The Complete Holistic Guide to Ovarian Cysts
My Personal Healing Story, Natural Support & How I Used Castor Oil Packs
After avoiding ovarian cyst surgery in 2019 through a holistic healing journey, Lucia founded Arandi to help women create simple, supportive wellness rituals that fit naturally into everyday life.
Welcome to the Arandi Guide
Inside This Guide
Estimated reading time: 18 minutes
Whether you've recently been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, are waiting for answers, or simply want to support your body naturally, this guide brings together everything I wish someone had shared with me when my healing journey began.
Bookmark this guide. I’ll continue updating it as new research emerges and as I learn more throughout my own journey.
Part One
My Story & Understanding Ovarian Cysts
Part Two
Castor Oil Packs & My Ritual
Part Three
Timing, Nutrition & Whole-Body Support
Part Four
Environment, Questions & Next Steps
Chapter Zero
A Letter From Me to You
If you've landed on this page because someone just told you that you have an ovarian cyst... I want you to know something before we talk about symptoms, hormones, or castor oil packs.
I know how overwhelming this moment can feel.
You're not alone.
Ovarian cysts are incredibly common. Many women develop at least one during their reproductive years. Some never know they have one. Others experience pain, bloating, irregular cycles, or end up in the emergency room like I did.
Research shows that many ovarian cysts can resolve on their own over time, while others require monitoring, medical treatment, or surgery.
They don't tell you about the countless women who begin looking beyond "wait and see" and start exploring how nutrition, stress, sleep, movement, emotional wellbeing, and holistic practices may help support their bodies.
They don't tell you about the women who choose to become active participants in their healing by exploring supportive practices alongside their medical care, not just passive observers.
And they certainly don't tell you that many women walk away asking a completely different question.
How can I heal this naturally without medication or surgery?
That was the question I asked myself.
I wanted to know whether there was anything I could do to give my body the best possible chance to heal on its own.
I wanted to understand every supportive option available to me before making any major decisions.
That single question sent me down a path that completely changed my life.
This guide isn't about choosing between conventional medicine and holistic healing. It's about understanding your options, becoming an active participant in your health, and recognizing that supportive holistic practices also have a place in the conversation.
I don't believe our bodies are broken. I believe they are always communicating with us. And when we begin listening with curiosity instead of fear, healing becomes possible in ways we may never have imagined.
This is the guide I wish someone had placed in my hands the night I was diagnosed. If it brings you even a little more clarity, hope, or peace than I had that night, then it has done exactly what I hoped it would.
Important Note
Everything shared throughout this guide is based on my personal experience and the practices I chose to explore alongside my healthcare providers. It is not medical advice and should never replace individualized care from your doctor or licensed healthcare professional
Chapter One
The Day Everything Changed
Everything began with thirty minutes of intense pain that forced me to stop, listen, and take my body seriously.
November 2019
I was at my sister's house one evening, sitting on the couch watching TV, when I suddenly felt like I needed to use the bathroom.
I walked to the bathroom thinking it was nothing more than a bad stomachache or diarrhea. I'd experienced that kind of cramping before, so I didn't think much of it.
But within a minute, everything changed.
The pain became so intense that I couldn't stay on the toilet anymore. I lowered myself onto the bathroom floor because I honestly didn't think I could remain sitting without falling over.
I remember how pale I became. My breathing turned shallow. I felt incredibly weak, and it seemed like my blood pressure had dropped dramatically. I was convinced I was about to pass out.
Hearing me in distress, my sister came into the bathroom and immediately realized something was seriously wrong. She sat on the floor beside me while urgently calling my boyfriend, asking him to come over because I wasn't okay.
None of us knew what was happening.
We only knew that this wasn't an ordinary stomachache.
Something felt deeply wrong.
The swelling that followed
After the pain passed, I tried to convince myself it was nothing.
Maybe I had eaten something strange. Maybe it was digestive. Maybe it would pass on its own.
But over the next two days, my lower abdomen became extremely swollen. The swelling spread from my pelvis up toward my stomach, and I remember looking down and barely recognizing my own body.
My body was speaking louder than I could ignore.
Important Note
Looking back, I can see how quickly I tried to explain the pain away. So many women do this. We minimize, wait, push through, or assume it is probably nothing. But that experience taught me something I still believe deeply: when your body gets loud, it deserves your attention.
The emergency room
When the swelling and discomfort did not improve, I went to the emergency room.
I spent nearly nine hours there being tested, waiting for answers, and trying to understand what was happening inside my body.
The fear was not only about the pain. It was the uncertainty.
I wanted someone to tell me what was wrong. I wanted to know what my body was trying to say. I wanted to feel like there was a path forward.
After hours of testing and waiting, I finally received the answer.
I had an ovarian cyst that had ruptured.
It wasn't the diagnosis that terrified me, it was being told that surgery was the only option.
The Diagnosis
The doctor explained that if the cyst did not reduce in size within thirty days, surgery would likely be the next step.
