Clay Baths - A Safe Method for Body Detoxification

By Cheryl McCoy

"Detoxing" – the myriad and sundry ways of removing metals, toxins, and other nasties from the body - is becoming increasingly popular in alternative and natural medicine, and appears to be inching its way into the more traditional medical arenas as well. The beneficial health results produced by these procedures cannot be ignored. As a result, it seems that everywhere you turn, there are companies claiming to have the best product for detoxing your system. "Clay and water... those two lifelines are all you will often need to return your body to a state of optimal health," states Perry A., author of Living Clay, Nature's Own Miracle Cure.

According to Jason Eaton (www.eytonsearth.org): "There are many methods available in both alternative and natural medicine that are designed to "detoxify the body". However, nearly all of them do exactly the opposite: They stimulate the body to release toxic byproducts stored in fat, organs, and other tissues. The result is that these substances are dumped back into the active metabolism. The body, then, is placed under a great deal of toxic stress, even to the point of toxic shock.

This poses quite a problem, for the body has stored these substances for a very specific reason: It has been incapable of eliminating the substances without causing significant damage. Therefore, the short cut "quick fix" methods to detoxify the body can actually be quite dangerous, and the natural and comprehensive methods can require a lot of attention, hard work, and anywhere from six months to three years to accomplish, and are often accompanied by uncomfortable symptoms as the body cleans itself." What is lacking is an avenue to get the released toxins out of the body.

So what's a person to do? Many experts, including Jason Eaton, recommend clay baths for detoxing and chelation.

Clay baths have been safely used for centuries. These days, they're used to treat everything from tired, achy muscles to heavy metal poisoning, radiation and chemical/pesticide exposure. Very recently, some surprising and encouraging results have been reported when using clay baths to treat autism.

Certain clays have the ability to remove toxins through the pores of the skin. Discussing clay baths, in his book The Clay Cure, Ran Knishinsky states, "It is a fairly simple procedure, and it can do a lot of good in a relatively short time. Because of clay's excellent drawing effect, the clay has the power to literally pull toxicities through the pores of the skin in the bath." And Wendell Hoffman, author of Using Energy to Heal, found that bentonite clay, when used in a bath, can and does draw out toxic chemicals through the pores of the skin.

Jason Eaton states on his website: "Taking a therapeutic clay bath, lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours, is one of the most effective methods in existence to help assist the body in the elimination of toxic substances which have accumulated in the body. Clay baths stimulate the lymphatic system and deeply cleanse the body's largest breathing organ (the skin). Acting both directly on the body and acting as a systematic catalyst, clay used in this manner interacts directly with the body's immune system, and helps to remove the post-digestive burden placed on the major organs of the body."

Dr. Miriam Jang, M.D., author of "Breakthroughs in Autism," a synopsis of the DAN protocol, says: "I have put a huge number of patients on these clay baths and the levels of heavy metals – mercury, lead, arsenic, aluminum, and cadmium have come down dramatically... I have been monitoring the levels of metals using all three methods (TD DMPS, oral DMSA and clay baths) and the clay baths are way faster in the removal of metals…One particular patient had very high levels of mercury and levels of lead that were off the charts. In 3 months of twice weekly clay baths, the lead came down dramatically and the mercury disappeared. The muscle weakness associated with high lead levels improved dramatically. Interestingly enough, another 5 months of these clay baths showed even lower levels of lead but the mercury reappeared. This supports the theory that mercury is sequestered in different areas of our body and it takes time to get it all out."

Clay baths may be used for heavy metal toxicity, general chemical toxicity, radiation and chemotherapy recovery, general systemic support by stimulating the lymphatic system, comprehensive cleansing protocols, as well as simply for relaxation and enjoyment. They are wonderful for relieving stress and helping to relax, especially in the evening before bed.

Choosing the Right Clay:

It's important to choose carefully when selecting a clay for your clay baths. While certain clays are ideal, and others are acceptable though not as good, others should be avoided altogether. For clay baths, the experts agree that clean, raw, natural swelling smectite clays are the best. This includes swelling bentonites and montmorillonites, which are often referred to as Living Clays. It's vital to avoid any contaminated clays, as well as any clays with additives. Clay should be stored in containers that are completely sealed, and kept away from petroleum chemicals. Clay should not come into prolonged contact with metals.

