6 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast

6 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast

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

6 Scientifically Backed Ways To Support Your Breast

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.

What Circadian Rhythm, Castor Oil and Walnuts Have in Common for Breast Wellness

“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 lifestyle 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 fairly common for a health scare to shock people into re-examining their lives and what matters most to them. Breast cancer is no exception, and it’s understandable. 

Breast health can help you look at your life differently. In fact, on an energetic level, breast issues can correspond to an imbalance of nurturing energy, usually focused on the self. So if you’re reading this now, or if you have breast concerns or discomfort, you could look at this as a time for reflection on how you can take better care of you – and especially the wellness of your breasts.

The old adage an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of 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 statistic.

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 only responsible for less than 10% of the cases.2

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

Of course, it might be difficult to talk about your breasts and any changes you’ve observed. The breast is loaded with cultural meaning and importance, so yeah – talking about your girls is a little different from discussing changes in say – your feet. . . though feet are important too.

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 way to understanding your unique body and the best steps to take.

So, 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
  • 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, especially right before your cycle when estrogen levels increase. 

“What causes increased fluid?” 

A common cause for increased fluid volume is inflammation. Inflammation 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 restore balance.

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 breasts. But, if your lymph vessels are blocked, your breasts can 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.

So, let’s dive into more about this and the connection between your…

Circadian rhythm and breast health

Circadian Rhythm by Queen of the Thrones

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.

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle and they can affect hormones, body temperature, and digestion, not to mention how you feel when you’re sleep deprived or experiencing jet lag.

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 aspects5. 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

In fact, your 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. More specifically, a healthy gut microbiota has shown to play an important role in breast health because when estrogen is processed and released through your liver as bile, it ends up in your gut. If your gut bacteria are balanced and thriving, they may help control these estrogen molecules and keep them from creating carcinogenic problems in breast tissue.20 

So, keeping your gut microbiota healthy and thriving can also support better breast health.

Would you love to know more about how to balance your gut bacteria?

How can I keep my breasts well?

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 wellness. Are you ready?

1. Eat healthy because food matters

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

You are what you eat. Have you heard this before? Some ways you can support your breasts 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
  • Increasing your intake of nuts – especially walnuts

2. Get good quality sleep

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. This will help your body restore any imbalance and also help restore your circadian rhythm.
  • 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. Some studies show that wearing an eye mask to bed may help support melatonin production.9,10
Queen of the Thrones eye compress supports better sleep
It’s truly relaxing, and when you wear an Eye Compress with Castor Oil, you may be supporting natural inflammation balance11, as well as skin-loving nutrients like vitamin E, polyphenols and omegas13.

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

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

 

 

 

Did you know that a well-functioning lymphatic system is crucial for your breast health? It’s true! Keeping the lymph flowing through the lymph nodes in your breasts can support breast health by keeping inflammation low and, as a result, keeping your lymph nodes from getting clogged. 

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

You see, a Fascia Body Roller helps you do a gentle massage around your breasts so you can naturally support 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, fascia body rolling may help relieve 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 toxins15, protecting and supporting breast health.

Plus, wearing a Castor Oil Pack for Liver may also support breasts… 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 may act like a pump to your lymphatic system, encouraging lymphatic drainage. Amazing, agreed?

Secondly, it’s neurological, because when the pack is 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, the combination of both mechanical and neurological factors work because the pack stimulates the body’s skin receptors and natural oxytocin feedback loop. This helps activate the vagus nerve and help shifts your body into a rest and digest state17 where liver detox is optimized.

This direct effect of the Castor Oil Pack compress stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Plus, the penetration of the Castor Oil into your tissues may support inflammation balance.

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

So, without the pack, Castor Oil will not penetrate as deeply and will instead act much more like a skin emollient. So, as you can see, you need the pack to experience the full range of benefits.

But, even though the Castor Oil Pack is traditionally worn over the liver for breast health, you can also wear Castor Oil Packs over your breasts.

However, don’t use the same pack for your liver as you do your breasts.

It’s unknown whether toxic substances are released via the skin with Castor Oil Packs, especially over the liver since it’s the hub for toxic cleanup in the body. So, to prevent the transfer of toxins to more sensitive areas, only use designated packs on the respective area.

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs for Breasts come in 2 comfortable sizes – Small or Large.

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?

5. Eat walnuts for breast wellness

Have you ever heard of the Doctrine of Signatures? You probably have without even realizing it. It’s a theory as old as ancient Greece and proposes that herbs and other substances can support the body part that they resemble.

