menstruation -

October 7, 2018

How To Make Castor Oil Packs For An Easy Liver Detox

There are many ways to support liver health. You can even detox your liver in sync with your menstrual cycle. In this article, Danielle shares how castor oil packs give your liver some love while reducing the aches and pains associated with stress and clogged detox pathways.

What is a castor oil pack?

Thick and slightly yellow, castor oil comes from the castor oil plant. The thick oil is extracted from pressed castor beans contains ricinoleic acid.

Ricinoleic acid makes up about 90% of the fatty acids in castor oil. It’s responsible for the health benefits found in regularly wearing castor oil packs.

To make a castor oil pack, you simply apply a piece of fabric soaked in castor oil to the body. The castor oil pack acts as a poultice, working its magic as it moves lymph and reduces pain.

Most health food stores sell castor oil, but be sure to locate one that is cold-pressed and free of additives and hexane like this one.

What are the benefits of castor oil packs?

Well known for its ability to get rid of inflammation and relieve pain, castor oil applied to the skin for a long period of time as a “pack” or poultice will help to move lymph fluid and improve circulation. This, in turn, speeds up recovery, promotes healing, and moves waste out of the body.

Castor oil packs placed over the top right part of the abdomen (under your right rib) increase liver function and help to gently detoxify the liver.
Studies suggest that castor oil packs support immune health and encourage lymphatic circulation.
Castor oil packs placed on the abdomen and over the uterus help to relieve menstrual cramps and pain.
Castor oil and castor oil packs help to relieve joint pain.

Signs you should use castor oil packs

If you notice the symptoms of poor liver function, have a history of liver issues or even a liver diagnosis, castor oil packs may be a great addition to your treatment plan or overall health upkeep.

Signs of a slow liver include:

Yellow eyes or skin
Dark urine
Swelling in the legs and feet
Poor ability to detoxify from alcohol, medications, or a sensitivity to these things
Tarry, bloody, or pale stool
Chronic fatigue
Spider veins
Bloating
Poor memory and slow thinking
Itchiness
Excessive bruising or bleeding
Blood clots when bleeding during your menstrual cycle

In addition to these symptoms, if you are in the middle of a detox, go ahead and support your liver with a castor oil pack.

Do not use castor oil packs when menstruating, pregnant, breastfeeding, or during an acute infection or condition. Consult your physician before using a castor oil pack.

How do you use castor oil packs?

You only need three things to complete your first castor oil pack, unless you want to also include a good book or the newest episode of your favorite show, which I also recommend.

High-quality, cold-pressed castor oil like this one
A cotton or wool cloth, normally found for sale near the castor oil in natural food stores, but any pure cotton or wool will do
A heating pad or hot water bottle like this

Because castor oil can stain, wear old clothes and lay on an old towel while wearing a castor oil pack.

Place the castor oil directly on the skin or on the cloth itself.
Apply the cloth oil-side down to the skin over your liver.
Place a medium-heat heat source over the castor oil pack. Then, relax.

As for how long to wear the castor oil pack, anywhere from twenty minutes to one hour will do. But start slow if you have a chronic condition. Keep it to twenty minutes until your liver begins to function better. If you feel like a seasoned veteran, you can use castor oil packs for an hour.

Between uses, store the oil-soaked cloth inside a jar or glass container. The cloth can be used at least a dozen times, but add more oil each use.

How do you heat up a castor oil pack?

Heat allows castor oil to absorb into your skin and works its way to your internal organs.

A heating pad is the simplest method, but a hot water bottle works too. For longer sessions, a heating pad will provide more consistent heat.

Can I use castor oil packs every day?

You can, as castor oil packs do not cause serious detoxing symptoms. Although, it is a good idea to take extra precautions and start slow, then increase frequency.

Once you notice an improvement in digestion and energy levels, go ahead and up your time and frequency. Do not use castor oil packs during pregnancy.