Preparing a Clay Bath:

There are several methods that can be used to prepare a clay bath. When using dry powder clay, you can simply scatter 2 cups of dry powder clay into the water as it's running and use your hands to mix it and swish away any lumps of clay that might form. To avoid lumps altogether, you can 'premix' the clay to a liquid state by mixing approximately 1 part clay to 8 parts water in a lidded container. Shake vigorously, and allow the clay to sit for a couple of hours, then shake again. Use 4 cups or more of liquid clay in your bath. A clay bath should last ideally between 15-20 minutes in extremely hot water and longer in a less hot bath. Submerge as much of your body as possible during the bath. The more clay that is used in the therapy, the more powerful the response.

In some rare severely toxic cases the clay may turn dark and gooey. If the water has not turned dark, after your bath scoop some of the clay water to water your plants. Run lots of water to rinse the clay out of your tub.

Jason Eaton states, "Hot showers, baths, and steam treatments cause a forced respiration through the skin, resulting in a rapid uptake of gases, ions, and water directly into the tissues of the body. Indeed, any time one isolates a location of the body, covering it with any substance and then applying heat (even if this is only heat generated by insulation), an "environmental exchange" is going to occur, resulting in the absorption of substances through the skin and the release of substances through the pores of the body." For this reason, he recommends nothing be added to the clay bath – no herbs, oils, fragrances, etc. Herbal treatments, or other skin treatments can be done after the clay bath if desired. The only exception to this rule would be the addition of natural sea salt, which simply acts as a tonic, and increases the ion exchange capability of the clay in a clay bath.

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About the author

Cheryl McCoy manages the website www.AboutClay.com, an information and educational resource for the various uses of healing clay. She discovered the amazing benefits of Living Clay approximately 5 years ago, and has been an ardent advocate for this clay ever since. She may be contacted at Info@AboutClay.com.

MISINFORMATION REGARDING NATURAL CELLULAR DEFENSE(Liquid Zeolite)

Occasionally misinformation rears its ugly head on the Internet attempting to discredit an otherwise worthwhile natural remedy. Due diligence requires adequate research to assess whether or not claims can be substantiated. Natural Cellular Defense is by far the most effective detoxification product I have ever worked with, proving time and again that it does, in fact, remove heavy metals in a safe and effective manner. I am often approached regarding an article posted on the Internet by Jonathan Campbell and asked to address the claims made about possible ineffectiveness and even danger when taking a natural zeolite product. This article proves not only Jonathan Campbell's ignorance on the subject but also his lack of research skills. Even though his claims have been proven to be woefully inaccurate and completely irresponsible as addressed quite some time ago by the leading scientist at Waiora, Rik Deitsch, Jonathan Campbell for some reason continues to keep his false information posted on his web site. For that reason I wish to post the response made by Rik Deitsch here for your consideration. It also serves the purpose of better explaining the background and efficacy of Natural Cellular Defense.

Rik Deitsch responds to critics:

I have just read Jonathan Campbell's website where he makes unfounded and malicious attacks on the use of natural zeolite as a dietary supplement. I would like to address his points and assure everyone that the Natural Cellular Defense is in fact a completely safe and non-toxic product that is based on a granted U.S. Patent and supported by dozens of clinical and epidemiological studies that have been published in the peer-reviewed medical literature.

As background, it's important to understand that there are more than 100 different zeolites. As an example, asbestos is a zeolite and causes cancer when inhaled as a fine powder. The zeolite used in the Natural Cellular Defense is naturally-occurring non-fibrous clinoptilolite and is considered to be extremely safe and entirely non-toxic (even when inhaled). A study published in 1993 concluded that "clinoptilolite type zeolite had no carcinogenic activity." (Tatrai E, Ungvary G. Study on carcinogenicity of clinoptilolite type zeolite in Wistar rats. Pol J Occup Med Environ Health. 1993;6(1):27-34.)

Additionally, Mr. Campbell suggests that there are no long-term animal or human toxicity studies. This is also incorrect. The zeolite in the Natural Cellular Defense has been used in water filtration, air purification, plant fertilizers and animal feed for more than thirty years in the United States. There are hundreds of published studies and articles that outline the uses and benefits of our form of zeolite in humans and animals. Not to mention that there is over 800 years of traditional use throughout India, China and Russia. It is quite obvious that Mr. Campbell could not even be bothered to do a Medline search prior to regurgitating his inaccuracies on the website. Had he done so, he would have found no fewer than 140 articles on such topics as: removing heavy metals, improving the health of animals, treating viral disorders, removing fungal toxins, remediation soil and treating cancer. This search can be accessed at the National Institutes of
Health National Center for Biotechnology Information at the following link:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez (search for "clinoptilolite")

