Serotonin Lives in the Gut: Why This Matters in Winter

The lining of your stomach and small intestines is packed with cells called enterochromaffin cells, which produce almost all of your body’s serotonin. These cells are sensitive to:

• chronic stress

• trauma activation

• inflammation

• poor vagal tone

• disrupted sleep

• low sunlight

• sluggish digestion

Winter adds several challenges:

• Less natural sunlight → lower serotonin signaling

• Cold weather → decreased circulation in the gut

• Holiday stress → higher cortisol

• Emotional triggers → vagus nerve suppression

• Digestive slowdown → decreased serotonin release

All of this means the gut needs extra support to keep serotonin production stable.

Essential Oils That Increase the Pack’s Serotonin Support

Pairing specific essential oils with castor oil amplifies gut healing and serotonin output. Here are the top five oils you’ll be using in your Advent gut-support practice:

Ginger—Relieves Irritation & Supports Motility

Ginger decreases inflammation and helps move digestion forward.
Emotionally: it shifts stagnation into movement and inner warmth.

 Cardamom—Balances Stress & Calms the Gut

Cardamom eases spasms and tension, especially when the stomach tightens from anxiety.
Emotionally: it steadies overwhelm.

Turmeric—Reduces Inflammation in the Stomach & Small Intestine

Turmeric supports the mucosal lining where serotonin is made.
Emotionally: it brings clarity to the places clouded by stress.

Pink Pepper—Supports Circulation & Detoxification

Pink pepper gently increases blood flow, helping serotonin precursors reach the gut.
Emotionally: it clears sluggishness and awakens energy.

Fennel—Soothes Bloating & Relaxes Gut Tension

Fennel calms the muscles of the stomach and intestines.
Emotionally: it softens fear stored in the belly.

Together, these botanicals create a warm, anti-inflammatory, serotonin-supportive ritual that nurtures the stomach and the nervous system.

Adding Additional Vagas Nerve Support

Winter can trigger old trauma patterns because it disrupts the signals the body uses to feel safe:

• less light

• colder environment

• increased stress

• digestive slowdown

• memory-rich holiday season

When the nervous system leans toward fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, the vagus nerve becomes quiet… and serotonin drops. This is why vagus nerve activation is critical during winter and trauma recovery.

Adding a simple vagas nerve reset to your castor oil pack routine like: 

Moving your eyes all the way to the right until your body releases (yawn/sigh), then all the way to the left until it releases again 

is one of the fastest ways to restore vagal tone. You can do this simple practice several times while you're wearing your castor oil pack, and even throughout the day in order to bring yourself into a deeper state of rest in the moment. 

For deeper trauma support, visit Phasing Out of Trauma for more ways to support your trauma healing journey. Or, book a consultation with us and we can support your journey with custom sessions. 

This Advent, we honor both the spiritual and physiological work of creating space for peace.

How to Use a Castor Oil Pack for Serotonin Support

Using a castor oil pack is very simple. Ensure you purchase high grade cold pressed castor oil doTERRA offers a wonderful one. You'll also want to gather a glass measuring cup designed for liquids, either a cotton or flannel cloth or a castor oil pack wrap - these can be purchased on-line and in various natural health care shops.  The benefit of using a wrap is that they are water resistant, and use Velcro or elastic straps to help keep the castor oil pack in place so you can move as you need to while you're wearing the pack. You'll also want to gather your essential oils.  All of the oils we're mentioning today can be purchased through doTERRA, here is a link to a doTERRA shopping cart ready for you to make your purchase. You can also purchase these oils from Lotus Garden Botanicals, or Aromatics International.  You'll also want to ensure you'll have time to either shower or use a warm wet cloth to clean the castor oil off your skin once you're done.

Here's the step by step guide:

Step 1  — Measure your castor oil

It typically takes 1-2 ounces of castor oil to cover the larger areas of the stomach and or small intestines.  Measure this out with a glass measuring cup designed to measure liquids. 

Step 2 — Add your essential oils

The proper dilution for therapeutic effect of essential oils is 23 drops per ounce of carrier oil. We suggest using all five of the following essential oils to ensure you receive the benefits we're discussing here.  We suggest the adding the following amounts of each of the essential oils listed below: 

Ginger - 2 drops

Cardamom - 2 drops

Turmeric - 1 drops

Pink Pepper - 6 drops

Fennel - 12 drops

This formulation comes to a total of 23 drops. Notice, we start with the smaller amounts 1st so you can adjust the drops of fennel if you accidentally add more of the others. You do not want to exceed 23 total drops of essential oils per ounce of castor oil. If you prefer not to formulate this yourself, Call to order this formulation now. 

Note - if you have not used these essential oils on your skin before - we always recommend that a skin patch test is completed prior to further topical application to avoid adverse skin reactions. This is done by placing a small drop of the diluted essential oil on the inside crease of your elbow or wrist, and waiting 15 minutes to see if there is any redness, swelling or irritation. If this occurs - these are not essential oils you should be using - and you'll want to use carrier oil to release the essential oils from your skin tissues, and clean cotton cloths to dab the oils off your skin - DO NOT USE WATER as water will drive the essential oils further into your skin causing increased irritation.

Step 3 — Apply to the stomach

Focus over the upper abdomen and small intestine area. Some people prefer to pour the castor oil over their cotton cloth and then place the cloth over their abdomens, whichever method works for you is completely fine. Please be careful when applying the castor oil as it will discolor clothing.

If you are using a castor oil wrap, fasten the wrap so that the pack stays in place.

Then use your heat pad over the area to warm up the castor oil (note - heat pad can be used for just a few moments, or can be used the entire time this is up to you.

Step 5 — Rest 20–45 minutes

This is the most important part - because we're using this castor oil pack to promote serotonin, it's important that what ever you do for the next half an hour or so be supportive to rest and relaxation. 

You can take this time to take a nap, rest and meditate, enjoy nature, or pray. You can also use this time to journal about all the amazing things you are doing to support your health and wellness, and thank your body for cooperating with you and letting you know what it needs. 

If it feels appropriate, you can choose to do the Vagas Nerve Reset exercise described above, or other vagal nerve activities as well.

Step 6 — Wipe clean

When you're ready, you can either simply wipe your skin clean with a warm damp cloth, or you can take a shower.  

This method is best used 3-4 times a week in winter - especially after large celebratory or festive meals!