I understand that surgery can be necessary, urgent, and even lifesaving in some situations.
But in that moment, I felt helpless.
I remember leaving the hospital feeling so scared and powerless. I wanted to know what else was possible. I wanted to understand whether there was anything I could do to heal the cysts on my own before making a major decision.
And the same question from earlier kept repeating in my mind:
How can I heal this naturally without medication or surgery?
That question became the beginning of an entirely new path.
I began researching. I began exploring nutrition, stress, emotional healing, and the traditional practice that would later become central to Arandi: castor oil packs.
I did not know then that this experience would become part of my life’s work.
I only knew that I was not ready to hand over my body without first learning how to support it.
My Healing Timeline
Sudden pelvic pain
Two days of swelling
Emergency room visit
Ovarian cyst diagnosis
Thirty-day follow-up window
Daily castor oil packs
Nutrition, lifestyle & emotional healing
Follow-up results
Arandi was born
Chapter Two
Understanding Ovarian Cysts
A little understanding can replace a lot of fear.
Before we talk about natural support, castor oil packs, nutrition, or emotional healing, let’s first understand what an ovarian cyst actually is.
The goal of this chapter is not to turn you into a doctor. It is to help you feel more grounded in your own body, ask better questions, and move forward with more clarity.
Simple Definition
What is an ovarian cyst?
An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops on or inside an ovary.
That can sound scary at first, especially when you hear the word “cyst.” But many ovarian cysts are common, noncancerous, and may resolve on their own over time.
Did You Know?
Many ovarian cysts are functional cysts, which means they can develop as part of the normal ovulation process. These are often temporary and may go away on their own, though some cysts need monitoring or medical treatment.
What do the ovaries actually do?
Your ovaries are small but powerful organs. They release eggs during ovulation and produce hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which influence your cycle, fertility, mood, skin, energy, and overall hormonal rhythm.
This is why an ovarian cyst can feel emotionally loaded. It is not just happening “somewhere in your body.” It is happening in a deeply feminine, hormonal, reproductive part of you.
Types of Ovarian Cysts
Why the type matters
Not all ovarian cysts are the same. Some are linked to normal ovulation, while others may be connected to conditions such as endometriosis or may require closer medical monitoring.
Functional Cysts
These are the most common type and often form during the menstrual cycle. Many functional cysts resolve on their own.
Dermoid Cysts
These cysts can contain different types of tissue and usually do not form as part of the normal cycle. They may require monitoring or treatment.
Endometriomas
These are often associated with endometriosis and may be called “chocolate cysts.” They usually need individualized medical guidance.
Cystadenomas
These develop from ovarian tissue and may grow larger over time. Your provider may recommend monitoring or treatment depending on the situation.
Common Symptoms
What ovarian cysts can feel like
Some ovarian cysts cause no symptoms at all. Others can create sensations that are easy to dismiss, especially if you are used to pushing through discomfort.
Important Note
One of the things I wish I had understood sooner is that symptoms are information. They are not something to panic over, but they are also not something to ignore. Your body is always communicating. The goal is to listen early, gently, and honestly.
When To Seek Medical Care
Please do not ignore severe symptoms
Holistic support has a place, but some symptoms need urgent medical attention. Please seek immediate care if you experience:
- Sudden, severe pelvic or abdominal pain
- Fever or vomiting with pelvic pain
- Dizziness, fainting, or weakness
- Heavy bleeding
- Shoulder pain with severe abdominal pain
- Signs of shock or feeling like something is seriously wrong
Trust your body. If something feels urgent, it deserves immediate care.
Once you understand what ovarian cysts are, the next question becomes deeper:
Why do they develop in the first place?
Chapter Three
Looking Beyond the Cyst
Sometimes the deeper question is not only “How do I get rid of this?” but “What is my body asking me to notice?”
First, let’s be clear.
Having an ovarian cyst does not mean you caused it.
It does not mean you ate the wrong foods, ignored your body, failed at wellness, or did something wrong.
Many ovarian cysts are part of the normal ovulation process. Others may be connected to conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, hormone changes, inflammation, or other factors that deserve proper medical guidance.
Important Note
I never want holistic healing to become another reason women blame themselves. To me, looking deeper is not about guilt. It is about curiosity, empowerment, and asking better questions.
After my diagnosis, I realized I could not control everything happening inside my body.
But I could begin paying attention to the things that were within my influence.
Instead of staying frozen in fear, I started looking at my body as a whole system: hormones, stress, sleep, food, emotions, inflammation, energy, and the way I had been living.
I stopped seeing the cyst as an isolated problem and started seeing it as a message from my body.
The Question That Shifted Everything
How can I create the healthiest possible environment for my body to heal?
What I Started Looking At
The bigger picture of healing
I did not believe one single thing caused my cyst. I also did not believe one single thing would support my healing. So I began looking at the areas of my life that could either add stress to my body or help create more balance.
