7 Top Best Uses for Castor Oil

7 Top Best Uses for Castor Oil

Top Best Uses for Castor Oil by Queen of the Thrones

7 Top Best Uses for Castor Oil

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.

Use #6 is our favorite!

Have you been curious about how you can use Castor Oil and/or Castor Oil Packs? Maybe you’ve been told to give them a try from your practitioner but would love to know more.

You see, Castor Oil Packs are a legendary practice that dates back to ancient times. Traditional Chinese medicine, Indian Ayurveda, Ancient Egyptians, and Mediterraneans all used Castor Oil for its rejuvenating health and beauty benefits. Amazing, agreed?

The castor bean plant has even been given the special name of the ‘Palm of Christ’, as Castor Oil is mentioned in the Bible as an anointing oil.

Plus, Castor Oil on its own or on a Castor Oil Pack (more on Castor Oil Packs soon), has been called an absolute game-changer by many who have used them.

Would you love to know 3 tried & true Castor Oil Pack protocols used by practitioners so you can restore your body from the inside out?

But, you might be wondering, “what are the best uses of this oil?” Well, you’re in the right place because this blog will uncover the 7 best uses of Castor Oil (supported by science). You’ll see why and how the topical use of Castor Oil may be your new go-to for your natural wellness routine.

Are you ready?

One of the first and most important functions is that…

#1. Castor Oil supports lymphatic drainage

Did you know that your lymphatic system plays a crucial role in fighting against infections and balancing your fluid levels?

And when your lymphatic system is clogged, like your hair-filled shower drain, your body can’t cleanse properly and you might feel lethargic because your body’s fluids are unbalanced.

This also means you might have too much harmful bacteria, making you feel like you just came off the tilt-o-whirl. Does this sound like you?

So, where does Castor Oil come into play? Well, when applied topically on your skin, Castor Oil works its way into your tissues and stimulates lymphatic drainage via the Peyer’s patches1, a small group of lymphatic tissues.

 

You can further enhance the effect of Castor Oil with a Castor Oil Liver Pack. The compression of the Pack placed over your liver area (over your right rib cage), combined with the movement of your breathing muscles, acts like a pump for your lymphatic system, encouraging lymphatic drainage.2

Plus, you can also enhance lymphatic flow by simply adding a Dry Brush to accompany your Castor Oil Pack practice so you can…

  • Reduce inflammation that’s taking up space in your body.
  • Increase circulation so you can truly reconnect to your body.
  • Engage your lymphatic system and organs to help your body cleanse naturally.

Amazing, right?!

Another wonderful use for Castor Oil is…

#2. Using it as an anti-aging tool

You see, Castor Oil is rich in fatty acids, which contain skin-nourishing nutrients like omega 6 and 9, vitamin E, and polyphenols3,4 like quercetin.

These nutrients have anti-aging5 properties that reduce wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness under the eyes. Sounds wonderful, agreed?

So, you can use a Castor Oil Eye Compress as a vehicle for your Castor Oil to work its anti-aging magic. Plus, the Eye Compress stimulates both the circulatory and lymphatic systems.

Bonus tip: You can also use Castor Oil as an eye makeup remover and a gentle moisturizer.

So, that brings us to our next use for Castor Oil. Are you ready?

#3. You can use Castor Oil for thicker eyelashes and brows

Various factors like stress, bacterial growth, immune reactions, thyroid and hormonal imbalances can cause thinning of eyebrows and eyelashes. Can you relate?

So, regular use of a Castor Oil Eye Compress (while you sleep) can nourish the hair follicles and enhance circulation6. All you need to do is apply Castor Oil to your lashes and brows, and your Eye Compress helps keep the oil from rubbing off. Makes sense, right?

Plus, wearing an Eye Compress7,8,9 to bed helps to naturally balance your sleep hormone, melatonin10,11, so you can sleep deeper. Would you love that?

Queen of the Thrones recommend Castor Oil Packs to sleep well and recharge
So we talked about your brows and lashes, but what about using Castor Oil for the hair on your head? We have all the information you need in this blog post. When used on your scalp, the Castor Oil Hair Growth Kit nourishes, hydrates, and repairs hair deeply from your roots to tips.

