Diatomaceous Earth

[Jan in Key West]

Someone on the WBB mentioned food grade diatomaceous earth as a supplement. Anyone familiar with and/or using it?


http://www.morethanalive.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-Powder

[Lynda (Fl)]

This is very interesting, Jan.  I never considered a need for Silica!  Gives new meaning to the term 'garden fresh'!  I'm going to do some research on this one.

[Barbara from New Jersey]

I have used DE for my swimming pool filter for insect control for many years.  Works wonderfully and I don't use chemicals anymore. Plantings thrive and do not wither from any treatments.  I am not very successful in my veggie garden because of animals enjoying their dinner there.   If only it kept deer, ground hogs and raccoons away! 


The more I read about the food grade DE, the  more I am impressed.  Prices seem to be all over the place.  One site suggested that the only food grade DE comes from fresh water locations rather than salt water ones.  I wonder why food grade DE hasn't been mentioned much at all until now?


Will be interested in your research and conclusions Lynda.

[Jan in Key West]

I remember using it in a swimming pool/hot tub we had years ago too....I ordered some (of the food grade) as I have osteopenia and think it might help with calcium absorption.....but since I refuse to get another bone scan, we'll just have to see......

[Rita]

It's interesting to read the comments on amazon on what people are using it for.  I personally had never heard of it:


http://www.amazon.com/Grade-Diatomaceous-Earth-Natures-Wisdom/product-reviews/B003QJBVH8/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

[HS4]

Before consuming diatomaceous earth (DE) I would check out a site such as http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html#whatis.  Food grade DE is an extremely fine powder and should not be inhaled (extreme drying capacity, thus also a serious irritant)
 
Food grade DE is a meant as a clarifier for wine and beer, and also can be used as an anti-caking additive.  There is quite a bit of information online about DE including taking it internally for health benefits but I would research this carefully before swallowing any of it (pun intended!) and check the source of the information as well.
 
I use DE to get rid of earwigs, mostly just outside the house - by scattering small amounts of it in protected areas where I've seen these nasty insects.  Works very well

[Barbara from New Jersey]

Silica is also found in horsetail and this has been available in vitamin stores for years.  Does anyone have experience with this?

[Jan in Key West]

Yes, I'll do some more research before I add it to my daily regimen.....might end up using it as a scorpion deterrent!

[Barbara from New Jersey]

I asked Dr. D. to post more information on food grade DE, silica, D3, K2 and iodine since his last article was 5 years old and I was wondering about newer information.  He said that there is substantial new information and he would he would find a way to get this information out!  See Fatal Mistake, August 11 postings.

[Jan in Key West]

Thanks for posting that Barbara....I hope he'll answer!

[LibbyMe]

I see that this thread is old and may not re-post.  Has anyone done their research as stated and begun this??  Curious!

[ldyrdr4311]

Reply to HS4 & others who use DE for controlling insects & critters:
Personally, we have never tried this as we don't have a garden. Did consider it when some ants decided to live under the roadside mailbox. A few days of spraying the ground around the post & entrance hole of the ants with a vinegar/water mixture ended that problem along with killing the weeds around the post.

DE is injurious to anything living in the ground, as it cuts up their skeletal skin. This includes earthworms & night crawlers, which are very beneficial to the soil by adding nutrients to it. Kill those off, & the men won't be able to use them as fish bait, either.

As for the food grade DE, I'd be quite leery of consuming it. JMHO on this. 

[Barbara from New Jersey]

The idea is to get rid of insects in a biodegradable manner.  Vinegar does not kill slugs or grubs.  It does, however, change the ph of the soil to acid.  It is just as bad as salting the soil and wondering why nothing natural wants to live there.  Borax and DE will not change the soil ph and will get rid of the pests.  This dissolves after a few rainfalls and is no longer harmful, but the unwanted bugs are dead.  They then become compost.  The few earthworms it might kill before it dissolves are not something I would be concerned about.  The worms will comeback quickly enough.  The important thing is not to use pesticides which poisons everything it touches and does not biodegrade.  Using borax or DE also does not require tilling or any other kind of breaking up the soil.

