Month: October 2017

Does Sickness Smell?

(Dr. Mercola) Your olfactory sense, or the ability to smell, is integral to your health. Inside your nasal passages are two patches of cells designed to detect odors. They are made up of nearly 6 million olfactory receptor cells that allow you to detect and differentiate thousands of different scents. Although impressive, other animals have an even more acute sense of smell as often their survival is dependent on being able to smell enemies or their food.1

Your sense of smell is also intimately tied to your emotions, memories, ability to taste and even to sexual attraction. Research demonstrates that your ability to smell may peak at age 8. According to different studies, you may begin to lose sensitivity to scent between age 15 and your early 20s.2 However, that loss in sensitivity to scent is not consistent from person to person as some 80-year-olds have a sense of smell as keen as that of a young adult.

Some degradation of your sense of smell, and therefore your ability to taste food, may be related to air pollution.3 A combination of solvents, pesticides, disinfectants, pharmaceuticals, and perfumes may have a negative effect over the years on your ability to discern scent and on your sensitivity to smell.4 Loss of this ability may affect your capacity to pull up memories from the past.

Research shows odors are an effective reminder of experience,5 which may be tied to the way your brain processes odors and memories. Researchers have also found your sense of smell may predict your longevity, and you may be able to smell the scent of illness. In other words, the relationship between your sense of smell and your health is a two-way street.

Recommended: Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease

Illness Has a Smell

From the early days of medical practice, doctors have used smell and taste to determine if their patients had a disease. Examples may be found from the late 1600s when English physician Thomas Willis observed the relationship between sweet-tasting urine and diabetes,6 to physicians today who may note a fruity scent on the breath of a diabetic whose blood sugar is too high.7 Over the years physicians have moved away from smell and taste to using more reliable methods of diagnosis.

However, a sensitive sense of smell may still give physicians a unique advantage. Some diseases have a particular scent. You may have even detected the scent of a sinus infection on the breath of a loved one. Researchers have described several scents related to diseases,8 including the smell of baked bread on someone with typhoid fever, boiled cabbage in someone unable to metabolize methionine, and the scent of a butcher’s shop on someone who suffers from yellow fever.

It appears that animals use this ability to maintain the health of the group.9 For instance, mice can determine through scent if another is sick, thus avoiding them. After testing this behavior, researchers concluded an inflammatory process in the body of a mouse had a profound impact on social behavior of the individual, reducing the motivation to engage in social interaction. At the same time, illness-related odor cues from a sick mouse inhibited social investigation by healthy members, thus impacting the transmission of disease.

Researchers tested this same response in human behavior and found you likely can smell if an immune response was activated.10Researchers injected participants with an endotoxin and found within a few hours they had a more aversive body odor compared to when they were exposed to a placebo. The researchers believed this chemosensory detection may represent the first experimental evidence that sickness smells.

Recommended: How to Detoxify and Heal the Lymphatic System

The researchers also noted the individuals who were sick did not sweat more. The smell from their body was not only stronger but also had a different odor.11 The smell coming from your body emanates from a variety of different areas, not just sweat or your breath. The scent that is “normal” for you will depend on your age, diet, metabolism, health and gender.12

Mats Olsson, Ph.D., lead researcher evaluating scent change in humans after exposure to an endotoxin, continued this work and found the feelings of disgust individuals experienced after smelling unpleasant smells activated a mild immune reaction.13 This, in turn, may help protect you from getting sick. He also explored other sources of scent, such as breath and urine, and found an inflammatory process was indicated by these odors and was a good indicator of some diseases.

How Does Illness Affect Body Odor?

In the original research, Olsson’s participants rated the scent of body odor, or the scent your body produces after bacteria on your skin breaks down proteins from your sweat into acids.14 Your sweat alone is virtually odorless, but the bacteria on your skin that multiply rapidly in the presence of sweat, and the subsequent breakdown of sweat into acids is what triggers the odor. Your sweat is specific to the individual, which is how dogs and other animals can identify different people.

Recommended: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

The genes that control your immune response also influence your body odor and scent production. An activated immune response may also change your excretion of metabolic byproducts that may also change your body odor.15 For instance, during stress your cortisol levels are higher, and during an immune response your androgen excretion is lower.16

Another example of body odor changing with different levels of hormones in your body is stress sweat. You likely have experienced this phenomenon at some point in your life — your body odor becomes strikingly different and worse when you are stressed. As cortisol and adrenaline, released when you’re stressed, flood your body, they may cause an increase in sweat production.17

However, this type of sweat is released from two different types of glands under your arms. Eccrine glands secrete sweat when you’re overheated, while apocrine glands contribute sweat when you’re stressed.

