Tis’ spring! Although…I know a lot of you are snowed in. I’m constantly trying out new products & doing some experimenting in the kitchen, health, beauty & self-care arena so I wanted to share with you so of my favorites of the moment!

Castor Oil Pack

Castor oil packs are something that I got into several years ago and lately I’ve gotten back into the healthy habit. They personally help me with my digestion, reduce my bloating and improve my sleep and anxiety. And in general, they’re a huge form of self-care that we ALL need more of in our lives, right!? Dedicated YOU TIME.

Castor oil, which comes from the castor seed is know for it’s super healing benefits. One of the main benefits of doing a castor oil pack is to stimulate the lymphatic system. You may have seen me talk about this before - it’s a super crucial system in our bodies especially if you’re healing from chronic health issues like I am (but really, everyone!!)

The lymphatic system is responsible for removing toxins and waste from the body and it’s a system that HAS to be moved - it does not move on it’s own. Other ways to stimulate the lymphatic system are by exercise (especially jumping up and down or using a rebounder) breath and stretching. So for anyone that struggles with sluggish digestion (me!) you likely need more lymphatic flow in your life. Enter - castor oil packs!

Some of the other great benefits include reducing inflammation, targeting injuries and reducing pain, liver health & liver detox, aiding digestion overall, increasing circulation (they can be helpful for fibroids and cysts) clearing skin issues, promoting energy and better sleep.

**Who shouldn’t do castor oil packs? Since they increase blood flow do not use while pregnant, during menstruation or if you have internal bleeding. It is also not recommended for cancer patients or while breastfeeding. As always, if you have a pre-existing health condition please consult a health care practitioner before use.

What do you need!?

Castor Oil
A wool cloth or old flannel
2 towels (1 to lay on, one to place between the wool cloth and heating pad)
Heating Pad
Castor Oil wipes (optional, but highly recommended by me :))

This can get messy, so make sure you are either naked, in just a sports bra/underwear, in an old robe (that's what I use) or in clothes that can get ruined (because they will - castor oil is sticky and does not wash out!) I know that kinda sucks, but take it from me - I had to learn the hard way haha.

What do you do?

Find a spot you can lay down on. I either lay on my bed, floor or couch on top of a towel. There are two ways you can apply the castor oil. 1. In a large bowl or mason jar, pour the castor oil atop the wool cloth until completely saturated and then place that directly onto your body. OR 2. Lay down and pour the castor oil over on your skin directly and then put the wool cloth over top. This is what I do. The wool cloth can be used up to 30 uses, so you’ll keep it saturated and add more as needed with each use. I keep my wool cloth in my fridge in a ziplock bag in between uses.

Next, cover the wool cloth with a towel, then your heating bad. You can do one step farther and put a few pillows under you knees to raise your legs for an optimal detoxing position but it’s not necessary.

Chill out for 30-45 minutes. I usually watch Netflix, but for ultimate relaxation you can meditate, listen to music or read a book for fun. It’s very normal to get super zen and sleepy.

When you’re done - remove the heating pad and towel and take the wool cloth and fold it up into a ziplock bag. Then grab your wipes & wipe away the excess castor oil as best as you can before you get up. You should be able to get most of it off - but you can also go ahead and take a quick body shower to rinse off. I usually do it at night, wipe everything off as best as I can and then shower in the am. Up to you.

It’s recommended to drink a lot of water post-castor oil pack…it’s super detoxifying and this helps us support our liver and restore.

Where should you place the castor oil?

This depends for what you have going on!

On the pelvic region: if you are dealing with cysts or fibroids.
Over top of the navel: to support digestion and to help with constipation.
On the upper right quadrant just underneath the breast which is partially on and off of the right rib: for liver health, and general detoxification support.
On the breast: if there is a fibrocystic breast.*

*http://sexyfoodtherapy.com/an-important-psa-about-castor-oil-packs-for-women/

It is recommended to do castor oil packs at least 2-3 days per week. But listen to your body and if it does not work for you back off, and if it appears to be supporting you and helping you, increase use and enjoy!

Jade Facial Roller

This is one of those things that makes me feel fancy and glamorous! The jade facial roller is made of jade stone, and used to increase circulation and boost skin elasticity!

I personally love it in the morning if I wake up feeling at all inflamed (maybe from a food intolerance reaction) had to wake up early or just didn’t sleep well. It can help to reduce puffiness, tension, exercise facial muscles and even reduce dark circles under the eyes.

I keep mine in the fridge in a bag (so it’s cool and even better for inflammation) and use it in the morning right when I wake up. Get glamours with me and give it a go!!

Grab one on amazon, here!

Tigernuts, tigernut milk & the nut milk bag!

If you saw my How to Make Dairy Free Milk post you know I’m all about it! The last two months I have been giving the AIP diet a go and on this healing protocol you remove nuts and seeds. With the exception of canned coconut milk without guar gum (which is tough to find!) I was struggling in the dairy-free milk department that I NEED for my daily am matcha (which I so look forward to!). Enter, TIGERNUTS.

Tigernuts are actually not a nut (I know, confusing!) they’re a root! And they work awesome for dairy-free milk. It turns out creamy, flavorful and believe it or not - NUTTY haha.

Check out my favorite brand of tigernuts, here!

Check out my dairy-free milk recipe blueprint here to make your own!

You’ll also need a nut milk bag - seriously…I cannot and will not live without this. It makes nut milk making a BREEZE. They’re reusable and washable and make my life so much easier. I also make my celery juice using one! Grab a nut milk bag from Ellie’s Best and use the code nutritionchelsea for 10% off your entire cart order!

Grab a nut milk bag, here!

I hope you enjoyed my favorites! Comment below with yours!

This blog post contains a few affiliate links. I appreciate your support, all opinions and product reviews are honest and my own.