While there is some truth to this supposition, it’s important to understand that there are also some dangers. But when it comes to the health of your breasts, recent research has shown that walnuts can actually be beneficial for women with breast cancer. 18, 19

Walnuts are recommend to improve breast health by Queen of the Thrones
In fact, some research has shown that if people with breast cancer eat as little as two ounces of walnuts per day for just two weeks, the gene expression can be altered. They also found that eating walnuts can actually slow breast cancer growth and lessen the risk of breast cancer occurrence in mice19. Amazing, right?

So, in this case at least, the Doctrine of Signatures really has some validity. Have you ever looked at the meat of a walnut? It bears a pretty close resemblance to blood vessels and glands in breast tissue.

6. Go blissfully bra-less

This is probably the best news you’ve heard all day, right? Well, here’s the thing, while going braless and its effect on breast health hasn’t been studied very much, there are some hints that may be something worth doing. Simply put, not wearing a bra most likely won’t cause any problems.

Medical anthropologists Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer did a study and described their findings in their book titled, Dressed to Kill. They came up with some interesting evidence suggesting that there might be a correlation between wearing tight bras and breast cancer rates. 

And it makes sense if you think about it. In fact, the Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine suggests that wearing tight bras for long periods of time can actually restrict the movement of lymphatic fluid in your breasts which could compromise breast health21.

So, while you probably don’t want to go bouncing into work braless, you might want to release the girls for a few hours every day. Better still, go for a walk braless or do other kinds of light exercise to help move the lymph through your breast tissue.

A recipe to help support better circulation and lymphatic flow

Now that we’ve described a few ways to help you support better breast wellness, why not get started today with this easy and enjoyable recipe to help you reconnect to your body through self-massage.

Self-Love Breast Massage Recipe

Breast massage recipe by Queen of the Thrones

Ingredients:

  1. Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil
  2. Baking Soda
  3. Organic Rosemary Essential Oil

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, add about 3 tbsp of Castor Oil. 
  2. Then mix in a small amount of Baking Soda to form a paste. 
  3. Add 2-3 drops of Organic Rosemary Essential Oil. 
  4. Once you’ve made the paste, massage the mixture onto your breasts and armpits. 
  5. Allow it to absorb for an hour or more, then rinse.

Would you love more recipes for breast wellness? Download this free eGuide!

So, gorgeous, your breast health is in your hands. Try and add these six wellness 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!

What Is A Castor Oil Pack & Why Do It?

What Is A Castor Oil Pack & Why Do It?

What Is A Castor Oil Pack and Why Do It?

What Is A Castor Oil Pack & Why Do It?

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.

Your Complete Guide On How To Do A Castor Oil Pack

Are you wondering what to expect after using the Castor Oil Pack for Liver?

Or, are you curious to know more about the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack before you add it to your daily self-care routine?

Is this you? This blog discusses everything you need to know about Castor Oil and Castor Oil Packs and how the two work together to support both your liver and overall wellness.

So, what is a Castor Oil Pack?

Castor Oil Packs are an ancient self-care practice and foundation of naturopathic and functional medicine popularized in the early 1900s by Edgar Cayce.

This traditional natural wellness practice involves applying Castor Oil to a cotton compress and wearing it on the body (typically over the liver) to support liver detox, deeper sleep, less stress, better bowel movements, and more.

The Castor Oil Pack lost its appeal because of its messy and time-consuming nature and difficulty accessing quality organic materials. Makes sense, agreed?”

So, we made this practice easy for the 21st century with the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver, a tried and true modernized Castor Oil Pack that’s heatless, less-mess, and easy to use.

Would you love to know 3 vital body functions you can support with Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs?

Well, we have an Infographic for you that explains the 3 key benefits of Castor Oil Packs, loved and recommended by wellness practitioners.

With consistent use, Castor Oil Packs can support your body from the outside in. So much so that many people who love and use Castor Oil Packs think of it as a game changer.

Queen of the Thrones happy customer testimony

Where to wear your Castor Oil Pack?

