Clay is a fascinating simple natural remedy that has been on my mind for a while. I finally was pushed to actually research and try it this past fall when a friend was placing an order- saving on shipping is always a good motivator for trying new things! I tried bentonite clay, from Wyoming, one pound was plenty to experiment with at first and has lasted a couple months.
Clay Is a Fascinating Natural Remedy
- Clay is used both internally and externally.
- Clay pulls toxins and heavy metals out of the body.
- Clay provides the body with minerals such as silica, calcium, iron, and potassium.
- Clay has the unique ability to cling to the area in the body that is troubled; a bee sting, an irritation in the digestive tract, a spot of infection, etc.
- Clay has been used for thousands of years, by cultures around the world.
How Does Clay Detoxify?
How Does Clay Correct Mineral Deficiencies?
Clay contains minerals that are often missing from the foods we eat due to eating processed foods, or even whole foods with poor mineral content due to poor soil. Clay provides minerals to the body as needed, and anything not needed just keeps passing through.
Wet vs Dry Clay
Precautions:
- Clay does have quite a bit of aluminum in it (15% in this bentonite) as well as lead, but due to the charged nature of the molecules in clay, it will not cause toxicity. (source)
- Starting slow is a good idea- I started with just 1/4 teaspoon for each of my small children a day, and worked up to 1 teaspoon (when I’m consistent with it… I try…) and double that for myself.
Our Experiences With Clay
Clay on the GAPS Diet
Is Bentonite Clay GAPS legal and is it recommended?No, it is not recommended to use bentonite clay, particularly when digestive symptoms are present.When you have been on the Full GAPS Diet for a while and your digestive symptoms are gone, then you can experiment with nutritional supplements and remedies (such as bentonite clay), if you feel that they may be helpful to you.
Traditional Uses:
Clay is talked about in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration on page 238,
It is also of utmost interest that among this group in the Andes, among those in central Africa, and among the Aborigines of Australia, each knapsack contained a ball of clay, a little of which was dissolved in water. Into this they dipped their morsels of food while eating. Their explanation was to prevent sick stomach. This is the medicine that is used by the native in these countries for combating dysentery and food infection.
Clay as a Topical Treatment:
Clay and charcoal combine in this mask to smooth and balance skin, absorb excess oil, and remove impurities from skin, especially pores.
Further reading on detoxification support:
- Heavy Metal Removal with Advanced TRS
- Epsom Salt for Detoxification
- Is Mercury affecting your thyroid and hormones?
- The role of heavy metals in autoimmunity (and how to treat)
- Juicing for the GAPS Diet and Healing Leaky Gut
- Charcoal clay mask
Learn how to heal leaky gut
60-page ebook of all my best GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) articles all in one place.
Interesting. I think I’ll have to get some and try it out!
Very interesting. I had heard of clay baths for detoxifying, but had never heard of ingesting clay for detoxifying.
I really like eating clay! We started eating it two years ago. I have friends who have had stomach problems vanish after they added clay into their diets :)
will 100 % calcium bentonite clay work?
I think that’s what this is- it’s bentonite clay at least.
How interesting that you should post about this today! I just bought some bentonite clay yesterday for the first time, to try giving my autistic 3-year old clay baths. :)
Thanks for sharing your experiences with clay. I have some but did not know how to use it so this was helpful. I will make it a wet clay. Keep us updated on any other experiments you try. You are so
adventurous. :) I absolutely loved the verse at the end too!! God our great Creator.
Yeah, I think that verse sometimes is interpreted as ‘clay’ as in we were made from clay- pretty cool, isn’t it?
Adventurous… yeah, it’s funny how far I’ve come, never would have considered this a couple years ago.
I have been using Pascalite clay – a calcium-bentonite clay powder – from Wyoming for several years as my toothpaste. My teeth were starting to get sensitive, and based on a recommendation I read, I gave this a try. The sensitivity disappeared quickly, my gums became healthier, and the added advantage is that I swallow it, so it is included in my diet. It keeps my teeth very white without using the abrasive and questionable chemicals in commercial toothpaste. My dental check-ups have been excellent since using this.
Based on your article, I may try ingesting a bit more. Thanks for the information.
Where do you buy the clay? Where in Wyoming?
I buy it online, the clay just comes from Wyoming (so it’s localish)
Loved this post…I am just finishing up Dr. Price’s book and read the above quote about clay! I thought it was very interesting and even wondered where would be a safe place to buy clay that could be consumed (I don’t just want to scoop up some from outside!! lol!)
Thanks for the info! I think we’ll wait to ingest it as we are newer to GAPS, but a good soak might be in order! =)
Hope you are well!
Blessings,
Tarena
wellfedhomestead.com
I’ve been using food-grade diatomaceous earth (also recommended on WAPF). I’m wondering what the difference is between the two? DE gives the same benefits as clay: detox, mineralization, stronger hair, nails, etc. If anyone knows the diff, please share! Thank you.
I get my DE from wolfcreekranch.com if anyone is interested.
There has to be something to this becaue I have had dogs that would eat clay in a certain spot in the barn.The ones that did were kinda sickly and had digestive and heart trouble.
http://www.morethanalive.com/
More Than Alive has some great articles & edible clay products. I use Dr. Richard Schulze’s intestinal formula #2 & #1. I prefer his, as it is in capsules.
https://www.herbdoc.com/index.php?&c=1
I have been using clay for my family and friends for a while now – and we don’t leave home without it!!!!
