Jenni Howes - Head 2 Sole Wellness

08/11/2025

Castor Oil Packs: Ancient Remedy, Modern Wonder

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

What is a Castor Oil Pack? 🛁🌿
A Castor Oil Pack is a therapeutic cloth soaked in cold-pressed castor oil (from the seeds of Ricinus communis) placed on the skin—typically over the liver, abdomen, or lymph nodes. Covered with a barrier (like plastic or wool) and warmed with a hot water bottle or heat pack, this ancient remedy has stood the test of time—from Cleopatra’s beauty rituals to 21st-century detox protocols ✨.

Let’s Talk Science 🔬🧠
Why is castor oil more than just an old wives’ tale? Science is catching up:

1. Ricinoleic Acid – The Star Ingredient ⭐
About 90% of castor oil is made up of ricinoleic acid, a rare unsaturated fatty acid with powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects 💥.

Research Highlight:
A 2009 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that ricinoleic acid activates EP3 prostanoid receptors—which are involved in immune function modulation, pain regulation, and smooth muscle contraction. That means castor oil can calm inflammation, ease pain, and stimulate flow—especially in the lymphatic and digestive systems 🌿💪.

Benefits of Castor Oil Packs
Here’s what the research and clinical practice suggest these gooey little wonders can do:

1. Lymphatic Drainage Booster 🌀💧
The lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like the heart—it relies on movement and flow. Castor oil packs may stimulate lymphocyte production (white blood cells), encouraging better lymph drainage and detoxification 🚿.

Clinical Insight:
A study from The Townsend Letter for Doctors reported increased lymphocyte counts within hours of castor oil pack application—suggesting improved immune and lymphatic activity 🧬.

2. Liver Love & Detox Support 🌿🫀
Placed over the liver, castor oil packs may improve liver enzyme function and bile flow—essential for detoxification, hormone balance, and digestion 🌱.

3. Gut Health & Constipation Relief 🚽💨
One of the oldest uses of castor oil is for constipation relief. Packs applied to the abdomen may support peristalsis (bowel movement) and reduce bloating and cramping 🫃.

Bonus: A study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice (2011) showed that elderly participants with constipation experienced significant improvement using abdominal castor oil packs ✅.

4. Hormone Harmony & Menstrual Relief 🌸🕊️
Castor oil’s anti-inflammatory nature may help relieve menstrual cramps, support ovarian and uterine health, and even help with fibroids and cysts (when used consistently with professional guidance) 💗.

How To Use a Castor Oil Pack
It’s as simple as 1-2-3: ✨

You’ll Need:
• Cold-pressed, hexane-free castor oil 🧴
• A piece of flannel or wool (about the size of your hand) 🧵
• A protective cloth or plastic sheet 🧼
• Hot water bottle or heating pad ♨️
• Old clothes or towels (because it will get messy!) 🧺

Step-by-Step:
1. Soak the flannel with castor oil until it’s saturated but not dripping 🌊.
2. Place it over your target area (liver, abdomen, joints, lymph nodes) 🎯.
3. Cover with your protective layer 🧻.
4. Add heat and relax for 30–60 minutes ⏳.
5. Repeat 3–5x per week for best results 📆.

Pro Tip: Do not use during menstruation or pregnancy unless cleared by a professional 🚫🤰.

Who Should Avoid Castor Oil Packs?
• Pregnant women (castor oil can stimulate uterine contractions) ⚠️
• Active infections or open wounds at application site 🛑
• Allergy to castor oil (always patch test!) 🧪

In a Nutshell… 🥥💚
Castor oil packs are like nature’s version of a warm hug: soothing, detoxifying, and deeply nurturing to your organs and lymphatic flow 🫶. With modern research backing what ancient cultures knew, they’re a safe, accessible tool for anyone on a healing or wellness journey 🌍✨.

So grab your oil, wrap yourself up, and let the healing begin 🌙.
Because sometimes, the simplest remedies are the most profound 🌿💫.

©️

08/11/2025

08/10/2025

🌿 Vacation vibes + headache relief = happy feet, happy people! 🌿

This week, I had two lovely ladies in for a Head2Sole Reflexology session while on vacation. They were hoping for a “chill” getaway but had both been dealing with headaches.

Later, I received a message that made me smile:

> “You cured both our headaches — we are happy ladies!” 💌

As a reflexologist, I can’t claim to cure conditions — but reflexology can absolutely help the body relax, release tension, and rebalance.

Reflexology & Headaches 💆‍♀️👣
Headaches can be triggered by stress, tension in the neck and shoulders, dehydration, or even poor sleep. Reflexology works by stimulating specific points on the feet that correspond to the head, neck, and nervous system — encouraging improved circulation, easing muscular tension, and promoting deep relaxation.