So what’s next?

#4. Castor Oil also helps naturally manage inflammation

You may have heard that Castor Oil can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory for your bowels, right? Have you also heard that it can be helpful for inflammation during your period and for inflammation in general?

But how does it work? Well, Castor Oil stimulates the smooth muscles12 of the digestive tract as well as the uterus.

Have you noticed that you poo more often before and during your period? That’s because the same hormones and messengers of the body stimulate your digestive tract to move and your uterus to expel the blood.13

By acting on your smooth muscles, Castor Oil Packs can even help with your cramping.

While we’re on the subject of pain, it’s important to discuss another common cause of pain — inflammation, which can be found all over your body in varying degrees.

Castor Oil Packs are wonderful, natural tools for inflammatory pain.

You see, the unique active component of Castor Oil — ricinoleic acid — is an anti-inflammatory14 and analgesic (pain reliever)15 agent. So, that paired with the gentle compression of your Castor Oil Pack works together so the Castor Oil can permeate deeper into your skin.

Queen of the Castor Oil helps naturally to manage inflammation
You can also use Castor Oil to support arthritis, sore joints, lower back, hip and sciatic pain. Plus, it can be used on your skin as an anti-inflammatory for breakouts/acne and on your gums. Amazing, agreed?

Are you wondering how exactly Castor Oil Packs work and if you can get the same anti-inflammatory benefits from just rubbing Castor Oil on your liver/abdomen? Find out everything you need to know in this blog post.

The best part? Castor Oil not only fights inflammation but also…

#5. Fights unhealthy bacteria and promotes healthy bacteria

You see, a balance between healthy and harmful bacteria is crucial for your skin and scalp health.

So, when applied to the skin, scalp, and mucus membrane, Castor Oil can help to support a healthy microbiome.16,17,18,19

Cleansing your skin with Castor Oil can help balance the bacteria propionibacterium acne,20 which can cause skin breakouts.

When you use Castor Oil on your scalp, it can naturally balance the microbiome of the scalp and may help reduce inflammation of hair follicles and dandruff relief. Amazing, agreed?

And, now, it’s time for our favorite use of Castor Oil. Ready?

#6. Castor Oil + a Castor Oil Pack supports constipation relief

Your digestive system is much more complicated than just the food you eat because your gut is also highly regulated via hormonal and nervous system pathways. In fact, your gut is known as the second brain.

But why? Because it relies on the brain to tell it what to do and is the only organ that can work independently.

This means you could take it out of the body and it’d function entirely on its own. This system is called the enteric nervous system, which dictates what goes on in the gut. How interesting is that!

But, there are only a few ways to engage the gut’s action. The easiest is the tried and true Castor Oil Liver Pack.

Studies have shown that Castor Oil Pack over the liver helps to relieve constipation and improves the smooth muscle function of the digestive tract.21 This allows you to get rid of all the junk in your digestive system and start having regular healthy bowel movements. Sounds wonderful, agreed?

Traditionally, Castor Oil has been recommended by pharmacists to be taken orally as a strong stimulant laxative.21,22

However, Castor Oil Packs have been shown to be just as effective and better tolerated for relieving constipation when applied topically as a gentle Castor Oil Pack, compared to conventional laxatives.

The cherry on top? Castor Oil Packs can also reduce stress23,24,25,26 and support balanced hormones, similar to a weighted blanket, which brings us to the last best use of Castor Oil…

#7. The topical use of Castor Oil supports natural hormone balancing

Do you find it difficult to sleep, feel tired, or have digestion problems?

If yes, it’s likely you have higher stress levels, which ultimately affects your hormones.

The soft compression of your Castor Oil Packs on your skin calms your entire system and stimulates the release of feel-good “love and connection” hormones so you can naturally promote the production of our feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine25, as well as our love and connection hormone, oxytocin.23

Topical use of Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil supports natural hormone balancing

Plus, oxytocin also lowers cortisol (your stress hormone) and balances blood pressure,27 leading to healthy levels of progesterone.

