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.

Diastasis Recti and Constipation | Two Common Postpartum Body Challenges

Diastasis Recti and Constipation | Two Common Postpartum Body Challenges

Learn with Queen of the Thrones how Diastasis Recti and Constipation are Two Common Postpartum Body Challenges

Diastasis Recti and Constipation | Two Common Postpartum Body Challenges

Written by: Kim Vopni, The Vagina Coach.

Est. reading time: 9 minutes.

There are two things that I will never forget about the early hours after giving birth to my first son Diastasis Recti and Constipation.

I remember how disconnected my upper body felt from my lower body when I got up to go to the bathroom for the first time after my baby entered the world.  I felt like I had to hold myself together.

Queen of the Thrones® explains how constipation cause inflamed belly

There are two things that I will never forget about the early hours after giving birth to my first son Diastasis Recti and Constipation.

I remember how disconnected my upper body felt from my lower body when I got up to go to the bathroom for the first time after my baby entered the world.  I felt like I had to hold myself together.

What was a fairly tight compact part of my body, was now a vacant space with very little tone.  The muscles in my abdominal wall had stretched well beyond their normal, optimal length and the rectus muscles (think 6 pack) had also moved away from their midline position – a condition known as diastasis recti.  

As I sat down to pee, I had a sudden panic attack knowing that at some point I was also going to have to poop! 

The thought of that first bowel movement after giving birth is almost scarier than the birth itself! This fear coupled with other influences I will elaborate on below, can contribute to postpartum constipation.  

Diastasis Recti and constipation are very common and with the right information, can be very well managed and don’t have to be a big deal in the early postpartum period or beyond.  Let’s look first at constipation.

Postpartum Constipation

Once the baby is born, we as parents start to diligently record every feed and every poop our baby makes.  What no one really thinks about is that the new mom would benefit from having someone do the same for her. Nutrition is a key element of postpartum healing and can play a huge role in healing and nourishing the body as well as managing bowel movements therefore reducing the likelihood of constipation.

Labour typically slows down the digestive system, especially if you had an epidural and it can take a few days to get back on track.  Other things that can influence the digestive system in the early weeks postpartum are pain medications, iron supplementation and fear of pooping.

A lot happens in the pelvis and to the vagina, perineum and anus – things like tearing, stitches, tenderness and hemorrhoids.  The thought of anything else passing through can be a bit stressful to say the least. Stress activates the ‘fight or flight’ response which reduces blood flow to the digestive system and can contribute to constipation.

From a Chinese medicine perspective the first system that needs to be addressed in postpartum healing is the digestive system.  The digestive system is responsible for transforming food into blood and energy and if digestion is off, then the body will not benefit from the food consumed and therefore not build the blood and energy needed for healing.

Mother Roasting

It is also believed in Chinese Medicine that the body has ‘opened’ during pregnancy and birth and is therefore susceptible to ‘wind’ or ‘cold’.  New mothers have a 30 day period of “sitting in” where the mother does not go out and is instead served warm soups, stews, and broths that are easy to digest.

Korea has a 100 day period where the mother and child do not leave the home. In Japan, the mother and baby stay at the mother’s parent’s home for some pampering and one-on-one time with the baby. India and African nations include traditions of 10-40 day isolations where additional support is provided including massage, childcare and food preparation.

Other practices from places like Malaysia include belly binding and hot stones on the abdomen to help cleanse it, close it and heal it.

These practices not only allow the body time to recover from the trauma of giving birth but provide a period of mental rest that I firmly believe creates a solid foundation for mom and baby from day one.

According with Queen of the Thrones® the digestive system gets stressed by constipation
Belly wrapping support the pelvis and abdominal wall

The belief of the need to ‘close’ the body is justified.  Diastasis Recti has been shown to happen to 100% of women in the third trimester and the gap between the muscles doesn’t always return to its pre-pregnancy state, nor does the connective tissue naturally regain its supportive tensioning role in the core. The muscles in the pelvic floor have also stretched and in some cases have been cut or torn which can contribute to challenges with core control and continence.

Belly wrapping or belly binding aims to provide temporary compression and support to the pelvis and abdominal wall in the early weeks postpartum when the muscles are temporarily hindered in their ability to contribute to core control.  

