Medicinal Use / health tonic
Drinking Dirt Is Good For You?!
Spring is finally here and if you dug yourself into a health hole this winter, you are not alone! This 'recipe' is for a simple, daily detox you can drink first thing in the morning to help give your whole digestive system a fresh start. I've been drinking this every morning for months now and I think you might want to try it too. The main ingredient? It's dirt! Not just any dirt, for this healthy dietary supplement you want to get food grade diatomaceous earth. You may have seen the non food grade stuff for sale at a garden center or hardware store. There are a lot of ways to use D.E. around the house, garden and even on your pets.
I want to focus on the long list of health benefits associated with drinking a teaspoon to a tablespoon of food grade diatomaceous earth daily, mixed in water or juice. According to DiatomaceousEarth.com: "Food grade DE contains about 14 trace minerals. "Trace" means up to 1 percent, so each of the trace minerals are present in that amount. This means that food grade diatomaceous earth is largely made up of amorphous silica, which comprises about 85 percent of food grade diatomaceous earth. There is some research that suggests possible health benefits from silica. The health benefits listed below are ones reported by other people who have used DE in their diet:
- - better digestive health
- - more regular bowel movements
- - detoxifies
- - healthier colon
- - reduced cholesterol
- - better food absorption
- - better night's sleep
- - clearer skin
- - stronger teeth and gums
- - healthier hair and nails
- - less joint and ligament pain
- - helps arthritis
- - less sickness
- - more energy
- - soothes burns
- - insect bites
- - clears skin rashes
- - less acne
- - possible antiparasitic
- - could lower Candida levels"
The last one was of particular interest to me, but that list is impressive! I started with a teaspoon and slowly worked my way up to a heaping tablespoon of this fine, tasteless powder per day. I noticed some detoxing the first day, but was able to avoid any more detox symptoms (headache, feverish, nausea, weakness) by very slowing increasing my dose over several days. Not everyone experiences detox symptoms, I had a hunch that I would since I have digestive Candida issues. I have noticed that my digestion is better, I get less of a reaction to foods containing carbohydrates and sugars, fewer Candida symptoms overall and yes, my nails are stronger, my skin is clear and my knees are not complaining about running now that Spring is here!
So, you know what it can do for you, but how does Diatomaceous Earth work in your digestive system? Here's a quick explanation from EarthWorksHealth.com:
"Diatomaceous Earth is quite hard. On the hardness scale where diamonds are a 9, Diatomaceous Earth is a 7. This is very important because as those millions of tiny, hard and sharp Diatomaceous Earth cylinders pass through the small and large intestines, they "scrub" the walls. After only a few months of taking Diatomaceous Earth, the intestine wall is no longer coated with mucus and molds but CLEAN!!"
Want to try drinking dirt? Mix a teaspoon or less into 8 or more ounces of water or juice first thing in the morning. D.E. has no taste, so it's easy to drink. I like to add a teaspoon of powdered psyllium husks and a tablespoon of bentoite clay to help clean my digestive system and pull out toxins. Try one or all three for a week and see how you feel. If you add the psyllium, make sure to drink more water or hot tea (8 oz or more) afterwards to give the psyllim enough water to absorb. I will sometimes add coconut oil to hot tea and drink that after I have my D.E. mixture. Coconut oil also has a wide variety of health benefits as well as a lot of caprylic acid, which also helps keep Candida in balance.
You can buy D.E. from the Pittsfield Health Food Center on North St. where they also sell bentonite clay and psyllium husk powder, or order online from DiatomaceousEarth.com.
Disclaimer: Always check with a health care professional before starting new supplements, especially if you take any medication. Detoxing is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
Wicked Simple Sauerruben Recipe
Cool Drinks for Hot Summer Days
Ingredients to make one cup of Switchel concentrate:
- ¼ cup of Fire Cider
- 3 Tablespoons fresh ginger juice
- 3 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey
Shake well to combine all ingredients.
Serve about 2-4 ounces of concentrate over ice, top with soda water to make a pint.
Store leftover Switchel mix in the refrigerator.
Citrus Switchel
Makes 2 servings-
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or Fire Cider
- juice from 1/2 a grapefruit
- 1 1/2 tablespoons, or more to taste, raw, local wildflower honey
- Soda water or plain water
- 2 lime wedges
Fire Cider, Co-op Grocery Stores and the Dr. Oz Show!
