How to know if you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy?

How to know if you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy?

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

How to know if you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy?

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A. 

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

The clue to having gut glue

Having frequent digestive problems means not knowing when it will strike. During an important work presentation, a first date, or at the movies. Can you relate?

You’re at the mercy of loose stools, constipation, painful gas or bloating. And these symptoms might especially come after specific food items, unfortunately, many of which are your favorite, including pizza, fettuccine alfredo, or grilled cheese. This may make you wonder if gluten and dairy are the cause of your stomach problems?

Well, it might not be that one or the other is causing problems. It’s more so the combination of gluten with dairy.

You see, studies have shown that poor food combining can produce fermentation, indigestion, putrefaction, gas and bloating! 1

Like consuming dairy with wheat, this combination could create, what I like to call, “gut glue”! Yes, you read that right… gut GLUE!

Frequent consumption of these food combinations may result in exhausting and frustrating problems.

The good news: knowing what to have or avoid can allow you to feel fresh and be healthy even after consuming your favorite food items.

While you’re here, would you love to know how you can use Castor Oil Packs to support your gut health, and ease digestive problems?

Before we talk about gut glue, I would love to discuss a bit about gluten and dairy on their own.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein commonly found in barley, wheat, and rye.

If you have tried gluten-free cookies, you know they are typically drier and crumble easily.

This is because gluten protein provides the elasticity associated with pasta and baked products.

And these gluten-free products are becoming increasingly popular, as the media has made many believe that this protein is bad for your health. Sound familiar?

But before getting on the gluten-free bandwagon, let’s understand whether it’s really all bad.

Gluten isn’t all bad

Frankly, what thoughts come to your mind when you think about gluten?

For most, it is sticky bowels or bloating, agreed?

However, it’s essential to understand that humans have been consuming gluten as long as the discovery of bread. It’s a great source of soluble fiber, protein, and other nutrients.

 

 

Let’s get scienc-y for a minute.

Your digestive system produces the enzyme protease, which breaks down proteins. But this enzyme can’t entirely break down gluten, and undigested gluten moves through your bowels.

Most people can manage undigested gluten.

So, the nutrients from gluten are beneficial for those who can tolerate it.

Studies have linked consumption of whole grains to lower risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The participants of the study daily consumed two to three servings of grains daily, including wheat.2

Moreover, gluten also acts as a prebiotic, supporting the growth of “good” bacteria in your body. It can also help imbalance of bad and good bacteria associated with gut dysbiosis.

What about dairy?

Eating dairy products is the easiest way to get vitamin D, calcium, and proteins needed for the healthy heart, bones, and muscles.

It helps maintain bone density and reduces the risk of fractures.

Studies have even suggested that the right kind of dairy may prevent heart disease.3

So, why is there so much discussion about dairy-free foods?

Well, similar to gluten, your digestive system releases the enzyme lactase to digest sugar in dairy products called lactose.

If you have a problem producing lactase, you probably have symptoms of lactose intolerance, including stomach pain, diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. Makes sense, agreed?

Moreover, evidence suggests that dairy products may improve body composition by reducing waist circumference and fat composition.4

A review of 25 studies also found that various types of yogurt were linked to the lower risk of metabolic syndrome risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.5

With this in mind, let’s understand more about gut glue.

What about dairy?

My best and favorite example of this is how glue is made.

White school glue, if you didn’t know, is actually edible. You can essentially make it at home with milk, flour, and baking soda, and then the ingredient that is the pièce de résistance is vinegar.

This combination is basically what happens in your belly, when you combine bread (flour) with cheese (dairy/milk) and you swallow it down into your stomach that contains your stomach acid (like vinegar, because it’s acidic!) and bicarbonate (like baking soda).6

Guess what, you’ve got glue in your belly!

So imagine what your gut is like, if you are consuming glue.

Let’s talk anatomy for a second. Ready?

Your small intestine is lined by finger-like projections called villi, that help you absorb nutrients from your food.

Gut glue could cause these projections to get stuck together and reduce your ability to properly digest your food!

In addition, because the carbohydrates and protein don’t digest well together, you get this glue moving all along your digestive tract.

All in all, it’s rarely only one thing that is causing discomfort. It is often multifactorial and there are many contributing factors and culprits.

 

This is simply an example where combining gluten and dairy together may not be ideal for digestion (they also happen to be some of the most common food sensitivities and allergies that people deal with).

This is not it.

According to the traditional Ayurveda medicine, excessive amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats should not be taken together as this leads to a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.7

Plus, milk is considered as a complete food.

It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, good fats, amino acids, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, lactose, and all nutrients necessary for a healthy body.

That is why in Ayurveda it has been advised not to take wheat products with milk.

What can you do about your digestion problems?

When we choose nourishing food combinations, time our meals accordingly, and create healthy habits like proper chewing, we reduce the chances of these uncomfortable, and sometimes painful symptoms.

Plus, adding the practice of Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs after your meal may further help with inflammation regulation and help to improve liver detoxification, lymphatic drainage and colon cleansing, which means less digestive problems. Amazing, right?

Would you love to know how Castor Oil Packs work and how they can support your gut health?

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Cömert ED, Gökmen V. Effect of food combinations and their co-digestion on total antioxidant capacity under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Curr Res Food Sci. 2022 Feb 17;5:414-422. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.02.008. PMID: 35243354; PMCID: PMC8866489.

2. Ye EQ, Chacko SA, Chou EL, Kugizaki M, Liu S. Greater whole-grain intake is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain. J Nutr. 2012 Jul;142(7):1304-13. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.155325. Epub 2012 May 30. Erratum in: J Nutr. 2013 Sep;143(9):1524. PMID: 22649266; PMCID: PMC6498460.

3. Lordan R, Tsoupras A, Mitra B, Zabetakis I. Dairy Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: Do We Really Need to be Concerned? Foods. 2018 Mar 1;7(3):29. doi: 10.3390/foods7030029. PMID: 29494487; PMCID: PMC5867544.

4. Abargouei AS, Janghorbani M, Salehi-Marzijarani M, Esmaillzadeh A. Effect of dairy consumption on weight and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Int J Obes (Lond). 2012 Dec;36(12):1485-93. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2011.269. Epub 2012 Jan 17. PMID: 22249225.

5. Khorraminezhad L, Rudkowska I. Effect of Yogurt Consumption on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors: a Narrative Review. Curr Nutr Rep. 2021 Mar;10(1):83-92. doi: 10.1007/s13668-020-00344-y. Epub 2021 Jan 6. PMID: 33405074.

6. G. Lynn Carlson. A New approach to the baking soda-vinegar reaction. J. Chem. Educ., 1990, 67 (7), p 597 DOI: 10.1021/ed067p597. Publication Date: July 1990

7. Sabnis M. Viruddha Ahara: A critical view. Ayu. 2012 Jul;33(3):332-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-8520.108817. PMID: 23723637; PMCID: PMC3665091.

Top 5 Self-Care Gifts for Natural Wellness Lovers

Top 5 Self-Care Gifts for Natural Wellness Lovers

Top 5 Self Care Gifts for Natural Wellness Lovers by Queen of the Thrones

Top 5 Self-Care Gifts for Natural Wellness Lovers

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

 

Self-care gifts are an excellent way to convey your love and care for anyone. It shows that you’re thinking of them, and they should also take a moment to think and care for themselves.

These natural wellness tools also make great gifts for the overworked practitioner, stay-at-home mom, determined athlete, or the self-care aficionado in your life. Self-care is for everyone, right?