Stress
I started noticing how long my body had been living in a state of tension, pressure, and emotional survival.
Sleep
I began treating rest as part of healing, not as something I had to earn after doing enough.
Nutrition
Food became less about restriction and more about nourishment, minerals, blood sugar balance, and reducing processed foods.
Nervous System
I realized my body could not feel safe enough to heal if it constantly felt rushed, overwhelmed, or on edge.
Movement
I leaned into gentle movement, walking, and practices that helped circulation without forcing my body into more stress.
Emotional Wellbeing
This became one of the deepest parts of my healing. I began listening to the emotions and patterns I had ignored for too long.
What I Changed
The small shifts that became part of my healing
Healing did not come from one perfect thing. It came from many small decisions repeated with devotion.
One of the first supportive practices I returned to every day was a castor oil pack.
It became a way to slow down, place my hands on my body, and create a consistent healing ritual when I felt like everything else was uncertain.
So can castor oil packs actually help ovarian cysts?
Chapter Four
Why I Chose Castor Oil Packs
Of all the changes I made during my healing journey, this became one of the practices I returned to every single day.
During those thirty days, I immersed myself in learning.
I read books. I listened to podcasts. I attended womb healing workshops. I became deeply curious about the body and everything it was capable of when given the right environment.
Again and again, I found myself coming back to one traditional practice:
Castor oil packs.
The first person who introduced me to castor oil packs was my sister.
Years earlier, she had traveled to Mexico to study postpartum healing with a traditional birth doula. During her training, she learned about castor oil packs and the role they have played in traditional women’s wellness for generations.
When she suggested I try one, it was the first time I had ever heard of castor oil packs.
I was fascinated.
This was not another wellness trend that had suddenly appeared on social media.
It was a traditional practice that had quietly been passed down through generations of women.
That mattered to me.
From an early age, I have always believed there is deep wisdom that lives within our bodies.
I also believe there is wisdom that gets passed from one generation to the next.
Sometimes modern research eventually catches up to what traditional cultures have known for generations.
Sometimes it has not yet.
Either way, I do not believe generations of lived experience should be dismissed simply because they do not fit neatly inside a clinical study.
That philosophy continues to shape every product I create at Arandi.
I do not see a castor oil pack as just a product.
I see it as an invitation.
An invitation to slow down.
To reconnect with your body.
To create one quiet hour where healing becomes the priority.
For me, that hour became sacred.
Some evenings I listened to music. Some evenings I journaled. Some evenings I simply lay there with my hands resting over my womb, breathing deeply for the first time all day.
Over time, the castor oil pack became much more than oil and fabric.
It became a ritual that reminded me my body was worthy of my time, my attention, and my care.
Important Note
Everything I share in this guide reflects my personal experience and the beliefs that grew out of it.
My hope is that it encourages you to become curious about your own body, ask better questions, explore different perspectives, and work alongside healthcare professionals you trust as you decide what feels right for you.
Once I decided to use castor oil packs, my next question became practical.
How do I actually use one correctly?
Free Castor Oil Pack Guide
Chapter Five
My Evening Castor Pack Ritual
This is how I used my castor oil pack every evening during my ovarian cyst healing journey.
Once I decided to use castor oil packs, I kept the practice simple.
Every evening, I poured a small amount of castor oil into my palm, massaged it directly over my lower abdomen, and placed my organic cotton wrap over it.
I never soaked the wrap.
The oil went on my body. The wrap simply held it in place.
The Method I Used
Oil First. Wrap Second.
I applied castor oil directly to my skin rather than saturating the fabric.
Some evenings I journaled.
Some evenings I listened to calming music.
Some evenings I simply rested in silence.
I was not trying to perform the perfect wellness routine.
The consistency was the ritual.
I was creating consistency and connection.
I was creating a space where my body felt seen every single day.
Over time, I realized the castor oil pack itself was only one part of the ritual.
The ritual was everything surrounding it.
The music.
The candle.
The silence.
The deep breathing.
The journal.
The permission to rest.
The castor oil pack became the reason I kept coming back to myself.
Where I Placed My Pack
I placed my castor oil pack low across my abdomen so it comfortably covered the area around my uterus and ovaries.
I was not measuring the placement or trying to position it with perfect precision.
I simply placed it over the area I wanted to support.
Lower-Abdominal Placement
Comfortable Coverage Was the Goal
I positioned the wrap low enough to cover my lower abdomen comfortably.
How Long I Wore It
I usually wore my castor oil pack for about one hour.
Some evenings were longer.
Some evenings were shorter.
I was not watching the clock.
I was creating space.
Why Consistency Mattered
I used my castor oil pack every evening during those thirty days.
One occasional session could not create the kind of rhythm I wanted.
Consistency did not mean doing it perfectly.
It meant returning.
Create Your Own Ritual
Everything You Need in One Place
I created the Womb Ritual Kit to remove the guesswork and make this practice easier to return to.
