During our Whole30 journey, I was doing a castor oil pack on my liver a few times each week to clear out any congestion, and I got SO many questions when I posted about it on my Instagram stories. So, I thought it would be best to explain all of the details for you here, to give you the lowdown on one of my favorite ways to detox!

What Is a Castor Oil Pack?

A castor oil pack is essentially a piece of linen cloth that is covered in castor oil and then placed on a specific area of the body. It’s then covered with a heat source (such as a heating pad or a hot water bottle.) This can be a somewhat messy process, so I will get into the exact instructions for you shortly.

How Can Castor Oil Packs Be Used?

I’ve been doing castor oil packs for YEARS for my horrendous period cramps. But a few years ago, I had a thyroid nodule appear, so I started doing some research about how to naturally heal your thyroid.

I found out that one of the easiest things that you can do to help heal a thyroid nodule is a castor oil pack on your thyroid! I was skeptical if it would work, but I tried it (along with food and lifestyle changes) and the nodule did decrease noticeably on my next thyroid ultrasound, 6 months later.

Another fun fact: liver castor oil packs have also been shown to improve the severity, and possibly the frequency, of those who suffer from migraines! I can’t attest to that, because I’ve never had a migraine, but I can tell you that my skin did clear up drastically after doing the castor oil packs on my liver this past month! And for period cramps, they have definitely been life-changing for me.

The Supplies That You Will Need

• a bottle of organic castor oil
• a piece of organic cotton flannel
• a heating pad or hot water bottle
• an old towel (castor oil does stain)
• a large ziplock bag

How To Do A Castor Oil Pack

1. Plug in your heating pad or fill up your hot water bottle with hot water and find a comfortable place on the bed or on the couch to lay for about 30 minutes.
2. Cut your piece of flannel to the size of the area that you want to treat (liver, reproductive system, or thyroid.)
3. Cut the ziplock bag to be a bit larger than the piece of flannel and then set the piece of flannel on top of the plastic (the plastic will serve as a barrier to protect your countertop from the oil.)
4. Pour several tablespoons of the castor oil over the flannel that is on top of the plastic (keeping the oil as centered as possible within the flannel, so that it won’t dribble out of the edges of the plastic when you lift it.)
5. Hold the edges of the plastic and flip the pack so that the castor oil soaked flannel is resting directly against your body, on the area that you want to treat.
6. Place your heat source (hot water bottle or heating pad) over top of the plastic and make yourself cozy for up to two hours while the castor oil pack works its magic.
7. Wipe the area with the old towel when you are finished so that there is no remaining oil leftover to stain your clothes or bedding.
8. Repeat up to 4 times per week, as needed.