Would you love tried and true gift ideas for natural health and wellness? You’ve come to the right place because here are the five best natural wellness gifts for the holiday season.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil and Castor Oil Pack

The best part? You won’t have to scramble at the last minute to find something your friends and family will use and adore.

Let’s start here: can you think of anyone in your life who’s complained about feeling bloated, tired, ‘bunged up’ or perhaps feeling stuck in their own body?

All signs point towards a lack of lymphatic drainage and flow. Now, you might be wondering… “Is there a simple natural wellness tool to help enhance lymph drainage and flow?” Yes!

5. The Castor Oil Dry Brush Kit supports lymph drainage

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Dry Brush Kit supports lymph drainage

You see, dry brushing has been commonly used in Ayurveda for centuries as it has multiple health benefits. It’s a relatively simple technique to improve blood flow, metabolism, and energy, while reducing cellulite.

Dry brushing supports lymphatic drainage1 and detox. It also offers physical exfoliation by sweeping away dry, flaky skin.

Plus, dry brushing stimulates receptors in the skin that connect to your nervous system which may be beneficial for your mental health.

If you dry brush when you wake up in the morning it’s almost like an alarm clock for your body, because dry brushing helps to gently stimulate cortisol, your alert hormone, at the time of the day when cortisol is naturally supposed to rise.

To enhance the benefits of dry brushing, it can be combined with Castor Oil, aka the Palm of Christ, as it’s packed with skin-loving nutrients like vitamin E, omegas, and polyphenols2 that hydrate and nourish your skin and further support lymphatic flow.

Simply apply a thin layer of Castor Oil to your skin before dry brushing for enhanced benefits. So easy, agreed?

Get them together with the Queen of the Thrones ® Castor Oil Lymphatic Dry Brush Kit! Your kit comes with an easy to hold circular brush with bamboo bristles as well as a 3.38 oz (100ml) amber glass bottle of 100% pure, certified organic, cold-pressed, hexane-free Castor Oil.

Now that we’ve talked about waking up, what about falling asleep?

Sleep problems are far too common, agreed? The next natural wellness tool will have you and your loved ones covered!

4. Sleep helper: Castor Oil Eye Compress Kit

You might be wondering, how can a Castor Oil Eye Compress improve sleep?

Well, the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress Kit was created so you can help gently reset your sleep-wake cycle and support your circadian rhythm.

How does it do this? Wearing the Eye Compress when you go to bed at night naturally promotes your sleep hormone, melatonin3-4 so you can fall asleep easier. Then, because of the light color of the compress, it allows sunlight in to wake you up in the morning.

Plus, like we talked about above, once you’re awake, you can greet the day with your Castor Oil Dry Brush to stimulate cortisol and further support gently resetting your sleep-wake cycle.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs support a healthy life quality

The best part? The combination of Castor Oil and your Eye Compress allows it to function as a weighted, warm compress to help promote oxytocin. Castor Oil is a great source of moisture and hydration, soothing and rejuvenating tired-itchy eyes7 due to its natural antihistamine properties8.

Castor Oil Eye Compresses are also commonly used to relieve styes in the eyes, supporting relief from inflammation9. It may also result in the reduction of dark circles and wrinkles around your eyes.

Are you wondering… “Is Castor Oil good for eyelashes?”

And the answer is “Yes”. The fatty acids that make up Castor Oil are believed to be extremely nourishing to the skin and hair follicles, and it helps naturally promote nitric oxide15, which increases circulation. Regular application of Castor Oil may help with thicker, longer eyelashes and eyebrows.

So, while your loved one is falling asleep, they’re also giving their eyelashes and eyebrows nourishment and care.

To further promote relaxation, your loved one can include an aromatherapy experience by simply spraying essential oils in the room.

And using organic home fragrance oils is an excellent aromatherapy option.

3. Great for aromatherapy: Eau de Throne®

Queen of the Thrones Eau the Thrones is made of  a blend of organic essential oils
Eau de Throne® is a pure blend of organic home essential oils of lavender, rosemary, clove, and citrus (limonene) that neutralizes odors and purifies the air in your home and bathroom while promoting relaxation and healthy digestion.

Who wouldn’t want to leave the throne (the toilet) with an odor they are proud to own?

Organic home fragrance oils not only smell amazing but also have additional health benefits. Some of these essential oils can neutralize bacteria, calm the nervous system, and support digestion.

Eau de Throne® includes…

  • Lavender: Acts as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, calmative, and antioxidant action10.
  • Rosemary: Supports hormone balance, circulation, and digestion. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-cramping, and antioxidant11.
  • Clove: Improves digestion, reduces gas and bloating, and fights infection12.
  • Limonene(terpene from the lemon peel): Supports healthy digestion and works as an antioxidizing and anti-inflammatory agent13.

You can spray it in your bathroom after going number 2, your living room before having guests over, in your gym bag, or use it as part of an at-home spa day.

So, Eau de Throne® is an excellent choice for aromatherapy and essential oil lovers.

Additional tip: Aromatherapy is a natural stress reliever and a great choice for someone who’s stressed. After all, we want our loved ones to be happy and stress-free, right?

Stress not only affects your mental health but can also cause physical symptoms, including hair loss or thinning14.

Fortunately, Castor Oil can also support healthy hair.

2. Castor Oil Hair Growth Kit: Practical tool for hair and scalp care

The Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Hair Growth Kit nourishes, hydrates, and repairs hair deeply from your roots to tips, making it a great natural wellness gift

One of the major benefits of Castor Oil for hair growth17 is that it helps naturally balance the microbiome18-19-20 of the scalp, and may help reduce inflammation of hair follicles dandruff relief.

Castor Oil Hair Growth by Queen of the Thrones is the most recommended health solution for your hair and scalp

And that’s not it…wouldn’t it be great to enjoy an easy, relaxing ‘hot oil’ hair treatment with less mess and no heating required? The Hair Wrap does this for you by holding in your natural body heat!

The Hair Kit is great for those dealing with hormonal hair loss, including PCOS and thyroid disorders.

We’ve talked about Castor Oil for hair care, what about skincare, and what’s going on beneath?

You know, tense neck muscles, cellulite, and tender knots. Is there a simple way to support this? Yes! Your tried and true…

1. Castor Oil Fascia Massage Roller: Body & skincare tool for pain-relief

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Fascia Massage Roller Kit support smoothing out cellulite and lymph massage
Fascia Massage Rollers appear to be everywhere, from gyms to the shelves of your local big box store. The most common use of the Castor Oil and Fascia Massage Roller is to support smoothing out cellulite, lymph massage, and scar tissue breakdown.

Like Gua sha, a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Fascia Massage Roller Kit can also be used for sore muscles and migraines. Bonus tip: you can enhance your experience by putting your Roller in the fridge or freezer.

Plus, by applying Castor Oil before using your Roller, due to its anti-inflammatory properties21-22, the Oil combined with the Roller…

  • naturally engages enhanced circulation
  • supports lymphatic drainage
  • releases tension and stress

In turn, hormone balance, fertility, and gut health are supported when the flow has been restored to your body. Amazing, agreed?

Now for the pièce de résistance…

The all-in-one tool: Castor Oil Pack for Liver

We saved the best one for last!

This BONUS natural wellness gift option is the most exciting gift as it is the one practice we can’t live without.

You see, the Castor Oil Pack for Liver has been used in self-care for centuries to support liver detox, lymphatic drainage23, colon cleansing24, hormonal balance, and gut health.

