Castor Oil Packs

Castor oil packs are great for drawing toxins out the body due to the flow of lymph increasing throughout the body. This speeds up the removal of toxins surrounding the cells and reduces the size of lymph glands if swollen. Read more here.  Below we explain how to make and use a castor oil pack.

WHAT YOU NEED
  • Castor oil
  • Wool flannel
  • Cling film
  • Hot water bottle
  • Old towels
  • Old clothes
  • Old bed sheets
PREPARATION
  • Boil the flannel in water for 5mins and leave to dry (do not use washing up powder or soap).
HOW TO APPLY
  • Soak the clean, dry flannel in castor oil. Make sure the cloth is lightly covered in oil, but not dripping.
  • Fold the flannel in half and place across your abdomen (or afflicted area).
  • Wrap cling film around to secure the flannel in place.
  • Place hot water bottle on top. You can secure this with a large bandage/ old tights/ small towel to make it more secure if you wish.
  • Cover yourself in towels to keep the heat in.

Leave on for 60 – 90mins

REMOVING THE PACK
  • Take the flannel off and put it in an airtight plastic container to store. You do not need to wash it. When you come to re-use the flannel just ‘top up’ the oil on the cloth to keep it moist but not dripping – this shouldn’t take much oil. Most of the oil is used in the first soaking.
  • You can wash the oil off your skin with a cloth soaked in bicarbonate of soda and water, or just rub the oil off with paper towels.
  • Put on old clothes, as yellow toxins will seep out of the skin. For this reason use old bed sheets when you go to sleep!
FREQUENCY
  • Repeat every day for 3 days, then have 4 days off.
  • Continue this cycle until results are obtained.
WASHING THE FLANNEL
  • The flannel only needs washing after 28 uses. Re-boil it in water for 5 mins with a few teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda.
  • The oil will last for at least 5 years.
CONTRAINDICATIONS

As with anything new, proceed carefully so that you can minimise any unexpected reactions. However, there are some situations in which a castor oil pack is not recommended.

  • High blood pressure
  • Pregnancy
  • Menstruation
  • Suspected appendicitis
  • Faecal impaction
  • GI obstruction
  • Acute inflammatory intestinal disease
  • Rectal bleeding
  • Cancerous fibroids, ovarian or breast tumours – unless under supervision of a physician