Simple clay is one of the absolute oldest healing remedies on Earth. It is hard to imagine a more sympathetic relationship to any other material than clay to every living thing. It is hard to argue that every living thing reverts back to it's basic mineral remnants (clay) upon physical death - without exception. From this it is safe to conclude that all living things are basically made of Earth or clay and by extension it would make sense that if clay is the main material constituent of a physical organism that that organism could easily satisfy its mineral needs from clay by either ingesting it or by placing it onto the outside of the body. It would not make sense to suggest that clay is a cure-all; but, the properties of clay definitely make it a universal remedy of sorts. When someone does not know what to use, they can always safely use clay. It will not cause any damage to both the injured or undamaged areas.
It is impossible to reproduce clay artificially. It is available everywhere and in such great quantities; why would anyone want to? Clay is nothing more than the very finely eroded particles from water washed mountains and rocks that have been washed down and have settled into generally homogeneous deposits where water is or has flowed.
Every materia medica of every culture that kept written records mentioned the health benefits of clay. This is not insignificant. It was long recognized that clay possessed antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and general cleansing properties. As recently as WWI clay was officially a standard issue to all Russian and French soldiers as part of their first aid kits. It could be used to purify water, dress and disinfect wounds, or against dysentery in the field. Even the British army issued clay or volcanic ash during the Bulkan War to prevent cholera. From simple volcanic ash the mortality rate from cholera among the soldiers went from sixty percent down to three percent without any antibiotics. The clay was simply put into drinking water to inoculate the water from a surprisingly wide variety of bacteria. The clay would also attract and neutralizes poisons in the intestinal tract. Winning or losing a war is critical. That a government would place their trust in clay to this degree is not insignificant. It must work or they could not risk the consequences.
The city of Paris used clay to purify its drinking water. The lives of millions of people were placed into the hands of clay and the fact that clay would not allow detrimental organisms and bacteria to survive in it. For these reasons and a few others clay was confidently used on wounds because it would disinfect them. It was also applied onto broken bones after they had been set.
More recently, notice was given to clay in a manner that might satisfy those who need “scientific validation” in "new research out of Arizona State University, reported by the Geological Society of America finds that one kind of French clay kills several kinds of disease-causing bacteria. Including Mycobacterium ulcerans, a germ related to leprosy and tuberculosis, which causes the flesh-eating disease Buruli ulcer. Currently, advanced cases of Buruli ulcer can only be cured by surgical excision or amputation. In lab tests, the French clay also killed bacteria responsible for many human illnesses, including: Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), penicillin-resistant S. aureus (PRSA), and pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli)." These nasty bacteria are the well known and somewhat embarrassing result of egregious overuse of antibiotics. Clay is an excellent example of a very low tech solution to yet another very expensive man-made problem. It gets very little publicity though.
Here is a further punctuation of the uses of clay for civil uses. Russian scientists, when working with nuclear material, use bentonite clay to protect themselves from radiation. They coat their hands and bodies with wet clay "magma" before donning radiation suits. Bentonite adsorbs radiation so well that it was the preferred material used to dump into the Chernobyl reactor after the its meltdown in Ukraine. Given this ability to adsorb nuclear radiation would make it ideal for lesser forms of radiation as well. Think about all the electromagnetic radiation all around us from cell phones, microwaves, all manner of wireless appliances working off computers, x-rays, TVs and irradiated food; these cannot be as benign as we are told as there is conflicting evidence. (hazards of microwave cooking)
The effectiveness of clay is to be found in its two main general effects:
1) Clay draws into itself, and
2) Clay replaces lost mineral ingredients
Given these two very basic properties of clay it is not unremarkable that clay is as effective as it is.
To some in our present times, it might seem counter intuitive to put "dirt" onto a wound, a broken bone, infection, or skin problem even though historically it was a very, very common practice. The common argument being that there are "germs" in the clay or, that being “dirt,” clay is not sterile and would make their problem worse. How easy it is to forget that all foods that end up in our mouths, come into being, either directly out of the soil of the earth or are fed from what the Earth produces. What else are the fruits, vegetables and meats we eat but earth in a different form that is extruded back out of us as earth to go back into where it came – the Earth?