Why does this matter? Well, studies show a connection between higher anxiety levels and high progesterone levels.28

But remember, rest and relaxation take practice when you use Castor Oil consistently. The best part? Your Castor Oil Pack gives your body a chance to practice over and over again, so be gentle with yourself.

But with all practices, it’s as important that when you do it, you make sure to do it with the right ingredients, and as with all natural health products, quality matters.

Especially in this case. The Castor Oil and the material placed against your skin should always be of great quality.

Your checklist for good quality Castor Oil (like Queen of the Thrones®):

  • 100% pure
  • Organic
  • Cold-pressed & extra virgin
  • Hexane-free
  • Bottled in amber glass

Your checklist for a good quality Castor Oil Pack (like Queen of the Thrones®):

  • Organic cotton, wool, or linen touching the skin
  • No synthetic blends or chemically treated materials touching the skin (i.e., velour, bamboo)
  • No uncomfortable belts, buttons, or velcro

So, you see not just Castor Oil, but the Castor Oil Pack is a tried and true self-care tool with anti-aging qualities for both health and beauty since the beginning of humanity.

Try it for yourself to see!

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. 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

2. 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.

3. 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. PMID: 29084706

4. Patel, V. R., Dumancas, G. G., Viswanath, L. C. K., Maples, R. & Subong, B. J. J. Castor oil: properties, uses, and optimization of processing parameters in commercial production. Lipid Insights 9, 1–12, (2016). PMID: 27656091

5. Mary Fu, BA, MA Jennifer Brusewitz, ND Castor Oil & Age-Related Cataract – A Case for the Therapeutic Order NDNR Posted May 1, 2018 In Anti-Aging

6. Coonen. L.P “Herodotus on Biology”. The Scientific Monthly. Vol. 76. No. 2, 1953. Pp.63-70. JSTOR.

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Miller MA, Renn BN, Chu F, Torrence N. Sleepless in the hospital: A systematic review of non-pharmacological sleep interventions. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2019 Jul-Aug;59:58-66. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2019.05.006. Epub 2019 May 24. PMID: 31170567; PMCID: PMC6620136.

10. Bitar, R.D., Torres-Garza, J.L., Reiter, R.J. and Phillips, W.T. 2021. Neural glymphatic system: Clinical implications and potential importance of melatonin. Melatonin Research. 4, 4 (Dec. 2021), 551-565

11. Li Y, Zhang J, Wan J, Liu A, Sun J. Melatonin regulates Aβ production/clearance balance and Aβ neurotoxicity: A potential therapeutic molecule for Alzheimer’s disease. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Dec;132:110887. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110887. Epub 2020 Nov 2. PMID: 33254429.

12. 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

13. Camerino C. The New Frontier in Oxytocin Physiology: The Oxytonic Contraction. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 21;21(14):5144. doi: 10.3390/ijms21145144. PMID: 32708109; PMCID: PMC7404128.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Saxena R, Mittal P, Clavaud C, Dhakan DB, Hegde P, Veeranagaiah MM, Saha S, Souverain L, Roy N, Breton L, Misra N, Sharma VK. Comparison of Healthy and Dandruff Scalp Microbiome Reveals the Role of Commensals in Scalp Health. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2018 Oct 4;8:346. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00346. PMID: 30338244; PMCID: PMC6180232.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20.Orchard A, van Vuuren S. Commercial Essential Oils as Potential Antimicrobials to Treat Skin Diseases. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017;2017:4517971. doi: 10.1155/2017/4517971. Epub 2017 May 4. PMID: 28546822; PMCID: PMC5435909.

21. 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 receptorsProc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109PMID: 22615395

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. Uvnas-Moberg K1, Petersson M.[Oxytocin, a mediator of anti-stress, well-being, social interaction, growth and healing]. Z Psychosom Med Psychother. 2005;51(1):57-80. PMID: 15834840

28. Reynolds TA, Makhanova A, Marcinkowska UM, Jasienska G, McNulty JK, Eckel LA, Nikonova L, Maner JK. Progesterone and women’s anxiety across the menstrual cycle. Horm Behav. 2018 Jun;102:34-40. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.04.008. Epub 2018 Apr 24. PMID: 29673619.

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 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.

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.

How do Castor Oil Packs work?