Once I became consistent with my castor oil pack, I also realized there were several mistakes I could have avoided from the beginning.
Let me save you from making them too.
Chapter Six
7 Mistakes Women Make When Using Castor Oil Packs
These are the mistakes I made myself or have seen women make over and over again. Most are simple to fix, but they can completely change the experience.
Mistake One
Multitasking While Wearing Your Castor Oil Pack
This is the biggest mistake I see.
Healing does not happen while your attention is scattered between emails, social media, television, and your never-ending to-do list.
The castor oil pack gives you something our modern lives rarely do:
Permission to slow down.
One of the greatest gifts this ritual gave me was the silence.
It was the opportunity to reconnect with myself.
I believe our bodies are constantly communicating with us, but we rarely hear them because our lives are so full of noise.
I was teaching my body what safety felt like again.
This is one of the reasons I created my 20 Nervous System Healing Rituals.
Every ritual inside that guide is inspired by practices I personally returned to during my own healing journey.
They helped transform my castor oil pack from something I wore into an experience I looked forward to every evening.
Mistake Two
Being Inconsistent
Consistency became one of the greatest lessons my ovarian cyst taught me.
Healing rarely comes from one extraordinary decision.
More often, it comes from hundreds of ordinary ones.
There were evenings I did not feel like doing my castor oil pack.
I still did it.
Every evening I showed up for my body, I was building trust with it.
One day became another.
Another became a week.
A week became a month.
Looking back, consistency was one of the greatest gifts I gave myself.
Mistake Three
Soaking the Entire Wrap in Castor Oil
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is women pouring castor oil directly onto the fabric.
I have never done that.
I apply the castor oil directly onto my skin first.
Then I place my organic cotton wrap over the oil.
I want the oil nourishing my skin, not disappearing into the fabric.
It also means I use far less castor oil, my wrap stays cleaner, and the entire experience feels much more enjoyable.
Mistake Four
Expecting Overnight Results
One of the hardest parts of any healing journey is learning patience.
We are used to taking a pill and expecting immediate relief.
Healing often asks something very different from us.
It asks us to trust the process before we can see the outcome.
I committed to thirty days.
I was not checking for changes after every single session.
I stayed committed to the practice and allowed my body the time it deserved.
Mistake Five
Ignoring Everything Else
Personally, I believe the castor oil packs helped reduce the size of my ovarian cyst.
I also believe they were only one piece of my healing journey.
Nutrition mattered.
Stress mattered.
Sleep mattered.
My emotional wellbeing mattered.
Time in nature mattered.
The way I spoke to myself mattered.
Healing became much bigger than one product. It became the environment I was creating every single day.
Mistake Six
Giving Up Too Soon
Sometimes the hardest part of healing is staying with it long enough to discover what your body is capable of.
I know how tempting it is to wonder if something is working after a week.
I have been there.
Healing does not always happen on our timeline.
Sometimes the greatest transformation is happening quietly beneath the surface long before we can see it.
Mistake Seven
Forgetting to Listen to Your Body
This might be the most important lesson my ovarian cyst ever taught me.
My body was never working against me.
It was communicating with me.
For years I had become very good at pushing through.
Ignoring fatigue.
Ignoring stress.
Ignoring what I felt.
My healing journey invited me to do the opposite.
To slow down.
To become curious.
To ask better questions.
To trust my intuition alongside the guidance of the healthcare professionals I chose to work with.
Healing became less about controlling my body and more about building a relationship with it.
Once I understood the mistakes I wanted to avoid, I started thinking more carefully about timing.
Can you use castor oil packs during ovulation?
Chapter Seven
Can You Use a Castor Oil Pack During Ovulation?
This is one of the most common questions women ask once they begin using castor oil packs consistently.
My answer is yes. I did.
Throughout my ovarian cyst healing journey, I continued using my castor oil pack during ovulation.
I was not trying to conceive at the time, and continuing my evening ritual felt completely aligned with the approach I had chosen for my body.
Consistency was one of the most important commitments I made to myself during those thirty days.
The castor oil pack had become part of a much larger healing ritual, so I chose to continue supporting my body throughout my entire cycle.
Why opinions vary
If you begin researching castor oil packs during ovulation, you will quickly notice that opinions vary.
Some practitioners suggest taking a short break around ovulation, especially when someone is actively trying to conceive.
Others continue using castor oil packs throughout the menstrual cycle.
This is one of the many places where I believe women need to stop looking for one universal rule and start learning the language of their own bodies.
Important Note
If you are actively trying to conceive, newly pregnant, working with fertility treatments, or unsure what is right for your body, this is something to discuss with a healthcare professional you trust.
Your body, your cycle, your goals, and your intuition all matter.
What I would encourage
Learn your cycle.
Become familiar with your body.
Pay attention to how you feel.
Notice what brings your body into a deeper sense of ease.
Healing becomes much more personal when you stop outsourcing every answer and begin listening to your own body again.