Castor Oil Pack for Liver by Queen of the Thrones is the ideal health tool for liver detox

It calms the body down like a weighted blanket. Hundreds of testimonials speak to how it’s a game-changer to feel better, sleep better, feel less stress25-26-27-28 and poop better29.

Plus, it’s a key foundational practice for all stages of life (except during pregnancy), as the liver is the hub of cleansing and detox in your body30, which we all need to truly thrive.

Are you curious to know how and why the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack works? We have the answers for you in this blog post.

That’s it, that’s all on the top 5 tried and true gift ideas for natural health and wellness using the ancient practice of Castor Oil.

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Thompson, B., Gaitatzis, K., Janse de Jonge, X. et al. Manual lymphatic drainage treatment for lymphedema: a systematic review of the literature. J Cancer Surviv 15, 244–258 (2021).

2. Marwat SK, Rehman F, Khan EA, Baloch MS, Sadiq M, Ullah I, Javaria S, Shaheen S. Review – Ricinus cmmunis – Ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities.Pak J Pharm Sci. 2017 Sep;30(5):1815-1827. PMID: 29084706

3. Rong-fang Hu, Xiao-ying Jiang, Yi-ming Zeng, Xiao-yang Chen, You-hua Zhang. Effects of earplugs and eye masks on nocturnal sleep, melatonin and cortisol in a simulated intensive care unit environment. Published online 2010 Apr 18. PMID: 20398302.

4. Khoddam H, Maddah SA, Rezvani Khorshidi S, Zaman Kamkar M, Modanloo M. The effects of earplugs and eye masks on sleep quality of patients admitted to coronary care units: A randomised clinical trial. J Sleep Res. 2022 Apr;31(2):e13473. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13473. Epub 2021 Sep 12. PMID: 34514653.

5, 26. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120.

6, 27. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571.

7. Goto E, Shimazaki J, Monden Y, Takano Y, Yagi Y, Shimmura S, Tsubota K. Low-concentration homogenized castor oil eye drops for noninflamed obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction. Ophthalmology. 2002 Nov;109(11):2030-5. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(02)01262-9. PMID: 12414410.

8, 9, 22. Al-Mamun MA, Akter Z, Uddin MJ, Ferdaus KM, Hoque KM, Ferdousi Z, Reza MA. Characterization and evaluation of antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of crude protein extracts isolated from the seed of Ricinus communis in Bangladesh. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016 Jul 12;16:211. doi: 10.1186/s12906-016-1185-y. PMID: 27405609; PMCID: PMC4942971.

10. Shi JL, Tang SY, Liu CB, Ye L, Yang PS, Zhang FM, He P, Liu ZH, Miao MM, Guo YD, Shen QP. Three new benzolactones from Lavandula angustifolia and their bioactivities. J Asian Nat Prod Res. 2017 Aug;19(8):766-773. doi: 10.1080/10286020.2016.1264394. Epub 2016 Dec 14. PMID: 27967214.

11. Aruoma OI, Spencer JP, Rossi R, Aeschbach R, Khan A, Mahmood N, Munoz A, Murcia A, Butler J, Halliwell B. An evaluation of the antioxidant and antiviral action of extracts of rosemary and Provençal herbs. Food Chem Toxicol. 1996 May;34(5):449-56. doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(96)00004-x. PMID: 8655093.

12. Chaieb K, Hajlaoui H, Zmantar T, Kahla-Nakbi AB, Rouabhia M, Mahdouani K, Bakhrouf A. The chemical composition and biological activity of clove essential oil, Eugenia caryophyllata (Syzigium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): a short review. Phytother Res. 2007 Jun;21(6):501-6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2124. PMID: 17380552.

13. Astani A, Schnitzler P. Antiviral activity of monoterpenes beta-pinene and limonene against herpes simplex virus in vitro. Iran J Microbiol. 2014 Jun;6(3):149-55. PMID: 25870747; PMCID: PMC4393490.

14. Thom E. Stress and the Hair Growth Cycle: Cortisol-Induced Hair Growth Disruption. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016 Aug 1;15(8):1001-4. PMID: 27538002.

15. Mascolo N1, Izzo AA, Autore G, Barbato F, Capasso F.Nitric oxide and castor oil-induced diarrhea.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Jan;268(1):291-5. PMID: 8301570

17. Coonen. L.P “Herodotus on Biology”. The Scientific Monthly. Vol. 76. No. 2, 1953. Pp.63-70. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20629

18. Andrade IM1, Andrade KM2, Pisani MX1, Silva-Lovato CH1, de Souza RF1, Paranhos Hde F1.Trial of an experimental castor oil solution for cleaning dentures. Braz Dent J. 2014 Jan-Feb;25(1):43-7.

19. Badaró MM, Salles MM, Leite VMF, Arruda CNF, Oliveira VC, Nascimento CD, Souza RF, Paranhos HFO, Silva-Lovato CH. Clinical trial for evaluation of Ricinus communis and sodium hypochlorite as denture cleanser.J Appl Oral Sci. 2017 May-Jun; 25(3):324-334.

20. Salles MM, Badaró MM, Arruda CN, Leite VM, Silva CH, Watanabe E, Oliveira Vde C, Paranhos Hde F. Antimicrobial activity of complete denture cleanser solutions based on sodium hypochlorite and Ricinus communis – a randomized clinical study.J Appl Oral Sci. 2015 Nov-Dec; 23(6):637-42.

21. Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8 PMID: 11200362

23. Moore JE Jr, Bertram CD. Lymphatic System Flows. Annu Rev Fluid Mech. 2018 Jan;50:459-482. doi: 10.1146/annurev-fluid-122316-045259. PMID: 29713107; PMCID: PMC5922450.

24, 29, 30. Holm T, Brøgger-Jensen MR, Johnson L, Kessel L.Glutathione preservation during storage of rat lenses in opti-sol-GS and castor oil. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 19;8(11):e79620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079620. eCollection 2013. PMID: 24260265

25. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847

28. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in hu-mans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

4 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast Health

4 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast Health

4 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast Health by Queen of the Thrones

4 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast Health

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A.

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

 

Hint: It Also Involves Your Circadian Rhythm

“I learned to put myself first.”

“It was up to me to decide what to do with my life.”

You’ll hear phrases like this from women who’ve made significant changes following breast cancer. Can you relate? Or maybe right now, you or the people you serve are wondering, “how can I keep my breasts healthy?”

You see, it’s often when women are at their weakest emotionally and physically — after surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy — when they start making significant lifestyle changes.

And while this is common, it’s not ideal for changing your perspective on what really matters when a problem strikes. So, you can start making changes right now to support your breast health.

Would you love to know how you can use Castor Oil to support your breast health? Now’s your chance to get 2 easy DIY Castor Oil recipes so you can support your breasts and lymphatic flow.

The old adage “prevention is better than cure” is highly relevant for breast troubles. Perhaps you’ve also heard the phrase, “a pill for an ill”. Can you relate?

Most breast cancers are linked to lifestyle factors by Queen of the Thrones

Before giving away the reason behind this statement, let’s first look at a surprising number.

About 30 to 40% of breast cancers are linked to lifestyle factors.1

Yes. That’s true. While many believe breast disorders/conditions are genetic, hereditary connections are responsible for less than 10% of the cases.2

However, there are lifestyle changes you can make right now to support your breast health.

It’s crucial to understand that it might not be easy to talk about your breast changes. You might be aware of certain changes happening but feel uncomfortable discussing them, right?