How do Castor Oil Packs work?

Learn with Queen of the Thrones How Castor Oil Packs Work and how they help you to improve your health

How do Castor Oil Packs work?

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A.

Est. reading time: 9 minutes.

As a health care practitioner, you may have prescribed the traditional treatment method of castor oil packs for liver detox, lymphatic drainage or colon cleansing, right?

You did this by saturating an old cloth with castor oil and applying that gooey mess to various parts of the body because you know of the great health benefits that this treatment method offers. Can you relate?

And, if you’re like me, you stopped prescribing the old way of applying castor oil packs because that 12-step method was too messy, too complicated and your patients just didn’t comply to it. And I don’t blame them, do you?

Or maybe you had your patients do it the “lazy way” by simply just rubbing on the castor oil and then having them wear an old t-shirt. Sound familiar?

But, with the application of just the castor oil without the castor oil pack, we only get half of the benefits

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil plus the pack help you you to obtain better health results

How do Castor Oil Packs work for lymphatic drainage and cleansing?

Firstly, it’s mechanical, with the compression of the pack placed over the liver (slightly covering the lower free ribs under your right rib cage), in combination with the movement of your breathing muscles, this serves to act like a pump to your lymphatic system encouraging lymphatic drainage1. 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, gallbladder2 and more.

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 oxytocin3 feedback loop activating the vagus nerve, shifting the body into a rest and digest state where liver detox is optimized.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs Help you to activate the Vagus Nerve feedback
It’s this direct effect of the castor oil pack compress that stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system4-5-6. Amazing, right?

Plus, the penetration of the castor oil into the tissues stimulates lymphatic drainage and reduces inflammation via the Peyer’s patches7.

With no pack, castor oil will not penetrate as deeply and would act much more like a skin emollient, so the full range of benefits of the oil cannot be reaped.

Why is it important for castor oil to be in glass?

Lipotoxicity is why it is imperative to use castor oil that has only been contained in a glass bottle rather than in plastic8-9-10.

You see, castor oil is the master carrier oil, due to its structure and the molecular weight of ricinoleic acid11. And because of this amazing capability of transporting and transferring substances into the body, it is of the utmost importance to only use a high-quality oil that is organic, extra-virgin, cold-pressed, hexane-free and in glass.

And I am sure we are both on the same page when it comes to ensuring our prescriptions and protocols – like the application of Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs coming from a plastic-free environment – are helpful for our patients and ourselves, and not a harmful endocrine disruptive burden. Would you agree?

Why you need to replace your Castor Oil Pack?

Pouring a fresh coat of castor oil onto the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack with each application is an important part of the protocol, as is replacing your castor oil pack.

Why? Well simply because we are unsure where the castor oil and toxins it collects eliminate through the body, or back into the pack through the skin.

A study compared oral castor oil metabolites and the metabolites produced with the castor oil pack and no castor oil metabolites were produced with the castor oil pack12.

This suggests that either the castor oil wasn’t absorbed or that the metabolites came out another way, perhaps via the skin into the pack.

So, to prevent possible reabsorption of any toxins that are being pulled out by castor oil, use a fresh coat of oil on every application and replace the pack every 3 months.

Plus, when it comes to fertility, it is especially important to ensure that your liver pack is placed only on the liver, the pelvic pack only on the pelvis over top of the uterus and ovaries, and the thyroid pack only on the thyroid. This is to avoid any possible transfer of toxins from organ to organ. Makes sense, right?

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs – the game changer

With the application of this new and easy way of an old traditional method, with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs in your practice, your patients, in most cases, will come back to you in follow-ups feeling better – because they can easily comply – and can safely be used with any other prescriptions that you recommend.

Plus, with regular practice your patients will train their body to respond better to stress, as well as naturally liver detox, lymphatic drain and colon cleanse with the support from their Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs.

Then what happens is we begin to start…

Improve Parasympathetic Tone with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

You see, this is what makes Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs so unique and game-changing.

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!

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.

Click here for references

1. 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.

