add-on service. Before we go there, let’s talk about the dangers and benefits and why it is used so widely.
Castor oil comes from the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) native to Ethiopia and naturalized in several places of the world. I personally last saw it at a hot springs near Santa Barbara, California. The plant is known to many as an undesirable weed. I find it to be a beautiful, tropical looking plant. Castor oil seeds contains about 30%–50% oil making it ideal for extraction.
False news: Castor oil is toxic
The castor bean plant is HIGHLY toxic, the oil is not. The active poison in the castor bean, ricin, is left in the meal of the bulk material after the oil is extracted from the bean. Don’t freak out but Ricin is highly toxic and has been know to be used in terrorism as a bioweapon. At the same time this substance is used in cancer research by making ricin-antibody conjugate in test tubes because it has the ability to destroy tumors and not damage other cells theoretically. It is important to note is that Castor oil does not actually contain any of the poison, ricin. One can overdose on taking it internally though because it’s laxitive effects will dehydrate the body.
The benefits of the external use of castor oil
I only want to talk about the external benefits of castor oil today. I encourage you to explore the plethora of data on internal use but today we are focused on it’s external gifts. More than 90% of castor oil’s fatty acid content is ricinoleic acid. “Observational studies indicate that topical application of ricinoleic acid (RA), the main component of castor oil, exerts remarkable analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects” Research shows that this omega-9 has pain relief and anti-inflammatory effects. When applied to the skin may help relieve issues like muscle, joint pain and menstrual cramps.
Preliminary evidence suggests that castor oil may modulate white blood cell count and may have a positive effect on liver function and cholesterol levels; further research is needed in this area. Castor oil packs may provide a low-cost yet effective means to address cardiovascular disease and liver disease and to maintain lymphocyte counts during chemotherapy. The topical application of castor oil has been shown to reduce the pain of neurogenic inflammation (inflammation caused by the nervous system), improve symptoms of constipation and to lubricate the eyes as artificial tears.
The benefits of the external use of castor oil are almost endless.
- Anti-inflammatory: Both castor oil contains ricinoleic acid which has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Antimicrobial: It may also protect the skin from bacterial infections by keeping out microbes that can cause disease.
- Moisturizing: Castor oil contains triglycerides. These can help maintain moisture in the skin, making it a useful treatment for dry skin.
- Hydration: Castor oil may have humectant properties, which means that it can draw moisture from the air into the skin, keeping the skin hydrated.
- Cleansing: The triglycerides found in castor oil are also helpful in removing dirt from the skin
Other claims:
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Cleansing:can cleanse the gut by expelling any stubborn residue.
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Soften: absorbs into the skin, it can soften the bowels and any adhesions that are present.
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Relaxing: A hot pack on your stomach feels lovely and is deeply relaxing.
Systems and Conditions That Benefit From Castor Oil:
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Digestive System: The softening of your bowels can help cleanse the digestive system.
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Liver: With the liver being the main organ for detoxification, the castor oil aids in that detoxification and helps the liver more effective function.
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Uterine Fibroids, Cysts, and Blockages: The softening benefit of castor oil can also help soften uterine fibroids.
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Scar Soften: Castor oil can help loosen scar tissue and adhesions from a past surgery, including cesarean scars.
Here is a gift: A 5 minute video on how I like to use castor oil externally:
This weekend I was home healing from the end of a bad cold so I decided to do a bunch of self care. It inspired a series of 5 self-care videos on my youtube channel. I hope you enjoy them! I wasn’t concerned with high quality footage, I just wanted to get out content to you. Hope you don’t mind the casual offering. 😃
The Pros in massage use:
It’s affordable and lasts when diluted 1:1 with your massage oil.
Incorporate it in your session to help decrease inflammation.
Combine it with essential oils treat edema in your lymphatic sessions.
Use it in conjunction with a cleanse. A “liver detox session” combined with MLD (manual lymphatic drainage).
You will be able to charge an add-on service fee.
You will feel witchy working with it. It has a long history of use and you can feel the rich history when using it in your session!
The Cons in massage use:
Allergies: Some folx are allergic to the oil and may experience a rash or swelling. I have never experienced this with my clients and it is mentioned in one of the studies that I read that out of the sixty people in their study not one had an alergic reaction to topical use. That said, it is still good to be aware. It is also important for you to puchase hexane-free castor oil. Hexane is a chemical solvent used in the extraction process of many oils. It is a skin irritant.
Sticky: It is very sticky but can be diluted in a carrier oil 1:1.
Stains: It stains clothing and sheets. The good thing is that because it is so sticky, it does not run of the body easily and is easy to control. I use a towel from my hot towel cabinet to wipe excess oil off my clients body before having them turn over or get off the table. You can also use BPA free plastic wrap (see video).
Further research is needed Medical Studies in English are limited and we need more data!
CONTRAINDICATED Castor oil is contraindicated for pregnancy but commonly used for a first-time application for a fertility massage session, probably due to it’s claimed ability to break up adhesions.
I hope this blog serves you well and if you are also in the spirit of giving, Please like and Subscribe to my youtube channel really helps encourage me to continue to create free content like this.
Thank you and may you be healthy and thrive!
Peace,
Chula
PS Who’s coming to Aprils DFR training?
2023 Courses in Dynamic Fascial Response™ have been announced!
Check out the schedule here! It is currently discounted 100.00 for an earlybird registration incentive. This course will fill so save your spot!
*Nothing written in my blogs or newsletter are a replacement for medical care