Continue Learning
Experts who shaped the way I think about the body
The next question I had was just as practical.
Can you use a castor oil pack during your period?
Chapter Eight
Can You Use a Castor Oil Pack During Your Period?
This is another question women ask often, and my answer comes directly from my own experience.
My answer is yes. I did.
Throughout my healing journey, I continued using my castor oil pack during my period.
Contrary to what some people believe, I did not experience heavier bleeding or any of the problems I had been warned about.
In fact, it became one of the most soothing parts of my cycle.
I would apply my castor oil, put on my wrap, place a hot water bottle over it, and simply allow myself to rest.
There was something incredibly calming about that ritual.
Instead of resisting what my body was experiencing, I felt like I was supporting it with warmth, stillness, and care.
Every woman's experience is different.
This was simply mine.
One of my favorite moments of the day was slowing down with my castor oil pack, a hot water bottle, and giving myself permission to simply rest.
Why I Chose To Continue
One of the greatest lessons my healing journey taught me was this:
There comes a point where you have to stop living entirely from other people's opinions and start developing a relationship with your own body.
Throughout this journey, I read books.
I listened to experts.
I attended workshops.
I learned from practitioners.
But eventually, every piece of information came back to one question:
What feels true for my body?
That became the question I returned to over and over again.
I chose to continue using my castor oil pack during my period because it felt supportive.
My body responded well.
So I kept listening.
Different Perspectives
If you begin researching this topic, you will quickly discover that opinions differ.
Some women pause castor oil packs during menstruation.
Others continue using them throughout their entire cycle.
Neither approach needs to become a rigid rule.
Every woman has a different body.
Every woman has a different cycle.
Every woman has a different relationship with her intuition.
Important Note
If you experience unusually heavy bleeding, severe pain, dizziness, fever, or anything that feels concerning, pause the ritual and speak with a healthcare professional you trust.
Listening to your body also means knowing when to seek support.
What I Would Encourage
If you feel called to use your castor oil pack during your period, listen.
If your body is asking for something different, listen to that too.
This practice was never meant to become another rule you force yourself to follow.
It is meant to deepen your relationship with your body.
Healing becomes much more personal when you stop outsourcing every answer and begin listening to your own body again.
As I became more consistent with my castor oil packs, I realized something else.
The pack was not the only thing supporting my body.
The way I was eating mattered too.
Chapter Nine
Nutrition That Supported My Healing
The castor oil pack became one part of my healing journey. The food I ate became the environment it was working within.
During those thirty days, I was looking for simple ways to support my body every single day.
One of the biggest changes I made was the way I ate.
For the first time in my life, I stopped thinking about food in terms of calories or eating perfectly.
I began asking myself one simple question:
Does this nourish my body?
Nourishing my body became one of the greatest acts of self-care during my healing journey.
I Stopped Asking What Foods Heal Ovarian Cysts
I started asking a better question:
What kind of environment does my body need in order to heal?
That small shift changed the way I looked at nutrition.
I stopped searching for one magical superfood.
I stopped believing there was one perfect diet.
I focused on creating an environment where healing felt possible.
I Focused on Real Food
I did not count calories.
I did not obsess over macros.
I simply began eating more foods that came from the earth.
Fresh vegetables.
Fruit.
Quality protein.
Healthy fats.
Whenever possible, I chose organic ingredients because reducing my exposure to pesticides and unnecessary chemicals felt aligned with the healing environment I was trying to create.
It was about making better choices, one meal at a time.
Healing Environment
A body that feels supported.
I Started Paying Attention to How Food Made Me Feel
One of the biggest lessons I learned was that nutrition is also about what your body says.
Some foods left me feeling energized.
Others left me feeling bloated, sluggish, or inflamed.
I became curious.
My body became my greatest teacher.
I Reduced Foods That Weren’t Supporting Me
I focused on creating space for more nourishing choices.
Naturally, I found myself eating less ultra-processed foods, refined sugar, artificial ingredients, and highly processed seed oils.
I noticed I genuinely felt better without them.
That became my motivation.
Hydration Became Part of My Healing Too
One thing I underestimated was the importance of drinking enough water.
Healing requires every system in the body to work together.
Hydration became another simple way I could care for myself.
I Became More Aware of What Touched My Food
As I learned more about hormones and women’s health, I also became more aware of the products surrounding my food.
I slowly started replacing plastic containers with glass whenever I could.
I paid more attention to the ingredients in the products I brought into my home.
Healing is not only about what we eat.
It is also about what we consistently expose ourselves to.
The Biggest Lesson Nutrition Taught Me
Looking back, I do not believe my healing happened because I found one magical food.
I believe healing happened because every meal became another opportunity to support my body.
Every breakfast.
Every lunch.
Every dinner.
Every small choice.
Each one became another vote for the environment I wanted to create inside my body.
Important Note
Everything I share in this chapter reflects my personal experience and the choices that felt supportive during my healing journey.
There is no single way of eating that works for every woman.
