If you suffer from constipation, skin disorders, slow metabolism, excess weight, fatigue or arthritis, a castor oil cleanse for your stomach and gut can help.
Why is that?
Ayurveda teaches that good health starts with a clean and healthy digestive tract. And to accomplish that, the first step is to remove any toxic build up (ama) from your system.
Castor oil is especially good for this purpose because it:
- Is a strong laxative
- Aids lymphatic drainage
- Is anti-inflammatory.
Rich in linoleic acid, castor oil will also help you retain moisture in your skin, and promote overall skin health.
Are you ready to enjoy greater health and vitality?
If so, get started with our gentle seasonal cleanse for your stomach and gut.
Why You Must Restore Your Gut Health
Why and when do toxins (
ama) build up in your gut?
There are many causes including bacteria growth, the food you eat, and the environment. Normal metabolism and a stagnant gut create the biggest volume of toxins. That means the biggest source of ama is within your body itself.
When you are healthy your body removes them. But what happens if your digestion or bowel elimination is poor?
In that case undigested food lingers in your digestive tract and ferments as bacteria grow in it.
And gut bacteria produce waste products such as phenols, indols, and ammonia from digestion of proteins specifically. The volume of toxins created from fermentation by bacteria is one reason why digestion is considered to be the center of an unhealthy body.
The presence of this toxic buildup also impacts the mind. Its presence can irritate the nervous system, making you feel anxious and uncomfortable, although you may not understand why.
Eventually, if your toxin load increases, its impact will spread throughout your body compromising your intelligence, clogging your lymphatic system, weakening your immunity and preventing your organs from working properly.
How to Use Castor Oil for a Gentle Stomach & Gut Cleanse
A seasonal
castor oil cleanse helps remove toxins from your colon, kidneys, stomach, liver and spleen and is an effective way to reduce your toxic waste and improve your overall health.
One approach is to use castor oil as part of a panchakarma cleanse as its strong laxative properties make it very effective for this purpose.
However, panchakarma cleansing with castor oil should only be done under the supervision of an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Another option is our gentle seasonal castor oil cleanse, designed to be safe for you to do at home.
Instructions
- The best times of year for a cleanse are spring and fall.
Begin with a diet of light, easy to digest foods. For three or four days, eat simple kitchari, soups, vegetables, and broth.
Eating heavily before a cleanse can be dangerous for the small intestine and colon.
To get an idea of how too much heavy food can impact your digestive tract, imagine the difference between water flowing easily through a pipe compared to what may happen if it is mud or even rocks.
Avoid meat, alcohol, and cheese throughout the cleanse. Favor cooked foods and be sure to eat your biggest meal at lunchtime.
- Drink plenty of fluids in the days leading up to your cleanse.
- When it's time to start your cleanse, take 1 tablespoon of castor oil with 1 cup of strong fresh ginger tea at bedtime for 7 days.
You are likely to wake up at least once in the night to pass stool.
- During this cleanse week and 3-4 days after, continue a light diet of cooked foods. Re-introduce heavier foods slowly and gently when your cleanse week is complete..
Some Words of Caution
- Do not use castor oil if you are in a stressful environment that can cause abdominal tension, increase cramping, or possibly prevent elimination of castor oil.
- Keep your mind and body calm and hold off making a stressful phone call or socializing until after your morning elimination if possible.
- Get plenty of sleep. Any detoxification takes energy and you will feel tired until a few days after your cleanse is complete.
- Any type of purgation is dehydrating, so drink plenty of water. Add some lime juice, salt and a pinch of raw sugar in warm water to encourage its absorption.
Contraindications: When to Hold Off on a Castor Oil Cleanse
Children or the elderly should avoid castor oil cleansing except under supervision.
A castor oil cleanse is not recommended if you suffer from diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, inflammation of your intestines, fever, debilitation, emaciation, prolapsed rectum or dehydration.
A Castor Oil Cleanse is a strong measure. Use it no more than twice a year to reboot your digestive intelligence. If you use it too often, you will compromise the integrity of your colon, which is the opposite of your intention.
As with all strong laxatives, prolonged use is habit forming and contraindicated. Be very honest with yourself while reading the list of contraindications and be sure to follow dietary guidelines for preparing your body precisely.
Castor oil may irritate the intestines and cause cramping. If cramping occurs discontinue use. Do not use castor oil if your intestines are inflamed.
Enjoy Your New Vital Self
Now that your cleanse is complete you can enjoy the new you.
The general feelings of anxiety and tension caused by your former toxic load are gone as is the fatigue you had begun to fear would never go away.
Maybe you urinate less because your kidneys are no longer working overtime to flush out toxins. And perhaps you have fewer instances of constipation as well.
There are many reasons why Ayurveda recommends twice yearly cleanses. So start your cleanse and enjoy all of the benefits of this ancient Ayurvedic wisdom.
Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness program including a cleanse.