Other wonderful uses for castor oil beside a castor oil pack:

Hair growth. Hello, what woman would say no to this? Castor oil has been shown to stimulate hair growth, promote shine, boost vibrant natural color, and increase moisture. You can apply castor oil to the hair, cover with a net or allow to sit, then wash out after 30 minutes.
Fertility. Search castor oil and you will see loads of articles regarding fertility help and menstrual issues. Though there are few formal studies, naturally-minded doctors and massage therapists suggest placing castor oil packs or doing castor oil massage near a woman’s abdomen for a potent fertility treatment.
Dry skin. Castor oil is thick stuff. I often pull it out for heavy-duty use on dry skin. The thick oil will stay on the skin longer than most oils, creating a barrier that traps in moisture.
Eyelash growth. Castor oil helps eyelashes grow. You can find numerous eyelash growth serums online. I have made mine with castor oil infused with rosemary for an extra growth boost.
Injured or painful joints. Ricinoleic acid (the most abundant fatty acid in castor oil) relieves pain and reduces inflammation. Simply rub castor oil over painful joints.
Slow labor. Some midwives suggest ingesting a small amount of castor oil to jumpstart birth. There is no scientific evidence that this works. However, ingesting castor oil will likely lead to diarrhea, which in turn may start your birth, albeit not in the way you hoped. This is one use for castor oil you can do without.

For many folks, castor oil packs are a must-have addition to any natural health protocol. The liver plays such a big role in your overall health. Go ahead and show it some love.

Do you use castor oil packs? Leave a comment and let us know if they work for you!

June 29, 2017

Menstrual Cup Dangers: 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Make the Switch

Menstrual cups are a popular choice for today’s conscientious woman: they’re eco-friendly and non-toxic. But are they safe? Below, we’ll share the menstrual cup dangers we’ve come across so you can see why they might not be a good fit for you and your period.

Living a healthy and non-toxic lifestyle encompasses every area of your life. First you clean up your diet, then your cleaning and beauty supplies… and then you realize: what should I do about my period?

From organic cotton menstrual products to mama cloth, alternative choices abound. But how is a girl to choose? (For a really good rundown of your options, check out The Soft Landing’s Complete Guide to Non-toxic Period Products.)

You may be (rightly) concerned with exposing your most delicate of tissues to chlorine and other hormone-disrupting chemicals. It’s a good reason to give natural period products a try.

The first and simplest thing to try is organic tampons, since most of us are used to conventional tampons. They’re convenient, safer, and comfortable, but, of course, you’ll have to make a trip to the store every month and, heaven forbid, you’ll occasionally run out! (Paging your husband: please make your way to aisle 13; your wife’s on her period. Cue dying of embarrassment.)

You can also try mama cloth (aka reusable, washable pads). Mama cloth is eco-friendly (nothing to dispose of!), convenient (nothing to buy more of- it’s always there!), and inexpensive (buy once & done), but many women find it gross and uncomfortable, and hate having to wash it.

If you’ve been interested in trying a menstrual cup, you may be interested in some surprising (or not so surprising) menstrual cup dangers so you can decide if a menstrual cup is for you.

Menstrual cup dangers

1. Blood is terrifying.

You may have read about menstrual cups and thought they sounded great, except this: at some point, you’ll probably encounter horror stories of women in public bathrooms, blood covering their hands like a scene straight out of Shakespeare. How embarrassing! How gross! Plus, blood is terrifying.

Who wants to actually touch a bodily fluid? Shouldn’t those types of things be kept under wraps? Everyone knows women menstruate, but we shouldn’t talk about it, right?

Truth: even if you’re a private person, we shouldn’t be so afraid to talk about a natural occurrence for billions of women, that women miss out on solutions that might make their lives better.

Reality: it’s a little gross, but definitely no more gross than dealing with mama cloth, and not much different than dealing with tampons. Yeah, you might have to get to know your good ol’ bod a little more intimately, but that can be a good thing. Bonus: it’s kind of cool to be able to SEE how much blood you’re losing. You can’t really do that with any other period product, as the others absorb the fluid.