Mr. Campbell also cites a paper on carcinogenicity which incorrectly lists clinoptilolite as a fibrous zeolite similar to erionite. In a paper on the clinoptilolite's effects on animal tumors, the researchers found that:

"Electron microscopy showed the absence of fibers, and most particles were round with very rough surface. The absence of fibrous, positively charged particles was encouraging since such particles are present in asbestos and erionite zeolites, which are highly carcinogenic and mutagenic. In addition, activated zeolite particles did not catalyze the production of hydroxyl radicals, unlike asbestos or erionite. It seems that absence of fibrous particles capable of producing hydroxyl radicals makes this zeolite sample nontoxic and noncarcinogenic, at least when applied orally." (Pavelic K, et al Natural zeolite clinoptilolite: new adjuvant in anticancer therapy. J Mol Med. 2001;78(12):708-20.)

Mr. Campbell also states that there is no evidence of excretion. This too is incorrect and can be easily researched in the literature. In three separate studies specifically analyzing the ability of clinoptilolite to aid on the excretion of radioactive cesium particles, the zeolite was found to accelerate the excretion of Cs-137 from sheep's bodies. The whole effect resulted in 15 to 50 times lowering of the equilibrium concentration of the radiocaesium (Jandl J, Novosad J. [In vivo reduction of radiocesium with modified clinoptilolite in sheep] Vet Med (Praha). 1995Aug;40(8):237-41.)

Additionally, we are currently evaluating the Natural Cellular Defense in its ability to aid in the urinary excretion of heavy metals. This research is being conducted by Eno Research & Development (ERDI) in North Carolina in cooperation with Duke University staff. The study aims to quantify the type and amount of heavy metals that are excreted from patients using the product. We have already seen some promising results and expect the study to be completed in the first quarter of 2006 and we will seek publication of the data.

Mr. Campbell's next point is that he claims the clinoptilolite zeolite to be indiscriminate in what it adsorbs. This too is incorrect. There are dozens of published studies that outline the reactivity series of the zeolite, showing preference for the heavier metals and larger compounds that carry a positive charge. Many smaller compounds will move into the zeolite, but will not be trapped. These undergo simple buffering and are released back into the body. The ability of the zeolite to undergo cationic exchange has shown that there is a reproducible, quantifiable reactivity series. Additionally, several animal studies have shown that adding clinoptilolite to animal feed actually increases overall nutritional health of the animal. One study found that "clinoptilolite supplementation of the diets had no significant effect on vitamins' and minerals' uptake and their distribution in the body, since there was no alteration in their blood serum and liver/kidney concentrations." (Papaioannou DS, et al. Effect of in-feed inclusion of a natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) on certain vitamin, macro and trace element concentrations in the blood, liver and kidney tissues of sows. Res Vet Sci. 2002 Feb;72(1):61-8.)

I would also like to point out that the patent on the Natural Cellular Defense and all of the related research was conducted by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. This had nothing to do with zeolite mining companies as Mr. Campbell suggests.

Lastly, you should always ask why someone would take the time to write a diatribe like the one seen on Mr. Campbell's website. He answers this question himself by supplying a link to his own answer to natural cancer therapy. If you follow this link, it will lead to his offer to sell you his books, products and services. He actually charges $60 for your initial order of supplements and $20 per month thereafter just for his consulting services. He clearly states that, "Note that this charge is for the ordering service only, and does not include the cost of the supplements, which range in price between $100 and $300 per month, depending on the illness."

Always question the source of inflammatory material. Do your due diligence and review published literature from uninterested, unbiased third parties.

I hope that this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Rik J. Deitsch
President, Wellness Industries
Chairman, Waiora Scientific Advisory Board

TAMING THE TURBULENCE WITHIN Paula Rothstein ©

One of the greatest points of confusion during recovery from a disease process is the distinction between symptoms of disease and those symptoms which would otherwise indicate a healing crisis. It is unfortunate that we so often suppress symptoms (a body’s cry for help) with medication which will only further weaken the body, making it more vulnerable to progressively worse disease symptoms in the future. It is not surprising that the idea of a healing crisis is cause for such confusion and concern. We have received a lifetime of misinformation about health that must now be thwarted if we are to actually heal our bodies. Conventional medicine is based on symptom suppression – a method which has made a large number of individuals and companies wickedly wealthy and a much larger number of individuals increasingly sick and bankrupt.