The difference is that sweat secreted from your apocrine glands contain more of the nutrients bacteria on your skin require to grow and multiply. These added nutrients increase the byproduct of the bacterial metabolism and change the smell and strength of the odor coming from your sweat. In the same way that a “sick smell” triggers an immune response in others, this type of sweat changes the way you’re perceived.18

Man’s Best Friend May Help Detect Disease

Dogs have been used to help people with diabetes detect abnormally high or low blood sugar before they can feel it and predict seizures before they happen. Today, researchers are working with canines to help detect the scent of cancer. Several demonstrations of how dogs are being used to detect medical changes, including the diagnosis of cancer, are shown in this short news video.

Recommended: How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

A dog’s ability to smell is far greater than a human’s. While you have 6 million olfactory receptor cells, dogs have 300 million, and the part of the brain that is devoted to analyzing those odors is proportionally 40 times larger than yours.19 Dogs in the study in Britain detected bladder and prostate cancer 90 percent of the time or greater. In another study, dogs could detect lung cancer with up to 85 percent accuracy.20

In yet another example, a Labrador retriever was trained to detect the scent of colorectal cancer from breath and stool samples with greater than 90 percent accuracy.21 Using breath samples, the dog could detect colorectal cancer with 91 percent accuracy and had an amazing 97 percent accuracy with stool samples. The researchers concluded:22

“This study shows that a specific cancer scent does indeed exist and that cancer-specific chemical compounds may be circulating throughout the body. These odor materials may become effective tools in colorectal cancer screening.”

Even without training, dogs can detect differences in their owners and warn them of impending problems. In a study of 212 dog owners with medically diagnosed Type 1 diabetes, researchers found 65 percent reported their untrained dogs had warned them of an impending hypoglycemic event by barking and growling.23

Researchers have known that malignant tumors exude tiny amounts of alkanes and benzene derivatives that are not found in healthy tissue.24 In another study using dogs to detect either lung or breast cancers, the researchers found the animals were 88 percent accurate with breast cancer and 99 percent accurate with lung cancer detection, with no false positives.25 However, while the dogs provide a noninvasive way of screening for disease, many medical professionals find the practice controversial.26

Not all studies demonstrate the same accuracy, although the scent may be confounded by other odors present in the area, such as hospital odors when tests are done in the hospital. Accuracy is also slightly different between individual dogs, in much the same way that behaviors between most trained animals occur. Some researchers are interested in isolating the exact compounds detected by the dogs so training may be standardized.

Next-Gen Dog Noses

Since some studies have not been able to replicate the results, and the animals do not perform the same way 100 percent of the time, scientists have been investigating the use of electronic noses. The concept is similar to the devices built to detect explosive components used in bomb making.27 Early use of electronic noses was undertaken by police departments to identify and quantify alcohol use in drivers.

However, for electronic devices to function, researchers must first identify the chemical components of the disease that are causing the smell. Scientists believe this may standardize the process and improve diagnosis using noninvasive methods. Using an electronic method may also overcome skepticism of physicians who may not want dogs participating in the diagnosis of disease, but may be more comfortable with an electronic device similar to one in use since 1967 to test alcohol levels on your breath.28

Recommended: Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

While electronic devices may be more acceptable in the medical community for diagnosis, dogs continue to be an important adjunct to the management of several metabolic and neurological disorders. According to George Preti, Ph.D., organic chemist at Monell Chemical Senses Center:29

“There are groups looking to fund research with dogs as detectors because dogs can pick up the odors in people, particularly children who are not properly regulating themselves, Type 1 diabetic children. They can be trained to pick up this peculiar odor on the breath at an early stage and warn people that they are having a low or going into a high of blood sugar.”