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: PMC3272481.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Kim H1, Oh S1, Gye MC1, Shin I1,2. Comparative toxicological evaluation of nonylphenol and nonylphenol polyethoxylates using human keratinocytes. Drug Chem Toxicol. 2018 Oct;41(4):486-491. doi: 10.1080/01480545.2017.1391829. Epub 2017 Nov 10.

9. Amar SK1, Goyal S2, Srivastav AK3, Chopra D3, Ray RS2. Combined effect of Benzophenone-2 and ultraviolet radiation promote photogenotoxicity and photocytotoxicity in human keratinocytes. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2018 Jun;95:298-306. doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2018.04.003. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

10. Hafezi SA1, Abdel-Rahman WM1. The Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA) Exerts a Wide Range of Effects in Carcinogenesis and Response to Therapy. Curr Mol Pharmacol. 2019 Mar 6. doi: 10.2174/1874467212666190306164507.

11. 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. 31].

12. Alves SP, Araujo CM, Queiroga RC, Madruga MS, Parente MOM, Medeiros AN, Bessa RJB. New insights on the metabolism of ricinoleic acid in ruminants. J Dairy Sci. 2017 Oct;100(10):8018-8032. doi: 10.3168/jds.2017-13117. Epub 2017 Aug 10. PMID: 28803011.

Improve Hormonal and Acne Breakouts with Castor Oil Packs.

Improve Hormonal and Acne Breakouts with Castor Oil Packs.

Improve Hormonal and Acne Breakouts with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

Improve Hormonal and Acne Breakouts with Castor Oil Packs.

Guest Blog Post Written by: Halie Schoff, DC
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 6 minutes.

How to support hormone and skin health with Castor Oil Packs

Have you been applying pimple creams containing hydroxy acids and/or benzoyl peroxide with no change in those painful and embarrassing pustules?

You see, it can take time to clear up acne, and with the help of Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs to support your hormone and skin health, we can speed up the process in a healthy way. Sounds wonderful, right?

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Pack support Hormone Balance for a Glowing Skin

One thing I noticed when working with my patients and clients who struggle with hormonal acne breakouts, is that when I improve their liver health and get their hormones in balance, their skin starts GLOWING!

Would you love to wake up each morning to wash your face & shower your body only to feel and see smooth, blemish-free skin looking back at you?

Are your hormones imbalanced and in need of liver support?

Let’s look at the following symptoms:

  • Acne (Inflamed pustules/comedones on face, back, chest, shoulders, buttocks)
  • Skin irritation/rashes
  • Bloating
  • Brain fog
  • Constipation
  • Feelings of anger (liver is associated with emotions like irritability and anger)
  • PMS (tender breasts, cramping, moodiness
  • Waking up between the hours of 1-3am

Is this you? If you experience any of these symptoms it could indicate that your liver needs some love.

In my practice I teach my patients that, when we are not able to remove toxins (due to the need of liver detoxification) from the body optimally we can push them out through the skin, therefore experiencing hormonal acne breakouts.

Recommendations for Hormonal Acne Breakouts

In my personal experience as a Chiropractic Doctor, if I may share, using the following AMAZING recommendations for acne-prone skin, that both myself AND my patients and clients have implemented have resulted in a profound improvement in our skin health:

Here are my favorite ways how:

1. Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver: if you do nothing else, Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver can be an amazing way to help support liver health. Castor Oil helps to reduce inflammation of hormonal acne breakouts, support gut health and support liver detoxification.

2. Add in liver supporting foods: My favorites are cruciferous veggies (broccoli. Cauliflower, arugula, cabbage), green tea, bone broth, dandelion root and leaf, leafy greens, carrots, beets, garlic and pasture-raised eggs.

3. Supporting detoxification pathways by making sure you are sweating a few times each week either through: Activity, a hot Epsom bath or sauna, implementing dry brushing, using a rebounder, acupuncture, muscle work/massage and Chiropractic care.

4. Reduce environmentally toxic exposures: artificial fragrance, artificial ingredients, plastics/BPA.

Remember that what we see on the outside, is a reminder of what needs to be supported on the inside and hormonal acne breakouts are a reminder of ways we can be loving our insides more.

