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in this issue:
• castor oil
• other uses
• simple instructions |
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| Greetings!
Here in Portland, the winter wonderland continues. Every couple of weeks, another inch or two of snow falls on the city floor. What unusual weather! A few of us at Bambú, though, are east coast transplants and are reveling in a little wintry nostalgia. Since it is cold here (and, as I understand, in a few other places around the country), stay home at night, cuddle up with a book, and do your castor oil pack! Here's why...
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The real deal... |
Evidence in historical records suggests that the oil from the castor bean has been in medical use in India, Egypt, China, Persia, Africa and Greece for over 4000 years. For a long time, this oil was traditionally used internally as a laxative, but today the physicians at Bambú Clinic recommend castor oil be applied externally, primarily in the form of a "pack." Castor oil packs increase circulation of blood & lymph, enhance the immune system, decrease inflammation, improve elimination of toxic substances and promote healing of tissues. As a result, they have multiple direct effects on our physiology including supporting liver function, stimulating the production of immune factors, relieving pain, and improving digestion, mood and sleep.
All of these wonderful actions can be attributed to ricinoleic acid, an important and unique constituent of castor oil. This substance diffuses through the skin and into the organs and vessels where it acts as a mild irritant.
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 And, in the body, mild irritation stimulates movement of fluids, recruitment of immunological factors, peristalsis (circular muscle contractions that aid digestion) and many other physiological reactions. Perhaps the most significant function of ricinoleic acid takes place in the Peyer’s Patches. These aggregations of diffuse lymphoid tissue are found throughout the abdominal cavity and comprise a large portion of the body’s immune system. Castor oil’s stimulation of these round lymph follicles explains its effect on the immune system as demonstrated in a study, “Immunomodulation Through Castor Oil Packs” published in the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine in 1997. This study demonstrated that daily use of castor oil packs boost the body’s specific immunity by increasing the production of T lymphocytes which originate in the bone marrow and thymus gland.
This study also suggests that ricinoleic acid resembles a type of biochemical called “prostaglandins.” These substances are responsible for regulation of smooth muscle contraction, modulation of blood pressure, and control of cell division/metabolic rates, acid secretion in the stomach, blood platelet aggregation, body temperature, inflammation, vascular permeability and transmission of nervous impulses.
As you can see, castor oil has an important effect on many of the most important regulatory functions of the body and affects every body system in some way. This is why the physicians at Bambú believe that this treatment is crucial for every patient and one of the most effective methods for achieving and maintaining optimal health.
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Other Uses for Castor Oil... |
- Rubbed into sore, arthritic joints: castor oil gloves for the hands, and socks for the feet
- For bruises and contusions of all sorts—it can take the inflammation down overnight
- On animal bites
- Applied to itchy, dry skin lesions, as a moisturizer
- Over the kidneys, for recovery from a urinary tract infection
- In the eyes, for conjuctival irritations
- To drain sore, swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- On sore, cracked nipples—for breast feeding moms
- On the whole breast, to aid in cases of mastitis
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Simple instructions: |
Castor oil packs should be easy and relaxing. Most patients enjoy the few quiet moments in their day provided by the castor oil pack ritual.
Take a clean flannel cloth folded into 2-3 layers and large enough to cover your entire abdomen.
Drizzle 2-3 TBSP of castor oil onto one face of the cloth.
Place the oily side down on your stomach, add a little heat (via a heating pad, a hot water bottle, your own arms, a warm blanket) and lie still for 30-45 minutes. You can incorporate this into your evening routine. If you regularly check email every night, do your castor oil pack while you sit at your computer. Or do it while you read or talk to your spouse or watch a movie.
After the allotted time, place your pack into a plastic bag and set it aside until tomorrow.
The next day, add a TBSP or so of additional castor oil. Do this for the next 4-5 days. Until the cloth is “saturated” enough that it leaves a SLIGHT film of oil on your belly when you remove it.
Once this level of saturation is reached, you only need to add oil once every 5-7 days.
Most common castor oil pack mistakes:
Add TOO MUCH oil or add oil TOO OFTEN—this treatment should not be messy, no oil dripping off, no pools of stickiness left behind.
Wash the cloth—not necessary, use the cloth for several months, then toss and buy a new one.
One more suggestion:
Place the castor oil pack on your bare skin and cover it with a hand towel (to insulate it from your clothes). Then, pull a tight t-shirt or tank top over the top. Tuck the bottom of the castor oil pack (flannel and hand towel together) into your pajama bottoms or sweat pants. This technique secures the pack in place and minimizes any messiness.
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We hope you found this information helpful. We strive to help our patients find a healthy way in the world. If you have topics you'd like us to address in future issues please let us know. We are always available for questions
and comments.
Warm Regards,
The Physicians of Bambú Clinic
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