You may even avoid examinations like mammograms or thermograms because you’re worried about discovering something abnormal.

But, visiting your healthcare professional is the best reassurance to understanding your unique body and the best steps to take.

With this in mind, let’s look at a few things that can influence your breast health.

The link between inflammation and breast health

You may have noticed soreness or pain in the breasts, especially around your menstrual cycle. You aren’t alone. These symptoms affect two-thirds of women, especially during the childbearing age.3 Are you wondering why this happens? Well, the answer lies in the breast structure.

You see, breasts comprise four main tissue structures: fat tissue, milk ducts, glands, and connective tissue.

The fat tissue is influenced by fluctuations in fluid volume. So, this can cause your breasts to swell, resulting in soreness or tenderness.

“What causes increased fluid?” A common reason for increased fluid volume is inflammation. In flammation is kind of like a fire, and what do you use to put out a fire? Water.

Inflammation is part of your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it (like infections) in an attempt to heal itself.

So, when something damages your cells, your body releases chemicals that trigger an inflammatory response from your immune system. It’s a natural process, but in today’s modern world, inflammation is often out of control.

Did you know that lymphatic blockage can also cause inflammation?4

Lymph vessels are hollow tubes in your lymphatic system that allow lymph fluid to drain out of your breast.

But, if your lymph vessels are blocked, this can cause your breast to become red, swollen, and inflamed. Makes sense, agreed?

Swollen lymph nodes may also be present under the arm, near the collarbone, or both.

Disturbed sleep can also contribute to breast inflammation.

Let’s dive into more about this and the connection between your…

Circadian rhythm and breast health

Imagine having a hectic week, with only four hours of sleep every night for 7 days in a row.

Sounds pretty terrible, right? You’d probably be irritable, frustrated, or even sad, agreed?

But, sleep isn’t only about the quantity, it’s also about quality. Even if you can sleep eight hours a day, but you wake up every two hours, you’ll wake up in the morning feeling exhausted. Is this you?

Learn with Queen of the Thrones how Circadian rhythm and breast health are related

This is because your body’s internal 24-hour clock runs in the background and regulates your sleep-wake cycle, hormones, and even cell division.

But, if your sleep-wake cycle is off, so is your circadian rhythm.

You see, different systems of your body follow circadian rhythms that are synchronized with a master clock in your brain.

This master clock is directly influenced by environmental cues, especially light, which is why circadian rhythms are tied to the cycle of day and night. Makes sense, right?

When properly aligned, a circadian rhythm can promote consistent and restorative sleep.

But, when your circadian rhythm is thrown off, it can create significant sleeping problems, including insomnia. Does this sound like you?

Research also reveals that circadian rhythms are integral to diverse breast health aspects.5

Now, beyond sleep, have you ever wondered if there’s a connection between your gut health and breasts?

Gut microbia and breast health

Gut microbia are microflora in your digestive tract. While it may sound dangerous, these bacteria are helpful and regulate various body functions.

From protecting against disease-causing bacteria to regulating immune function, these bacteria support your health in various ways.6

The gut bacteria influences estrogen metabolism and adiposity, which are both associated with breast health.

Immune interactions with gut microbiota and microbial effects on host DNA also play a role in developing breast conditions. Makes sense, agreed?

How can I keep my breasts healthy?

Now that you know the importance of breast health and the influencing factors, let’s look at four things you can do to support your breast health. Are you ready?

Eating healthy is necessary for a healthy breast by Queen of the Thrones

1. Eat healthy because food matters

You are what you eat. Have you heard this before? Some ways you can support your breast health nutritionally are:

  • Limiting your sugar intake
  • Eating whole foods including healthy fats, hearty proteins, and heaps of vegetables
  • Avoiding processed foods
  • Drinking plenty of water
  • Eating foods rich in flavonoids, such as broccoli, onions, celery, parsley, and green tea

2. Counting sheep to sleep? Not anymore

Getting adequate sleep is one of the crucial steps to naturally support your breast health. Start by…

  • Having a consistent daily sleep routine: It’s ideal to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
  • Being active: Regular exercise supports melatonin production, your sleep hormone. It can also sync your other body systems with your circadian rhythm.7
  • Avoiding caffeine in the evening: Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake.
  • Limiting screen time: The blue light from your tablet/cellphone alters your melatonin production, disrupting your circadian rhythm.8
  • Wearing a Castor Oil Eye Compress to bed: Using this compress makes you feel relaxed as your Eye Compress gently blocks out distracting lights and makes you feel sleepy because it supports melatonin production.9,10
Queen of the Thrones eye compress supports better sleep

It’s truly relaxing, and it also delivers anti-inflammatory nutrients like vitamin E, polyphenols, and omegas and stimulating lymphatic flow.11,21,13

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Fascia Massage Roller Kit enhance your lymphatic flow

3. Use a Castor Oil Fascia Massage Roller to enhance your lymphatic flow

Did you know that a well-functioning lymphatic system is crucial for your breast health?

The good news: there are multiple ways to support your lymphatic system, including a Castor Oil Fascia Massage Roller

You see, a Fascia Massage Roller acts as a gentle massage around your breasts so you can naturally increase blood supply to your muscles, support the movement of lymphatic fluid, and assist in removing toxins from your body.

 

The network of lymph is directly connected to the fascia, which sits right underneath the skin.

So, moving the Fascia Massage Roller relieves muscle tension, activates your lymphatic system, and reduces pain and soreness. Plus, adding Castor Oil can further boost the benefits of the roller.

4. A simple massage can make a difference

Did you know that healthy breasts largely come from having a healthy liver?

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, negative liver emotions such as frustration, anger, and resentment can result in the accumulation of toxins in the body, adversely affecting your breasts.14

So how can you easily support your liver?

Massaging the liver aids in the removal of stagnated toxins, protecting and boosting breast health.15

Plus, wearing a Castor Oil Pack for Liver may also support breast health.. But how? Read on!

Firstly, it’s mechanical, with the compression of the pack placed over the liver (under your right rib cage), in combination with the movement of your breathing muscles.

This acts like a pump to your lymphatic system, encouraging lymphatic drainage. Amazing, agreed?

Secondly, it’s neurological, when placed on specific dermatomes, this activates the somatic visceral reflexes triggering the activity of internal detox and cleansing organs like the liver, kidney, gut, gallbladder, and more.16

Thirdly, it’s a combination of both mechanical and neurological because the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack stimulates the body’s skin receptors which stimulate the natural oxytocin feedback loop activating the vagus nerve, shifting the body into a rest and digest state where liver detox is optimized.17

This direct effect of the Castor Oil Pack compress stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Amazing, right?

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Liver Packs improves parasympathetic tone

Plus, the penetration of the Castor Oil into the tissues may help reduce inflammation via the Peyer’s patches.18

Without the pack, Castor Oil will not penetrate as deeply and act much more like a skin emollient, so the full range of benefits of the oil are enhanced with the pack itself.

Even though the Castor Oil Pack is traditionally worn over the liver for breast health, you can also wear a pack over the breasts. But don’t use the same pack for your liver as you do for your breasts.

It’s unknown if substances with toxicity may come out via the skin with Castor Oil Packs, especially over the liver since it’s the hub for cleanup of toxic substances in our bodies. To prevent the transfer of toxins to sensitive areas, only use the designated pack on its respective area.

