Have you heard about the health benefits of food-grade diatomaceous earth?

5 Ways Diatomaceous Earth Can Improve Your HealthThis off-white powder, commonly referred to by its abbreviation, DE, is well-known as a natural insecticide, but strangely enough, it can also be very beneficial for human health.

Diatomaceous earth is one of the cheapest ways around to improve your health. You can get a 10-pound bag of it for under $30. That will last for at least a year!

Just make sure to always ask for food grade — that’s important. Also, be careful not to breathe it in, as breathing the dust can be harmful to your lungs.

Start with about a teaspoon a day and gradually work up to a heaping tablespoon. Many people have used it for years with no ill effects, but if you have any concerns, ask your doctor first.

Diatomaceous earth comes from the tiny skeletons of one-celled aquatic organisms called diatoms. Over millions of years, the skeletons have fossilized and formed sediment in bodies of water.

Today that sediment has become part of land masses and is mined for its health benefits as well as for industrial uses.

Under a microscope, these tiny fossilized skeletons are highly geometrical, like snowflakes. And like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike. To see what they look like for yourself, CLICK HERE or go to Google Images and type in “diatomaceous earth under a microscope.” 

DE is made up of various minerals, including silica. We have plenty of this essential trace mineral when we’re young, but as we age, we don’t have enough, and as a result we have a hard time making collagen.

Without enough collagen, our nails become brittle, our hair gets dull and lifeless, and our skin loses its elasticity.

As you probably know, collagen is an important protein that helps build our connective tissues that hold our bones, skin, cartilage, joints, and tendons together. Without it, we’d literally fall apart!

Here are some ways DE can help you be more youthful and vital:

1. Softer skin

One of the nicest things about regular use of DE is that it gives you softer, healthier skin with fewer wrinkles. Use it in conjunction with Micronized Purple Rice (MPR), and you’ll soon have the fabled “skin like electric velvet!”

MPR helps DE and other nutrients be absorbed through the cell walls better so they can be used more efficiently.

Be sure to drink plenty of water with your DE, too — you should be doing that anyway, but if you want ultra-soft skin, drink half your weight in ounces of pure water every day.

For even softer skin, mix your DE with about a quarter cup of aloe vera juice (inner fillet is best) and eight ounces of water. You can buy aloe vera juice by the gallon at health food stores. Look for the kind without preservatives. Store it in the fridge, and use it up in about a month, checking it often for mold. If you buy the kind with preservatives in it, it will last for months in the fridge — but it’s best to avoid preservatives.

2. Strong, shiny hair

Our hair contains a lot of silica, and as we age, we lose silica. That’s why older hair can look limp and dry, with no body. DE can help make it shiny, bouncy, and healthy. If you’re tired of lackluster hair, split ends, and hair that says “I’m aging,” give DE a try. 

3. Healthy fingernails

5 Ways Diatomaceous Earth Can Improve Your HealthAnother common complaint that many women have about the aging process is nails that are brittle, split easily, and have ridges. DE can help.

Use it daily for a month of so, and your nails will take on that smooth, hard, strong look they had when you were younger, especially if you are also eating enough high-quality protein and use Micronized Purple Rice to help with absorption. Many customers report that MPR on its own helps a great deal with nails, but DE can also help, especially in stubborn cases.

4. Detoxification

One of the things DE is known for is its ability to remove worms and other unwelcome parasites from our bodies. It does this with mechanical action — literally sweeping them away.

DE can also help remove pathogens from our gut, allowing beneficial gut flora to flourish. This helps clear up constipation, diarrhea, and other intestinal issues, leading to better overall health.

Free radicals are toast with DE, too, because of its electrical activity. This contributes to softer skin as well.

5. Better heart health

The walls of our blood vessels are fortified with silica, which as we’ve discussed decreases in our bodies with age. Strengthening your arteries and veins with DE will help with your cardiovascular health overall.

Many people have reported that DE helps to lower their cholesterol, and it helps remove plaque from artery walls, too. Use it in conjunction with MPR and bring it down that much faster!

Have you used Diatomaceous Earth? If so, what did you think? Please let me know in the comments below!

   Photo credit: AlishaV via Visual hunt / CC BY