Importance of Smell to Your Health and Predicting Death

Your sense of smell may also have predictive value in determining your longevity, and changes in your sense of smell may indicate the early stages of dementia.30 Smell is inextricably linked to memories formed in the limbic area of your brain. In a study of nearly 3,000 people ages 57 to 85, researchers found that nearly all the participants who could identify only one or two of five different scents had evidence of dementia five years after the test was completed.31

The olfactory nerve is located deep in the base of the brain. When you have problems with smell, it may indicate a higher likelihood you may develop Parkinson’s disease or other neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and has an annual research budget of $480 million.32

Recommended: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included

Researchers hope that by using a simple and inexpensive smell test for early identification, patients may be saved the cost of an MRI and offered early intervention to slow the progression of the disease. In an analysis of similar data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project,33 researchers found an inability to perceive odor was associated with a four times greater risk of death in the following five years, compared to those who had a healthy sense of smell.

The researchers took into account potential confounding factors, such as nutrition, smoking, cognitive function and alcohol abuse. The researchers concluded that your olfactory sense was one of the strongest predictors of five-year mortality. As reported in the Guardian:34

“The olfactory nerve is the only part of the nervous system that is exposed to the open air. As such, it offers poisons and pathogens a quick route into the brain, and so losing smell could be an early warning of something that will ultimately cause death.”

The loss of sense of smell is also a symptom of zinc deficiency. You can read more about this deficiency, how to test for it and the foods that may balance your zinc levels in my previous article, “Study Warns That Losing Your Sense of Smell May Mean You May Not Live Much Longer.”

Pregnant Women Who Receive Flu shots at Increased Risks of miscarriages, CDC-funded study finds

(Natural News) If you were told that obediently getting your flu shot every year would give you a 40 to 60 percent shot at avoiding the flu (or zero, if the experts get it wrong that year), but would double your chances of having a miscarriage one day, would you find those odds acceptable? Many women would be appalled if that were true, and would avoid getting the flu shot at all costs. Well, a recent study, published in the journal Vaccine, has reached exactly that conclusion (though everyone seems to be doing their level best to deny the study’s results).

Related:  How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

It is incredibly important to note right at the outset that this study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – the very body that determines the country’s annual vaccination schedule, and the biggest vaccine pusher out there. (Related: Flu facts they don’t want you to know about.)

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), which is pro-vaccines, recently reported:

A study published today in Vaccine suggests a strong association between receiving repeated doses of the seasonal influenza vaccine and miscarriage. [Emphasis added]

This is an unambiguous warning about repeated doses of the flu vaccine for women planning to have a baby. Nonetheless, the article’s author very quickly tried to soften the blow and protect vaccine industry interests. (Related: Discover the truth at Vaccines.news)

Related: Influenza Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness of the Flu Shot

Almost immediately, Stephanie Soucheray, who wrote the CIDRAP article, quoted the lead author of the study as saying that this is not a “causal relationship.” She then interpreted his comment, claiming that “the data don’t necessarily show that the flu vaccine causes miscarriages.”

This is a direct contradiction of her opening remarks, as quoted above.

The study, which was led by James Donahue, DVM, PhD, MPH, a senior epidemiologist at the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, was conducted over the 2010 to 2012 flu seasons, and compared 485 women who had experienced early miscarriage to a number of women who had carried babies to term (either born alive or stillborn).

The research team’s aim was to investigate whether miscarriage was more likely to occur within 28 days of a woman receiving the flu vaccine.

The results were startling.

Related: The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness

For women who had not received a flu shot in the previous year, there was no increased risk of miscarriage. However, women who received back-to-back shots, one of which was the vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 virus, had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 7.7 compared to an aOR of just 1.3 for women who had not been vaccinated during the previous flu season.

The CIDRAP propaganda piece went on to note, “The overall aOR in the 28-day window was 2.0, or double the risk,” but then went on to claim that these results were “not statistically significant.” [Emphasis added]

Soucheray then claimed that the study should essentially not be taken seriously because:

  1. Previous research into a correlation between the flu vaccine and miscarriage did not find the same link; and
  2. It’s likely that only women who would get the flu shot would report it if they had experienced a miscarriage. This, she claims, would skew the results towards an association that isn’t really there. i.e. If you don’t get the flu shot you’re likely ignorant and uneducated and unlikely to report something as massive as a miscarriage to your attending physician.

The CIDRAP article closed off neatly with an admonition to still get your flu shot, and stressed that there was “no change to recommendations.”

Related: Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

The thing is, even the CDC, which stresses the need for pregnant women to be vaccinated against the flu because of its myriad complications in pregnancy, only promises:

Studies in young healthy adults show that getting a flu shot reduces the risk of illness by 40% to 60% during seasons when the flu vaccine is well-matched to circulating viruses.

