Why Do You Feel Hungover After Just One Drink?

Why Do You Feel Hungover After Just One Drink?

Hungover Without Drinking Alcohol by Queen of the Thornes

Why Do You Feel Hungover After Just One Drink?

Written by: Dr. Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (Inactive)

Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.  &  Joanna Teljeur

Est. reading time: 7 minutes

Here’s why sugar overgrowth in your gut contributes to hangover symptoms and what you can do to help restore balance in your gut microbiome.

I had one drink last night, and I woke up with a cluster headache, foggy brain and feeling like total sh*t. All from just one drink? One drink! What’s up with that?! This never used to happen to my body before. I mean come on… It was just ONE drink!!! Has this ever happened to you

Why do I get hangover symptoms without drinking?

So you go out and you don’t even drink alcohol, but you wake up the next morning feeling hungover. How can this be, right? It makes absolutely NO SENSE, agreed?

Actually, and to be honest, it makes perfect sense, because I’ve seen this so often in clinical practice, and I’ve experienced it myself as well. So, I’m going to explain to you why you get a hangover after just one drink or even without drinking at all – and what you can do about it.

We don’t often realize these little signs and what they tell us about our bodies. If you know me, you know I love educating about poop, but there are so many more clues about what our body says about us. This “alcohol-less hangover” is one of them, and it actually shows a lot about what is going on in our gut.

What does a one drink hangover tell you about your gut? 

One hint? It has everything to do with your microbiome! So, read on to learn more.

Whenever you are afflicted by hangover symptoms, think of them like the drama in a Mexican telenovela. The symptoms of a hangover add turmoil, turbulence, and some painful excitement to our lives. You know, like the drama you talk about with your friends – the kind you try to figure out like a detective. You see, these hangover symptoms are the tune our basic biochemistry is singing. And for some, this singing is getting pretty loud and cacophonous which is basically an expression of our bodies in distress.

Feeling hungover after minimal amounts of alcohol or food is clearly not the norm, but when it becomes your norm, it gives us valuable information about WHY your biochemical song is out of tune.

How does sugar overgrowth affect your hangover symptoms?

Well, it all comes down to this. Any food or drink that you ingest eventually turns into one basic molecule, and that molecule is sugar.

Starches, alcohol, fruits, and vegetables all become instant forms of sugar for our bodies. Fats and proteins on the other hand, need to be modified into a different form before they can serve as an energy source, and that takes a lot longer.

Think of it like this: Alcohol, sugary pop, pastries, fruits, and certain foods like high starch breads, and basically anything that has sugar in it… is already sugar in your intestines.

And it’s important to remember that when you eat, your gut bacteria eats too!

What causes sugar fermentation and yeast overgrowth?

Your body, and especially your gut, is the home for trillions of  bacteria and yeasts that all feed on the foodstuff that we ingest.

Eight things that cause candida by Queen of the Thrones

Yeast, otherwise known as Candida albicans, can overgrow quite easily. If you have a history of taking antibiotics, birth control pills, or if you have estrogen dominance, you’re already at a higher risk for Candida overgrowth. Hmm, sounds like almost every woman that I know! Is this you too? 

So, these critters are all hanging around in the closed system known as your gut microbiome.  Now, if you’ve ever baked bread, you know that something dramatic happens when you pour sugar into a bowl with water and yeast.

What happens?  

You get a mini explosion as the yeast gobbles up the sugar. And when you leave the sugar and yeast long enough, you get fermentation. You know how the dough rises because of the yeast? That’s the same thing that happens in your belly (think bloating). 

But, in your gut microbiome fermentation creates alcohol and acetyl aldehydes that inhibit your body’s ability to detoxify and cleanse. In short, it creates the dreaded symptoms of a hangover! 

How to stop Candida overgrowth?

When you have a big buildup of yeast in your body, you are already what I like to call your very own “personal alcohol factory”, A.K.A. Super Fermenter (insert your name here). So, if you have hangover symptoms after just one drink, you’re feeling crummy because you’re already producing your own alcohol internally, and then by drinking alcohol or consuming high sugar food/drinks, your gut microbiome quickly creates more alcohol and pushes you over the edge! Believe it or not, it’s like drinking two bottles of wine, all on your own!

Basically, we are all one big biochemical factory. So, what do you do to cleanse the Candida? Well, you can start by:

  • Taking a good-quality probiotic supplement
  • Eating a low sugar, low starch diet – similar to the Paleo Diet
  • Avoiding alcohol until you get things under control

And now for my secret weapon when it comes to yeast overgrowth in the gut… the Castor Oil Pack.

It’s always about working on your microbiome, the bacteria and yeast balance in your body. Yeast grows in a gut environment that is hospitable to it. If you have slow moving intestines, low nutrient levels, high inflammation, stress and bad bacteria, your gut microbiome is becoming a comfy cozy home for yeast to set up shop.

But there is hope! Castor Oil Packs works on all of these factors to help make our gut an inhospitable place for yeasts to grow. Bye-bye one drink hangovers!

Four ways to help candida by Queen of the Thrones

How do Castor Oil Packs help balance the microbiome and support a hangover?

Have you ever heard your parents or grandparents talk about using Castor Oil as a laxative? Well, it’s true! When you drink it, it works really well as a very strong stimulant laxative, which is exactly why I don’t recommend drinking it to my patients.

But when you use Castor Oil with a less-mess Castor Oil Pack, the experience is all together different!

Castor Oil Packs may help support colon cleansing, constipation, and better bowel movements

A study was done in an old age home where the researchers compared Castor Oil Packs to conventional laxatives. Lo and behold, Castor Oil Packs were shown to be just as effective for constipation as oral laxatives but without cramping and the intense urgency to run to the bathroom1.