2. You may enjoy your menstrual cup so much, you forget you’re on your period.

What’s that? My period…? I think it was last week. Wait… did I ever take my cup out?

One of the major menstrual cup dangers is forgetting you’re wearing one. So comfortable, so conforming to your body, menstrual cups can easily be forgotten and left for days or weeks!

Reality: you’re not likely to forget about your menstrual cup… except at night when you can comfortably sleep without worrying about leaks… or running errands without making a pit stop.

3. The disposable menstrual product industry will suffer.

This may be the greatest menstrual cup danger of all. What will the disposable menstrual product industry do if women start learning they don’t have to run out for pads or tampons every month???

And what about all the poor landfills that will be missing literally TONS of products each year?

It’s estimated that approximately 20 billion pads, tampons and applicators are being sent to North American landfills annually. On an individual level, each of the approximately 73 million menstruating people in North America will throw away 16,800 disposable pads or tampons in their lifetime. These products require hundreds of years to biodegrade, particularly if wrapped in the plastic bag commonly provided for this purpose as part of their packaging. In fact, every piece of plastic ever made, still exists to this day. (source)

Wait… almost 17,000 disposable pads or tampons? PER PERSON?

Those poor, poor landfills to miss out on nearly 17,000 disposable products per woman who switches to a menstrual cup.

Reality: the ease of pulling out a menstrual cup when your flow arrives and safely tucking it back away til next month is much easier (and more cost effective) than having to buy and dispose of period products month after month.

Benefits of using a menstrual cup

For many women, there isn’t actually a downside to giving a menstrual cup a try. Yes, there’s a learning curve, but you’ll get the hang of it. Then you can experience tons of benefits, including:

cost-effectiveness- You can buy one, inexpensive cup and then not have to buy anything else. The cup will last for years before you even have to think about another purchase.
comfort- while the initial insertion can be a little messy, once done, menstrual cups can be much cleaner and more comfortable than mama cloth, as well as the disposable products you may have used in the past.
safety- because menstrual cups are made of food-grade silicone, you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals in your reproductive organs. No more worries about chlorine and pesticides!

Are menstrual cups comfortable? In a word: yes- once you get the hang of them. It’s important to choose the right one for your body, based on your flow and body size (hint: not all companies base size on whether or not you’ve had a baby!).

If you’re having trouble with getting your menstrual cup set just right, you are not alone.

This guide is an excellent resource to help you choose the right style, size, and fold for you.

Our suggestion

Don’t have time to read a long, drawn-out guide? We like the Lena cup, which comes in two sizes.

The company bases sizing on more than just whether or not you’ve had a baby. If you’re petite, you may worry that choosing based on the fact that you’ve had vaginal birth(s) might leave you with too large a cup.

The small Lena cup may be perfect because it’s designed for first-time users and those with lighter flows.

Check out the Lena cup here.

Be brave.

Trying a menstrual cup can be so scary, it may take years to work up the nerve to try it! Don’t be so worried- be brave and choose a better way to deal with your period.

Those menstrual cup dangers? They’re all in your head. Give it a try and experience period freedom.

Oh- and be sure to share by pinning the above image or using one of our links so friends can be brave too!

January 15, 2017

Period Pain: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and 10 Ways to Deal with It Naturally

We women have this lovely thing we have to deal with once a month. I’ve told you about how I take advantage of my period for liver cleansing, but what about period pain? Is it normal? How can we deal with it naturally?

Because it’s a common occurrence we get used to dealing with from a young age until eternity (ok, it feels like it), we become desensitized to period pain. Pain can range from mild cramps to full on body aches, but whatever you may be dealing with, have you stopped to ask: is this even normal?

Is your period pain normal?

The average period includes mild cramping, fatigue, and crankiness, and lasts around 5 days. Because menstruation involves cleansing the uterus, the uterus must contract to eliminate unneeded nutrients that have accumulated in preparation for a baby. This is normal.