What that essentially means is that getting the flu shot gives a pregnant woman a 50/50 shot at preventing the virus, and then only if the vaccine is “well-matched to circulating viruses.”

Before every flu season, experts have to essentially guess which three flu strains are likely to dominate and create a vaccine accordingly. This process is random at best, and with only a 50/50 chance of success, but a 200 percent risk of increased miscarriage, it is something that those hoping to fall pregnant in the future need to weigh very carefully.

Sources:

Top Five low-impact exercises for overall health

(Natural News) To anyone who doesn’t frequently engage in exercise, just mentioning the word brings up images of exhaustion, pain, and lots of sweat. These are more than enough to turn plenty of us off from physical activity. Yet according to one Harvard doctor, the best exercises may actually be the easiest ones.

Forget long-distance running: Dr. I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, says that this can do a number on your joints and digestive system. There are five low-impact exercises you can do to lose weight, build muscle, and strengthen your bones, all of which Lee has extensively discussed in a Harvard Medical School report entitled “Starting to Exercise”. These exercises are:

  1. Swimming: Lee has called this “the perfect workout” since it requires you to use all the muscles in your body. Swimming has plenty of other health benefits too, and these run the gamut from improved brain and heart health to decreased risk of chronic illness to better helping you keep your weight under control. Plus, being in water takes a huge load off your joints, so people who have arthritis can easily do swimming and enjoy the benefits it has to offer. Swimming regularly for 30 to 45 minutes is the ideal.
  2. Tai chi: Also known as tai chi chuan, this centuries-old Chinese martial art involves performing a series of slow, rhythmic movements while paying special attention to deep breathing. Although gentle and relaxing in appearance, tai chi can actually enhance your upper- and lower-body strength, boost flexibility, and help you develop a greater sense of balance. Furthermore, practitioners of tai chi typically go at their own pace, so they aren’t left struggling for breath at the end of each session. This makes tai chi perfect for all kinds of people regardless of their fitness level or age. In fact, Lee has gone on to state that tai chi “is particularly good for older people because balance is an important component of fitness, and balance is something we lose as we get older.” (Related: Tai chi benefits people with chronic health problems like Parkinsons, arthritis and fibromyalgia)
  3. Strength training: If your goal is to build muscle and lose weight, then strength training is for you. This type of physical exercise basically involves using weight to create resistance against gravity, resulting in improved strength and endurance. Barbells, dumbbells, elastic bands, weighted ankle bracelets, and even your own body can serve as weights during strength training. You can begin strength training by performing a single set of eight to 12 movement repetitions per session. From here, build up to a greater number of sets and more intense training sessions. Just keep in mind that consistency is the key to getting positive results from strength training.
  4. Walking: Perhaps the easiest exercise to pull off, walking is one of the most beneficial as well. Brisk walking daily for a solid 20 minutes has been found to add years to your life. Even leisurely walking for 30 minutes can do wonders for your brain and body. If you’ve never engaged in walking as an exercise before, then start off with 10- to 15-minute treks around your neighborhood. Gradually build up your walking routine to 30- or 60-minute hikes, and soon enough you’ll be feeling better than before.
  5. Kegel exercises: Doing Kegel exercises will basically have you clenching and releasing the muscles that make up your pelvic floor, which are the muscles that support your pelvic organs. Kegel exercises are usually encouraged as a treatment against urinary stress incontinence, particularly among women. But both men and women can benefit from these exercises since the muscles in our pelvic floor weaken with age and make us more prone to bladder leakage and passing gas at inappropriate moments. To perform Kegel exercise, squeeze the muscles of your pelvic floor in the same way you’d hold in pee and hold these contractions for two to three seconds. Release and repeat 10 more times.

As Lee has shown, you don’t need to push your body until it breaks to be healthy. Making time, putting in the effort, and keeping at it is what exercise is all about. And whether you choose tai chi or brisk walking, you’ll come out looking and feeling your best ever.

Visit Slender.news for more tips and tricks to achieving your best state of health.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk
Independent.co.uk

Do the Healing Benefits of Comfrey Oil Outweigh Its Toxic Effects?

