I love that castor oil has gained popularity again! Advocates of castor oil packs (myself included!) find they reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and promote relaxation whilst easing period pain. Plus they are a beautiful example of self-care, getting women to slow down and rest leading up to and during their periods. Applying a castor oil pack can be a bit messy, however, so be sure to change into some clothes you don’t mind getting a little oily or stained before trying this at home. The following instructions aim to simplify the application process so that it isn’t quite as messy as traditional castor oil packs!
I love applying castor oil packs before bed as a way to wind down and ease into rest at the end of the day. The heat and pain relieving effects will hopefully lull you into a restorative, deep sleep!
What you’ll need:
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Clean undyed wool or flannel (large enough to spread over your abdomen in two or three layers). You can purchase this from any fabric store or find some prepared squares online. Or you can buy castor oil packs online too
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Castor oil. Can be found at a local health food store or market
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An old set of clothes that you don’t mind getting stained or oily
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A large towel
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A heating pad or hot water bottle
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Ziplock plastic bag for storage
How to make and apply a castor oil pack:
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Prepare a comfortable space. Place your towel on a flat surface where you’ll be able to comfortably lie down for a while. I think in bed is best. Change into your older set of clothes.
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Get your heat source ready. Fill your bottle with hot water or heat up your heating pad on a low or medium setting.
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Spread castor oil on your bare belly. Using your fingers, a corner of the wool/flannel or a roller bottle, apply a layer of castor oil onto your lower abdomen. You can use your fingertips or the flannel to gently massage the oil into your skin. You can add a drop of lavender oil for the ultimate relaxation combo!
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Place folded flannel or wool on abdomen. Once you’ve spread a layer of castor oil on your abdomen, place the flannel on top!
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Apply heat. Place the heating pad or hot water bottle over the castor oil pack. Rest with heated castor oil pack for 30 minutes (choose a setting on the heating pad that allows you to rest for that long comfortably)
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Clean up! When you’ve rested long enough, remove the heat source and castor oil pack. You can gently massage any excess castor oil into your belly or wipe it off with the folded fabric or your towel. Place the oily wool flannel into a ziplock plastic bag and store in your refrigerator for future use.
That's it! I use this at the first sign of any period pain. If you are looking for more natural and effective natural remedies for period pain, book a naturopathy consultation with me!