Eating From The Ground Up!
Fire Soder!
Guest Blog Post: Health Benefits of Ginger
Here's one in a series of post's we'll be doing on the health benefits of the ingredients we use in Fire Cider®. Let's start with one of my favorites, GINGER!
This guest Blog post is by David Novak from Healthline.com:
Ginger is widely used in different culinary cuisines and has numerous therapeutic health qualities. It is a rhizome, or mass of roots, from the plant Zingiber officinale, and with the numerous members of this plant family, all have their own uses as a delicacy, medicine and spice. Ginger can be served in solid form as fresh, dried or powdered, and in liquid form such as juice, extract or oil. It has been found to be highly effective in fighting a variety of diseases and conditions because of its ability to relieve excessive inflammation, which is a notable underlying cause of many illnesses. Here are several areas where ginger has been shown to be very effective:
[caption id="attachment_421" align="aligncenter" width="538"] Diagram of the Ginger Plant.[/caption]Anti-inflammatory effects
Ginger has been known to have tremendous anti-inflammatory effects. It contains gingerols, which is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that is believed to reduce pain for people who have arthritis. Ginger also aids in improving the mobility of arthritic patients, particularly those who are suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
In studies conducted in patients who responded to conventional drugs and those who didn’t, researchers found that 75-percent of arthritis patients and 100 percent of patients suffering with muscular discomfort experienced relief from swelling and pain. Other neurodegenerative diseases can also be aided by ginger’s ability to inhibit the production of nitrous oxide and proinflammatory cytokines.
Cancer
Gingerols, which is the main active component in ginger and responsible for its distinctive taste, can also help in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. In a colorectal cancer research study, mice were injected with cancer cells, and only 4 tumors were found in those treated with gingerol, compared to the 13 tumors found on those without gingerol. An ovarian cancer study and ginger also produced positive results. The cancer cells were exposed to a ginger powder solution, and these cells either died due to apoptosis, in which they commit suicide, or autophagy, where they digested or attack themselves. According to the researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, the ginger solution can also prevent the cancer cells from building up a resistance when it comes to cancer treatment.
Gastric distress
Ginger also has the innate ability to ease gastric distress and it does more than simply relieving pain. In a study conducted for those suffering from dyspepsia, they were instructed to take ginger capsules, and the study found that ginger was indeed helpful in stimulating the emptying of the stomach without any negative effects. Ginger contains an antispasmodic agent that has been shown to be very beneficial for the digestive tract. It also inhibits H. Pylori, which is a bacterium found in the stomach that causes several types of stomach ulcers.
Toxicity
Ginger has been found effective in preventing toxic effects from a wide array of substances. This includes doxorubicin and excitotoxin monosodium glutamate or MSG. The cancer doxorubicin has been found damaging to the kidneys, however, ginger is found effective in alleviating it. MSG has been widely used as a food additive and although its effects are still controversial, it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or FDA. Ginger extract has been shown effective in protecting the nerves against damage caused by MSG.
Nausea, vomiting and motion sickness
Ginger has been found effective in nausea in all kinds of situations. It has been long used for sea sickness and motion sickness prevention. Ginger can also be used effectively for pregnant women, even for those who suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum, which is an acute form of nausea and vomiting that often requires hospitalization. In a randomized controlled trial published in 2005 by Obstetrics and Gynecology, ginger was found effective in relieving the severity of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The review also confirmed that ginger has no side effects or adverse effect during and after pregnancy.
Dysmenorrhea
Based on a study conducted in young women suffering from menstrual pain, ginger has been found as effective as other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ponstel and ibuprofen. It is one of the safest alternative medicines you can use instead of over-the-counter drugs.
Immune boosting action
Ginger has been found very effective in promoting healthy sweating, which can be helpful for colds and flu. It assists in detoxification by removing toxins thru sweat glands. According to German researchers, sweat carries a potent germ-fighting agent that aids in fighting off infections.
David Novak’s is a nationally syndicated columnist, and his byline has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world. He’s an avid health enthusiast, and frequently is featured in regional and national health publications. He is also a weekly writer for Healthline. To visit his other features, visit http://www.healthline.com/.