Castor Oil Packs can be worn all over the body from your thyroid, your tummy, your pelvic area, your joints, and even your eyes – but they are thought to have the most systemic benefit when worn over the liver area. This is because the liver area is where the regulatory systems of your body all intersect and interconnect (your hormonal, immune, nervous and digestive systems). Many people assume that you need to wear your Liver Pack right on your liver to get the benefits. Is this you too? However, this is not the case. Anatomically, the liver is located near the top of your right ribcage under the right breast. It would be a little difficult to wear your pack there, agreed? 
Liver location in the body by Queen of the Thrones

The ideal placement for your Castor Oil Pack is your liver area, over top of the dermatomes connected to your liver.

You see, the anti-inflammatory component of Castor Oil called ricinoleic acid1 permeates the epidermis because of its molecular weight, this is where your circulatory and lymphatic vessels lie. And when placed over your liver area, these Packs activate the somatic and visceral reflexes (response to a stimulus) supporting the activity of internal detox and cleansing organs like the liver, kidney, gut, gallbladder, and more.

So, this is why it’s ideal to wear the Pack over your liver area, below your ribs on the right side of your body. This covers your T5-T12 dermatomes which support the gallbladder, liver, diaphragm, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, small intestine, appendix, adrenals, uterus and colon.  

How to use your Castor Oil Liver Pack?

It’s as easy as following the two-step process so you can support your body from the outside in.

Step One: Apply 1 tbsp of Organic Castor Oil to the soft organic cotton flannel side of your Pack. 

*Always add your Organic Castor Oil to the middle of the pack to help keep the oil from the seams, as the Pack is not 100% impermeable.

Dermatomes of the Body Supported by The Castor Oil Pack for Liver

Step Two: Place the soft cotton flannel side of your Castor Oil Pack over your liver area (under your right rib cage) and tie it in place with the soft, stretchy, adjustable straps.

*Remember: Castor Oil WILL STAIN clothing & bed sheets so take extra care when preparing your Pack. Of course, you can always wear an old t-shirt over your Pack just in case.

With regular practice, you will train your body to respond better to stress. Amazing, agreed? 

And the best part…

You can wear your Pack for one hour before bed, and even better, wear your Pack overnight to help you cleanse while you sleep.

You see, your body naturally cleanses when you’re sleeping. So, by wearing your Castor Oil Liver Pack overnight you’re supporting natural liver detoxification, lymphatic drainage2, and colon cleansing3,14

Learn how to use Castor oil Packs for liver designed by Queen of the Thrones

How do Castor Oil Packs support your liver?

Castor Oil is a unique vegetable oil derived from the castor bean. It contains 90% ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid structure strikingly similar to that of prostaglandin E1. In simple terms, it is a strong anti-inflammatory4 agent in our body. Here’s how it works… Mechanical: The compression of your Castor Oil Pack placed over the liver (slightly covering the lower free ribs under your right rib cage), combined with the movement of your breathing muscles, serves like a pump to your lymphatic system, encouraging lymphatic drainage2. Amazing, agreed? 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. A combination of both mechanical and neurological: The Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack stimulates the body’s skin receptors that stimulate the natural oxytocin5 feedback loop activating the vagus nerve, shifting the body into the ‘rest and digest’ state where liver detox is optimized. This gentle compression of the Castor Oil Pack stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system6,7,8. Amazing, right?
Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil OAcks supports detox and digestion

 You can learn more about the 3 vital body functions you can support with Castor Oil Packs in your FREE infographic.

What are the key benefits of Castor Oil Liver Packs?

First, let’s look at the most important function of your Castor Oil Pack, which is to help…

1. Balance inflammation

Did you know that inflammation is part of your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it (like infections) in an attempt to heal and protect itself?

So, when something damages your cells, your body releases chemicals that trigger an inflammatory response from your immune system10. It’s a natural process, but inflammation is often out of control in today’s modern world.

When you are inflamed, your body is acidic. However, the enzymes in your body don’t function properly in an acidic environment, as they require an alkaline environment11

Inflammation is like fire, and what does a firefighter do to put out a fire? They put water on it. Central abdominal bloating and weight gain are often caused because our body sends water to the site of inflammation to ‘put out the fire’. Makes sense, agreed?

So, since Castor Oil contains ricinoleic acid, a natural anti-inflammatory1-4, it may support the natural reduction of water retention and swelling.

Castor Oil also supports detox by helping to…

2. Preserve glutathione status

Glu…tat…what?

Well, glutathione is the master detoxification agent of the body12. But, unfortunately, it can quickly be depleted mainly because of chronic diseases, including autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 

Studies on rats have shown that Castor Oil is supportive of preserving glutathione levels13.  You see, glutathione is an antioxidant that pulls toxins out of your body, and that’s why we get depleted so quickly. 