Would you love to know how you can use Castor Oil to support your breast health? Click the button below to get 2 easy DIY Castor Oil recipes so you can support your breasts and lymphatic flow. Amazing, agreed?

So, gorgeous, your breast health is in your hands. Try and add these four healthy habits as part of your life.

They will not only support your breasts’ health but also help support more energy, less stress, and a more balanced mood!

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

How Castor Oil Packs and Essential Oils Support Inflammation

How Castor Oil Packs and Essential Oils Support Inflammation

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

How Castor Oil Packs and Essential Oils Support Inflammation

Written by: Jodi Sternoff, Queen of the Thrones® Affiliate
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer BA

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

Do you struggle with constant inflammation flowing through your body? Or maybe you’re a wellness practitioner and you regularly hear your clients/patients asking you for simple ways to calm their inflamed body. Can you relate?

Did you know that topically applied remedies like essential oils and Castor Oil Packs support body inflammation? Yes, it’s true!

These benefits have shown to help calm many common health issues such as:

  • Weight gain
  • Digestive problems
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Depression
  • Anger
  • Muscle pain
  • Skin problems
  • Autoimmunity

Which are all related to that fiery inflammation in the body, most of which begins in the gut. Makes sense, agreed?

So, by supporting:

  • Healthy gut inflammation
  • Adrenal function
  • Hormone balance
  • Resetting your body’s circadian rhythms

We can dramatically amplify the benefits with Castor Oil Packs & essential oils. Amazing, right?

Would you love to know how you can use Castor Oil Packs to support hormone balance and anti-inflammation?

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the natural, highly concentrated essences extracted from specific herbs in their living state for their healing capabilities that can be derived from:

  • Plants
  • Shrubs
  • Flowers
  • Grasses
  • Fruits
  • Bushes
  • Seeds
  • Roots
  • Bark
  • Trees

Essential oils provide key components of the plants’ immune systems. They help the plants grow, thrive, evolve and adapt to their surroundings.

How cool is that?

For example, they protect plants from bacterial AND viral infections, as well as heal injuries, repel unwanted insects, prevent water loss and other environmental damage.

They also play a role in plant pollination and deliver oxygen and nutrients into the cells. This is why they are “essential” for a plant — without them, plants could not survive.

Essential Oil benefits in the Human Body

In the human body, they play a similar role when applied topically — transporting valuable nutrients to our cells.

This is because of three primary elements  carbon, hydrogen and oxygen – which are common to both human beings and essential oils.

This shared chemistry makes essential oils highly compatible with human biochemistry, and, since essential oils are bio-familiar to humans, they can also help balance and support the human body to heal itself.

Research has shown that essential oils can support us to fight infection (with anti-bacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties), balance hormones and emotions as well as aid in regeneration.

Health Benefits of blending Essential Oils

While essential oils from individual plants are incredibly powerful, the combination of two or more oils can result in an entirely new molecular composition, known as a “synergy” between oils.

“Synergy” meaning “working together in harmony.”

Findings on medicinal plants in Phytotherapy Research compared the antimicrobial activity of clove and rosemary essential oils alone and in combination, and found that when the two individual oils, when combined, exerted added antimicrobial effects against bacteria, yeast overgrowth, and mold.

My two favorite examples, when it comes to inflammation, are how the anti-inflammatory effect of Roman chamomile is amplified when mixed with lavender while the antispasmodic effects of caraway are enhanced by peppermint.1

Helpful in relieving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and indigestion! Such valuable combinations, would you agree?

Combining Essential Oils with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil

When we combine Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil with essential oils this can enhance the beneficial effects of the essential oil, allowing them to be more easily assimilated into your body.

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, which easily permeates through the epidermal barrier, or first layer of the skin, due to its low molecular weight,² then into the dermis where the blood and lymphatic vessels are housed.

This factor, when combined with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil, allows essential oils to be more easily and gradually assimilated into your system, by helping them permeate deeper into your tissues.

 

Dilution with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil also prevents the essential oil from evaporating as fast as it would if not used with a carrier oil.

Also, this dilution makes it easier to apply essential oils over a larger area of skin, increasing that beneficial absorption.

The Benefits of Castor Oil

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil possesses “remarkable effects”, adding to it being the best carrier oil, due in part to its unique active component – ricinoleic acid, such as:

  • Anti-inflammatory3 and analgesic (pain reliever)4
  • Antioxidant and antihistamine5
  • Dopamine support6-7
  • Nitric oxide support8
  • Smooth muscle contraction stimulation9
  • Skin emollient
  • Carrier oil

 

This anti-inflammation compound of ricinoleic acid helps reduce liver and gallbladder inflammation to allow for easier flow through the bile ducts allowing for easier natural elimination of bile and fat-soluble toxins.

As well as a great emollient for your skin, and is the best carrier oil available.

The Benefits of Essential Oils

Essential oils possess similar anti-inflammatory properties specifically helping to reduce oxidative stress.10

This anti-inflammatory activity of essential oils is due to their major plant compounds, including polyphenols, which is a category of beneficial plant compounds thought to offer various health benefits, including:

  • Hormone balance
  • Adrenal support
  • Calming an inflamed gut
  • Supporting your natural sleep cycles
  • Skin emollient
  • Circadian rhythm

The Benefits of Castor Oil Packs

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs for Liver are an equal partnership between both Castor Oil and the compress, complementing each other with the great healing properties they each help support and regulate in the body.

But remember, these activities are only acting at half capacity without the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil compress.

Compression is an important part of functional and integrative medicine that has been used for much time.

The application of the Castor Oil compress activates skin receptors and stimulates the visceral somatic reflexes with the placement of the pack over specific dermatomes of the body.11-12-13-14-15

This placement over the liver, gallbladder, large intestine, small intestine, stomach, pancreas, kidney and adrenals shifts the body into a parasympathetic relaxation state.16-17

Adding to the results of further benefiting:

  • Liver Detox18
  • Lymphatic drainage19and cleansing
  • Constipation relief20
  • Less inflammation21
  • Enhanced relaxation and better sleep22-23-24-25

Due to the feedback mechanism activating and enhancing blood flow to those organs.

So when we combine Caster Oil with a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack this stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and lymphatic flow and regulates the immune system promoting liver detox, better bowel movements, less bloating, improved stress and sleep, and therefore an overall improvement in hormonal balance.

Because attention goes where energy flows.

How do Castor Oil Packs + Essential Oils Calm Inflammation?

So, when you combine anti-inflammatory essential oils with anti-inflammatory carrier tools like Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs to help drive the restorative nature of oils more deeply into your system, it helps to maximize the active properties of both remedies. Amazing, agreed?

My favorite anti-inflammatory Essential Oils to combine with Castor Oil Packs

Plant compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids have been shown to improve blood flow and reduce inflammation.26

And it’s the process of distilling these concentrated plant essences into essential oils that makes them more accessible to help support anti-inflammation

Vibrant Blue Oils offers organic essential oils that are formulated by practitioners into blends that are clinically tested and reviewed to support healthy hormone balance and adrenal health, balance circadian rhythm and support healthy sleep patterns along with calming gut inflammation.

My top 4 favorite blends to use with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs are:

  1. ParasympatheticTM
  2. LiverTM
  3. Liver SupportTM
  4. Gall BladderTM

Thank you for being here! I hope you found new ways to talk to your clients/patients about how they can use essential oils and Castor Oil Packs to calm stress and inflammation flowing in through their body.

Jodi’s bio:

Jodi Cohen is a bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, a top resource for essential oils online, which welcomes 300,000 visitors every year.

