 |
Healing Clay Treatments
Using healing clay from the Earth provides the most truly "natural" body detox you can find. Mud and clay from the Earth contain a high number of essential minerals and provide various healing benefits when used for both internal and external detoxification. Yes, it really is healthy to “eat clay,” and we’ll get to that in a moment… Clay is formed when rocks, minerals and volcanic ash are exposed to pressure, water and high heat over a period of millions of years. Clay contains the Earth’s geomagnetic force and so has special healing qualities. The crystalline structure of clay renders it absorbent and alkaline in nature so that it neutralizes body acidity. Pathogenic bacteria thrive on body acidity, so clay is an effective antibacterial agent. The constant exposure to water over a period of centuries gives clay a negative ion charge, so that it draws out and collects toxic materials and metals much in the same way as detox foot pads do. In a bath, or in the gut, the mineral ions of clay attract the positive charges of bacteria, pathogens and parasites, giving the body a nice natural way to cleanse these harmful wastes. The negative ions also bind nicely with toxic heavy metals, giving the body a much-needed way to expel synthetic chemicals and metals as well. Clay can -- and should -- be eaten because it contains so many macrominerals vital to health, such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, silicon, and zinc. You may purchase bentonite clay in powdered or capsule form in many health food stores and sprinkle it on your salads or vegetables, or just swallow the caps with plenty of water. Bentonite clay taken internally is an excellent way to give yourself a natural body cleanse safely and easily, and also prepares you for more lengthy detox diet regimens too. Green clay is commonly used in spa treatments and is shown in the photo. It is very absorptive, high in pH and rich in ions and minerals; it is a very healing clay in all respects. Types of green clay are:
Bentonite clay can be purchased in capsule form and taken easily with water or juice. It is not a good idea to take bentonite over a prolonged period of time; occasional use is best. It may be used as part of a body detoxification program, not on an ongoing basis as it can begin to remove minerals from the body over time. When used as part of a body detox program bentonite is an effective colon cleanser and detoxifier. Search here for suppliers of green clay: How to Prepare a Healing Clay Bath in Your HomeBathing or soaking in green or bentonite clay can detox the body by gently drawing out heavy metals and other toxins. Since detox bathing can be somewhat draining for the body, we recommend lightening the toxic load by eating a very light, simple diet in advance of the detox bath and drinking plenty of water. Refrain from eating heavy fried foods, sugars, white refined flour or white sugar products, baked goods, desserts, heavy dairy products, and rich foods, for at least five to seven days in advance of your healing clay bath so that your body can more easily receive -- and process -- its benefits.
The amount of clay to be added depends on how strong you want the detox bath to be. A useful rule of thumb is to use 10 to 12 cups if you are suffering from a chronic illness, such as toxic metal poisoning. For a more relaxing bath, use between one and five cups of clay. Experiment with the amount and see which one suits you best.
After Your Healing Clay BathYou may want to rinse off quickly in the shower after soaking in your clay bath, but it's not necessary. If you have used only a cupful or two of green clay in the water, you may allow it to drain normally from the tub. But if you have used several cupfuls of clay in the bath, you may not want the sludge to pass through your bathtub drain. Place a sheet of muslin or cheesecloth directly over the drain hole so that the clay sludge gathers on top of it while the water drains out. Once you have collected a large amount of clay in this manner you can just throw it away. Any clay sludge remaining in the tub can just be wiped up and discarded too. You may notice something shocking: after the bath, the clay (which started out looking greenish-grey), is now BLACK! That means that toxic metals and waste have been drawn out of your body and into the bath water. It's the sure sign of a successful healing clay detox bath! If you don't want to attempt an entire bath, then soak a cloth or cotton wrap in a basin containing warm water and one half to one cup of clay. Use the clay as a compress or pack, anywhere: on the forehead for a headache, on the jaw for a toothache, on an elbow or knee for a painful joint wrap. Healing clay is a simple yet powerful ingredient that belongs in any natural home remedy kit.
Home body wraps
|
