One summer day a few years ago, my wife Vida and I were in the kitchen when we heard one of those piercing screams that send adrenaline spikes through a parent’s heart. Our son, Max, who was 8 at the time, picked up a rock and was stung by a scorpion. I knew that our Central Texas variety of scorpions weren’t known to be lethal, but I also knew that Max was allergic to ant stings and was afraid that the much stronger toxins in the scorpion’s sting would wreak havoc on his system.
As soon as we discovered the source of the pain, Vida and I had two completely different reactions. I ran to the phone to call poison control and she ran into the bathroom and grabbed a Tupperware container of bentonite clay mixed with water that she occasionally used as a beauty mask. Meanwhile, our son’s death screams shook the chandeliers. When I found the poison control number and was about to dial, something strange happened. Be quiet. I walked out into the living room and my son’s face, still flickering white and red from lack of oxygen from all the screaming, gaped at a glob of wet mud matting on the top of his hand. . He seemed surprised that the pain was gone.
“What the hell is that?” was my question
“It’s clay,” Vida told me. “I read it was good for bug bites.”
That was my introduction to calcium bentonite clay. Apparently, the clay paste absorbed the toxins from the superficial puncture wounds and eased Max’s pain in a matter of seconds. By the way, he was fine and the swelling went down about 30 minutes after we removed the paste.
It turns out that we live literally 15 minutes away from author, motivational speaker, keynote speaker and founder of The Living Clay Company, Perry Aldridge. His book, Living Clay, is the seminal work on the subject, and Perry A herself has access to a calcium bentonite mine that produces some of the finest calcium bentonite clay in the world. The source for the following information on the benefits of bentonite clay comes from this book.
Bentonite clay sometimes referred to as “Montmorillonite” refers to edible bentonite clay that belongs to the smectite family of clays. These clays were formed from volcanic activity millions of years ago.
Many sodium-based clays are marketed as edible bentonite clays, but require mixing with an acidic beverage to offset the high sodium content before consumption. Our bodies cannot tolerate large amounts of sodium, so the amount of sodium-based clay that can be consumed in a day is restricted to small amounts. There are no such restrictions for the consumption of pure calcium bentonite clay.
As Perry A says in his book, Living Clay: “Sodium-based clays are used primarily for industrial purposes, including: drilling mud, kitty litter, plaster, matches, cement tiles, grease, paints for the household, copy paper, dynamite, shoe polish, concrete, crayons, and bleaching agents. Calcium-based clays are called “living” clays since they consist primarily of minerals that contribute to the production of enzymes in all living organisms.” .
Calcium bentonite clay is the preferred clay for ingestion by humans, animals, and plants and for incorporation into the soil, so be careful when purchasing consumer clay and check labels. The best calcium bentonite clay is pure with a very fine mesh.
Humans have been using healing clays externally and internally to cure illness, sustain life, and promote general health and wellness.
Calcium bentonite clay is both an “adsorbent” and an “absorbent” agent.
The difference between these two words is critical to understanding how bentonite clay minerals work and how healing clay works.
Perry A explains in his book Living Clay: “Adsorption describes the process by which charged particles of other substances combine with charged particles on the outer surface of the clay molecule. Bentonite clay molecules carry an electrical charge negative while toxins, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other impurities carry a positive charge. When clay enters the human body, the positively charged toxins are attracted to the negatively charged surfaces of the clay molecule. Clay molecules act like a magnet, attracting and holding toxins and impurities to its surface, and flushing them out when the clay is removed or expelled, which is why it is important to drink plenty of water after ingesting live clay, to help flush out the now toxic clay.
Absorption is a slower and more complex process. Acting like a sponge, the bentonite clay molecule draws other substances into its internal structure. Absorbent clays are charged in their inner layers. This means that the charged ions are found between the layers of the clay molecule surrounded by water molecules. The clay expands as foreign substances are absorbed and fill the spaces between the stacked layers of the clay molecule. The absorbent clay will absorb positively charged toxins and impurities and ignore negatively charged nutrients. Calcium bentonite clay is by far the most effective clay, with the highest pulling power.”
It turns out that bentonite clay has many more uses than simply as a paste for insect and scorpion stings. He goes abroad to Southeast Asia every year. I never travel without my clay and I no longer suffer from traveler’s diarrhea or dysentery or any of the countless other illnesses I used to get perennially when traveling. A couple of ounces mixed with water before bed followed by a glass of water and this works for me.
Most people laugh when I tell them I eat dirt and have no idea I even brush my teeth with it. But you know what? It’s fine. Our family budget for medical expenses has nothing but zeros.
Copyright (c) 2011 Free Spirit Health