It cannot be denied that that clay has an extraordinary cleaning and antiseptic effect without being an antibiotic. Clay will eliminate odors, purify water and disinfect by generally drawing impurities into itself. This well known fact has made clay a favorite in spas. Around the world there are therapeutic spas that scientifically apply clay onto specific parts of the body or the entire body. It is applied hot, cool or at room temperature depending on the circumstance. Where natural volcanic clay is available the hot clay is applied onto aches and pains often relieving the pain for months on end. These types of spas offer a one or two week therapeutic regiment of hot clay as a completely pharmaceutical free therapy. A repeated treatment of the same modality means that that modality is effective. This, in spite of the “official” insistence that these are merely anecdotal claims even if they come from thousands of years of practice. Although North America is lagging behind in anything natural, Europe and the rest of the world is far more receptive to such procedures; it is catching on though because of the undeniable benefits. If slimy leeches have made a medical come back; the door is wide open for other effective modalities like them to be reintroduced and clay is a pretty good candidate.
Clay works because it basically detoxifies both locally or systemically depending on how it is applied or otherwise used. Clay being simple earth has the capacity to cool an area where there is too much heat. If it will put out a fire of actual flame, it is not surprising, and experience has proven, that it would positively affect an inflammation in short order.
Clay has been effectively applied to bruises, severe cuts even if the cuts were dirty. It removes the pain and it will attract and draw out what is unclean in the wound; not exactly like, but similar to a leech. As the pain returns, it is an indication that the clay is spent and must be replaced with a fresh application. The clay will tend to stick to areas where it is working the most. Depending on the situation it will dry faster or slower depending on what it is working on.
Parasites are common even in the industrialized first world countries. Parasites are unable to reproduce or feed in the presence of clay. Seems like a simple solution to a rampant problem.
It enriches and balances blood because its very small particle size make it digestible. The body will digest what it needs or what it happens to be dificient in. These nutrients are distributed via the blood stream. The blood cannot give what it needs itself first. So it will balance itself first and then the rest of the body. The cleaning effect that the clay would have with water it will also have on the blood..
Through its detoxifying effects clay can eliminate food allergies, food poisoning, mucus colitis, spastic colitis, viral infections, stomach flu, etc. Clay will assist in virtually all digestive problems. Clay has also been used for stomach ulcers, burns, dysentery, diarrhea, ear infections, anemia and consequently mononucleosis, varicose veins, fibrous tumor, acne, rheumatism, tonsillitis, gums, mumps, endometriosis, hemorrhoids, swollen lymph, arthritis, cataracts, diabetic neuropathy, pain treatment, open wounds, animal and poisonous insect bites, acne. The list of uses is too long for this article but, if it helps, it should be understood that most ailments while having so many different names, actually have very simple and similar origins; the names tend to create an unnecessary confusion. When you think of clay, just think about its aborption and nourishing qualities. When a toxin is being absorbed the reason for an inflamation is being removed. The clay is not anti-inflamatory in and of itself but its action is.
Clay works best if someone is eating a simple but sensible diet. As on the outside of the body, internally clay will absorb toxins and replenish minerals that are lacking. Pregnant women in different parts of the world traditionally would eat clay throughout their gestation period and while they were breast feeding. Naturally, a pregnant woman is prone to various kinds of depletions. Two of which are anemia or mineral depletions. Clay addresses both of these very common depletions effectively and inexpensively. If taken internally, the clay may cause constipation at first so some Rhubarb, cascara or their combination may be helpful (not if pregnant).
It is contraindicated for most that have high blood pressure as clay will increase blood volume and for anemia.
The value of clay has not gone unnoticed in industry. For one, it is capable of absorption as well as combining itself with other ingredients quite easily making it an indispensable part of many industries. Products and processes ranging from paper milling, oil refining to rubber manufacturing use clay as a fundamental ingredient for their processes.
If anyone is living in a building of nearly every kind it will likely have some product made of clay in it. All manner of brick or ceramics making as very ancient arts owe their existence to humble clay and its often high silica content make this possible. In a simpler application clay is also a great absorber for cleaning up toxic spills.
