In his book, The Hot Belly Diet,  my friend and Ayurvedic mentor Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar writes, “Castor oil has long been known as a flushing agent for the gastrointestinal tract, as it cleanses out and sanitizes the system – especially the gallbladder and liver, optimizing the flow of bile to boost digestion… It will also stimulate your body to burn fat and cleanse the deep tissues of your body.”

Dr. Kshirsagar, who was the Ayurvedic consultant for Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, goes on to write, “Since its first recorded use three thousand years ago… Castor oil has been a home remedy to relieve pain, increase lymphatic circulation, reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and treat everything from constipation to heartburn.”

In her book, Enchanting Beauty, Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar (yes, they are an Ayurvedic power couple) recommends we do the castor oil cleanse monthly, because she notes, “When the liver is strong, and the blood is clean and free of toxins, then the skin will shine with luster and a healthy glow.”

I guess that’s why I think of this as an act of self-love: A Castor Oil flush reignites your inner fires to help you feel awesome, grow your glow and fall in love with life all over again. So will everyone else, of course, because self-love is contagious.

Come on baby light my fire… After 3 months of traveling, I am ready for it!

Castor Oil Cleanse

You can best prepare for this for a few days by eating simply:
Breakfast – Fruit, porridge or vegetable soup
Lunch –  Kitchari (there are many recipes on my site)
Dinner – Steamed veggies or vegetable soup

On the morning of the third day, preferably a day when you can stay home and REST, right after you wake up, on an empty stomach, take your castor oil + OJ tonic (recipe below). Don’t eat that day until you feel hungry, and then eat light: Kitchari, or vegetable stew, or something warmly cooked and gently spiced. You may feel tired that morning, or achy, or light-headed, but those are signs of detox-ing, so rest and go slow.

CASTOR OIL FLUSH

Ingredients
1 t castor oil*
1 small glass orange juice

Instructions
Mix the two together in a glass jar with a lid that tightens. Shake, shake, shake until the oil is blended very, very well. The glistening bubbles dancing through should be tiny, tiny.

Drink on an empty stomach. Afterwards, sip hot water (alone or with lemon, ginger, or both) throughout the day. Don’t eat until you are hungry, and then have kitchari, or steamed vegetables, or something very simple.

NOTE! Castor oil is a purgation so stay close to a bathroom, and rest, rest, rest.

The point is to get your bowels moving, so don’t be surprised if they move! If, however, you don’t experience movement, opt for light soups if/when you get hungry and keep sipping boiled, lemon-y water. Get a good night sleep and you’ll likely wake up to movement in the morning.

* Castor oil can cause cramping, so don’t add more than 1 tablespoon and only do this once a month at most. More is often not better, and this is one of those cases. One place to purchase is here.

Notes
Banyan Botanical’s Insight Blog has a great list of ways to use castor oil for beauty care and luscious hair, Dr Manisha includes taking castor oil internally in her 9 Simple Tips for Radiant Skin

Castor Oil can cause cramping and comes with numerous cautions so please read this before trying this at home. 

Are you an Ayurveda student and want to go deeper? Want to learn more about what Sage Charak had to say about Castor oil, known in Ayurvea as Eranda Taila? Easy Ayurveda is a great online source for the Charaka Samhita.

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Please be in touch if you would like a more targeted Ayurvedic consultation to address specific health issues. Ayurveda has great solutions for chronic ailments and wonky digestion.

Tell us, how are you keeping healthy, happy and whole these days? What lights your fire?