Her #1 bestselling book, Healing with Essential Oils, synthesizes decades of leading scientific research to help explain how essential oils can work to support the body and the brain.

Read more of our blog posts written by Queen of the Thrones® Affiliates here:

Can I boost fertility with Castor Oil Packs?

3 ways Castor Oil Packs can help you sleep better

Is liver detox the missing piece to your autoimmune flares?

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in…

  • Recommending our easy-to-use tools to the people you serve.
  • Practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice in clinic or online.
  • Or becoming a Wholesale Partner
Click here for references

1. Micklefield G, Jung O, Greving I, May B. Effects of intraduodenal application of peppermint oil (WS(R) 1340) and caraway oil (WS(R) 1520) on gastroduodenal motility in healthy volunteers. Phytother Res. 2003 Feb;17(2):135-40. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1089. PMID: 12601675.

2. PubChem [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information; 2004-. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 643684, Ricinoleic acid; [cited 2022 Mar. 16].

3. Boddu SH1, Alsaab H2, Umar S3, Bonam SP2, Gupta H2, Ahmed S3. Anti-inflammatory effects of a novel ricinoleic acid poloxamer gel system for transdermal delivery. Int J Pharm. 2015 Feb 1;479(1):207-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2014.12.051. Epub 2014 Dec 24.

4 & 21. Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8. PMID: 11200362.

5. Al-Mamun MA, Akter Z, Uddin MJ, Ferdaus KM, Hoque KM, Ferdousi Z, Reza MA. Characterization and evaluation of antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of crude protein extracts isolated from the seed of Ricinus communis in Bangladesh. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016 Jul 12;16:211. doi: 10.1186/s12906-016-1185-y. PMID: 27405609; PMCID: PMC4942971.

6 & 13 & 16 & 24. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571

7 & 14 & 17 & 25. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489

8. Mascolo N1, Izzo AA, Autore G, Barbato F, Capasso F.Nitric oxide and castor oil-induced diarrhea.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Jan;268(1):291-5.

9. Sorin Tunaru,a Till F. Althoff,a Rolf M. Nüsing,b Martin Diener,c and Stefan Offermannsa,d,1 Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109 PMID: 22615395

10. Érica Martins de Lavor, Antônio Wilton Cavalcante Fernandes, Roxana Braga de Andrade Teles, Ana Ediléia Barbosa Pereira Leal, Raimundo Gonçalves de Oliveira Júnior, Mariana Gama e Silva, Ana Paula de Oliveira, Juliane Cabral Silva, Maria Tais de Moura Fontes Araújo, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Laurent Picot, Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva Almeida, “Essential Oils and Their Major Compounds in the Treatment of Chronic Inflammation: A Review of Antioxidant Potential in Preclinical Studies and Molecular Mechanisms”, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, vol. 2018, Article ID 6468593, 23 pages, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6468593

11 & 22. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28162847

12 & 23. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12571120.

15. Sikandar S, Dickenson AH. Visceral pain: the ins and outs, the ups and downs. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2012 Mar;6(1):17-26. doi: 10.1097/SPC.0b013e32834f6ec9. PMID: 22246042; PMCID: PMC3272481.

18. Holm T, Brøgger-Jensen MR, Johnson L, Kessel L.Glutathione preservation during storage of rat lenses in opti-sol-GS and castor oil. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 19;8(11):e79620. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079620. eCollection 2013. PMID: 24260265.

19. Holmes GM, Browning KN, Babic T, Fortna SR, Coleman FH, Travagli RA. Vagal afferent fibres determine the oxytocin-induced modulation of gastric tone. J Physiol. 2013 Jun 15;591(12):3081-100. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.253732. Epub 2013 Apr 15. PMID: 23587885; PMCID: PMC3832121.

20. Arslan GG, Eşer I. An examination of the effect of castor oil packs on constipation in the elderly. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.04.004. Epub 2010 May 18. PMID: 21168117 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21168117

26. Sorond FA, Lipsitz LA, Hollenberg NK, Fisher ND. Cerebral blood flow response to flavanol-rich cocoa in healthy elderly humans. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2008 Apr;4(2):433-40. PMID: 18728792; PMCID: PMC2518374.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: These are the opinions of private and clinical practice and experiences and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Queen of the Thrones®, Sanas Health Practice or Sell Health Well. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones®, Sanas Health Practice nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. Information provided is for educational purposes only & does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner or business coaches. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship or a business-advisor relationship. This is not meant to treat, cure, prevent, diagnose or directly advise on decision making in your health or business. Always ask your gut, your higher power & your doctor or business advisor if any practice is right for you. If you have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving you and our Welldom at the highest level.

Can I Boost Fertility with Castor Oil Packs?

Can I Boost Fertility with Castor Oil Packs?

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

Can I Boost Fertility with Castor Oil Packs?

Written by: Nora DeBora, Preconception Health Coach, Holistic Nutrition and Fertility Awareness Practitioner – Queen of the Thrones® Affiliate
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer. B.A.

Est. reading time: 12 minutes.

 

Do Castor Oil Packs help with infertility?

Whether you’re in your 30’s, 40’s or even younger Castor Oil Packs can help fertility when trying to conceive.

As a matter of fact, according to the CDC, the proportion of first births to women aged 30–34 increased by 28% from the year 2000-2014.

And first births for women aged 35 and over have increased by 23%1

So with this increase in women trying to conceive over the age of 30 paired with fertility problems, we have an even greater need for Castor Oil Pack protocols.

Would you agree?

Castor Oil Packs improve fertility & chances of getting pregnant

As women age, fertility naturally declines and statistics show that one in five women are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying.2-3

However, you can increase your chances of getting pregnant and boost your fertility naturally!

How?

Well, with the right food, lifestyle choices and the practice of Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs improve fertility & chances of getting pregnant

How can I balance my hormones using Castor Oil Packs?

As a Preconception Health Coach and Holistic Nutritionist, I help women and couples prepare for pregnancy.

More so, my specialty is in preparing for a healthy baby after the age of 30.

I’ve helped countless women and couples struggling with trying to conceive get pregnant naturally.

In this article, I’ll share how Castor Oil Packs can help with infertility and hormone balance.

Plus, I’ll share why I recommend removing my top 4 hormone imbalancing food choices from your diet to help when you’re trying to conceive naturally.

I’m really excited about this topic because when it’s implemented properly, it can be a game-changer for your health and fertility.

Consequently, I’ve seen this firsthand with clients in my practice, and you can too.

How to change my diet to balance hormones & boost fertility

1. Remove inflammatory-inducing industrial seed oils.

These oils were discovered in the early 1900s and have run rampant in the western food industry in the last 100 years with the advent of industrialization.

They are mainly used in all shelf-stable products as replacements for healthy fats in low-fat products.

These oils are anything but healthy or natural and wreak havoc on fertility health.

Additionally, they are processed at extremely high temperatures causing oxidization and are also mixed with solvents and chemicals to improve their smell and color for resale.

Hence, all the more reason to remove these oils from your diet to improve fertility.

Discover how to treat hormonal problems with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil

Can you relate?

The industrial seed oils I recommend staying away from include:

  • Canola
  • Corn
  • Cottonseed
  • Soy, Sunflower
  • Safflower
  • Rapeseed oil

As they are inflammatory and responsible for the buildup of toxins in the body causing a hormonal imbalance, which may lead to problems when trying to conceive.