My hope is that this chapter inspires you to become more curious about the foods that help your body feel nourished, energized, and supported.
As much as nutrition supported my healing, there was another piece I could no longer ignore.
It was the way my body responded to stress.
Let’s talk about the nervous system.
Chapter Ten
Stress & The Nervous System
The biggest thing I changed was not only what I added to my routine. It was the environment I stopped forcing my body to survive in.
I thought healing was about finding the right protocol.
The right supplement.
The right food.
The right routine.
But the more I learned, the more I realized something that completely changed the way I looked at health.
My body could not heal in the same environment that had contributed to the cyst.
The Stress Women Carry
Dr. Gabor Maté has written and spoken extensively about the relationship between chronic stress, emotional suppression, and physical illness.
One of the ideas that stayed with me most is how often women become what he has described as the emotional shock absorbers of society.
We hold families together.
We care for children, partners, parents, friends, clients, and communities.
We sense what everyone else needs.
We make ourselves available.
We swallow emotions.
We keep going.
And then we wonder why our bodies begin to scream.
The numbers are hard to ignore. The NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health reports that nearly 80% of people living with autoimmune diseases are women. Chronic stress is also known to affect immune function, inflammation, and the body’s stress-response systems.
It is no wonder so many women feel exhausted, inflamed, disconnected, and completely overwhelmed.
Continue Reading
Create a Calming Bedtime Ritual
Your evening routine can become one of the clearest signals of safety you give your body. This article shares simple ways to slow down, reduce stimulation, and prepare your nervous system for rest.
The Weight I Did Not Realize I Was Carrying
For a long time, I thought stress meant deadlines, pressure, and obvious chaos.
I did not realize stress could also look like being the strong one.
Saying yes when I wanted to say no.
Being hyper-aware of everyone else’s emotions.
Feeling guilty for resting.
Keeping the peace.
Holding everything together while quietly abandoning myself.
Somewhere along the way, I forgot that I deserved the same care I so freely gave to everyone else.
I Started Creating a Different Life
During my healing journey, I started taking more time off for myself.
I spent more time in nature.
I walked without needing to accomplish anything.
I listened to the wind.
I noticed the light.
I engaged my senses.
I danced more.
I had more fun.
I surrounded myself with people who lifted me up instead of draining me.
I journaled.
I practiced EFT tapping.
I allowed myself to cry.
I expressed emotions I had spent years keeping inside.
Little by little, joy started coming back.
The Rituals I Personally Used
20 Ways to Support Your Nervous System While Wearing Your Pack
These are the practices I personally returned to while wearing my castor oil pack—journaling, breathing, EFT tapping, gentle movement, stillness, emotional release, and other simple rituals that helped my body settle.
Joy Is Healing
Healing is not only about removing what is wrong.
It is also about creating more of what makes you feel alive.
More laughter.
More beauty.
More stillness.
More connection.
More honest expression.
More moments where your body finally gets to exhale.
Looking back, one of the greatest things I healed was not only my ovarian cyst.
It was my relationship with myself.
Important Note
Stress is part of being human. The goal is not to eliminate every stressful moment from your life.
The goal is to stop normalizing a life where your body is constantly bracing, suppressing, over-giving, and surviving.
Once I began changing how I nourished my body and how I responded to stress, I noticed something else beginning to shift.
The way I lived every day started to matter.
Let’s talk about the lifestyle habits that supported my healing.
Chapter Eleven
The Lifestyle Changes That Supported My Healing
Healing did not happen because I changed one thing. It happened because dozens of small choices began supporting one another.
Alongside my castor oil pack ritual, I made several lifestyle changes that supported my overall hormone health.
Looking back, I can see that I was not only trying to reduce the cyst.
I was changing the environment my body was living in.
This became the real work.
I Removed Processed Foods
I eliminated processed foods and focused on whole, organic meals as much as possible.
I wanted my food to come directly from the earth.
This was not about restriction. It was about nourishment.
I Reduced Chemical Exposure
I became more mindful of what I was exposing my body to every day.
I slowly reduced plastics, switched to glass when I could, and became more intentional with my personal care and household products.
Many chemicals found in plastics, cosmetics, and cleaning products can mimic estrogen in the body. Reducing those exposures became one more way I supported hormonal balance.
I Listened to the Emotional Message
This was perhaps the most difficult and powerful part of my healing.
When I slowed down and began listening to my body, I realized there were deeper emotional patterns that needed attention.
The cyst was trying to communicate something to me.
EFT tapping became one of the tools I used to access the emotional root and listen more deeply to what my body was asking me to feel.
I Spent More Time in Nature
Nature became medicine for me.
I took more time outside simply to be, observe, breathe, and engage my senses.
I watched the light change. I listened to the wind. I allowed my body to remember a slower rhythm.
I Let Myself Feel
The emotional side of healing often goes unnoticed because it is usually the most difficult part to face.
