The castor oil pack
Evidence of the use of castor oil goes back to ancient Egypt. It was also used in India, China, Persia, Africa, Greece and other regions. The Romans called it Palma Christi (the hand of Christ).
The castor oil pack increases the flow of lymph in the underlying organs and increases the circulation of infection-fighting white blood cells. It is very useful for detoxifying the liver and colon, for normalizing colon function, eliminating gallstones, relieving colonic impaction, softening adhesions and treating many other conditions. It also relieves pain and is a calming, relaxing treatment. The Castor Oil Pack should be used with caution in pregnancy or during menstruation, as it may create additional bleeding.
Materials Needed:
- Castor oil
- 36” X 10” cotton flannel
- Hot water bottle or heating pad
- Sheet of plastic
- Old towel
Procedure:
- Fold flannel in ½- 1/3 so that it covers your entire abdomen.
- Drizzle castor oil over flannel so that it is saturated. You may have to fold in half and then unfold to spread the oil around flannel. The flannel should be saturated enough to leave an oil mark on furniture, but not dripping with oil. Apply to abdomen, being conscious to cover the right side where your liver resides. (Note: the first couple of weeks you use the pack you will have to apply a tablespoon of oil every few days. Eventually the pack will be saturated enough that you will only need to apply new oil every 3-4 weeks.)
- Lay an old towel on the surface where you will lay. This will prevent staining, as castor oil stains.
- Lie on your back with your feet elevated. Place flannel on entire abdomen, cover with small piece of plastic and/or towel, and place a hot water bottle or heating pad on top.
- Leave pack on for 45-60 minutes. You may find this an excellent time to practice meditation, deep breathing or visualization, or just to sleep.
- After finishing you can remove the oil from your skin with a solution of 2 TBS baking soda to 1 quart water. You can also leave on skin for absorption throughout the night.
- Store the pack in a large zip-lock bag. Reuse the pack many times, adding more oil as needed to keep pack saturated. Replace the pack after it begins to change color (usually several months).
- For maximum effectiveness, it is necessary to apply the pack as often as possible. Try for at least 4 consecutive days per week for at least 4-6 weeks. Patients who use the pack daily will receive the most beneficial effects.