Many clients find their headaches soften or disappear as their body shifts into a calmer state. Sometimes, all your body needs is a chance to reset. 🌸

✨ Whether you’re on vacation or just need a pause from everyday life, reflexology offers a natural way to unwind from head to sole.

💡 Did You Know?
Reflexology can help ease headaches by:
👣 Working reflex points for the head, neck, and sinuses
💆‍♀️ Encouraging muscle relaxation in the neck and shoulders
💧 Improving circulation and lymphatic flow
😌 Helping the body shift out of stress mode

08/09/2025

I have had similar conversations with a few of my clients recently, about the state of procrastination. 😳

So, I thought I’d share a bit about this with you. ✍🏼

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚 🎭

It is often misunderstood as laziness, or some other flawed human character trait. But in my observed experience this is not the case. Reading up on this, I have found that emerging perspectives in neuroscience suggest it may be rooted in the bodies stress response. Specifically, the ‘freeze’ component, of the fight, flight, or freeze response of the sympathetic nervous system. 🧠

When faced with a perceived threat, whether physical or psychological, our bodies automatically engage this stress response. Whilst fight and flight involve active engagement or escape, the freeze response is a passive, immobilised state. It’s our bodies way of playing dead. Waiting for the danger to pass.

In my experience, the ‘threat’ is rarely physical. It’s more often wrapped up in our fear of failure, judgment, overwhelm, or high expectations we may have on ourselves, or that we think others may have on us. Or, the most frequent reason I see, an accumulation of stress over time, causing overload.

Procrastination can then be understood as a manifestation of this freeze response. The sympathetic nervous system kicks in, but instead of fighting or fleeing, you freeze. In this state, your mind may feel foggy, paralysed, or avoidant. You delay tasks. Not out of choice, but from your nervous system being locked in a protective state.

The reframing of this word, and state, is so important for you. It shifts your procrastination from being a character flaw to a biological response.

Understanding procrastination as a freeze response allows for more compassionate and supportive strategies. Instead of forcing productivity, it may be more helpful to calm your nervous system first. To help it exit the freeze state, and return to a place of regulation, and balance. 🥰

Of course, that’s where Reflexology enters the picture. I’ve seen its soothing role in my clients too many times to not shout it from the roof tops. 📣

x Karen x

08/03/2025

💫Update💫
Good morning. I have not forgot about this! Life has been crazy busy and today is my self care day. I'm enjoying a lazy day and plan to do a Facebook live draw on Tuesday so you have a few more days to to tell me your Self-care Super Power 🦸‍♀️. Also for anyone who shared my page, please let me know in a DM so I can add your name in twice. I dont always get notifications.

💥 GIVEAWAY ALERT! 💥
💣
💥
💣
💥
💣
💥
If self-care was your superpower… what would your special ability be?

🦸‍♀️ Napping Ninja?
🧼 Bubble Bath Sorceress?
🧘‍♂️ Zen Master of Chill?

Drop your answer in the comments & hit that like button! 💖 Share Head2Sole Wellness page, and you will get your name entered twice 😉.
You’ll be entered to WIN a 1-hour Reflexology or Aromatherapy Massage at Head 2 Sole Wellness! 🎉

Because saving the world is hard… and your feet and body are tired. 😌💆‍♀️

08/03/2025

🌼 Appointments Available This Week! 🌼
Wiarton friends — your feet called… they want in on the relaxation party. 😌👣
I’ve got openings this Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday for:

✨ Reflexology
✨ Aromatherapy Massage

Total rejuvenation (highly recommended)

Let’s melt your stress, boost your mood, and pamper you from Head to Sole. 💆‍♀️💫
Grab a spot today before someone else’s feet beat you to it! 😉

📍 Wiarton
📅 Aug 5–7 (Tues–Thurs)
📩 DM to book your bliss!

Or book online at www.gorendezvous.com/head2solewellness.

07/27/2025

💆‍♀️ Aromatherapy Massage for Nervous Conditions 🧠🌿

Feeling frazzled, on edge, or constantly overstimulated😵‍💫🤯?

You may be dealing with nervous system imbalances — things like anxiety, chronic stress, insomnia, or even emotional burnout. These conditions affect how your body responds to the world around you — often leaving you feeling wired and tired at the same time.

✨ Aromatherapy massage can help rebalance your nervous system by: 💨 Calming your overactive mind
🌬️ Encouraging deeper, slower breathing
🫀 Lowering heart rate + reducing cortisol
🧘‍♀️ Reconnecting you to your body through safe, nurturing touch

🌸 Soothing Blend for the Nervous System:

Sweet Orange – uplifts mood & reduces anxiety

Lavender – relaxes muscles & quiets the mind

Frankincense – slows the breath & eases emotional tension

Cedarwood – deeply grounding and stabilizing

Let this deeply calming treatment melt your stress away — from head to soul. 💖

📅 DM to book your session or learn more.