Here is why you want to apply a Castor Oil Pack practice because the high quality of the Castor Oil that enters your body is key for improving fertility and optimal nourishment. Amazing, agreed?

2. Say goodbye to gluten

You see, industrialization has resulted in a quick rise of new genetically modified grains.

So because of this, most glutenous grains in North America, such as:

  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Rye
  • Oats

Are all now genetically modified and wreaking havoc on fertility.

With that said, our digestive tracts and immune systems don’t recognize these new grain species and thus become damaged trying to digest them. Makes sense, agreed?

Discover the Benefits of Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs for Balancing Hormones

This is why we have seen a sharp rise in the number of people affected by celiac disease and wheat sensitivity in recent years.

By the way, I’ve had clients completely remove gluten from their diet while applying the Castor Oil Pack Practice having had great success in helping their infertility.

Castor Oil Packs help with fertility because it regulates inflammation in the gut and therefore improves hormone balance.

3. “Sayonara” Soy!

Soy is very controversial in the nutrition field.

Likely due to the fact that for years soy has been perceived as a health-food and an ideal source of protein that:

  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Protects against cancer
  • Reduces menopausal symptoms

But, this couldn’t be further from the truth!

Soy products are hormone disruptors and can alter the menstrual cycle – not good for fertility.

Because they have an estrogenic effect on the body.

This means they produce excess estrogen, throwing off the delicate balance of hormones in your cycle leading to infertility problems.

But, did you know…Castor Oil Packs support the healthy cleansing of excess estrogen?

So, if you do include soy products in your diet, be consistent in your Castor Oil Pack practices.?

Because consistency is key when it comes to optimal health and improved fertility.

Though we do want to avoid excess estrogen exposure as much as possible to keep problems with conception away. So, my recommendation is to say “sayonara” soy!

Soy products include:

  • Tofu
  • Soy milk
  • Edamame
  • Tempeh

4. No more processed sugar!

Processed sugar is void of all nutrients and fiber, making it an infertility-inducing ‘anti-nutrient.’

Because in order for your body to process this sugar, it must use your body’s stored nutrients.

So basically, sugar is stealing essential vitamins from your body just to process and digest it, which can then lead to fertility problems.

Did you know that processed sugar is not only found in candies and sweets like sour patch kids and cookies?

It’s also hidden in “healthy” foods like:

  • Yogurt
  • Bread
  • Chicken
  • Bacon
  • Pasta sauce
  • Salad dressing and much more.

Surprising, right?

So if you need something sweet, and want to improve fertility, stick to things like fruit (not dried), raw honey and organic maple syrup with natural sugars.

Are Castor Oil Packs helpful in boosting fertility when TTC?

To get pregnant, fertility and hormones need to be balanced.

In order for hormones to be balanced, the liver needs to work optimally. Why?

Well, the liver is the body’s main detoxifying organ, performing over 560 functions known to date and works around the clock to keep you healthy.

Think of the liver as a vacuum cleaner.

When the vacuum cleaner gets clogged, it can’t clean effectively which prevents toxins from leaving the body efficiently – leading to infertility.

This can negatively impact fertility health by creating an excess amount of inflammation in the body.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs support your Liver health and boost fertility

But when Castor Oil Packs are placed on the skin to promote the healing of tissues and organs. So, we begin training the body to promote detoxification and regulate inflammation.

Just like an Olympic athlete!

And this leads to hormone balance and improved fertility health.

This is due to the main component in Castor Oil, ricinoleic acid, which increases circulation, reduces inflammation and stimulates lymphatic flow.4-5-6

Then, in turn, increases the production of lymphocytes in the liver.

Lymphocytes are white blood cells, the body’s natural disease fighters that help clear the area of toxins.

And it’s that clearing of toxins that leads to the boost in fertility we are so desperately seeking when trying to conceive. Am I right?

So, if you’re actively trying to conceive:

During the follicular phase (the first half of your cycle):

  1. On day 1 apply a Castor Oil Pack for the Liver
  2. On day 2 apply a Castor Oil Pack for Fertility
  3. Repeat until ovulation – then stop during the luteal phase (the second stage of your cycle) to allow for that ever-so-wonderful nesting stage in hopes of conception.
Learn how to Wear a Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Pack during Day and Night
On another note, if you’re going through fertility treatments, use the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Fertility prior to your treatment.

Here’s a helpful FREE eGuide all about hormone cycling when trying to conceive using Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs.

Would you love that?

Note: You can also use Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs after unsuccessful fertility treatment as this practice will help detox your liver from those excess hormones.

Fertility and pregnancy using Castor Oil Packs. Is there hope?

If your goal is to get pregnant, I assure you that your body will be in a much better state of fertility for that to happen once you follow these natural health practices.

Using Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs to support the body in balancing hormones and boosting fertility helps make a difference in overall health.

And that is hope, agreed?

Nora DeBora Queen of the Thrones affiliate

Nora’s Bio

Through her signature program, Master Your Cycle To Get Pregnant, Nora DeBora teaches women how to optimize their hormones and fertility by harnessing the power of their menstrual cycle with nutrition, cycle charting and self-care practices.

When she’s not coaching, you can find her indulging in gourmet burgers, sweating in a yoga class, or on long hikes with her husky.

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice in clinic or online with the people you serve, contact us at: royalty@queenofthethrones.com

Click here for references

1. Mathews TJ, Hamilton BE. Mean age of mothers is on the rise: United States, 2000–2014. NCHS data brief, no 232. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2016.

2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Gynecologic Practice and Practice Committee. Female age-related fertility decline. Committee Opinion No. 589. Fertil Steril. 2014 Mar;101(3):633-4. Doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.12.032. PMID: 24559617.

3. Crawford NM, Steiner AZ. Age-related infertility. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2015 Mar;42(1):15-25. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2014.09.005. Epub 2014 Dec 5. PMID: 25681837.

4. Sorin Tunaru,a Till F. Althoff,a Rolf M. Nüsing,b Martin Diener,c and Stefan Offermannsa,d,1 Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109 PMID: 22615395.

5. Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8 PMID: 11200362

6. Moore JE Jr, Bertram CD. Lymphatic System Flows. Annu Rev Fluid Mech. 2018 Jan;50:459-482. doi: 10.1146/annurev-fluid-122316-045259. PMID: 29713107; PMCID: PMC5922450.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

How to cleanse while you sleep with Castor Oil Packs

How to cleanse while you sleep with Castor Oil Packs

How to Cleanse while you sleep with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs

How to cleanse while you sleep with Castor Oil Packs

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer, BA

Est. reading time: 10 minutes.

 

Everybody wants to cleanse when it’s spring, would you agree?

While cleansing is a natural body function, did you know it doesn’t happen just once a year? In fact, it’s a daily occurrence – correction, it’s a nightly occurrence.

Here you will learn how to cleanse while you sleep with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs and the Eye Compress no matter the time of year.

So when your patients, and you, are looking for support in removing the discomforts of leaky gut and hormone imbalance symptoms from the stress they’ve been dealing with, to feel their best in their bodies with the energy of an Olympic athlete… wanting it all now, and by now they mean yesterday…

You’ll be ready to share an easy, doable, Queen of the Thrones® Day & Night Detox Kit.

The above scenario sounds all too familiar? Correct?

This is a perfect example of what you find yourself or your patient saying…

Balance your Health and Recover your Energy and with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

“I’m so desperately wanting to clean up my life, and not just emptying my closets and decluttering my house… It’s me! I don’t have the energy to do everything I want to do. I’m constipated, always exhausted, can’t sleep and I’m so stressed, and I feel like my brain is all fogged up.”