Better still, Castor Oil contains ricinoleic acid which has been shown to support peristalsis of the smooth muscle of the digestive tract2. In other words, Castor Oil Packs worn on your abdominal area may help support your intestines as they move waste through your system. And this is exactly what you want for better cleansing, better detox, and as a result, a more balanced microbiome.

And if that isn’t convincing enough, some recent research in periodontal medicine has shown that Castor Oil is one of the only natural substances that can break down biofilm3,4,5 – a protective layer created by bad bacteria that prevents you from killing it. What does this mean? Basically, you can only do a true Candida cleanse if you can get through the protective biofilm of the yeast… and a natural way to do this may be with Castor Oil.

In short, Castor Oil Packs may help support balance in your gut microbiome. Pretty amazing, agreed?

Castor Oil Packs may help support your gut nutrient balance

OK, so Castor Oil is a heavy hitter when it comes to nutrients. It’s a thick, rich oil replete with Omega 6 and 9, vitamin E and polyphenols6 and may also promote and preserve the antioxidants nitric oxide7 and glutathione8. So you might be wondering why this matters?

Here’s the deal – nitric oxide which has been shown to reduce Candida albicans9 while your body’s top-dog antioxidant, glutathione is essential for detoxification and cleansing.

When you wear a Castor Oil Pack with 100% pure, certified organic, extra virgin and hexane-free Castor Oil bottled in amber glass, you may help support better gut nutrient levels.

And in case I haven’t already mentioned it, Castor Oil is also an amazing carrier oil. It has the ability to penetrate the skin deeply and may carry nutrients across your skin barrier – allowing them to absorb deeper. And in this case, Castor Oil worn on your skin over your liver area in a Castor Oil Pack, may help support the absorption of these vital nutrients into your digestive tract.

Bottom line: Castor Oil Packs may help support a better balance in your gut. Brilliant, don’t you think?

Castor Oil Packs may help support inflammation balance

Remember how I said that Castor Oil contains ricinoleic acid? Well, to be more specific, Castor Oil contains 90% ricinoleic acid. This is an amazing asset, because in an animal study, ricinoleic acid has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties via reduction of substance P10

What is substance P? Well, without going into an entire biochemistry lesson, substance P is a mediator of pain. When you reduce substance P, you reduce pain. It’s that simple. 

Castor Oil may also help support PGE3 (prostaglandin E3), which creates a similar result in the body that happens when you take fish oils. Basically, Castor Oil has been shown to have anti-inflammatory11 properties, and when you wear Castor Oil Packs, you may help support a better balanced environment for your gut microbiome. And a balanced gut environment is a happy place for GOOD bacteria to thrive.

Castor Oil Packs may help support stress balance

You might be wondering if you can enjoy all these benefits by just rubbing Castor Oil on your skin. Is this you?

Well, this is where the compress part of Castor Oil Packs come into play.

You see, the gentle compression of the pack on your body may help move you into a relaxed state12, and support your love and connection hormone, oxytocin13. If you’ve ever used a weighted blanket then you know exactly what I mean. The only difference is that Castor Oil Packs are like a micro version of a weighted blanket, but they may still provide that comfy, cozy, and RELAXING sensation.

Basically, oxytocin helps balance cortisol14 (the stress hormone). So when you have more oxytocin, you can naturally shift more easily into the relaxed state. But this can’t be achieved with Castor Oil alone. The pack is a must!

But that’s not the only benefit. Castor Oil Packs are made with soft organic cotton flannel, and that luxurious feeling combined with the warm oil on the skin may activate the pleasure centers in your brain15,16, and help support dopamine production – a feel-good hormone that helps you feel satisfied.

Castor Oil Packs may help to get rid of bad bacteria

So, now we know that hangover symptoms are a reflection of gut health and Candida (or yeast) overgrowth, let’s break down how Castor Oil Packs affect the bad bacteria in your gut.

When bad bacteria is present and flourishing in your gut, yeast sneaks in and has a blow-out party. And that party, my friends, is Candida overgrowth. So when this happens, the bad bacteria create this mucus-like film around themselves called biofilm for protection.

Not many substances are able to break down this yucky layer, but fortunately, Castor Oil is one of them3, 4, 5! And if you want to balance your gut microbiome, stop yeast overgrowth, and subsequently mitigate hangover symptoms, you’ve got to break through that biofilm as the first order of business!

So, in a nutshell, balance can be achieved in your microbiome. And when you achieve this balance, you will stop having one-drink-hangovers AND the factors that caused the yeast in the first place, like loss of good bacteria from antibiotics or estrogen dominance, may also improve! Fantastic, right?

So what’s the best thing for hangover symptoms?

Well my friends, if you’re feeling hungover with any of these symptoms…

  • A cluster or migraine headache that feels like you spent all night banging your head against a wall
  • Lethargy so bad it feels you’re carrying the world on your shoulders and can barely move
  • Dark circles under your eyes that would win in the raccoon category at your local beastly pageant
  • An extra foggy brain after only one drink (or none!)

…don’t be dismayed

There really is a natural biological cause. Truly! It’s not your fault, and there really is something that you can do about it!

Get started with your very own super easy, less-mess Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack.

It’s time to support your biology so you can feel better, live your best life, feel freer, and have fun! So there you go, with regular practice, over time, it is POSSIBLE to reset your gut!

Natural recipe for a hangover 

While you’re working towards better microbiome balance, you might find some hangover relief with this very easy recipe that can help replenish your electrolytes – hangover or not! One of the benefits of this recipe is that you’ll be able to support your fluid balance after drinking alcohol, after exercising, or even after being sick! 

You see, electrolytes are essential minerals that your body needs to function properly. When you replenish your electrolytes, your gut, muscles, and nerve function will all be on the receiving end of something wonderful! Besides that, it’s just delicious and refreshing! 