07/26/2025

🌙🔮 One thing everyone should know about reflexology…
It’s not just touch — it’s a spell woven through your soles. 👣✨

Each foot holds a secret map 🗺️ to your entire body — your organs, glands, emotions, energy centers.
When these sacred points are activated, something magical happens…
💫 Energy shifts
💤 Tension melts
🌊 Blockages clear
🌟 And your body begins to remember how to heal itself

It’s like your nervous system takes a deep sigh…
and your spirit whispers, “Thank you.” 🌬️💖

Reflexology isn’t just wellness —
it’s ancient wisdom flowing through your feet 🌀👁️

Ready to feel the magic beneath your skin?

07/25/2025

👣 FASCINATING FOOT FACTS 👣
Your feet are true marvels of the human body—let’s give them the spotlight they deserve! 💫

🦶 52 bones (26 in each foot) = that’s ¼ of all the bones in your body. Every step is a small engineering miracle!

🔗 Each foot contains 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles, and thousands of nerve endings – no wonder reflexology has such a powerful effect!

🧠 The soles of your feet have more nerve endings per square centimetre than almost any other part of your body – making them incredibly responsive to touch and pressure.

💓 Your feet help regulate your balance, posture, and alignment—when they’re off, your whole body can feel it.

🚶‍♀️ The average person walks 100,000 miles in their lifetime – that’s four times around the Earth!

💧 Feet can produce up to 250,000 sweat glands per foot, releasing as much as half a pint of sweat per day. Keeping them healthy is vital for overall wellness.

👣 Ancient healing practices like reflexology work on the principle that specific reflex points in the feet connect to every organ and system in the body.

💆‍♀️ Regular foot care (and massage!) isn’t just a treat – it’s self-care from the ground up.

✨ Your feet carry the weight of your world. Let’s show them some gratitude.

💚 Book a Reflexology treatment and experience just how powerful those two feet really are.

07/24/2025

👣 Did you know reflexology benefits every major system in your body?
It's more than relaxation—it’s deep, intentional support from Head 2 Sole. Each area of your foot connects to an internal system, helping restore balance, flow, and function. ✨

Let’s walk through the magic 👇

🧠 Nervous System
Function: Controls responses, processes information, and regulates the body.
Reflexology Benefits: Calms stress, improves sleep, clears the mind, and supports nerve health.

💓 Circulatory System
Function: Delivers oxygen and nutrients; removes waste.
Reflexology Benefits: Boosts blood flow, supports heart health, and reduces fatigue.

💨 Respiratory System
Function: Brings in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide.
Reflexology Benefits: Encourages deep breathing, eases sinus and lung congestion.

🧬 Endocrine System
Function: Regulates hormones, mood, metabolism, and growth.
Reflexology Benefits: Supports gland function and hormonal balance—great for stress, PMS, and menopause.

🛡️ Immune & Lymphatic System
Function: Defends against illness and clears toxins.
Reflexology Benefits: Stimulates lymph flow, reduces inflammation, and boosts immunity.

🌿 Digestive System
Function: Breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and eliminates waste.
Reflexology Benefits: Relieves bloating and constipation, calms the gut, and supports liver function.

🚻 Urinary System
Function: Removes waste and balances fluids.
Reflexology Benefits: Encourages kidney and bladder function and gentle detox.

🍳 Reproductive System
Function: Regulates reproductive health and fertility.
Reflexology Benefits: Supports hormone cycles, eases cramps, and nurtures womb wellness.

🦴 Musculoskeletal System
Function: Provides structure, movement, and support.
Reflexology Benefits: Relieves tension, eases pain, and improves flexibility and mobility.

✨ One session... and your whole body is supported.
If your systems are calling for balance, let’s connect. Your feet already know the way.

📍 Bruce Peninsula | 💬 DM to book or book online @ www.gorendezvous.com/head2solewellness

07/24/2025

🌿 Anxiety weighing you down? 🌿
Let your nervous system exhale with an Aromatherapy Massage designed to calm, ground, and restore. ✨

This session combines the healing power of massage with a custom essential oil blend formulated to ease tension and reduce anxious thoughts:

💧Calm Mind Blend:
• Lavender – deeply relaxing
• Roman Chamomile – gentle and soothing
• Frankincense – grounding & centering
• Sweet Orange – brightens your mood
• Ylang Ylang – gently lowers stress levels

As you breathe in the comforting scent and feel the therapeutic touch melt your stress away, your body moves into a state of deep calm. 😌💆‍♀️

🕯️ It’s more than a massage – it’s nervous system therapy in aromatic form.

💚 DM to book your peaceful reset.
Or book online @ www.gorendezvous.com/head2solewellness