It can be painful to return to old memories, suppressed emotions, and the parts of ourselves we have avoided feeling.
But in my experience, feeling is often the doorway to deep, long-lasting healing.
I Created More Joy
I started dancing more.
I had more fun.
I surrounded myself with people who lifted me up.
Little by little, I became more joyful.
I Built Daily Emotional Healing Practices
Journaling, meditation, breathwork, dance, time in nature, EFT tapping, and energy healing all became part of the process.
These practices helped me stop carrying everything inside my body.
They gave my emotions somewhere to move.
What I Believe Keeps Many Women Stuck
If you have tried natural methods and nothing has worked, it does not mean your body is broken.
I believe many women stay stuck because they only address the symptom, they are inconsistent with their routine, they do not know what to do daily, or they ignore the emotional and nervous system component.
Healing requires structure, consistency, and a whole-body approach.
Chapter Twelve
Reducing Your Everyday Toxic Load
You do not have to replace everything in your home overnight. Begin with the exposures you encounter most often and make one thoughtful change at a time.
During my healing journey, I began paying closer attention to more than the food I ate.
I started noticing what touched my food, what I put on my skin, what I cooked with, what I cleaned my home with, and what I was exposed to every single day.
Plastics.
Pesticides.
Fragrance.
Cosmetics.
Cleaning products.
Nonstick cookware.
Drinking water.
These exposures can feel overwhelming when you first begin learning about them.
The goal is awareness, followed by small changes you can realistically sustain.
Start With the Food You Eat Most Often
I chose whole, organic food whenever it was available and realistic for me.
Organic food can cost more, so I did not approach this as an all-or-nothing rule.
I prioritized organic versions of the produce I ate frequently, especially foods commonly found with higher levels of pesticide residue.
The Environmental Working Group publishes an updated Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce each year, including its Dirty Dozen list.
A Simple Place to Begin
Prioritize the Produce You Eat Most
Use the annual Dirty Dozen list as a shopping tool rather than another rigid rule.
Buy organic when it feels accessible. Wash produce thoroughly. Keep eating fruits and vegetables.
Why I Started Reading Labels
One statistic changed how I shop.
The United States still allows the use of 85 agricultural pesticides that have been banned in the European Union.
Every year, more than 300 million pounds of those pesticides are sprayed on American farmland.
Atrazine is one example.
The European Union banned it more than twenty years ago.
The United States still permits its use.
Then I looked at cosmetics.
The European Union has banned or heavily restricted more than 1,300 chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products because of concerns about toxicity and hormone disruption.
The United States has banned 11.
Then I looked at food.
Ingredients like potassium bromate, BHT, titanium dioxide, and certain artificial food dyes continue to appear in products sold throughout the United States, even though many have been banned or are subject to much stricter regulations in other countries.
Then I looked at water.
A recent U.S. Geological Survey estimated that at least 45% of U.S. tap water contains one or more PFAS compounds, often called "forever chemicals."
That was enough for me.
I stopped assuming that if something was legal, it was automatically the best choice for my body.
I started reading labels.
I started buying organic whenever I could.
I filtered my water.
I became much more selective about the products I brought into my home.
No obsession.
No perfection.
Just better decisions.
One after another.
A Visual Comparison
United States vs. Europe
This is the comparison that changed the way I shop, read labels, and choose what comes into my home.
Read labels, ask questions, and make better choices where you can.
Where I Would Begin
Low-Toxin Changes That Feel Manageable
Choose organic strategically
Prioritize the fruits and vegetables you eat most often rather than trying to buy everything organic immediately.
Filter your drinking water
Research filters independently certified for the contaminants found in your local water supply.
Replace damaged nonstick cookware
I gradually moved toward stainless steel, cast iron, and other cookware that felt more aligned with my home.
Store food in glass
I began replacing plastic food-storage containers with glass, especially for hot food and leftovers.
Reduce synthetic fragrance
Fragrance appears in perfumes, lotions, detergents, candles, air fresheners, and many household products.
Replace products as they run out
I did not throw away everything I owned. I used what I had and chose more intentionally when it was time to replace it.
Apps That Make Ingredient Research Easier
Ingredient lists can be confusing, and I do not expect every woman to become a chemist before buying shampoo.
These tools can help you scan products, research ingredients, and compare options more quickly.
Yuka
Scan the barcode of food and personal-care products to view a product score, ingredient information, and possible alternatives.
Explore Yuka →EWG Healthy Living
Search or scan personal-care, food, sunscreen, cleaning, and household products using EWG’s consumer databases.
Explore EWG →Think Dirty
Scan beauty, skincare, personal-care, and household products to review ingredients and compare alternatives.
Explore Think Dirty →Clearya
Use the mobile app or browser extension to review ingredient alerts while shopping online or scanning labels at home.
Explore Clearya →A Note About Ingredient Apps
These tools can make product research easier, but their scoring systems are not identical and should not replace your own judgment.