(Dr. Mercola) Comfrey, while considered an important herbal medicine, is controversial due to certain toxic components in it, which led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict the use of oral comfrey in dietary supplements.1

The dilemma is how to weigh the virtues of comfrey oil while considering the safety concerns that surround it. It has exhibited the potential to treat skin concerns and pain when used topically. Learn about comfrey oil, its practical applications and potential contribution to skin healing and maintenance, as well as the FDA’s concerns about it.

What Is Comfrey Oil?

Comfrey oil is extracted from comfrey (Symphytum officinale), a perennial herb of the Boraginaceae family with a black, turnip-like root and large, hairy broad leaves bearings small, bell-shaped flowers. The plant is native to Europe and grows in damp, grassy places such as ditches and riverbanks. It is typically found in Ireland and Britain on ditches and riverbanks, but it also grows in profusion in North America and western Asia.

The plant has found widespread use in folk and herbal medicine for its properties as a healing agent. Its oil, for instance, is ideal as a base for salves and has been used in folk medicine to treat wounds and skin infections.

Uses of Comfrey Oil

Many of the beneficial properties of comfrey are attributed to its high content of allantoin, a substance that, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, helps promote new skin cell growth, along with other substances that may work in reducing inflammation and maintaining healthy skin.2 Comfrey ointments have been used to help heal bruises and pulled muscles and ligaments.

Recommended Reading: How to Get Rid of Muscle Cramps, Charley Horses, Muscles Spasms

Previously, comfrey was used in its tea form to aid in treating stomach problems, as well as ulcers, heavy menstrual periods, diarrhea, bloody urine, persistent cough and even cancer and chest pain.3 But experts have raised the alarm on consuming it, as it contains toxic substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which damage the liver and can lead to fatality. According to the FDA, there is even evidence that PAs may be carcinogenic in sensitive body tissues when used orally.

The FDA reported this in 2001, when it sent letters to supplement manufacturers warning them not to put this herb in dietary supplements. Today, in the United States, comfrey is sold only in creams and ointments; countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Germany have also banned the sale of comfrey-containing oral products.

But this isn’t to ignore the potential healing effects of a common comfrey product, which is its oil. Comfrey oil can help you naturally address wound healing and skin issues4 such as scratches, rash (including diaper rash), bug bites (particularly spiders) and shallow wounds. It is also deemed helpful as a massage salve easing pain from arthritis, muscle aches, low back pain and soreness.5

Composition of Comfrey Oil

The comfrey plant contains substances thought to aid skin regrowth, primarily allantoin but also including rosmarinic acid and tannins. As already noted, it also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which can be toxic to your liver.

Benefits of Comfrey Oil

Here are different comfrey oil benefits classified according to skin or health condition:6

•For skin rashes —– Comfrey oil can help in treating rashes. However, caution should be taken when it comes to deep wounds – the oil can help heal the skin so quickly that the new tissue may cover the wound before deep healing inside, resulting in an abscess or skin infection. Remember, too, that there are warnings against using comfrey on broken skin because its PAs can still be absorbed by your skin.

•As a poultice — A poultice is a good alternative if you have an infection but don’t want to apply comfrey oil directly. Here’s how to do it: Blend 4 cups of chopped comfrey leaves and stems with 1/4 cup of carrier oil, such as jojoba, almond or olive oil. Without straining out the herb, wrap the comfrey oil paste with a cotton cloth. Freeze this poultice before applying to help reduce pain and inflammation. Otherwise, you may apply it directly on the affected area for at least 30 minutes.

•For bone fractures — Apart from helping treat superficial wounds, comfrey oil has also been used for fractured bones or torn ligaments in areas of the body where it is not possible to place a cast, such as a rib. It can be applied directly onto your skin or in a poultice, potentially promoting faster healing. It is also said to help reconstruct torn muscles that might have been injured.

How to Make Your Own Comfrey Oil Infusion

Create an herbal oil infusion7 by infusing 2 cups of cut comfrey leaves in 4 cups of olive oil with a steady low heat (110 degrees) for two to three weeks. Strain and pour into a clean, dry bottle. Here is another comfrey oil infusion recipe, from Wildly Natural Skin Care.8

Ingredients

•8 ounces comfrey leaf (70 percent)

•4 ounces comfrey root (30 percent)

•Extra virgin olive oil, to cover, approximately 16 ounces

Procedure

The roots should already be broken down by chopping. Break up the leaves by hand. To make this using the cold infusion method, put all the herbs in a 16-ounce glass jar, cover with olive oil and cap and shake. This can steep for 28 days. To strain, use a clean old shirt lined in a strainer, pour the mix through into a bowl and squeeze the shirt with herbs in it. The strained liquid is your comfrey oil.