It is this author’s opinion that the current system of healthcare has failed us - pharmaceutical drugs, for the most part, are unnecessary, and even the governmental agencies set in place to protect our best interests (namely, the FDA) grotesquely conflicted. This is a system that is so corrupt, it criminalizes efforts to purchase pharmaceutical drugs from more affordable sources, has driven numerous medical doctors out of the country for practicing alternative methods of healing, protects the interests of chemical companies, and (in some instances) has ruthlessly taken over parental control and forced a minor child to undergo methods of cancer treatment which conflict with the parent's rightful choice, just to name a few of its many offenses. This is an industry that has led everyone further and further away from all things natural, the true path to optimal health.

Healing is a personal journey and oftentimes as an individual takes steps to detoxify their body – whether it be a colon cleansing program, heavy metal detoxification, candida yeast cleansing, initiating an exercise program, or even just eating a healthier, natural diet free of chemicals and preservatives – they find themselves feeling worse than before making critical changes to restore health. This process is known as a “healing crisis”, first described by Dr. Karl Herxheimer as he observed that before people felt better, individuals were temporarily feeling worse. The best rewards await those who persevere beyond this point.

ONCE A CROWD PLEASER, NOW AN IRRITANT:

For years you have allowed the poisons to rule and they have taken hold. In fact, you really liked these guys at one time! Chemicals ruled the roost, offering bread that lasts for weeks, microwavable dinners, microwavable popcorn, diet soda (because you are now on a diet) laden with dangerous artificial sweeteners that, had the FDA not been corrupt would have never even made it to market, delicious sugary treats that generally serve 10 but when you have experienced a bad day at work now happily serve one, the car with that wonderful new car smell, personal care products that have never been tested on humans, etc., etc. Not surprisingly, these chemicals are now serving as an irritant in your tissues, brain, blood and bones. These guys are not going to like being told to leave their accommodating host but given your collection of health conditions, perhaps now is the time to suffer a little if it means regaining mobility, energy, happiness, and peace.

As the body strengthens, organs and tissues release old accumulated toxins, acids and wastes. It will be necessary to give the body as much assistance during this process in order to promote the elimination of disease elements. The higher the quality of food, the quicker you will recover from disease. This release can manifest itself in any of the following conditions:

● muscle pain and weakness
● nausea
● headaches
● mild to moderate fatigue
● post-nasal drainage
● runny nose
● behavior changes
● gastrointestinal disturbances
● sleep disturbance

There is also the process of reverse visitation wherein the body actually re-visits old health conditions, however, this time in reverse order of the original presentation of those symptoms. Sort of like your life flashing before your eyes when faced with a potentially fatal situation, apparently the body needs to re-visit each of these horrors before releasing them from the body like ghosts to the wind.

The bottom line is that you must now address all that you once tried to avoid. Whatever has been suppressed in the body for years must be eliminated and, although unpleasant, the process is necessary and lasts anywhere from a few days for the generally healthy individual to several weeks or even months for an extremely toxic individual. It is not uncommon for someone who has been very sick for a long period of time to experience “on and off” periods of healing, for days feeling much better and then, unexpectedly, triggering another cleansing experience. The important thing is to sleep more during these times of cleansing and increase your intake of water (always purified). Both will help immensely with any discomforts. It will also be helpful to alleviate any discomfort by temporarily reducing the dosage of any detoxification supplements to the lowest possible dose and then increase very slowly, giving the body time to adjust to their presence.

There will be signs or symptoms that are recognizable when lower grade food elements are eliminated and more natural, superior quality food elements are introduced into the body. For example, if a stimulant such as caffeinated coffee is discontinued, headaches may occur. This is because the body is discarding the toxic residue of caffeine, which the body is removing from its tissues and transporting through the bloodstream during its many circulatory rounds. Before these toxins reach the final destination for elimination, these irritating toxins may overwhelm the body’s filtration system. The process of removal and elimination out of the body is an incredible cleansing process, one which is desirable.

CATABOLISM: THE OUSTING OF A ROWDY RULER!

There are three phases of healing. The first phase is to discard toxic elements, also known as “catabolism”. The emphasis is on elimination during this critical phase. It is quite remarkable what happens when the body is given excellent new material for purposes of rebuilding. The body will begin immediately to eliminate excess bile from the liver and the gallbladder and send it to the intestines. It will also begin to move sludge from the arteries, veins and capillaries The smelly, gassy, brain-stupefying masses that have been building up in a body can now be eliminated. Arthritic deposits on the joints will be cleaned up, relieving pain. The toxic residue from irritating food preservatives, pharmaceutical drugs, tobacco, caffeine, etc., which have burdened the body for such a long time will now be eliminated.