A product score is a starting point for asking questions, not an absolute measurement of whether a product is safe or unsafe for every person.
My Low-Toxin Philosophy
I do not believe wellness should become another source of panic.
Fear places its own burden on the nervous system.
I focused first on the products I used most frequently and the changes that could make the greatest difference in my everyday life.
Organic versions of the produce I ate regularly.
Filtered water.
Glass food storage.
Simpler personal-care products.
Cookware I felt comfortable using.
Fewer heavily fragranced products in my home.
You do not need a perfectly toxin-free life. You need a more conscious relationship with the environment you create around your body.
Begin With One Change
Choose the change that feels easiest today.
Replace your water bottle.
Buy organic berries this week.
Scan the personal-care product you use every morning.
Move one hot meal from plastic into glass.
Then allow that one change to become part of your life before adding another.
Every change I made became another way of creating a more supportive environment for my body.
Small choices become powerful when they become the way you live.
By now, you might still have questions.
I know I certainly did.
Let’s answer the most common ones.
Chapter Thirteen
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions I wish someone had answered clearly when I first started using castor oil packs.
How often did you use your castor oil pack?
I used mine every single day during my thirty-day healing journey. Consistency mattered more than perfection.
Where did you place it for ovarian cysts?
I placed it low across my lower abdomen so it comfortably covered the area around my uterus and ovaries.
How long did you leave it on?
Usually about one hour. Some days were longer, some days were shorter. I was creating consistency and connection, not obsessing over the clock.
Did you use it during ovulation?
Yes, I did. I was not trying to conceive at the time, and continuing felt aligned with my body. Every woman should listen to her own body and work with a practitioner she trusts.
Did you use it during your period?
Yes. For me, it felt soothing and calming. I used a hot water bottle on top and did not experience heavier bleeding.
Do you put the oil on the wrap or on your skin?
I apply the oil directly to my skin first, then place the wrap over it. I want the oil nourishing my body, not disappearing into the fabric.
Can castor oil packs shrink ovarian cysts?
Personally, I believe castor oil packs helped reduce the size of my ovarian cyst. I also believe the deeper healing came from changing the environment my body was living in.
What else did you do besides castor oil packs?
I changed the way I ate, reduced processed foods, lowered chemical exposure, spent more time in nature, rested more, journaled, practiced EFT tapping, danced, and began listening to the emotional message my body was sending me.
Can I sleep with a castor oil pack on?
I personally used mine for about one hour in the evening. I preferred being awake and present with the ritual rather than sleeping through it.
What if I miss a day?
Return the next day. Healing is not about perfection. It is about returning to yourself again and again.
Now that I’ve answered the most common questions, I want to share the products I personally used and why they became part of my ritual.
These are the essentials I returned to again and again.
Chapter Fourteen
Products I Personally Used
These are the essentials that helped me turn my castor oil pack into a ritual I could actually stay consistent with.
I want to be very clear.
The products were never the whole healing journey.
They were tools.
What made them powerful was the way I used them consistently, intentionally, and alongside the deeper lifestyle changes I’ve shared throughout this guide.
A product becomes meaningful when it helps you return to yourself.
The Womb Castor Oil Pack
This is the wrap I would use for ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, period support, womb healing, and lower abdominal rituals.
I designed it to feel soft, beautiful, and easy to return to every day.
Explore the Womb Pack →Organic Castor Oil
I applied castor oil directly onto my skin first, then placed the wrap over it.
I wanted the oil nourishing my body, not disappearing into the fabric.
Explore Organic Castor Oil →The 20 Castor Pack Rituals Guide
If you want to follow the rituals I used, I created the 20 Castor Pack Rituals Guide to help you remove the guesswork and create a calming ritual your body craves.
Inside, I share nervous-system-supportive rituals you can do while wearing your pack.
Explore the Ritual Guide →The Womb Ritual Kit
If you want everything together, the Womb Ritual Kit brings the wrap, oil, and ritual support into one beautiful experience.
This is what I would choose if you’re ready to begin your own castor oil pack ritual with more intention.
Explore the Womb Ritual Kit →If You’re Just Getting Started
You do not need to overwhelm yourself with everything at once.
Begin with a castor oil pack, organic castor oil, and one quiet hour where your body gets your full attention.
The goal is not to create the perfect healing routine overnight.
The goal is simply to begin.
If this guide helped you, I created a few related guides that may support the next part of your journey.
Continue your healing journey.
New to Castor Oil Packs?
Learn exactly where to place your pack, how often to use it, and how to create a ritual your body will actually look forward to.
If You Have Recently Been Diagnosed with an Ovarian Cyst
Before you go, please know:
You are not powerless.
Your body is incredibly intelligent. It was designed to heal, adapt, and communicate with you—not work against you.
There is more than one path to healing.
My hope is simply that you continue asking questions, listening to your body, and making decisions that feel deeply aligned with you.
Healing has its own timing.
But it is always possible.
Wishing you a deeply supportive healing journey.