The muscles and connective tissue in the abdominal wall and pelvis are key with regards to stability and control in our inner core but so are the bones and joints. In the pelvis, the shape of the bones provides what is called ‘form closure’ while the muscles, ligaments and connective tissue contribute to what is called ‘force closure’. During pregnancy biomechanical changes occur in the body which can reduce the effectiveness of both form and force closure such as;

  • Altered posture and load bearing;
  • Altered muscle length in the pelvic floor and abdomen (both longer and shorter) which results in reduced ability for muscle force production;
  • The role of relaxing and progesterone contribute to joint laxity and when the ligaments are lax it affects the force closure.
  • The abdominal muscles are stretched to allow space for the enlarging uterus, which can lead to loss of muscle tone and strength in the abdominal region and a compromised ability to produce tension in the thoracolumbar fascia, resulting in reduced force closure in the pelvis;
  • Diastasis recti is a distortion in the abdominal wall and can impair the function of the muscles including their role in posture and pelvic stability;
  • The transversus abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm and the pelvic floor are all anticipatory muscles of the core and are required for force closure in the pelvis – all are affected by posture and alignment changes in pregnancy
  • Intra-abdominal pressure – altered mechanics and alignment mean management of intra-abdominal pressure will change

The benfits of Castor Oil include these three main functions:nutrient-rich, pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory.

Add a Fascia Massage Roller to these benefitsand you’ve now super boosted these functions.

You see, combining Castor Oil to your Fascia Massage Roller practice helps to massage the tight tissues and adhesions found along energetic pathways that can become blocked by physical or emotional trauma.

And the benefits of this practice are:

  • Breaking down of scar tissue from injury, cesarean section, surgery, and/or endometriosis
  • Fade stretch marks from weight gain or postpartum
  • Fascia release for sore muscles and tight IT bands
  • Lymphatic drainage and circulation
  • Support smoothing out cellulite

Sounds amazing, right?

Intra-Abdominal Pressure

We can’t talk about postpartum recovery and wrapping without talking about intra-abdominal pressure.

Intra-abdominal pressure is defined as the pressure within the abdominal cavity.  It is part of our core stability system.  We need some, but not too much and we need an ability to manage the varying pressures throughout the day. When we take a breath in, the diaphragm descends and there is a compression action on the abdominal contents which acts to stabilize the pelvis and spine.  We can have too much pressure such as a Valsalva maneuverer which is an inhale, then breath hold while bearing down.  This often results in a distended abdomen and can place pressure on the pelvic organs as well.

We can’t talk about postpartum recovery and wrapping without talking about intra-abdominal pressure.

Intra-abdominal pressure is defined as the pressure within the abdominal cavity.  It is part of our core stability system.  We need some, but not too much and we need an ability to manage the varying pressures throughout the day. When we take a breath in, the diaphragm descends and there is a compression action on the abdominal contents which acts to stabilize the pelvis and spine. 

We can have too much pressure such as a Valsalva maneuverer which is an inhale, then breath hold while bearing down.  This often results in a distended abdomen and can place pressure on the pelvic organs as well.

The reverse can also be seen in a technique called “hypopressives” which decreases intra-abdominal pressure and results in a hollowing or concavity of the abdomen.  A reliance on one may result in a compromised ability to manage changes in intra-abdominal pressure such as during lifting or exercise.

Crunches were given a bad rap because they cause an increase in intra-abdominal pressure but a study found that activities like standing up from a chair or downward dog pose in yoga actually created equal or greater increases in intra-abdominal pressure which suggests that managing intra-abdominal pressure is more about HOW a person performs a movement or exercise rather than the exercise itself.

Wrapping is often considered to be a practice that increases intra-abdominal pressure and it can when done incorrectly.  Wrapping is ideally done to temporarily contribute to force closure in the pelvis with some gentle hugging of the abdominal wall.

Many mistakenly wrap only the waist and wrap very tightly in hopes that it will help heal the gap between the abdominals (diastasis recti).  Instead it increases intra-abdominal pressure, it interferes with digestion and it restricts optimal breathing patterns which can prevent healing of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor and can also contribute to constipation.

My recommendations for postpartum recovery include principles that support rest and belly wrapping in the early weeks postpartum, core retraining with pelvic floor initiated movements, a balance between hyper and hypopressive exercise and nutrition that is based on the traditional practices of mother roasting to support optimal digestion.

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 or become a wholesale partner: 

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/

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