Notes:

•If possible, use freshly dried herbs for this purpose.

•To get fresh, dry comfrey root: Dig the root when it is dry weather. Clean by hand or use some water and a vegetable brush. Brush the root gently. Chop finely; lay out on a paper bag overnight.

•To get freshly dry leaves: Harvest, wipe the dirt off with a towel and allow to dry whole overnight.

How Does Comfrey Oil Work?

As an old European folk remedy, comfrey has many traditional and current uses, mostly focused on skin care. It is important to attribute many of these positive impacts to its high amounts of allantoin, a mucilaginous healing substance that causes cell growth.

Being mucilaginous, comfrey is commonly used for helping heal wounds, preventing scars and treating existing ones, along with decreasing dryness and flaking of skin. The oil appears to work as an anti-inflammatory, an analgesic and an aid in the healing of sprains and broken bones. It also demonstrates effectiveness in assisting treatment of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema.

Recommended Reading: Beat Eczema Naturally

All these potential benefits are obtained through topical application and not ingestion, largely due to the PAs or toxic, liver-destroying substances present in the plant.

Is Comfrey Oil Safe?

Comfrey oil appears to be safe when applied to unbroken skin in small amounts. Note that the poisonous chemicals present in comfrey can still pass through the skin, so they can still be absorbed if your skin is broken or if large amounts are administered. It is considered unsafe to take comfrey oil by mouth because of its PAs, which can cause liver damage, lung damage and cancer. The FDA has recommended that supplement manufacturers not sell any oral form  of comfrey.

While a Garden Web community forum9 argues that the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in comfrey are less toxic than those found in known poisonous plants, such as ragwort, and questions whether PAs cause cancer outside of laboratory experiments, I advise that you err on the side of caution: Stick to prudent topical use of comfrey oil and avoid ingesting any comfrey-based product. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, along with the elderly and children, are also better off avoiding the use of this oil.

Side Effects of Comfrey Oil

There are no known scientific reports of interaction between comfrey and conventional drugs.10 But some herbs that have also been known to cause liver problems — such as kava, skullcap and valerian — should not be used while using comfrey products because of the increased risk for liver damage.

Recommeneded Reading: Boost Your Liver Function Naturally

Diatomaceous Earth – Mother Nature’s Secret Weapon: What Is It, How to Use It, Where to Find It

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powerful, inexpensive solution to most of your health issues. It’s probably the simplest and most straightforward health product out there on the market. It can be used as a beauty product, an internal cleanser, or a deep revitalizer for the whole human body.

(Organic Lifestyle Magazine by Claude Borel) There it is—a bit of diatomaceous earth resting at the bottom of my water glass. It might not taste delicious, but its ability to cleanse my body and fill it with sought-after nutrients more than makes up for it.

Where Does DE Come From?

Diatomaceous earth is the waste product of unicellular algae. Over a 30 million year period, it has taken the form of white sedimentary rock that is typically harvested from the bottom of oceans, lakes, and rivers around the globe. After it is harvested and dried, DE is a fine, white dust.

In 1836-1837, Peter Kasten was the first to discover DE while drilling a well in Hausselberg Hill, which is located in Luneburg Heath, Germany. Until the first world war, most of the worldwide production of diatomaceous earth was from this region.

de-diatomaceous-earth-food-gradeThere are a few deposits here in the United-States. In Colorado and in Clark County, Nevada, there are deposits that are up to several hundred meters thick in places.

  • Marine deposits have been worked in the Sisquoc Formation in Santa Barbara County, California near Lompoc and along the Southern California coast.
  • Additional marine deposits have been worked in Maryland,Virginia, Algeria and the MoClay of Denmark.
  • Freshwater lake deposits occur in Nevada,Oregon, Washington, and California.
  • Lake deposits also occur in interglacial lakes in the eastern United States

arranged-polished-diatoms

What Has Diatomaceous Earth Historically Been Used For?