So, if you love the look and feel of soft, smooth, pain-free, acne-free skin, start with your Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver Begin your journey of smooth blemish-free skin by supporting liver cleansing, hormone balancing, absorbing nourishing food and supplements better, reduction of bloating, and best of all no more hormonal acne breakouts!

Dr. Halie Schoff Bio

Dr. Halie Schoff is a licensed and practicing Functional Chiropractor, Integrative Health Practitioner and Podcaster.

She is a former collegiate athlete who has a passion for teaching people how to bridge the gap between fitness and holistic health. With a focus on women’s hormones and gut health, Dr. Halie has helped hundreds of people all over the world regain their health through lifestyle, optimal diet, movement and functional practices.

 

Dr. Halie is wonderfully outspoken about informed consent around birth control and aims to help those that she works with understand the root cause of their hormone imbalances.

Her main goal is to help you be the alpha of your health by understanding what being optimally healthy means for YOU.

Social links:

drhalieschoff

alpha.chiro.health.wellness

Website:

www.drhalieschoff.com

To learn more about how Castor Oil Packs work and why you need the compress with the oil to truly start waking up like new, read 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!

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.

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome by Queen of the Thrones

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive) & Christy Howitt B.A.
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. & Melanie Swackhammer B.A.

Est. reading time: 12 minutes.

If you’ve been wondering, does my food sensitivity cause my gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome? the answer is yes – and well, no. Why? This is because gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome are metabolic hormonal patterns, ones that are complex and sometimes confusing.

Meaning, the answer to the million dollar question is that gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome are not ONLY caused by food sensitivity, food allergies or food intolerances. There is more going on than meets the eye.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome and Gut Inflammation

You see, you’re right to suspect that it isn’t just bloating, constipation or IBS symptoms occurring, or that food is the only factor at play here. You are simultaneously experiencing chronic metabolic problems like:

 

  • Thyroid imbalance
  • Weight gain
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Joint pain

These are symptoms that are all linked to gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome. Your focus on food as the culprit is natural, because you, like Hippocrates, the father of medicine, as well as other scientific researchers, strive to believe in the power food has, stating.

“Let thy food be thy medicine…when possible1.”

Food can be your medicine again, yes. But only with the right environment. When you have a healthy, balanced gut, your Leaky Gut symptoms will be reduced.

Leaky & Inflamed gut Hippocrates by Queen of the Thrones

So what else is at play, causing your gut inflammation besides food?

Many other internal and external factors are perpetrators as well.

  • Supplements
  • Probiotics
  • Prebiotics
  • The microbiome

And so many more factors all contribute to gut inflammation. Interesting, right?

There are many factors causing your gut inflammation and Leaky Gut symptoms, ones that are important to explore, yet food is a great place to start. It is with this starting point that you will discover the complexity of how your gut health truly is in your hands and how you can take steps to feel better. As Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective would say,

“It’s Elementary, Dear Watson!”

Food Sensitivity and Your Environment for Gut Health

Queen of the Thrones Leaky Gut inflammation

So let’s dive in! As you uncover the pieces to the puzzle that make up your gut health, the first thing to note is your body’s first response to food, which is, by definition, a foreign substance complex that enters your gut, or inside world. Anything foreign has the possibility to cause an internal reaction, good or bad, depending on both the substance and the environment in which it is placed.

 

Whether or not you have a sensitivity to a specific food can be irrelevant, because when there is gut inflammation, even healthy food can become a sensitivity. This is one of the reasons why the validity of food sensitivity testing purchased online is questioned2. These kinds of tests can be misleading, to you, the consumer, and your present state of gut health.

Although these tests seem to be testing different foods, the interpretation from many integrative and functional medical doctors is that you must first determine how much inflammation is in the gut or how leaky the gut may be.

How to Examine your Gut Health Environment?

You simply cannot just look at food sensitivities without also examining the health of your gut environment.

Of course there are some foods like gluten and dairy that are associated sensitivities3, especially in women who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This hormonal metabolic condition is highly linked to both gluten and dairy sensitivity and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

Whether it’s the food sensitivity or inflammation that came first, we do not know, but we do know they come hand-in-hand, and begins with generalized gut symptoms that indicate gut inflammation like:

  • Bloating
  • Constipation
  • IBS

So as the inflammation grows, Leaky Gut Syndrome develops4.

