Diatomaceous Earth 101: A Beginner’s Guide to This Powerhouse Mineral

With so many sources of threat to our health and well-being surrounding us, in various forms, we should all take it up as our mission to ensure the protection of our home as best we can, and everyone inside it. I know, at times it can be easier said than done, what with all the ranges of toxins present in our foods and drinks, and even the air. But, what if I told you the diatomaceous earth product can turn out to be your most trusted ally in this aspect?

What Is Diatomaceous Earth?

Before we move on to its variety of applications and benefits, let’s first look into this starting point. As a white, or off-white, powder similar to talc without odour, it’s made from siliceous sedimentary rocks that primarily consist of diatoms, i.e. fossilised skeletal remains of a microscopic unicellular plant (phytoplankton) with silicone dioxide cell walls, closest to the algae of today.

As these deposits are formed in bodies of water, the end-product has to be mined from these areas with sediments – could be rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. The ranges can be both regular and food grade, and what you require in your home is a potent diatomaceous earth food-grade product as it contains much fewer heavy metals.

It also doesn’t have any additives which isn’t to say about the pool-grade (dangerous to touch or breathe in) mainly used with pesticides, that can cause irritation, inflammation, and in some cases even cancer. The food grade, or feed grade, DE is safe to use with humans and animals. Not to mention it’s also more affordable!

What Are the Benefits of Diatomaceous Earth?

As a natural product, DE can be useful in numerous ways for you personally, specifically your health and beauty, your pets, and your house and garden. As a jack-of-all-trades, this product is truly a must-have for killing viruses, and parasites, and keeping your home spotless and health at an optimal high.

To give you an idea, you can use it to do effective body detoxes, treat high cholesterol, beat constipation, boost your joint and ligament health, plus ensure your skin, hair, and teeth are at their best. Further, you can count on its help to protect the abode both indoors and outdoors from annoying pests as well as protect your lovely pets from pests and odours.

And that’s not all, as it can even do its part in food preservation. It shouldn’t come as a surprise it’s been used numerous times already in the production of various water filtration products, toothpaste, beverages, medications, and even skincare.

How to Use Diatomaceous Earth at Home?

Before bringing this amazing powder, the Swiss army knife of powders, into your lifestyle, first make sure you pick out a product of quality. In addition to minding where you buy it from, you also ought to buy diatomaceous earth that’s food grade for the reasons mentioned above in the text.

For Personal Reasons

Packed with antioxidants, the silica the DE is made up of can be a potent ally in the fight against free radicals. If you wish to use it to treat some of your health concerns, you’d be glad to know its taste is tolerable and mild, so that shouldn’t be a problem. As for the right dosage and for how long you can use it, it all comes down to what it is you’re trying to handle or eradicate.

For full body detox, for example, a teaspoon of the product a day is enough for a start, and you can increase it to a whole tablespoon a day after a few weeks, taken in half both in the morning and at night if you find the whole spoon too much at once. Remember you should take it with plenty of water to stay hydrated. It’s best taken first thing in the morning with lots of liquid (can be juices and smoothies too), and an hour before eating or two after eating meals.

It’s recommended to take it for ten days, then do a break for another ten days, and then continue doing so on and off as maintenance for up to 90 days max. If you find this to be too much, try using it for a few weeks, and track the results in symptoms, then take a break for a few months. The idea is not to use it for too long of a period.

The results can be amazing, from boosting liver function and absorbing harmful toxins from the blood to cleansing the digestive tract and treating gas and bloating. This is equally effective for treating intestinal parasites, making for a much healthier bowel with fewer chances for constipation.

For high cholesterol, you can use the tablespoon dosage split in two for about three to four weeks before seeing the results you’re after. Beauty-wise, every now and then, you can also add it to your toothpaste or face mask to strengthen and whiten the teeth and exfoliate the skin.

For Animals

Same as it’s beneficial to you, the proper food-grade diatomaceous earth powder can be beneficial to your pets too. For instance, if you’re dealing with parasites like roundworms, pinworms, hookworms, or whipworms, you can safely administer the powder (one tablespoon) into their food for 30 days which is a sufficient period to get rid of both adults and hatching eggs.

If your pet is a cat, it’s best to administer ½ teaspoon instead for a smaller one, and a whole teaspoon for a bigger one, but avoid using it with nursing kittens. You can also use the product externally, making sure the pet doesn’t with a damaged coat or already suffers from skin irritation prior to the application.

Sprinkle a little of the powder on the whole body, let it work for about eight hours, then rinse with a gentle shampoo. This would help prevent or handle fleas and ticks. You can also add a bit on their beds but be sure they’re not wet as this would render the powder ineffective until dry. Sprinkle it around your home if you’re dealing with flea infestation, or want to prevent it. It can equally be used with chickens both internally and externally to give you great results with egg production and healthy poultry and can be of help with eliminating coop mites and lice when added below the bedding.

For Garden

When you have a beautiful garden with your own herbs, flowers, fruits and veggies, you want to do your best to keep it pest-free. If you notice any of them anywhere near your precious garden, sprinkle a little of the DE where you know they will pass by and watch it work its magic. When used for plant growth, you can add it to potting soil to help it fight off parasites as much as assist its moisture retention.