Throughout its history, DE has been used in chemistry labs for various experiments and procedures when filtering very fine particles. Diatomaceous earth is also used in the filtering processes for drinking water. Fish tanks, swimming pools, beer, wine, sugar, syrups, and honey are all filtered in a medium containing DE.

diatomaceous-earth-diatoms-under-a-microscopeThe agriculture field has greatly benefited  from this product, as it has been used as an insecticide and pesticide, and it has been used as a soil additive for growing potted plants. It serves as an anti-caking agent in grain storage and livestock feeds and has been used for its mild abrasive qualities in products like toothpaste, metal polishes, and facial scrubs.

What Is Diatomaceous Earth Predominantly Used for and Known for at the Present Time?

The usefulness of diatomaceous earth ranges from an internal one (as a natural medicine or supplement), to a solution you can apply in-and-around the house in order to protect yourself from unwanted vermin. DE, amazingly, can also be made into a beauty product with its special and unique properties highly effective against “aesthetic defects” which tend to appear as Father Time catches up with all of us. Here’s a quick list to showcase its numerous benefits:

  • Help the body function and regenerate itself properly
  • Detox the body and kill parasites
  • Have an attractive and improved physical appearance
  • Kill bugs, ants, fleas, and the like
Related: How to Kill Fungal Infections

#1: To Help the Body Function and Regenerate Itself Properly

DE is very rich in silica (85% of it), a trace mineral vital for bone health, artery health, and almost all vital organs like the liver. We used to be able to get our silica from nutrient-rich foods. Unfortunately, traditional farming methods have depleted the soil and the possibility of filling our needs through traditional I-eat-and-my-body’s-needs-will-be-met has become a somewhat utopian thing of the past. That’s why this white rock has become so fascinating to so many people. Silicon, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and iron are only a few of the trace-minerals that you’ll find in the white powder, all of which promote bone and muscle growth. People fighting high cholesterol will be satisfied, too, as it’s known to have a regulating effect on cholesterol levels.

#2: To Detox the Body and Kill Parasites

Within a few months of taking diatomaceous earth most will rid the body of  all parasites and most toxic metals as well.

#3: To Have an Attractive and Improved Physical Appearance

Another interesting facet of diatomaceous earth is that it can be used as a fascial mask and exfoliant.

As a matter of fact, when it comes to the skin, it can be used anywhere, and your skin will thank you for it. But it’s not just the skin that can benefit from diatomaceous earth. It’s also your teeth, your hair, your fingernails: all of which will become stronger and healthier over time.

Related: Heal Gum Disease and Cavities Naturally – Step by Step

#4: To Kill Bugs

The benefits of DE truly seem endless at times, and then again there’s still much more to cover. DE is useful against any type of insect infestation you might have in your house. Bugs adapt to conventional pesticides and become immune to their killing agents.  DE works by mechanical action, disrupting their waxy shell, making them more prone to eventual death by dehydration.

DE will also purify any room it has been applied in by detoxifying the ambient air.

Diatomaceous Earth Is Not Profitable to Pharmaceutical Companies

If this product is so great, why haven’t you heard about it before?

The reason most people remain unaware of this earth’s blessing is because of money. It’s as simple as that. Big business and influential pharmaceutical companies, can only profit from a product if they possess the exclusive rights to its merchandising. That certainly won’t happen with diatomaceous earth since the product comes directly from the earth’s soil.

As a result, DE is one of the hundreds of natural alternatives that get overlooked by doctors and pharmaceutical enterprises. People know about it because their friend, their relative, or someone they trust recommended it to them. If something is genuinely helpful to people, it will eventually make itself  known.

Filter grade DE is great for filtering, but should under no circumstances be ingested or inhaled as it’s very dangerous for your health.
Related: Herbs and a Protocol that Eliminates Parasites from the Body

The Difference between Diatomaceous Earth and Any Other Alternative

What makes DE truly stand out though for its aficionados, and therefore makes it an essential addition to any person’s health cabinet, is its “silica-argument.”

Silica is the most important trace-element in human health.” – Dr. Barbara Hendel.

Life cannot exist without silica. Food grade DE is approximately 80-85% silica. When you take into account that most people are silica-deficient, although still holding over 7 grams of the mineral in their bodies (more than any other trace-element, even iron), you begin to understand its importance a bit better.