[ldyrdr4311]

The idea is to get rid of insects in a biodegradable manner.  Vinegar does not kill slugs or grubs.  It does, however, change the ph of the soil to acid.  It is just as bad as salting the soil and wondering why nothing natural wants to live there.  Borax and DE will not change the soil ph and will get rid of the pests.  This dissolves after a few rainfalls and is no longer harmful, but the unwanted bugs are dead.  They then become compost.  The few earthworms it might kill before it dissolves are not something I would be concerned about.  The worms will comeback quickly enough.  The important thing is not to use pesticides which poisons everything it touches and does not biodegrade.  Using borax or DE also does not require tilling or any other kind of breaking up the soil.

Didn't spray the vinegar in a wide area, just under the mailbox. It does kill weeds too, so that's why those were sprayed on as well. The thought was that once the weeds are dead, they don't need to be trimmed out every time the lawn is mowed.

I don't like to use insecticides either, and the vinegar certainly was much cheaper to use.
Thanks for the reminder on the borax. If those ants return next spring (2015), the Borax will be given a trial. Those ants were difficult to get rid of in the first place.

[Sanjayk]

I see that this thread is old and may not re-post.  Has anyone done their research as stated and begun this??  Curious!

Hi -


My family startled using Food Grade DE.  As an earlier poster pointed out, it is not to be inhaled so keep that in mind.  We started taking 1 tsp. mixed into some organic lemonade a few times a week and then my wife & I went up to 1 full tbsp. 


If you look at the research and literature on Foodgrade DE it's mixed but somewhat promising:


- Some studies show that when added to farm animal feeds it reduces parasitic load.  Others studies do not.  Studies on chickens show that adding Foodgrade DE improves the coloring of the egg yolk and health of the chickens. 


- Foodgrade DE has a positive ion charge so like activated charcoal it can bind to negative charged toxins in your gut and clean them out.  This could be a nice detox effect. 


- Foodgrade DE could potentially kill parasites in your gut.  DE is made up of tiny crushed diatoms and it's small size allows it to literally enter into a parasite and kill it from within.  This is the same action it uses against insects when it's used against them.


We use DE to support digestive health.  When I first used it, I felt some die off occurring.  My breath stank a bit more and it took a few days to clear up (perhaps DE was killing some pathogens in my gut).  I take a tbsp. with organic lemonade about 2-3 times a week.  I've noticed that if I eat and eat something questionable, having this helps settle my stomach.  I've also noticed my skin is clearer and hair a bit shiner (I credit that to the silica content). 


If you decide to take DE - take it away from any vitamins you take on a regular basis.  I suspect that it would impact the absorption of vitamins - so if you take your vitamins in the morning, try to DE in the afternoon or right before dinner. 


Also, make sure you purchase Foodgrade DE only (we purchase this one from Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vpcePS).


-Sanjay

[deanna in AR]

DH has been taking DE about 4-5 years. Even though his blood pressure has always been near a perfect 120/80, it has gone down. We both went to our PCP this week and his bp was 104/62. We checked it the next day and it was 116/75, heart rate 67. The DE is the only thing we can think of that might be the reason. I'm trying to start it now...would love to get off my bp med.

[Rita]

That's odd Deanna.   You wouldn't think that would effect blood pressure.   It would be interesting to try serrapeptase for reducing blood pressure, as it helps get rid of arterial plaque.

[deanna in AR]

Rita, we've read that DE does lower bp. I've never heard of serrapeptase. I'll have to look it up. Thanks.

[deanna in AR]

Rita, DH also takes activated charcoal, turmeric, a prostate formula, a probiotic that includes a prebiotic and low dose aspirin. He doesn't have any prescriptions at this time.

[deanna in AR]

Rita, do you take serrapeptase? Is there a particular brand that you would recommend?

[Barbara from New Jersey]

Hi Deanna,


Serrapeptase is very good.  You just have to make sure you purchase enteric coated pills.  You do not want this to be neutralized by your stomach acid, rendering it useless.  Serrapeptase can get rid of plaque by slowly dissolving it.  No side effects. Very good for wound healing as well.