During the second phase, the body must go through a process of decompensation, as organs and tissues readjust, one can experience discomfort. The body acts as a whole unit. When a part of the body does not work properly, the whole body adapts or compensates. Consequently, when true wellness takes place, the body now must begin to change direction and focus. During this phase, waste materials will be discarded more rapidly than new tissue can be made from the quality food and nutrients being supplied to the body. The rowdy ruler of your internal house is not out yet but for the first time in a while your body is fighting back against the insidious corruption which has dominated for years and years, ushering in the third phase, known as “anabolism”.

During the third phase, most of the wastes will have been discarded and emphasis is on rebuilding strong tissues and bones. Imagine anabolism as the rebuilding of society after a war has thankfully ended. Tediously necessary! As your body becomes more healthy, even if you become sick, illness should be shorter in duration followed by increasingly longer periods of wellness. If you continue what you have been doing, you will have taken back the house and the internal conflict which has plagued you, possibly for many years, will greatly weaken. Continue what you are doing and soon this nasty inhabitant will be something of the past, like a bad relationship you had the necessary will to end.

GOING AT IT ALONE – OR PERHAPS WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS

Like all difficult situations, sometimes it is better to tackle the biggest problems with a little help from your friends, or in this case health supplements. Just as varied as your path to ill health once was, there are a myriad of methods possible in aiding your recovery. Advice is as thick as the Bible but possibly as simple as a few good things and a shift in your daily habits from bad to good. Stop putting into the body the things that made it sick in the first place and begin putting into the body healthy, natural food and drink.

Nearly everyone needs to work with a good heavy metal detoxifier in the first four to eight weeks for any type of detoxification program to be successful. I recommend a liquid zeolite product called Natural Cellular Defense manufactured by Waiora because it has the ability to trap the toxins and heavy metals inside its “cage-like” structure and remove the offending irritant from the body through both urine and bowel movements. Without it, you have a free floating toxin that has been scared up by your better habits but not encapsulated properly. Something like dragging the rowdy ruler out of his castle only to set him loose in your woods with a loaded pistol!

It is best to experiment with different healing protocols. What works for one person does not always work for another. The important thing is to never give up and when you start a program, give it ample time to do its work before moving on to other things. If you still feel pain and you are addressing it with a pharmaceutical drug known to mask the symptom and ignore the disease, keep working on your health. Keep searching for the right path, the one you can stick to, and follow it until you reach your point of destination, optimal health and then hang out and feel very good about what you have accomplished.

RECOGNIZING TOXICITY

At birth, when first exposed to the outside world, the body – guided by a genetic disposition inherited from the parents, begins developing antibodies to defend against external poisons affecting the system. During life the body keeps building antibodies in reaction to most everything it encounters: cooked/processed foods (and their preservatives), chemicals/toxins in the air and ground, other environmental contaminants, drugs, inoculations, dental fillings, sexual partners, and other exposures.

As the body keeps building its protective wall of antibodies, the immune system – like a cup gradually filling with liquid – continues to accumulate over the years while the body continually must fight against external invaders, forced to rebuild and keep up the wall of antibodies. Eventually, when the body has been fighting too hard and long, and the immune system’s “cup” reaches its saturation point and finally overfills, the onset of disease (cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, or some other chronic illness) often begins. No matter what the disease, its creation began with the person’s first breath on this planet and can often be attributed to the body’s constant bombardment from external toxins during life. We can gradually rid the body of its lifelong accumulation of toxins, allowing the immune system to function more effectively and further promoting wellness in the body.

Toxicity Warning Signs

In general, you may not be aware of heavy metals and/or other harmful toxins saturating your body even though it is trying to give you warning signs of their growing (and often overflowing) presence. The body’s immune system can only withstand so much saturation by external toxins over time, often culminating in symptoms that may include the following:

• Feeling “sick” all the time
• Chronic fatigue
• “Foggy” thought processes
• Reactions to food additives/preservatives/chemicals
• Allergic reactions to everything
• Burning feet and other extremities
  

Multiple chemical sensitivity (highly sensitive to common chemical-induced smells from everyday scented products like perfumes, dyes, detergents, fabric softeners, and air fresheners).

These are only general warning signs and this is by no means a complete list. Also, in children, the appearance of the symptoms of autism (slow developmental progress, difficulty verbalizing, etc.) can also be an indication of heavy metal toxicity. Exposure to certain heavy metals is now thought to contribute to childhood autism.