Have you ever used Diatomaceous Earth? Have you ever even heard of it? If you’re like most people, you haven’t. Diatomaceous earth or DE is the one of the most common natural substances on the earth yet the vast majority of people don’t know it even exists. It’s found in sediments that collect on the bottoms of lakes and rivers that have dried up and is comprised of one cell organisms that lived in the water called diatoms. It is also a staple for anyone who is attempting a natural living lifestyle. DE is also full of silica, as in it’s 84% silica, which in case you didn’t know? Is necessary for life. Silica contains the building blocks for your bones, teeth, nails and even your hair. Not only is Diatomaceous Earth full of much needed silica, but it also contains up to 20 different trace minerals that we all need in our lives too.
For someone like me whose body doesn’t hold onto nutrients and minerals like it should and who is sensitive to “everyday” chemicals, Diatomaceous Earth is a lifesaver. Drinking a DE tonic each day allows me to have that one last small push each day to get the minerals that I need and to detox my body from any chemicals that I’ve been around and that have entered my body. Because DE is considered hard (as in it’s almost as hard and sharp as diamonds!), it helps to detox the body as it sweeps through our intestinal tracks after drinking or eating it in a natural, raw and healthy diet.
One thing that you need to know is that yes, Diatomaceous Earth is actually dirt. It’s different than the dirt in your front yard though. Your front yard dirt isn’t good for much other than growing flowers but is good for everything from killing fleas to boosting your cardiovascular system to filtering water and more. The benefits are huge so it makes no sense to me why so few people know about this “little” gem. If you’re trying to live a lifestyle that is more of a natural living style, I can’t urge you strongly enough to consider adding Diatomaceous Earth to your home and routines. It’s strange to say that “dirt” has changed our lives, but the simple truth is that it has.
Natural Living – Diatomaceous Earth and Why you Should Use It
Before you buy your Diatomaceous Earth, you need to be aware that there are three different grades; food grade and industrial (or pool) grade. You’ll need to make sure that you pay attention to the grade that you buy. For the most part you’ll want to use food grade Diatomaceous Earth and since it is non-toxic, it is safe to use in your home, to consume and around your kids and pets and for every aspect of natural living. Industrial grade DE is used to filter water (which makes it great for when you are preparing for an emergency by the way) and is toxic when ingested. It’s extremely vital to pay attention to what grade you’re using; especially if you plan to use it in your home, garden, diet, or around your kids or pets.
For those that are into natural living, DE is a fantastic way to take care of certain issues without having to spend money on expensive essential oils. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love and have faith in essential oils for treating health issues, cleaning and other uses, but they can get expensive. DE on the other hand is usually really affordable. You can buy it for as little as $1.66 per pound when you buy Diatomaceous Earth in bulk, making it a much better option for certain tasks leaving your essential oils to do what they’re better at doing.
Use Diatomaceous Earth as a bug killer: For those that are into natural living, commercial pesticides are a no-no. Luckily, Diatomaceous Earth can be used as a natural insecticide. It is effective to kill bedbugs, scorpions, roaches, spiders, lice, fleas (both on pet and in your home) as well as most crawling insects because it interferes with their exoskeleton and causes them to dry up. To treat your pets for fleas with Diatomaceous Earth, sprinkle food grade Diatomaceous Earth over their coat (don’t inhale it) and rub into their fur. It is safe for them to lick or bite as long as you are using food grade. To treat your home for fleas using it, sprinkle onto carpeted areas or furniture and let sit for a few hours. Vacuum it up after a few hours and repeat as needed. To treat for spiders or other household creepy crawlies, sprinkle DE where you know they “hang” out. For other insects such as fire ants, you can pour DE directly on their mound or hole to take care of them.
Diatomaceous Earth is useful in your garden – DE is fantastic in your garden since it can help to keep bad bugs away, but won’t kill worms that are useful. It will kill both bad and good insects though so keep that in mind. If you have a compost pile, you can add Diatomaceous Earth to it to help cut down on any odor and to help keep pests away. If you have low mineral soil and want to help supplement it, you can mix DE with an organic potting soil to help since it has so many trace minerals in it.
Use Diatomaceous Earth to detox – As I said earlier, DE is both hard and sharp. This means it’s great for a detox if you drink a tablespoon of DE in a glass of water each day. As it moves through your gastrointestinal system, it slices and dices all of the bad nasties living in there. They then get washed away when you head to the bathroom. Not only that, but it is actually great for treating things like diarrhea or constipation too which makes it fantastic for people that might have IBS.
Diatomaceous Earth is Great for Teeth, Hair, Skin, and Nails: – Since it is an abrasive substance it is also great to use in toothpaste or to exfoliate your skin. It helps to whiten teeth by removing stuck on food and stains. You can make your own toothpaste with DE by adding it to a mixture of Bentonite clay, peroxide and peppermint essential oil for flavor. It won’t look like the toothpaste you’re used to but it will work so much better! It can also exfoliate your skin and really help improve your hair and nails! Silica is a needed component of healthy hair and nails so if you are suffering from hair loss or brittle nails you might be deficient of this important building block mineral. Diatomaceous Earth is also great for your face. Use it in a facial scrub or mask and it removes dead skin cells from your face helping you to look rejuvenated.
DE works as a Deodorizer: Diatomaceous Earth is a natural deodorizer and since food grade Diatomaceous Earth is safe around pets, many people use it in their homes to keep bad smells away. Use it in your litter box to help control odors, sprinkle a little bit in the bottom of your trash bag, or pour a bit in the bottom of any other area that you may be experiences unwelcome stickiness (is that a real word? Oh well…is now). It’s also great for people who raise backyard chickens for odor. It’s safe in your chickens grazing areas and studies have shown that chickens who consume food grade DE actually produce stronger eggs.
These are by far not the only benefits of Diatomaceous Earth. They are far too numerous to list in one single blog post. Do you practice a natural living lifestyle? Do you use DE in your home or diet? I’d love to hear your thoughts!