A Natural Electrolyte Remedy

Prep time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups sparkling water
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Pinch of Himalayan salt
  • Dash of cayenne pepper (optional) 

Directions:

  1. Pour 1.5 cups of sparkling water into a glass.
    2. Then add the juice of ½ a lemon.
    3. Add Himalayan salt, and the cayenne pepper (optional). Stir and enjoy!

Conclusion

So, the next time you feel those dreaded hangover symptoms after having only one drink, remember that your discomfort is actually your body telling you it’s a little off balance and that your gut microbiome is in need of a little TLC. 

In the meantime, you can start working towards better microbiome balance today by wearing your Castor Oil Pack regularly. 

Don’t forget to share this with your friends on social media, through email and to like us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to learn more about  joining the movement so that we can all have an improvement!

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. 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.  
  2. 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 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22615395
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Marcela Moreira Salles, Maurício Malheiros Badaró, Carolina Noronha Ferraz de Arruda, Vanessa Maria Fagundes Leite, Cláudia Helena Lovato da Silva, Evandro Watanabe, Viviane de Cássia Oliveira, Helena de Freitas Oliveira Paranhos, Antimicrobial activity of complete denture cleanser solutions based on sodium hypochlorite and Ricinus communis – a randomized clinical study.
  6. Marwat SK, Rehman F, Khan EA, Baloch MS, Sadiq M, Ullah I, Javaria S, Shaheen S. Review – Ricinus cmmunis – Ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities.Pak J Pharm Sci. 2017 Sep;30(5):1815-1827.
  7. Mascolo N1, Izzo AA, Autore G, Barbato F, Capasso F.Nitric oxide and castor oil-induced diarrhea.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Jan;268(1):291-5.
  8. 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.
  9. Stasko N1, McHale K2, Hollenbach SJ2, Martin M2, Doxey R2. Nitric Oxide-Releasing Macromolecule Exhibits Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Activity and Utility as a Topical Treatment for Superficial Fungal Infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Jun 26;62(7). pii: e01026-17. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01026-17. Print 2018 Jul.
  10. Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8
  11.  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. PMID: 25542985 
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15834840
  15. 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 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10208571
  16. 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 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19363489

 

3 Ways Castor Oil Packs Support Menopause Symptoms

3 Ways Castor Oil Packs Support Menopause Symptoms

3 Ways Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs Support Menopause Symptoms

3 Ways Castor Oil Packs Support Menopause Symptoms

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

Est. reading time: 9 minutes.

I don’t know about you, but the phrase ‘my hormones are out of whack’ came out of my mouth more than I’d like to admit. Growing up, I heard women in my life say this when they were entering menopause, but by the time I was 25, I uttered those words along with them. Can you relate?

Even though I wasn’t actually experiencing menopause, I was experiencing estrogen dominance. I felt disconnected from my own body. As heart-wrenching and stressful as this time was, it was also my saving grace. It was what propelled me to try Castor Oil Packs- the key to balancing my hormones and freedom from:

 • Super irregular periods

 • Trouble sleeping

 • Alternating between constipation and diarrhea

 • Hair growth on my chin and upper lip

 • Hot flashes (power surges, as I like to call them)

Does this sound like you? I’ve been there too, I get it. After several appointments and sleepless nights, I was diagnosed with IBS, PCOS, and Hypothyroid. Looking back, it makes sense because estrogen dominance is always present when the thyroid is low, or vice versa.

My doctor also told me I likely wouldn’t be able to have babies. Up until then I never thought very hard about having babies before; but having it suddenly taken away from me was my wake-up-call to get up close and personal with my health and my hormones.

At that time, I didn’t know that my wake-up-call would begin with the ancient health practice of Castor Oil Packs, but I’m so glad it did.

My friend and hormone balancing fitness expert, Debra Atkinson, CEO of Flipping 50, has a solution for women who are craving movement, just like I was. Her 12-week STRONGER online programs are designed for women in perimenopause, menopause and beyond. 

Similar to the Castor Oil Pack, Debra’s program was made for you and is a gentle approach to support hormone balancing, which is what I love most about it.

How Castor Oil Packs support hormone balancing and estrogen dominance

1. Castor Oil Packs Relieve Constipation.

Our stools are how we naturally eliminate food waste, bacteria, toxins and hormones. However, estrogen dominance is a very common issue for women and can actually cause constipation1. That was me, constipated and overloaded with estrogen.

You see, a healthy balance of progesterone and estrogen are required for smooth-moving bowels. So, it makes sense that too much estrogen makes you constipated2, right?

I truly thought my constipation was unbeatable until I tried the Castor Oil Pack. It’s been shown to gently relieve constipation3 and regulate the bowels through improvement of smooth muscle function of the intestines4.

This is extremely important for estrogen dominance because you must eliminate the excess hormones in order to heal and rebalance.

It’s kind of like a gentle massage for your intestines, but a gentle massage that can support good flow and hormone balancing. Sounds like a dream, don’t you think?

Queen of the Thrones solutions for digestive health

2. Castor Oil Packs support Cleansing and Detox.

Cleansing is like a conveyor belt that keeps the body in flow. So, the conveyor belt must be working well in order to balance the dominance of estrogen.

My conveyor belt most definitely wasn’t working, it was almost like the belt was at a standstill. You see, without the Castor Oil Pack my conveyor belt was all backed up and there was an overload of estrogen that had nowhere to go (except to stay in my body).

 

The liver is pretty much the control system for the conveyor belt, so it has to be functioning well for our hormones to be in harmony with each other. So, my Castor Oil Pack helped restore the flow and was a support to my liver. Isn’t that amazing?

Just like how the Castor Oil gently massages your intestines, it also acts as a gentle repair system for your liver’s cleansing conveyor belt. 

3. Castor Oil Packs Naturally Shift you into a Relaxed State.

The problem in our modern world is that all of us are in a constant state of stress, would you agree?