Castor Oil also supports the elimination of waste from your body by…

3. Help move your bowels

lOne of the major processes of your body is your bowel movements. If you can’t eliminate (a.k.a go to the bathroom), you self-intoxicate.

Remember those anti-inflammatory prostaglandins that Castor Oil mimics? Well, these are the same ones that attach to the receptors of smooth muscle14 in the body, namely your gut and uterus.

So, this physical smooth muscle function moves things out of the body, and your Castor Oil Liver Pack helps stimulate it3,14 so you can go to the bathroom naturally and rid yourself of feeling backed up. Sounds wonderful, agreed?

Lastly, Castor Oil aids in maintaining your general wellness by helping your body…

4. Microbiome balance

The microbiome and bacteria in your gut are a mix of good and bad bugs. The balance of the two influences your well-being. So, when the balance is off, you feel unwell. Makes sense, right? Biofilm is a big bad barrier that bad bacteria can produce in the microbiome. It keeps the bad bugs in and the good bugs out. Unfortunately, this causes severe stress on the body, inhibiting cleansing and detoxification. Castor Oil is one of the only natural substances that can breakdown biofilm15,16,17, allowing your body to maintain a balanced ecology (environment). 
Smart Bowel movements with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

In combination with a good diet, adequate fluid intake (water/tea), flow (urine, poop) mindset, and exercise, Castor Oil Packs are one of the cornerstones to supporting your bowels.

All in all, starting with your tried and true Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver, you will be able to support… 

  • Gentle liver detox
  • Colon cleansing3,14
  • Lymphatic drainage2

However, not all Castor Oil Packs are made equal.

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

  • 100% pure
  • Organic
  • 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

Try it for yourself to see!

You can also learn more about the best practices for your Castor Oil Pack with your FREE infographic. Would you love that?

Common questions

1. Why do I have to replace it after two months of regular use?

The traditional way of doing Castor Oil Packs was to use the SAME compress over and over and over. This was okay, before the industrial revolution when our environment wasn’t as toxic.

We now know that the increasing environmental toxicity impacts wellness. This is why it’s important to add fresh oil every time and replace your pack every 2 months for ease of use, comfort, and sanitation.
 

2. Why can’t I just drink Castor Oil or rub it on my skin?

Castor Oil orally is a stimulant laxative that causes cramping and makes you poop. Simply rubbing it on your skin and wearing a T-shirt overtop only gives you about 50% of the benefits. You need the pack to help move your body into a relaxed state via gentle compression to support liver detox, lymphatic drainage, and colon cleansing.

 

3. Why can’t I use organic bamboo or any old cloth?

ONLY use organic cotton, wool or linen! Other materials like ‘organic’ bamboo are highly processed with chemicals. Old clothing may be made with harmful dyes, bleach, and flame retardants that you don’t want to absorb into your body.

4. What if I’m on medications, hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, IUDs, or supplements?

Castor Oil Packs are safely combined with any medication and supplement and may even help them work better. There are no known contraindications or interactions with medication, and they are safe to use with hormone replacements, TTC medicines, birth control pills, and IUDs.

5. Isn’t it messy?

That’s why we created this LESS-mess pack. It’s not entirely messless, but LESS messy than a DIY pack. Castor Oil does stain, so always wear an old T-shirt.

6. Don’t I have to add heat?

Extra heat isn’t necessary because it’s engineered to hold in your body heat naturally.

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. 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”
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. 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. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
10. Chen L, Deng H, Cui H, Fang J, Zuo Z, Deng J, Li Y, Wang X, Zhao L. Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs. Oncotarget. 2017 Dec 14;9(6):7204-7218. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.23208. PMID: 29467962; PMCID: PMC5805548.
11. Hopkins E, Sanvictores T, Sharma S. Physiology, Acid Base Balance. [Updated 2022 Sep 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.
12. Silvagno F, Vernone A, Pescarmona GP. The Role of Glutathione in Protecting against the Severe Inflammatory Response Triggered by COVID-19. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Jul 16;9(7):624. doi: 10.3390/antiox9070624. PMID: 32708578; PMCID: PMC7402141.
13. Holm T, Brøgger-Jensen MR, Johnson L, Kessel L.Glutathione preservation during storage of rat lenses in optisol-GS and castor oil. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 19;8(11):e79620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079620. eCollection 2013. PMID: 24260265
14. 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
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.

 

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    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 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.