It is the best “cure” for food poisoning” or any of those pesky “tummy bugs” that sometimes go around. mix a 1/2 tsp hydrated clay ( you could do 1 tsp for adults) with raw honey and down it or mix with a little apple sauce ( it actually binds with the pectin).We have had such success with this especially while travelling. we have used clay for bites & stings & diaper rash & bruises and we use it on our teeth too!! I use “livingclayco” calcium bentonite & hydrate it. As a powder I use the pascalite powder from wyoming, for diaper rash ( any rash ) teeth etc;
I understand you take Bentonite clay for the trace minerals, Dietomatious earth for getting rid of parasites in the intestines(we ALL have them) or external parasites and Azomite clay is for bringing back spent land (the name Azomite indicates A to Z in minerals and vitamins), you sprinkle it on the ground and it encourages good micro organisms to return to inhabit your soil. There is probably other edible and beneficial clays out there and are probably named according to where on the earth it comes from. France has a famous clay but I forget what it is called. Thanks for the info on brushing your teeth with clay, I’m intrigued.
I have been using clay for several months and recommend to my patients. This is a great, informative article. It works very well for painful joints, tendonitis, injections sites, etc. also. I use Mississippi Miracle Clay. I read the book, ‘Earthing’ which is fascinating, and I believe clay is the portable earthing. It corrects nutritional deficiencies and promotes healing via the Earth’s energy. Super safe and effective. I mix wet clay with coconut oil to brush my teeth. DE is fosslized earth, if my understanding is correct. They share some of the same properties. I have mixed DE with coconut oil for toothepaste also.
I just wondered how your experience is going with the clay lately. I have been taking mine but seem to need
to take some fiber with it and wondered if you also had to add anything. Have you seen any more positive changes in your family’s health with the clay. Thanks.
I would like to try Azomite for my health, can you tell me where to buy it and whats the best form of Azomite. Is Azomite and Bentonite the same?
Thanks, Chester
714-408-3212
I have used bentonite clay internally and externally in the past, but stopped using it in the last year. I have a copper IUD, which is a type of birth control. I like it because it is hormone free. I’m not sure if the clay’s extraction properties would mess up the IUD. Do you know? I can’t find anything online about my question, and let’s just say my obgyn is not into holistic health. Thanks for any insight!
Hi Madison
I am also wanting to know if clay effects a copper IUD (I have one, too). I haven’t been able to find any information about this either. I am concerned about developing copper toxicity from the IUD and am currently taking a teaspoon of bentonite clay daily. Have you found anything out so far?
Suzie
I would also like to know any info you have on bentonite and IUD … I love the benefits and don’t want to stop taking it. I also have the copper IUD and 3 kids and getting pregnant again is not in my plans …
My exact problem! Did you find out if DE will effect our copper IUD???
Check with your health care provider, but I believe the copper IUD works by ‘irritating’ the uterus and making it inhospitable to a fertilized egg. DE or clay should be absorbing the toxins in your digestive tract, not changing what’s in your uterus. This is in contrast to the birth control pill, which can be affected by clay (and charcoal) in the digestive tract since the hormones from the BCP also are absorbed through the digestive tract.
Exactly. IUDs do not prevent conception. They prevent a live birth by killing the baby as he or she can’t implant into the uterine wall.
This is also a backup mechanism to any hormonal method. If the conception of the baby isn’t prevented, implantation is prevented.
Contraception is actually very difficult. Prevention of a live baby birth is actually what’s going on the majority of the time.
Every.single.month. Yes.
I have a question about clay. I ordered a pound each of bentonite and kaolin clay from Mountain Rose Herbs. The bentonite, when I mix it with water, becomes rather lumpy, no matter how much water I mix it with, and it doesn’t make a very good face mask. Once I tried putting it in the bath, and it was lumpy and all clung to the bottom of the bathtub where I expected it to stick to toxic bits in my skin. Does that mean the bathtub is more toxic than me? :-) Does anyone else know what makes my bentonite clay weird? (The kaolin clay, when I make a mask of it, looks a lot more like the typical pictures you see of a clay mask, but it’s less absorbent.)
Bethany,
To avoid the lumps in your bathtub, mix your desired amount of clay with hot water in your blender then pour under the running water of your bathtub. The clay will settle to the bottom and you will have to rinse your tub afterwards. I’ve heard that the more toxic you are the darker your clay will turn in the bottom of the tub. For drinking: mix 1/4 cup of clay with 2 cups water in 2 quart jar. Put on the lid and shake vigorously for 2 min. Take the lid off and allow to breathe for 15 min. Put the lid on and shake again for 2 min. Voila – drinkable clay! Hope that helps.
Can I alternate between DE and Bentonite clay everyday? My gut is happy again after getting rid of Candida yet I still have 18 amalgams I cannot afford to remove safely using holistic dentist. TYSM!
I haven’t seen it in the comments, but redmond’s company sells really good clay. http://www.redmondclay.com/ They also have a really good free downloadable book that explains clay really well too. We love it and have been using it both internally, externally, and clay baths.
I have AZTEC Secret 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay. I have only used it for my skin, but would like to try it internally. It does say on the jar for external use only. Does your clay indicate it is okay for consumption? Should I get one that does say so?
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I’ve become really interested in clays recently and I’ve had the best success with clay from Whatababe Skincare. This is a pure clay that is safe to eat, and use as a mask. I mix a teaspoon of it with water and drink it most mornings. I don’t remember the last time my skin looked as good as it does now on this clay. I also think my nails are growing much faster than they used to, so maybe this is due to the extra minerals I’m getting now. The clay is called clearskinclay and it works like magic for me. Its hard to believe that something so simple can make such a big difference.
I detox with bentonite clay all the time. I have RA and Fibro, and it is a great help to me. I add some Apple Cider Vinegar and Epsom Salts to my clay bath. It really does work wonders!
How much clay do you use in the tub? Can u use it with the Epsom salts? TY