You see, rest and relaxation takes practice, but the Castor Oil Pack gives your body the chance to practice over and over again.

Take it from me, I didn’t know what it was to feel relaxed. I was so out of practice, but that all changed as soon as I put the pack on my body. This is because the Castor Oil Pack on the skin activates the relaxed, ‘parasympathetic’ state5 and stimulates our feel-good hormones, dopamine6 and oxytocin7.

Oxytocin also lowers stress and balances blood pressure8, leading to healthy levels of progesterone for great bowel movements! You see, the more we’re able to release oxytocin and de-stress, the easier it is for our body to naturally boost progesterone (because progesterone is high when stress hormone levels are low). It’s a fine balance and is what connects regular bowel movements, liver cleansing, and relaxation.

Cleansing and Detox with Queen of The Thrones Castor Oil Packs for better health

For me, shifting into the relaxed state naturally not only made my body know what it is to be in flow, but also created a need to move my body. I started craving exercise, which was a refreshing shift for me since there was a time when I couldn’t even get out of my bed.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs Naturally Shift you into a Relaxed State

You see, the act of resting and releasing my feel-good hormones with my Castor Oil Pack resulted in my body having the energy it needed to re-introduce gentle movement.

Years ago, when I heard the words ‘estrogen dominance’ it startled me and my natural instinct was to fight it. So, be gentle with yourself if you’re feeling like your hormones are out of whack and know that you’re not alone in feeling this way.

Cleansing and Detox with Queen of The Thrones Castor Oil Packs to support your hormones balance

Kind of like the story of the Sword and the Stone, the key wasn’t to fight with aggression, it was to find a gentle approach so that I could work with my body to rebalance my hormones.

 

Would you love to know how you can support your hormones with Castor Oil Packs? Get your FREE eGuide below with everything you need to know!

Click here for references

1 & 2. Ji-Eun Oh,Yong-Woon Kim,So-Young Park, andJong-Yeon Kim Estrogen Rather Than Progesterone Cause Constipation in Both Female and Male Mice.Korean J Physiol Pharmacol. 2013 Oct; 17(5): 423–426. Published online 2013 Oct 17. doi:10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.5.423 PMID:24227943

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

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

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

6. 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. 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

8. 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

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 relieve constipation and stress with Castor Oil Packs

How to relieve constipation and stress with Castor Oil Packs

How to relieve constipation and stress with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

How to relieve constipation and stress with Castor Oil Packs

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro ND (Inactive)
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A. & Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

Constipation is stressful, would you agree? Or what about:

  •  Bloating
  •  Gas
  •  Diarrhea
  •  Anxiety
  •  Can’t sleep

Do any of these sound like you?

I’ve been there! I suffered with Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years. Being stressed and constipated was normal for me, until I found relief with the ancient health practice of castor oil packs and the WHY behind it all.

Did you know that if you sleep better, have better digestion, and reduce stress, your health would be drastically different? I didn’t know this then, but now it all makes sense.

The more anxious I was, the less likely I’d be to have a bowel movement. At that time I thought my constipation was a stand alone issue. All I wanted was to feel relaxed and ‘normal’, but it seemed impossible. Have you ever felt this way? It’s not your fault, because bodies often have a mind of their own.

What finally relieved my constipation and stress?

When I actually understood how closely connected my stress and digestion was, I figured out how to give my body the reset it needed so that I could have:

  •  Better stools
  •  Better sleep
  •  Less stress

After years of suffering, castor oil packs opened my eyes to how gut health goes beyond just the gut and that sometimes our bodies need a total reset and that’s ok! Health begins in the gut, which is why castor oil packs are one of the gems for a balanced digestive health.

How did I know I should try a castor oil pack?

For years, I thought I was doing everything ‘right’. Taking the right supplements, seeing a naturopathic doctor, exercising, eating healthy, but still struggling with going to the bathroom. Can you relate? I was so used to being constipated that it became ‘normal’ for me, know what I mean? Be gentle with yourself if you relate.

I hit my lowest point and became so sick that I couldn’t even get out of bed for a week, so I took the leap and made my own castor oil pack after ignoring this suggestion for years.

How does the castor oil pack relieve stress and constipation?

As soon as I put on that Castor Oil Pack I felt what relaxed was supposed to feel like and then I was finally able to have that long awaited bowel movement. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

You see, once my body was in a naturally relaxed state, I was able to naturally eliminate the build up of stools, it felt like a ton of bricks finally being freed from my stomach.

The 2 main ways the castor oil pack restored my gut

My gut was SO tense and contracted. The actual castor oil pack being placed on my abdomen worked with my stress and anxiety instead of fighting against it.

Yes, castor oil packs were 100% transformative for me, but I also needed to understand the 3 keys to gut health (better stools, better sleep and less stress) and how the castor oil pack worked with the 3 keys.

To my amazement, research showed that it supported the 5 fundamental pillars of health that just happen to spell out F-A-I-T-H.

Out of all these wonderful benefits, the ‘F’ and the ’T’ are the most important.

F: Function of the Digestive Tract.
Studies have shown that castor oil packs help to relieve constipation1 and improve the smooth muscle function of the digestive tract, in turn supporting better absorption and elimination.

T: Tension and Stress Reduction.
The soft compression of the pack on the skin stimulates sensory receptors that help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, our ‘rest and digest’ state. The compress promotes production of our feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine2, as well as our love and connection hormone, oxytocin3.

FAITH on Queen of the Thornes Castor Oil products

My castor oil pack gave me back the FAITH that my body could heal and find relief from chronic constipation and a way to naturally relax.

It was kind of like getting a back massage for the first time, my stomach was relaxing and shedding all the food waste that needed to come out. And even better, I was less stressed and I was even sleeping better!

Can’t you just drink castor oil to relieve constipation?