What role does leaky gut syndrome play in gut health?

Let’s take a closer look at what is occurring internally when it comes to Leaky Gut Syndrome and the related symptoms. These wide-ranged symptoms happen when inflammation irritates and disrupts the integrity of the gut wall.

Your gut health is very dependent on the gut mucosa cells that are connected via gap or tight junctions5, which act like the links of a chain that keep the healthy gut cells (epithelial cells) bound together, protecting our internal bodies from the outside world, from substances like food.

When the tight junctions become increasingly irritated and inflamed, most often by food and its components, such as sugars, fats or even fibers6, these tight gut health junctions cannot hold together. Therefore, the links in the strong chain break and the barrier that protects the body from the gut contents, becomes like a pasta strainer, instead of a brick wall, allowing everything you’ve ingested to flow out into the body.

Leaky & Inflamed gut illustration by Queen of the Thrones

Download our infographic to learn more about how the body is being bombarded by foods you may not suspect – including all those healthy supplements! Would you love to learn more about your gut health and the ways a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice can help restore your body back to balance? Sign-up to receive our FREE eGuide!

Why isn’t Leaky Gut easily cured?

When your gut wall is disrupted, everything – all the food, supplements, probiotics, and prebiotics that entered via the oral route, pass out into your body. All the items that are meant to stay contained in your digestive system for proper digestion, processed through the cells without bypassing them, now seep through in undigested larger shapes, sizes that aren’t recognizable by the body’s defense systems, aka, the immune system.

This complex protective mechanism – your immune system, is used by the body to identify friend or foe, to achieve homeostasis or balance. Food that was once medicine now becomes a sensitivity to you, depending on how inflammed your gut is, and how leaky it has become.

How does leaky gut syndrome stress the whole body?

So your food and supplements that were once supposed to be medicine, now have the potential, depending on your unique system, to become poison to you, creating food sensitivity reactions that permeate through the entire body! No thank you, right?!

No matter how we look at it, Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome cause unwanted stress on the body – big time. Supplements, food, bacteria – all the things you’ve ingested – begins to respond atypically, spreading throughout your body, triggering symptoms as random as:

 

  • Migraines
  • Itchy skin
  • Eczema
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
rgans affected by Leaky Gut according to Queen of the the Thrones

These don’t appear related to your gut health, making food sensitivities and your health so confusing! Agreed? But everything is very much interconnected!

It’s All About Creating an Environment for Gut Health

The reality is, our bodies are always aiming to achieve good gut health and if you only focus on the food sensitivities that cause bloating, you are going down the wrong rabbit hole, my friend! Your belief may be that identifying and removing your food sensitivities will solve your gut health problems. Although it is an important first piece of the puzzle, it won’t give you the complete relief you’re seeking from your bloating, anxiety, constipation etc. It won’t give you the whole picture.

To ultimately feel better, it is essential to create an environment for good gut health. It is essential to begin the healing of your stressed gut lining, repairing the gaps and tight junctions in your gut lining caused by gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

Self-caring for the environment of good gut health is understanding that there is a complex interplay of more than just your sensitivity to food affecting whether you feel good or bad, have gut inflammation or are dealing with Leaky Gut Syndrome.

All disease begins in the Leaky Gut because the gut is like Grand Central Station, and where there are multiple players in the game, there is always a possibility for chaos to occur or a fight to break out8.

What Are The Many Factors at Play with Leaky Gut?

Everything you take in from the outside world, including:

  • Food
  • Supplements
  • Probiotics
  • Prebiotics
  • Emotional experiences
  • Gut microbes
  • Medications like birth control pills, antibiotics or stomach acid reducers

On top of that everything made in your body like:

  • Hormones (estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, oxytocin, cortisol etc.)
  • Neurotransmitters (melatonin, dopamine, gaba, serotonin, glycine, histamine etc.)
  • The balance of your microbiome, whether healthy, dysbiotic or overgrown with candida, or the presence of SIBO
  • The waste products you create (such as uric acid, carbon dioxide etc.)