Issues/Illnesses Where Diatomaceous Earth Has Been Shown to Be Helpful

  • Osteoporosis: As silica helps with the absorption of calcium, taking a silica supplement along with a calcium supplement can effectively offset chronic illnesses like osteoporosis, which are due to chronically depleted calcium stores.
  • Detoxifying the body
  • Losing weight
  • Revitalizing the skin
  • Promoting hair growth
  • As a cough decreasing agent
  • Fighting kidney stones and healing infections of the urinary tract
  • Reducing inflammation in the intestines and stomach
  • Protecting vital lung tissue from pollution and restoring its elasticity
  • Normalizing hemorrhoidal tissue
  • Preventing side-effects of menopause like stress
  • Killing bacteria and parasites

Such a powerful force of action begs the question: how can a product do so much without it hurting the organism?

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Diatomaceous Earth Is Completely Safe

For example, DE makes your body bug-free, not with a chemical but by physical action. The hundreds of particles that attack the insect are so small, so microscopic, they cause no harm whatsoever to people or pets. So it’s completely safe to ingest orally, as long as it’s food grade!

Calcined vs. Non-Calcined/Amorphous vs. Crystalline/Food Grade vs. Non-food Grade

Filter grade DE is great for (like the name says it) filtering, but should under no circumstances be ingested or inhaled as it’s very dangerous for your health. This version of the white powder starts by being food grade DE with at about 85% amorphous silica, but then it’s heated to about 1000 degrees. The purpose of this is to make the exoskeletons of the diatoms much harder, which makes for improved filtering properties. The process causes the amorphous silica in DE to turn in to crystalline silica. It’s now called “calcined” diatomaceous earth and is 60% crystalline. The world health organization says DE needs to be less than 2% crystalline silica in order for it to be safe. You don’t want to ingest or inhale this form of DE (though it’s not good to inhale any DE). Also, in order to be considered food grade, the diatomaceous earth (food grade) has to have arsenic levels below 10mg/kg and lead levels below 10mg/kg.

What If I’m Taking Medication?

Reports have been extremely positive with or without medication. DE doesn’t seem to interact at all with pharmaceutical drugs, maybe in part because DE essentially operates through mechanical action only (by tabbing and mangling the little buggers).

Apparently, though, some people experience a rise in energy after taking the powder, a side-effect which has no major consequence, but it might interfere with a goodnight’s sleep. It is advised not to consume any diatomite before going to bed precisely for this reason.

Related: How to Detoxify From Chemotherapy and Repair the Body

So How to Use Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade)

#1: Internal Use

  1. First week: 1 teaspoon of DE in a glass of water or favorite juice, first thing in the morning (the body needs time to get used to it).
  2. Week 2, 3, and 4: 1 tablespoon of DE in a glass of water, again, first thing in the morning.

The following is only if you wish to do a full detox or have a parasitic infection 

  1. For the next 3 months, take 2-3 tablespoons of DE every single day.
  2. Stop taking it for one whole month. In other words, you don’t take anything on the fourth month.
  3. Start again with 2-3 tablespoons per day for the next 3 months.

Note: drink a lot of water to help flush out toxic metals and dead parasites out of your system.

#2: External Use

Step 1: Mix diatomaceous earth and some water in a bowl (roughly 1 part DE to 3 parts water).

Step 2: Choose whether you prefer a mask or a facial scrub. If you want a mask, just add more of DE to the mixture. If you want a scrub, just add more water to dilute the solution even more.

Step 3: Whatever you have decided, spread the mixture across your forehead, your nose, your chin, and your cheeks.

Step 4: Leave it on your face for 2-5 minutes, allowing it to dry.

Step 5: Finally, thoroughly wash your face with some water and a wash cloth. And that’s it, my friend. You should be good to go now—your skin, delicately exfoliated by the sweet action of diatomaceous earth.

How to Use Crawling Insect Control Diatomaceous Earth

Crawling Insect Control is a good way to control ants, bedbugs, box elder bugs, carpet beetles, centipedes, crickets, cockroaches, earwigs, fleas, grasshoppers, millipedes, slugs, and silverfish (Never ingest it orally).

You’ll need a hand-duster, power-duster, or other similar means for application.

  • Indoor use: Lightly coat a thin layer of Crawling Insect Control in cracks and crevices; behind and beneath refrigerators, cabinets, stoves, garbage cans; in and around sewer pipes and drains, and window frames; and in attics and basements.
  • Outdoor use: Place in areas around patios, outdoor sills, window and door frames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EESQG9b-yc&list=PLWRMcGAPG97SRpvHA33BSRB0GHk6YuYsn

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