When you actually drink castor oil it’ll make you go to the bathroom, but in a really rough and fast way. With this in mind, it’s an excellent stimulant laxative when taken by mouth but it doesn’t stay in you long enough to put your stomach in a relaxed state and that is one of the most important keys.

My key to freedom from constipation and stress: castor oil packs

You see, tension and stress inhibit our bodies’ natural ability to cleanse, have a bowel movement and relax. Trust me, I’ve been there without my castor oil pack and let me tell you, that’s a story worth reading.

It’s not that I needed my stress to disappear, I needed to have a system to naturally relax and release all the garbage (yes, stools!). 

This is why I want to share this new opportunity with you, an opportunity to get your body into that relaxed state, the way it’s meant to be!

I’m definitely not perfect and still have stress in my life, but I now have a system that pulls me out of the evil cycle all thanks to the castor oil pack.

Reach the freedom of relaxation with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

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. 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

2. 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

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 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

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.

Best Lab Tests to Help Support Your Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Best Lab Tests to Help Support Your Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs best alternative in the market

Best Lab Tests to Help Support Your Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive).
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 11 minutes.

So you’ve been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Now what??

Why is IBS a Functional Bowel Movement Disorder?

Irritable bowel syndrome is classified as a chronic functional bowel movement disorder because it is diagnosed by the symptoms that you are experiencing. These are typically abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and changes in bowel movements, often diarrhea or constipation1. Other digestive diseases that can be seen by colonoscopy or confirmed by lab tests are often excluded before IBS is diagnosed.

Why Can’t Labs Tell Me That I Have IBS?

The labs that most conventional doctors use at this moment in time don’t give a definitive diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. This is because it is a complex interplay of all the processes in our body. It is most often a reaction to stress in the body, whether emotional or physical, that creates an imbalance in the immune, nervous and hormonal systems.

This compounds and affects the natural digestive processes of the gut, causing inflammation, irritation, dysbiosis and lack of digestive factors that all contribute to and aggravate our symptoms2.

The big point here is that it is NOT just one thing causing IBS, and to support it you need to have a MULTIFACTORIAL approach or it just won’t work.

Why should I test for IBS?

Since irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic, long term disease, being proactive in this way helps to stay on top of things and avoid the frustration and suffering of living with uncomfortable symptoms.

It is important to do tests to rule out other conditions; when the diagnosis is clear, it is easier to direct and guide treatment and to track improvements.

Are There Functional Tests for IBS?

Yes, there are things that can be tested, but again, it is a whole-body approach.

Stress Hormone Testing Cortisol and ACTH

Research demonstrates that people with irritable bowel syndrome, mainly women, with onset at a younger age3, will have it for the greater part of their lives.

They typically also have an imbalance in their nervous system and stress response.

Stress markers of cortisol in the blood can be tested and show a difference between men and women as well as between healthy and unhealthy subjects4.

However, this is a costly test and is not common protocol for irritable bowel syndrome.

Salivary or urine cortisol markers can also be used to measure this. Research demonstrates that there is a significant difference in cortisol (stress hormone) markers in the morning and evening, and in general there was a higher spike in the a.m. and lower in the evening. The pattern of circadian rhythm night and day curve was still maintained5. These tests  are offered on YourLabWork.com. Sleep is often something that is a complaint for women with IBS and there seems to be a difference between the type, whether it be IBS-D (diarrhea predominant) or IBS-C (constipation predominant)6. Sleep is something that normally balances our regulatory systems as it helps to reset the immune, nervous and hormonal systems. Wearing an eye compress to bed at night may help support natural melatonin production, without having to take a supplement7. Would you love to have your own sleep compress so you can sleep better naturally? The Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress Kit uses Castor Oil applied around the eyes, eyelashes and eyebrows, covered by a sleep mask. This may help relax your system so you can get a good night’s sleep.

Inflammation Testing in IBS

Inflammation is a key component in IBS. Inflammation may be sourced from food sensitivities, allergies and intolerances, or choices of food, such as fermented foods that have high levels of histamine and act as an irritant to the gut. Inflammation is a root cause of all diseases and when there is imbalance in any system there is always inflammation.

Ferritin, the storage molecule for iron can also be a key indicator of acute inflammation. It is important to test in combination with a complete blood count (CBC) as well as an iron panel to make sure you rule out any other reasons for an elevated level of ferritin.

There are certain key markers that are indicative of inflammation. Firstly, high sensitivity C reactive protein (HS-CRP). This marker is not often tested, however, levels have been noted to be higher in those with irritable bowel syndrome as compared to the healthy population8.

Cholesterol is also one of the markers of inflammation.

A complete blood count (CBC) is always important to do as well, because it demonstrates a variety of markers. With regards to inflammation, eosinophils are a marker of allergy and when they are elevated it’s an indicator that there is elevated histamines in the body10.

It’s most commonly correlated to parasite infection, which is something to be considered in irritable bowel syndrome, since the onset of IBS can be due to a gastrointestinal infection11.

Food sensitivity testing is in a class of its own. It can demonstrate inflammatory processes in the gut as well as immune reactivity. When aiming to fix an irritable bowel, it’s important to understand that there are so many things that can be irritating it.

Food is the biggest irritator and since we eat food every day, it’s very important to address this to reduce inflammation.

There are different tests for IBS, the food sensitivity testing in this lab in the US is popular to help measure your IgG reactivity levels.

Can You Test for Dysbiosis and The Microbiome?

You absolutely can, and uric acid (a key indicator of gout) is an excellent marker to use for dysbiosis or an unhealthy microbiome12. Uric acid is a good indicator of microbiome health because it shows improper metabolism of protein, typically due to unhealthy gut bugs. Another test is the Organic Acids Test (OAT), which tracks overgrowth of yeasts as well as possible clostridium infections which aids in the support of people with IBS. There are also recent novel tests that will actually classify the types of healthy v.s. pathogenic microbes in your microbiome. This research is in its infancy.