Most women lose a total of about 30-40 ml of blood during their cycle, or about 6-8 tsp. More than 60 ml, or 12 tsp, is considered excessive and may be cause for concern.

Other reasons to be concerned are:

passing large clots
your period lasting longer than a week
severe pain or nausea
extreme fatigue (I’m usually tired during my period, but abnormal fatigue may mean you can’t perform even small tasks)
inability to function in a normal capacity.

Many of the hormone balancing tips below may help, but if your period makes your life miserable for a week out of every month (and odds are, if your period is bad, the week before your period includes bad PMS symptoms as well), it may be time to seek out a naturopath or other naturally-minded practitioner to help you get to the bottom of your painful period.

Natural remedies for period pain

1. Clary sage

Clary sage is helpful when it comes to hormones. It helps to balance estrogen levels because it contains natural phytoestrogens, which in turn can help relieve discomfort during your cycle.

Additionally, clary sage is anti-spasmodic, making it the perfect solution for relieving cramps.

I rub a few drops over my ovary where I’m feeling cramping pain as often as needed, though I typically only have to use it one or twice before cramps are relieved. Get clary sage essential oil here.

2. Try this DIY hormone support supplement

I created this unique “supplement” recipe with women’s health needs in mind. It’s designed especially for women and contains the ingredients needed to support hormones all month long. However, it’s especially helpful for period pain because it contains:

Organic coconut milk powder- coconut contains the perfect balance of essential fatty acids as well as saturated fat, the building blocks of healthy hormones. You’ll also find electrolytes in coconut milk, which will help to replace fluids lost during your cycle, ease cramping, and restore energy levels.
Grassfed hydrolyzed gelatin- gelatin is one of my favorite food-based supplements, and for good reason. It’s packed full of amino acids, which help to balance hormones, and, in turn, neurotransmitters (aka those little things that control your mood- hello PMS!). The easily-assimilated protein and other nutrients in gelatin are perfect for replacing nutrients lost during menstruation.
Organic powdered greens- chock full of vitamins A, C, and K, greens are the bedrock of a healthy diet.

My favorite way to use this DIY supplement is by putting a tablespoon in a cup of my favorite organic chai tea.

3. Heating pad or sock

I don’t know if there’s anything more comforting than applying heat to my abdomen when it’s feeling all crampy. And there’s nothing less invasive, either.

Heating pads:

are inexpensive
last a long time
do not require anything to be taken internally
give you a good excuse to lie down and relax 🙂

You can try this heating pad, or make your own rice sock.

To make your own rice sock, you’ll need:

a large sock (your hubby’s tube sock will work perfectly. 😉 )
3-4 cups white rice
dried lavender flowers (optional, but lovely)
a microwave for warming

Fill the sock with the rice (combine with lavender flowers, if using) and tie a knot in the end. Heat for 30 seconds-minute in the microwave, then place on abdomen as needed. Make sure you store it in a dry place so that moisture doesn’t ruin the rice.

4. Red raspberry leaf

I was first introduced to red raspberry leaf when I was preparing for my first homebirth (with our third son). My midwife suggested it in the weeks leading up to labor in order to prepare my body for an easier labor.

I religiously drank red raspberry leaf tea several times a day towards the end of that pregnancy, and it was, indeed, my easiest labor.

Red raspberry leaf eases period pain for the same reason it eases labor: it contains a constituent called fragrine, a very potent alkaloid which helps to tone the uterus.

Additionally, red raspberry leaf is a rich source of vital minerals needed during menstruation.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea is full of a naturally occurring calcium that is easily absorbed by the body. In the smooth muscle of the uterus, calcium controls the depolarization of the cells. That in turn, allows the uterine muscle to receive oxygen and work efficiently. In other words, without a sufficient supply of calcium, only part of the uterine muscle will work as it should. This will strain the rest of the uterine muscle beyond reason, generating heat and stress on an already taxed body.