And then the question comes…

Can I cleanse & detox with a supplement?

Cleansing with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs help to improve your health

Ah yes, the one and done supplemental band-aid prescription. Everybody wants it. Even you and you know better. But that’s ok, because it’s human nature, especially living in today’s day and age.

We want it now, and by now I mean yesterday. Can you relate?

But you look back on your life, and what have the quick fixes done for you? Nothing, because nobody benefits from it in the long run. It may feel good for a period of time but leaves you in the same place you started in. A rut. Agreed?

The key to cleansing and detoxing isn’t seasonal, it’s nightly

What Works? It’s not something you just do in the spring, although it’s a great time to start. What really shifts overtime and improves your leaky gut and hormone Imbalance, is the regular practice of supporting what your body does best.

Sleeping, resting, healing and cleaning!

Yes, that’s right, easy practices that you repeat nightly that become as easy and mindless as brushing your teeth because you know you need to brush off the biofilm for good dental health to prevent cavities, agreed?

Well, your body is no different. There is a way to support your regular, nightly and daytime cleansing.

What about dairy?

You know as much as you, or your patients would love to do a “trendy” cleanse or detox that, for most of us, is just too hard. Too many bells and whistles to commit to, right?

Because a cleanse or detox, well that my friend, involves giving up the things you and they love, like red wine, gluten and dairy, and maybe other foods that they find on their food sensitivity testing.

Plus, they’ve either experienced before or heard about the dreadful and very possible aggravating symptoms.

Learn with Queen of the Thrones What you should avoid during a Cleanse and Detox process

And how are you going to get them, or yourself to do a complicated cleanse or detox if they don’t have the energy to do it?I mean this is why they are sitting in front of you, with ZERO energy, correct?

So, to even initiate a single task or avoid yourself or your patients experiencing another uncomfortable symptom, you are going to have to get creative. Sound too good to be true?

It’s not, read on…

Because you can cleanse and detox while you sleep,

Here’s how…

What’s in a name? Well, everything.

You know your patients are exhausted, you know the first step to healing is like when you are building a house from scratch.

You clean (cleanse or detox) up the land (your body) before building a house so you have a strong sturdy foundation. Makes sense, agreed?

But if there isn’t any energy, how can this happen?

Easily, with the Queen of the Thrones® Day & Night Detox Kit, complete with your Castor Oil Liver Pack, Eye Compress and Dry Brush.

Once you have your pack on, you then dab a couple drops of castor oil around the fine lines and wrinkles on your face, so you can reduce signs of aging, enhance circulation7 and lymphatic drainage. What’s next?

You then slip on your Eye Compress and get comfy in your bed. When your head hits the pillow you’re relaxed as your eye compress gently blocks out distracting lights and makes you feel sleepy because it supports melatonin production8-9.

Plus, your Castor Oil Liver Pack feels like a hug that naturally stimulates the production of your feel-good hormones, oxytocin10-11 and dopamine12-13, so you’re ready to drift off into a relaxing deep slumber. Wonderful, agreed?

Morning comes and you start your shower, setting aside your Dry Brush & Castor Oil for when you step out. Starting from your ankles, working your way to your heart, you gently brush small circular motions.

The best part? It’s truly relaxing but what it’s doing is delivering anti-inflammatory14 nutrients like vitamin E, polyphenols and omegas15-16 and stimulating lymphatic flow. Why does this matter in the morning? Read on!

Now, you might be wondering because your patients might ask you…

Why and how does cleansing, detox and drainage happen while I’m sleeping?

Working with the body and the natural laws, we are already privy, according to traditional Chinese Medicine Doctors, that the hour of the liver is between 1-3 am, where the majority of liver detox occurs, at 3-5am the lungs supports lymphatic drainage, and at 5-7am is when colon cleansing occurs.

So, detox, drainage and cleansing overnight in the liver, lymphatics and colon can happen overnight when you’re sleeping.

This is connected to chronobiology research, the best time to do things for your body supports what the ancient Chinese doctors already knew.

What supports cleansing overnight, wearing a sleep aid compress to naturally promote melatonin. When you wake up in the morning, naturally pump cortisol with a dry brush.

Day and Night Fluctuations ot your Rest and Alert Hormones by Queen of the Thrones

Both the liver and microbiome are most active during sleep, and there is a lot of cleaning going on, so why not:

  • Promote healthy sleep
  • Support the gut and microbiome
  • Reduce inflammation in the liver

All this to simply support and help the body naturally to do what it is supposed to do, stay clean!

To learn more about how to support the rhythm of your day and night detox cycle Click here.

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Holm T, Brøgger-Jensen MR, Johnson L, Kessel L.Glutathione preservation during storage of rat lenses in opti-sol-GS and castor oil. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 19;8(11):e79620. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0079620. eCollection 2013. PMID:24260265

2. Sikandar S, Dickenson AH. Visceral pain: the ins and outs, the ups and downs. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2012 Mar;6(1):17-26. doi: 10.1097/SPC.0b013e32834f6ec9. PMID: 22246042; PMCID: PMC3

3. Arslan GG, Eşer I. An examination of the effect of castor oil packs on constipation in the elderly. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.04.004. Epub 2010 May 18. PMID: 21168117

4. Sorin Tunaru,a Till F. Althoff,a Rolf M. Nüsing,b Martin Diener,c and Stefan Offermannsa,d,1 Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109 PMID: 22615395

5. Moore JE Jr, Bertram CD. Lymphatic System Flows. Annu Rev Fluid Mech. 2018 Jan;50:459-482. doi: 10.1146/annurev-fluid-122316-045259. PMID: 29713107; PMCID: PMC5922450

6. Zawieja DC. Contractile physiology of lymphatics. Lymphat Res Biol. 2009;7(2):87-96. doi: 10.1089/lrb.2009.0007. PMID: 19534632; PMCID: PMC2925033.

7. Mascolo N1, Izzo AA, Autore G, Barbato F, Capasso F.Nitric oxide and castor oil-induced diarrhea.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Jan;268(1):291-5. PMID: 8301570.

8. Rong-fang Hu, Xiao-ying Jiang, Yi-ming Zeng, Xiao-yang Chen, You-hua Zhang. Effects of earplugs and eye masks on nocturnal sleep, melatonin and cortisol in a simulated intensive care unit environment. Published online 2010 Apr 18. PMID: 20398302.

9. Khoddam H, Maddah SA, Rezvani Khorshidi S, Zaman Kamkar M, Modanloo M. The effects of earplugs and eye masks on sleep quality of patients admitted to coronary care units: A randomised clinical trial. J Sleep Res. 2022 Apr;31(2):e13473. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13473. Epub 2021 Sep 12. PMID: 34514653.

10. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847.

11. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120.

12. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571

13. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

14. Vieira C et al. .Eect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8 PMID: 11200362.

15. Marwat SK, Rehman F, Khan EA, Baloch MS, Sadiq M, Ullah I, Javaria S, Shaheen S. Review – Ricinus communis – Ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities.Pak J Pharm Sci. 2017 Sep;30(5):1815-1827.

16. Patel VR, Dumancas GG, Kasi Viswanath LC, Maples R, Subong BJ. Castor Oil: Properties, Uses, and Optimization of Processing Parameters in Commercial Production. Lipid Insights. 2016 Sep 7;9:1-12. doi: 10.4137/LPI.S40233. PMID: 27656091; PMCID: PMC5015816.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.