KIMIMI HEALING ARTS

Ah Spring, smelling those sweet cherry blossoms always makes me think of Fertility!  I thought this would be a good time to share how to do a simple Castor Pack to increase your chances of conceiving. More information like this will be available soon in my E-book Fertility Acupressure available on my website and on Amazon this Summer.

Please remember while Castor Packs are safe to do at home, they are extremely detoxifying!  You will want to drink lots of water the next day to help your liver process, maybe take an Epsom Salt bath the next day.  When you are trying to conceive only do Castor Packs during the Follicular Phase of your cycle (from day 1 of your period until you ovulate about 1st 14 days).  Just do 1-2 Castor Packs during this time, if you get over zealous, you may make yourself sick!

Castor oil Pack for Fertility

Castor oil pack is one of the most effective treatments you can do at home to increase your own fertility.  A castor pack is used over the abdomen and uterus to increase blood flow to the Uterus and move lymphatic fluid. Castor packs are especially beneficial for women with endometriosis, fibroids, polysystic ovary syndrome (POS), blocked fallopian tubes and heavy menstrual periods.  The castor oil relieves congestion and inflammation to the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes.  It also detoxifies the liver, improves metabolism and digestion.  The liver affects conception because it affects hormone metabalism and regulates blood sugar levels.  Castor oil can be used for scar tissue in the pelvic region, where there may have been any surgery or c-section. Castor oil therapy can reduce adhesions, loosening up masses, such as fibroids or cysts. It also pulls toxins out, when toxins enter the blood stream, they can potentially cause free radical damage, inflammation, and DNA damage. If the liver cannot detox efficiently, environmental chemicals are stored in the fat cells. This is one of the root causes of women’s diseases like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, breast cysts, glucose imbalances, thyroid problems, etc. All of these conditions, as you can see, ultimately lead to fertility issues of some sort. Castor oil therapy is a simple way to address all of these conditions at once.

Edgar Cayce was a pioneer in bringing Castor Oil Packs to the world.  Since his time, scientific studies have shown that Castor oil packs can boost the immune system by increasing the number of lymphocytes, increase blood circulation and increase fertility.

Pure food grade Castor oil is antimicrobial, antibacterial, healing and detoxifying.  This brings me to a valid point, you want a good quality Castor oil, look for brands such as “The Heritage Store” who produces Organic, pure cold pressed Castor oil that is Hexane free.  Some of the Castor oils you find in drugstores or grocery stores are not therapeutic grade and not effective.  Most Castor oil found in health food store is therapeutic.

Castor Pack Contraindications:

Though Castor packs are very mild, there are times when they should be avoided. Do not use just after any pelvic surgeries, if you have broken skin.  Castor packs should not be used at the beginning of your menses or just after Ovulation, if you are trying to conceive.  Once you are pregnant, stop using Castor packs.  Do not use while breastfeeding because it is such a powerful detoxifier.  If you have any serious illness or disease, best to check with your Doctor or Naturopath before beginning a Castor Pack regimen.

How to make your Castor Oil Pack

What you will need:

1 bottle Therapeutic Food grade Castor Oil

  Flannel Fabric

(strips from an old sheet or a pillow case.)

Heating Pad, hot water bottle or bucky pillow

Towels you don’t care about/rags

Saran Wrap or large plastic bag

You may find directions for Castor packs that includes soaking the flannel in Castor oil, I always found that to be a huge mess and if it becomes difficult, you just won’t do it regularly, so I prefer to massage my abdomen with a generous amount of Castor oil. Make sure to cover the entire abdomen and pelvic area. Then make nice circular motions around the abdomen, let it be enjoyable. The towels are nearby because Castor oil is sticky stuff.  You will want to wipe your hands after.  Place a little more Castor Oil on after your massage.  Next you place the flannel fabric, either cut square from an old sheet or I like to use a pillow case, it’s just the right size.  Put the flannel over your entire abdomen and uterus. Next you can put a strip of plastic, this will really seal in the heat, but it’s not truly necessary, I have done without this step and it’s fine.  After the strip of plastic place a thin towel (like a cotton flour sack towel). Next place your heating pack, either a hot water bottle, an electric heating pad or I love to use my bucky pillow.  I made my own buckwheat pillow using a medium sized pillow case, which I filled with buckwheat groats (found in the bulk section of any health food store for about 99 cents a lb).  Then I sewed up the open end & voila heating pad.  I put it either in the microwave or oven to heat up, it stays warm for over an hour.

Which is exactly how long you want to sit with your Castor Oil Pack in place, one hour!  I like to do this at night as I’m going to bed, then I lay there for an hour with the warm pack, listening to the radio or reading a book. It’s very soothing. When you are ready to go to sleep, just take off the flannel and heating pad, the oil has probably soaked into your skin by now.  Be careful not to wear your favorite clothes just after a Castor Pack because the oil can stain.

How often should you do Castor Oil Packs?

I recommend my clients to do Castor packs 2 times a cycle for a few months before trying to conceive.  I have had miraculous stories where a client conceived the night after she did her very first Castor Oil Pack (they had been trying to conceive for over six years!)  Everyone’s experience is unique.  It depends how much blockage you may have or varying lengths of time to prepare your body to conceive.  If you are using Castor Oil Packs at the same time you are trying to get pregnant, you only really have about 10 days out of the month to do them, right? Because you don’t want to do it at the beginning of your menstruation and you don’t want to do it after you have just ovulated if you are trying.  So in that case I would do a Castor Oil Pack every night I could from say day 4 or 5 of your cycle (if you’re not bleeding heavily) to the day you ovulate around day 14, just to maximize the effects.  If you do more than 3 days in a row, you may feel nauseas as so many toxins are released.

Once you have had intercourse to try & conceive STOP using the Castor Packs until after you have your period.

 DO NOT DO CASTOR PACKS WHEN YOU ARE PREGNANT! THEY ARE TOO DETOXIFYING!!!

Castor oil pack to increase fertility

Castor oil packs are a safe, effective treatment as it softens the abdominal muscles, nourishes the Uterus, brings fresh blood to the fallopian tubes, bowels and internal organs. Because it is so detoxifying, you may experience some adverse side effects, like nausea or malaise.  The intensity and duration of these side effects will depend on how much toxins are in your body.  If it is bothersome, of course quit the Castor packs and give your body time to assimilate.

You should definitely quit doing Castor packs when you are pregnant, but Castor oil can be useful in different ways when you are pregnant.

I had the perfect Pilates core when I got pregnant, I had worked hard to get those firm abs! My doula said my abdominal muscles were actually too tight, that it could cause problems for labor (women have actually torn their abdominal wall if it is too tight).  So she recommended at 4 months for me to massage my belly with Castor oil, again to soften the muscles, I did this about once a week.  Bye bye Pilates abs forever!  It was worth it though, for a better labor.  You can also use Castor oil to massage the Perineum region beginning around 7 months, to prevent tearing during labor.

Here are some products you might find helpful for your Castor oil pack (Heritage is my favorite Castor oil, food grade, hexane free, a brand you can trust!)