What Should You Test?

Here is a “dream” test list, so you can rule out other sources of pain in the intestine:

  • BC
  • Serum Electrolytes
  • Liver Enzymes, ALT, AST, ALP GGT
  • Urobilinogen, direct and indirect
  • Blood Lipids/Cholesterol
  • Albumin
  • eGFR and Creatinine
  • HS-CRP
  • Uric acid and urea
  • Iron panel including Ferritin
  • TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Antibodies for Thyroid
  • Dutch Hormone Test
  • Food Sensitivity Testing
  • OAT Test

What to Do While You’re Waiting to Get Your Tests Done?

Start working on a solution!

Start a new self-care routine so you can begin to work on the stress component by balancing your body’s stress hormones with Castor Oil Packs. They may help with inflammation, helping the body to cleanse, get the bowels moving and support pain in the gut. The Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver Kit is made with top quality organic cotton and an easy less-mess outer layer.

 

In addition, you can add the simple step to your sleep ritual by wearing an eye compress to bed. As mentioned before, this may help support the body’s natural melatonin production, improving quality of sleep. Get your Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress Kit today.

You see, adding these two simple steps to your self-care routine may help you support your stress, address the inflammation, cleanse, poop and sleep then you will be able to get a clearer picture of what is going on.

Peek After You Poo

Another simple step you can do is start peeking at your poo. It’s important for you to see what’s going on in your toilet bowl and the best part? You’ll have a better idea of what to tell your doctor.

Because let’s face it, lab tests start to get quite expensive. For the full panel above you could be looking at anywhere between $1500-$2500 per shot, so why not learn what your poo is saying about you? It is an easy daily at-home test, totally free!

Plus, use Queen of the Thrones® Eau de Throne® Organic Essential Oil Spray the ‘After You Poo Parfum to get into the habit of peeking after you poo and allow the blend of organic essential oils to ensure that you will never be embarrassed again for the smell you leave behind!

Start today! Don’t wait for tomorrow to do what you can do today. This is your health, your life, your body and it’s time for you to know and understand what is going on.

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. Bandar Mohammed Bardisi, Abdulaziz Kamal H. Halawani, Hassan Kamal H. Halawani, Aseel Hassan Alharbi, Nesma Saleh Turkostany, Taraji Saeed Alrehaili, Aisha Ahmad Radin, and Nasser Moqbil Alkhuzea. Efficiency of diet change in irritable bowel syndrome. J Family Med Prim Care. 2018 Sep-Oct; 7(5): 946–951.PMID: 30598938

2. Emanuele Sinagra, Gaetano Cristian Morreale, Ghazaleh Mohammadian, Giorgio Fusco, Valentina Guarnotta, Giovanni Tomasello, Francesco Cappello, Francesca Rossi, Georgios Amvrosiadis, and Dario Raimondo New therapeutic perspectives in irritable bowel syndrome: Targeting low-grade inflammation, immuno-neuroendocrine axis, motility, secretion and beyond. World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Sep 28; 23(36): 6593–6627.PMID: 29085207

3. Ju Yup Lee and Kyung Sik Park. Gender Difference in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Korean J Gastroenterol. 2018 Oct 25;72(4):163-169. doi: 10.4166/kjg.2018.72.4.163.

4. Elizabeth J. Videlock,a Wendy Shih,b Mopelola Adeyemo,a Swapna Mahurkar-Joshi,a Angela P. Presson,c Christos Polytarchou,a Melissa Alberto,a Dimitrios Iliopoulos,a Emeran A. Mayer,a and Lin Changa,* The effect of sex and irritable bowel syndrome on HPA axis response and peripheral glucocorticoid receptor expression.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2016 Jul; 69: 67–76.PMID: 27038676

5. Patacchioli FR1, Angelucci L, Dellerba G, Monnazzi P, Leri O. Actual stress, psychopathology and salivary cortisol levels in the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). J Endocrinol Invest. 2001 Mar;24(3):173-7.

6. Robert L. Burr, MSEE, PhD, Research Professor,a Monica E. Jarrett, PhD, Professor,a Kevin C. Cain, PhD, Research Scientist,b Sang-Eun Jun, MS, Doctoral Candidate,a and Margaret M. Heitkemper, PhD, Professora. Catecholamine and Cortisol Levels during Sleep in Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2009 Nov; 21(11): 1148–1e97.PMID: 19573081

7. Rong-fang Hu, Xiao-ying Jiang, Yi-ming Zeng, Xiao-yang Chen, and You-hua Zhang. Effects of earplugs and eye masks on nocturnal sleep, melatonin and cortisol in a simulated intensive care unit environment. Crit Care. 2010; 14(2): R66.PMID: 20398302

8. Keren Hod, MSc,1,2 Tamar Ringel-Kulka, MD MPH,3 Christopher F. Martin, MSPH,2 Nitsan Maharshak, MD,4 and Yehuda Ringel, MD*,2 High Sensitive C – Reactive Protein as a Marker for Inflammation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.J Clin Gastroenterol. 2016 Mar; 50(3): 227–232.PMID: 25930973

9. Tall AR, Yvan-Charvet L. Cholesterol, inflammation and innate immunity. Nat Rev Immunol. 2015 Feb;15(2):104-16. doi: 10.1038/nri3793.

10. Church MK1. Allergy, Histamine and Antihistamines. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2017;241:321-331. doi: 10.1007/164_2016_85.

11. Wouters MM, Van Wanrooy S, Nguyen A, Dooley J, Aguilera-Lizarraga J, Van Brabant W, Garcia-Perez JE, Van Oudenhove L, Van Ranst M, Verhaegen J, Liston A, Boeckxstaens G Psychological comorbidity increases the risk for postinfectious IBS partly by enhanced susceptibility to develop infectious gastroenteritis. Gut. 2016 Aug;65(8):1279-88. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2015-309460. Epub 2015 Jun 12.