Getting enough calcium also eases the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Calcium helps to regulate the hormones your body is flooded with every month. If your calcium supplies are adequate your body will not have to release as many of the hormones that cause PMS . Women who suffer from PMS have elevated levels of these hormones during their menstrual cycle, and the symptoms of PMS, like cramping, irritability, and depression are all very similar to other calcium-deficient symptoms. (source)

To make a tea from red raspberry leaf (which I suggest doing 1-3 times per day during menstruation), place one-two teaspoons loose red raspberry leaf in a tea cup and pour boiling water over it. Allow it to steep for about 10 minutes before filtering and drinking. Buy it in bulk for making tea here.

5. Loving your liver

A toxic liver can result in unpleasant menstrual and pre-menstrual symptoms.

Your body naturally detoxifies during your period, and that includes your liver. Menstruation signals your body to dump unneeded nutrients, as well as waste during this time, so if your liver is over-taxed and bogged down with toxins, you’re more likely to have a painful period as your body struggles to cleanse.

To love your liver and ease period pain:

keep bowels moving regularly, by eating well and taking a good probiotic
do coffee enemas, which cleanse the blood and liver
juice fresh vegetables like carrots and beets
do an herbal liver cleanse (read how to make your own here, get liver cleansing herbs here) during your period
avoid sugar, alcohol, gluten, and processed foods

6. Avoid hormone disruptors

Hormone disruptors, also known as endocrine distruptors, disrupt normal hormone production in the body, either by causing over creation of certain hormones, or restricting needed hormone production.

A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. (source)

This is why I don’t use plastics or canned foods in my kitchen or harmful chemical cleaners or personal care products. We also avoid flame retardents by buying our kids cotton pajamas and being mindful about the furniture we purchase. Additionally, we buy as much organic produce as we can.

7. Magnesium

Not only is magnesium needed to help your body absorb calcium, but it’s got lots of great medicinal properties on its own.

It helps to control the frequency of contractions by mitigating the repolarization of the muscle cells and slowing down the absorption of certain hormones. (source)

Magnesium is most well-known for its ability to soothe and relax muscles, which can be particularly helpful for easing painful cramping.

Good sources of magnesium include:

red raspberry leaf tea (perfect for combining needed calcium and magnesium)
Wake Up Maggie energizing magnesium supplement
transdermal magnesium spray or magnesium lotion

8. Restore iron levels

Iron is lost anytime blood is lost. To ease fatigue and weakness during your period, replace and restore iron levels by:

eating iron-rich foods like red meat, egg yolks, liver, and properly soaked beans
taking liquid chlorophyll (I like these liquid chlorophyll capsules.)
taking dehydrated liver capsules (the easy way to eat liver if you don’t like it!) Learn how to make them yourself here, or buy them here.

9. Cod liver oil

Cod liver oil is a good source of hormone balancing omega fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, K, and D. Vitamin A is needed for balanced estrogen and normal menstrual bleeding and vitamin K helps blood clot, which can prevent excessive bleeding.

Because of the nutrients found in cod liver oil, it has been purported to help with heavy bleeding and abnormal menstruation.

You may need to work with a practitioner or play around with the dose, but it’s been reported that high doses of cod liver oil can correct menstrual problems due to the high content and bioavailability of vitamins. Extra virgin cod liver oil is the only one I trust. Get it here.

10. Eat well & get plenty of rest

Finally, and most importantly: take care of yourself. Avoid processed foods and focus on good fats for hormone balance, good proteins for iron, and plenty of fresh, organic produce for vitamins and minerals. Steer clear of sugar and processed grains that will increase the burden on your liver and detox mechanisms.

Make sure to sleep at least 8 hours a night, and take a rest during the day if you’re able and feel the need to. Honor your body’s needs while it performs the tasks it was created to and don’t push yourself to accomplish more than you’re physically able. Your period should be a time to relax.