All of this, including the cells and tissues of your body, can be attacked inappropriately when there is gut inflammation, which is why Leaky Gut is a danger signal for autoimmune disease9. This is, of course, a simplified explanation of a complex chronic metabolic gut inflammation condition. But know that both your level of gut inflammation and the state of your gut lining, are determinants of good gut health and how sensitive you may be to the food you consume.

It’s a tad overwhelming, right? Agreed. Since food is so foundational (you have to eat it, right?) – you can’t run away from it. So, therefore, it really is the best place to start your journey to gut health! This is why functional medical doctors, integrative medicine doctors, naturopathic doctors, nutritionists, holistic medicine doctors, and other natural health experts who work with gut health, will most often start here.

How can we revive & restore a leaky gut?

The focus must be on returning your gut health back to a relaxed state, to the ‘gated community’ it was meant to be. It takes time and consistency and intentional actions like:

  • A regular Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice
  • Healthy food choices
  • Properly washing your food to remove toxins
  • Awareness of the emotional stressors
  • Properly chewing your food
  • Intermittent fasting to allow your gut to relax
  • Stress-reducing techniques like calming breathwork practices
Best ways to avoid Leaky & Inflamed Gut Queen of the Thrones

What are the next Steps to Gut Health?

There are a number of ways to support your body moving forward, to begin the process of healing your gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome. Now that you have a better understanding of how food sensitivities cause inflammation in your body and the role Leaky Gut Syndrome has to play in your persistent symptoms, you are on track to returning your body to a relaxed and nourished state. You’ve got this, my friend!

Download our infographic to learn more about how the body is being bombarded by foods you may not suspect – including all those healthy supplements! Would you love to learn more about your gut health and the ways a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice can help restore your body back to balance? Sign-up to receive our FREE eGuide!

And as always, if you have any concerns about your symptoms or overall health, please consult your integrative doctor or trained medical professional.

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. Witkamp RF, van Norren K. Let thy food be thy medicine….when possible. Eur J Pharmacol. 2018 Oct 5;836:102-114. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.06.026. Epub 2018 Jun 21. PMID: 29936236.

2. Wong AWY, White HEG, Plant A, Shipman AR, Shipman KE. Issues surrounding consumer-bought food-allergy testing. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2021 Oct 16. doi: 10.1111/ced.14978. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34655248.

3. Ihnatowicz P, Drywień M, Wątor P, Wojsiat J. The importance of nutritional factors and dietary management of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2020 Jun 19;27(2):184-193. doi: 10.26444/aaem/112331. Epub 2019 Oct 2. PMID: 32588591.

4. Binienda A, Twardowska A, Makaro A, Salaga M. Dietary Carbohydrates and Lipids in the Pathogenesis of Leaky Gut Syndrome: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 8;21(21):8368. doi: 10.3390/ijms21218368. PMID: 33171587; PMCID: PMC7664638

5. Binienda A, Twardowska A, Makaro A, Salaga M. Dietary Carbohydrates and Lipids in the Pathogenesis of Leaky Gut Syndrome: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 8;21(21):8368. doi: 10.3390/ijms21218368. PMID: 33171587; PMCID: PMC7664638.

6. Usuda H, Okamoto T, Wada K. Leaky Gut: Effect of Dietary Fiber and Fats on Microbiome and Intestinal Barrier. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 16;22(14):7613. doi: 10.3390/ijms22147613. PMID: 34299233; PMCID: PMC8305009.

7. Suárez LJ, Arboleda S, Angelov N, Arce RM. Oral Versus Gastrointestinal Mucosal Immune Niches in Homeostasis and Allostasis. Front Immunol. 2021 Jul 5;12:705206. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705206. PMID: 34290715; PMCID: PMC8287884.

8. Fasano A. All disease begins in the (leaky) gut: role of zonulin-mediated gut permeability in the pathogenesis of some chronic inflammatory diseases. F1000Res. 2020 Jan 31;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-69. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.20510.1. PMID: 32051759; PMCID: PMC6996528.

9. Mu Q, Kirby J, Reilly CM, Luo XM. Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 May 23;8:598. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00598. PMID: 28588585; PMCID: PMC5440529.

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