Castor Oil Massage

Aidan was congested this past week, and with his lungs being his "weak" spot I included a castor oil massage after bathtime to help his body clear the congestion. Castor oil is a pale yellow liquid extracted from the castor seeds (Ricinis communis) and is an excellent anti-inflammatory. This oil is to be applied externally and not to be consumed (if it was consumed it would spasm the intestines causing loose stools). Make sure you buy an unrefined oil from a health food store. The castor oil helps to move any congestion internally and moves the lympathic system which in turn supports the immune system. I think it is also nice to have some touch to the area needing some extra help and our own healing hands can do that.
Some other beneficial areas to massage would be the abdomen for digestion, behind the ears sweeping towards the collar bone for chronic ear infections and around any joint for joint pain! It is also really great to give newborn babies castor oil tummy rubs to help their immature digestive system develop, hopefully decreasing some of those colicky episodes!