12 Zhuang Guo, Jiachao Zhang,  Zhanli Wang, Kay Ying Ang, Shi Huang, Qiangchuan Hou, Xiaoquan Su, Jianmin Qiao, Yi Zheng, Lifeng Wang, Eileen Koh, Ho Danliang, Jian Xu, Yuan Kun Lee, and Heping Zhang, Intestinal Microbiota Distinguish Gout Patients from Healthy Humans Sci Rep. 2016; 6: 20602.PMID: 26852926 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4757479/

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.

3 Things to Do If You’ve Been Diagnosed with IBS

3 Things to Do If You’ve Been Diagnosed with IBS

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs best alternative in the market

3 Things to Do If You’ve Been Diagnosed with IBS

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive).
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 13 minutes.

Bowel movements, defecation, going poo… it’s the #1 most important process of the human body, and not the #2! Are you one of the 14-20% of the world population with irritable bowel syndrome (that’s approximately one BILLION people!)1? It is hypothesized that those who have gotten the diagnosis are only the tip of the iceberg, meaning that there are so many more people that have it but haven’t been diagnosed yet. You know all too well how it can negatively affect your life.

Here are the first 3 things you need to do to take control of what is happening to your body. It has to do with 3 “s” words, and sh*t isn’t one of them… Stools, stress and sleep.

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic, long term, recurring functional condition, meaning that when you are tested via labs or colonoscopy, everything looks normal. There seems to be no reason for your symptoms, nevertheless you have them and they are debilitating.

The Frustration of an Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diagnosis

This is extremely frustrating to hear from your doctor, especially after you have been suffering with these symptoms that have had a detrimental impact on all aspects of your life. From limiting your social life for fear of an adverse bowel movement, to affecting your work life by causing you to spend too much time in the bathroom or taking more sick days than the norm. Not to mention huge psychological impact on your well being, living with this ever growing problem.

What are the Risk Factors for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The most noted risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome are being a women, of young age, and having a preceding gut infection of some sort2. The risk is actually four times higher for those who have had an infectious gut condition3.

Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The most common symptoms of IBS include a combination of recurring:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Distension, bloating and gas
  • Abnormal bowel movements – diarrhea and/or constipation

The Categories of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

It is classified in three categories – constipation, diarrhea or an alternation between both.

  • IBS-C: Predominantly constipation
  • IBS-D: Predominantly diarrhea
  • IBS-M: Mixed, alternating between constipation and diarrhea
  • IBS-U: Unclassified

The classification is based upon the Bristol Stool Scale (see below), designating the form of bowel movements.

Bowel Types by Queen of the Thrones

Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Genetic?

It is possible. There is a link to early life exposure to stress affecting the body’s natural response to stress. So, your exposure to stress in utero or fetal programming4 as well as  experiences as a young child can pre-program you into a maladaptive, unhealthy response to stress, changing the way that your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) functions5. These are the master organs that balance the regulation systems of your body, most responsible for the way your body deals with stress.

IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT, BUT IT IS UP TO YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

The Regulatory Systems Impacted In Irritable Bowel Syndrome

When you are under stress, whether it be emotional or physical stress, the body does not have the ability to differentiate6. Two processes occur in the body to try and maintain balance. The inflammatory arm of the immune system activates to try and burn off the stressor. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (a combination of the hormonal and nervous system7) also activates to turn off less important mechanisms that don’t deal with immediate life right now.

These three regulatory systems of the body, the immune, nervous and hormonal system’s goal in health is to keep everything in balance, everything functioning well. But under stress, they shut down non-vital functions for preservation of life. Therefore there’s dysregulation in these systems with IBS8. We also see an elevation of glucocorticoids and inflammatory markers.

So don’t be surprised if you find yourself with multiple conditions on top of your IBS. For me, I had both irritable bowel syndrome as well as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). These are often conditions that respond to an elevation of the body’s immune inflammatory messengers and the neurohormonal glucocorticoids.

Hormone Problems and IBS

Is this a coincidence then, that many women who have IBS also have PCOS? No it is not, because the body can only balance so much. In PCOS there are elevated levels of leptin, a hormone that affects food intake, energy balance and fat tissue stores but is also pro-inflammatory to the intestinal tract. Research shows that with irritable bowel syndrome there is also this elevated level of leptin in the intestine9.

When there is stress, many of our non-vital systems like being fertile, having regular periods, or having a healthy metabolism go into preservation mode, because the infinite intelligence of our bodies doesn’t want to use up resources because it has no idea how long the stressor will last.

Another co-existing hormonal problem that is common with IBS type symptoms, like constipation, is hypothyroid10.

Immune System Problems and IBS

The immune system is regulated by the microbiome. The ever important home of billions of bugs that live on our mucosal membrane and skin.

Healthy, friendly probiotics help to improve the mucosal immune system11, whereas conbiotics™, as I like to call them, or pathogenic bacteria cause total dysfunction of the immune system12.

This leads you susceptible to constantly getting sick. Overreacting to foods as your gut’s reaction to foods is based on the immune system. It is well known that people with IBS react to many foods such as lactose13, gluten14 and other components of wheat to name a few.

Nervous System Problems and IBS

Google IBS and you will soon find many links that discuss the coexistence of depression and anxiety with IBS, but also as a coexisting factor with most chronic conditions. Many say that it may be in response to the condition, but it very well may be the cause of the condition, (is it the chicken or the egg, which came first?) as stress significantly alters the bodies’ regulatory homeostatic mechanisms15.

Is Stress the Cause of IBS?

Stress is a root cause of many conditions and chronic diseases. It is likely that it is a root cause of IBS, as the overlap of anxiety, depression, hormonal disturbances and immune variations are all linked to irritable bowel syndrome.

Treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

It’s no surprise that at present the majority of treatments and medicines for irritable bowel syndrome are tools that mediate the functions of these three regulatory systems of the immune, nervous and hormonal systems, as the gut is the main hub for all three.

Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications have been used for IBS, as well as antibiotics such as Rifaximin, as a way to improve the gut microbiome16.

Fix the Foundation, Don’t Palliate the Problem

The 3 easy steps to alleviate IBS:

1. Know Your Stools:

Your stools say everything about you. It’s no surprise that irritable bowel syndrome is classified based on the form according to the Bristol Stool Scale and frequency.

They can tell you key nutrient deficiencies, like magnesium being low in hormonal problems or zinc deficiency in nervous system problems, as an example. They tell about B-vitamins and other necessities to keep the foundation of our bodies functioning in harmony.

Download the free eGuide called the 50 Shades of Poo that is the first step in understanding what your poo says about you. This will set you up with an excellent practice so you can take control of your irritable bowel syndrome!

This is the most important place to start, because as Maya Angelou said, “When you know better, you do better.” It’s time for you to know better.

2. Address Your Stress:

Stress plays such a key role in IBS and the problem is we are constantly bombarded with stress. Massages and acupuncture are great ways to balance our stress levels, but we can only do them from time to time because cost is prohibitive and we are so busy, it’s hard to go to an appointment.

A Castor Oil Pack is a legendary health practice that has been in existence since biblical times and practiced by all systems and cultures of medicine. Indian, Chinese, Greek, Mediterranean, Caribbean, etc.

This tool is predominantly used to practice the pause, or the relaxed state17. In the relaxed state you can heal. Your gut microbiota is healthier, your inflammation is down, you cleanse better and your bowels move (these are also all the things the Castor Oil Pack does, independently of helping you to practice the pause).

If you feel like you’re doing everything else ‘right’ – a healthy diet, good quality supplements, regular exercise, etc. but still feel like crap, this modernized ancient health tool can help pull everything together.

3. Fix your Sleep:

Sleep resets the body and it undeniably helps with cleansing and calming, so that the nervous, hormonal and immune systems have a fighting chance.

One way to improve your sleep is simply by wearing an eye mask. Like the Castor Oil Pack for Liver, an eye mask may help stimulate the pituitary gland to produce melatonin naturally18. This is a supplement-free way to help your body sleep.

The Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress Kit contains an eye mask with a bottle of organic Castor Oil that can be applied to the eyelashes, eyebrows and delicate skin around the eyes which may help reduce the appearance of aging and wrinkles.

The Royal Flush Challenge with Recipes to Help Support IBS:

We all need a good flush from time-to-time, and the Royal Flush is a super easy way to get your system back into flow, especially if you suffer with IBS.

Royal Flush Challenge by Queen of the Thrones

All you have to do is follow these 3 steps for 3 days! How easy is that?

Step 1: Morning Routine – Salt Water Flush

Ingredients:

  • 500mL of warm water
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • ¼ tsp of Himalayan salt

Directions:

  1. When you wake up in the morning, pour yourself 500 mL or about 2 cups of warm water.
  2. Then just mix in the juice of ½ a lemon with ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan salt and drink!

Tip: Warm water and lemon is always a good way to start your day even when you’re not trying to flush!

Step 2: Mid Day Routine – Coconut Detox Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp of freshly ground flax seeds
  • ½ cup of canned coconut milk
  • ¼ avocado
  • 1 small banana

Directions:

By midday you’re ready for a delicious treat to fill your empty belly! 

  1. So gather 1 teaspoon of freshly ground flax seeds, ½ cup of canned coconut milk, ¼ an avocado, and a small banana. 
  2. Toss all of this into a blender, blend until it’s creamy smooth and enjoy!

Step 3: All Day Long Teas

Choose from:

  1. Green tea (this contains caffeine, so only drink it before 4pm)
  2. Rooibos tea (caffeine-free, so you can drink it all day)

Directions:

Drinking tea throughout the day will keep you hydrated as well as help you flush. So, drink a minimum of about 4-6 cups per day of green and rooibos teas. Another way to make sure you’re getting enough is to aim for 30mL of water per kg of body weight (or per 2.2 lbs).

So there you have it. Those are the first three things you can do once you know you   have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. My hope is that you take these and let them help you to make a difference in your life. Because you don’t need to suffer. You need to learn and do what will help you to get your best body balance.

 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 Padhy SK1, Sahoo S1, Mahajan S1, Sinha SK2. Irritable bowel syndrome: Is it “irritable brain” or “irritable bowel”? J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2015 Oct-Dec;6(4):568-77. doi: 10.4103/0976-3147.169802.

2 Paul Enck,1 Qasim Aziz,2 Giovanni Barbara,3 Adam D. Farmer,2 Shin Fukudo,4 Emeran A. Mayer,5 Beate Niesler,6 Eamonn M. M. Quigley,7 Mirjana Rajilić-Stojanović,8 Michael Schemann,9 Juliane Schwille-Kiuntke,1 Magnus Simren,10 Stephan Zipfel,1 and Robin C. Spiller11 Irritable bowel syndrome  Nat Rev Dis Primers. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2016 Aug 26.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016; 2: 16014.PMID: 27159638

3 Fabiane Klem,1,2,* Akhilesh Wadhwa,1,* Larry Prokop,1 Wendy Sundt,1 Gianrico Farrugia,1 Michael Camilleri,1 Siddharth Singh,3 and Madhusudan Grover1,# Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome After Infectious Enteritis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysisGastroenterology. 2017 Apr; 152(5): 1042–1054.e1.PMID: 28069350

4 Mariann A. Howland,1 Curt A. Sandman,1 and Laura M. Glynn1,2 Developmental origins of the human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axisExpert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Sep; 12(5): 321–339.PMID: 30058893

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