A while back, a friend told me about her experience with taking diatomaceous earth to supplement her holistic lifestyle.

Me: "Dia-what?!”

Her: “Diatomaceous earth- it’s like dirt that you drink and it cleans your body out like an air filter.”

That’s all I needed to hear; I love trying new things and I will eat, drink or do almost anything if I think it will optimize my health and bring me closer to the type of body that God intended for me before the Fall.

What is it?

Food grade Diatomaceous Earth is a fine powder produced from soft, silica-obtaining sedimentary rocks. They come from the fossilized remains of diatoms, microorganisms found in the world’s oceans, waterways, and soils.

What makes it unique?

It’s rich in silica: a mineral essential for health bones, teeth, skin, hair and nails.
It has a very strong negative charge, which attracts it to positively charged bacteria, parasites and viruses, and helps eliminate them from the body.
It’s very hard, which gives it a beneficial abrasive quality.

Uses

Diatomaceous earth has many uses, and I encourage you to research them more if you decide to try it.

Popular uses:

1. Facial scrub or mask. Mix with water or honey to make a paste, spread onto your face (avoiding eye area), let sit for a few minutes, then remove. DE contains other minerals that can be absorbed through your skin, supplementing a mineral rich diet, which is vital for bone health.

2. Cleans teeth. DE’s abrasive nature helps remove plaque, tartar and stains from your teeth, two of which can present health concerns if not addressed. Sprinkle over your toothpaste and brush.

3. Strengthen bones. Silica works with calcium to increase bone strength and higher silica intake is associated with higher bone mineral density.

4. Strengthen teeth. Silica hardens tooth enamel and can remineralize teeth.

5. Connective tissue and skin health. silica is necessary for collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, and one that provides strength, flexibility and resilience to connective tissue.

6. Strengthen hair. Silica’s mineral content can promote more nourished and healthy hair.

7. Strengthen nails. Silica is essential for strong, healthy nails (I noticed stronger nails and hair within days!).

8. Detoxing/parasites. The negative charge of DE attract it to positively charged bacteria, parasites, and viruses. It’s cylindrical shape causes the pathogens to get trapped inside and carried out of the body.

Parasites?

Yes, parasites. They are almost everywhere and impossible to avoid. This is what convinced me to try DE in the first place, and it was well worth it. Parasites are pathogens that create a waste material that is poisonous to the body. You can contract parasites through contaminated food and water, undercooked meat, sushi, unclean fruits or vegetables, and more. You can even contract parasites through the bottoms of your feet and by touching anything that has been contaminated with parasite eggs: phones, door knobs, cutlery, and more. As you can tell, they’re impossible to avoid (but washing your hands helps!), so before you get down about possibly having a parasite, the good news is detoxing with DE may help or rid you of symptoms that have been plaguing you without explanation, such as:

Skin irritations such as rashes, hives, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis
Unexplained constipation, diarrhea or other symptoms of IBS
Digestive problems
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Aching muscles or joints/Arthritis
Chronic fatigue or exhaustion
Brain fog
Depression and anxiety
Iron deficiency or anemia
Vitamin deficiencies
Chron’s Disease
and more

The by-products parasites emit and the symptoms they present can influence how you feel, think and act. When I detoxed from unwanted parasites and toxins, I was relieved of unexplained fatigue and brain fog that frustrated me and influenced me to sinfully act out toward others. Using DE is one tool I use to stay one step ahead of my tendency to sinfully give in to my frustration and restore my body (as closely as possible) to the state in which it was intended before the Fall.

How to take it

Take DE on an empty stomach. I recommend starting slowly with 1 tsp mixed in water and working your way up to 1-2 TBS. If the chalky consistency bothers you, you can add to another beverage like a smoothie (but remember that parasites feed on sugar, so drink sugar containing beverages sparingly).

Detox reaction

Some people experience a die-off reaction, which may present as mild flu-like symptom for a couple of days. As your body kills off parasites and yeast, they release by-products that are best removed through your sweat glands. Sweat. I highly recommend exercising or sitting in a sauna or hot tub to rid these toxins faster and prevent them from recirculating in your body. If this isn’t an option, take a break from the DE for a few days and remember to stay well hydrated. Activated Charcoal. I also recommend supplementing with Activated Charcoal from coconut shells, which can be found online or at your local health food store. It also has a negative charge and binds to unwanted toxins and removes them from your body. This is a great way to help your body in its elimination process. I do not take charcoal at the same time as prescription medication or other supplements (wait 2-3 hours after taking), as it binds to the good and the bad stuff.

Food grade vs. Non-food grade

Make sure you’re using food grade DE. Non-food grade DE has a crystalline structure that makes it unsafe for us to ingest or inhale, and is often used as a flea powder and for pest control.