Detoxifying the Body with Clay Baths

 

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Healing Clay has been used in France, Australia, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe for centuries in native natural medicine arts.

 

 

"...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 take time to get it all out."

- Dr. Miriam Jang, M.D. , author of "Breakthroughs In Autism", a synopsis of the DAN protocol.

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Taking a therapuetic clay bath, lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours, is one of the most effective methods in existance 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.

Taking a clay bath is like emmersing oneself in a sea comprised of millions of minute crystals.

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 signficant 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 alot 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.

Enter clay baths.

The information we present in this section is our experience, and in some cases, contradicts, at least in part, the information shared by other "experts" familiar with the art of healing with clays. Our research is the result of many years of experience, and includes a comprehensive study of clay and mud as it exists and is used in nature, as well many deeply profound discussions with genetic scientists, balneologists, researchers deeply familiar with the works of Tesla, scalar waves, and high frequency technologies.

We certainly agree with everything Raymond Dextreit ( "Earth Cures" ) has to say about supporting the body internally while utilizing clay therapy, and strongly encourage those interested to read his work.

Discuss This Topic: Clay and Mud Bath Discussion Forum

It is impossible to duplicate the quality of a natural clay or mud bath in an artificial environment. However, having studied natural clay baths and mud baths that exist in "special" areas known for their great healing properties, one can create a clay bath that works nearly as well.

It is unfortunate that the tap water quality of most of the industrialized world is so poor. Chlorine and fluoride are two substances that one truly does not, ideally, want to ingest into the body.

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.

The more active substances that the clay has to deal with from the water source and additives, the less sorption power the clay will have, or worse... The sorpted substances can act in the ion exchange process and cause these substances to be deposited into the body.

To illustrate this example, if one takes a natural clay, and subjects it to gas fumes for a extended period of time ( even just by placing the clay in one's garage ), and then places a clay pack on the leg for an hour each day, within a few days one will begin to taste gasoline in the saliva.

Since the idea is to detoxify the body, it is not the best idea to include substances in the clay bath to bypass the body's digestive system-- not without very careful thought.

Very careful thought begins with meticulous examination of how clay reacts with any substance it is combined with. In short order, any researcher can verify that when clay is added with herbs, oxidation reactions occur that create organic compounds that do not normally exist in nature. Whether or not these compounds are beneficial must be left up to the individual; our opinion is that herbal wraps should be done independently of clay baths. In a study of nature, a very high quantity of organic sulfate compounds are always present in "healing mud baths" that contain plant matter. This is a byproduct of a natural biosystem, and these sulphurous compounds are never present when herbs are added with clay in a bathtub.

This is why Raymond Dextreit strongly discouraged the use of other substances combined with clay ( with a few exceptions ).

When possible, it is advantageous to apply the same line of thinking with the water combined with clay.

The best water to use with clay baths is natural, high quality spring water, especially geothermally heated water that rises from pressurized acquifers deep beneath the earth.

If this is not possible, then reverse osmosis water can be used. However, reverse osmosis water can be expensive to purchase outside of the home for bath purposes, and if a reverse osmosis system is not "in-line", preparation of the water for the bath can be tedious.

In cities where chlorine and/or fluoride are added to the water, an in-line shower filter can be used which removes many undesireable contaminants: Consider a product such as the Aquasana Shower Filter, which, in our opinion, is the best localized shower filter for the investment. You can visit Aquasana:

Aquasana Shower Filter & Water Supplies

 

In short, any method one can utilize to improve the quality of the water used can be utilized with healing clay baths.

Sea Salt

Adding natural sea salt to a clay bath is an excellent idea. Sea salt acts as a tonic, and increases the ion exchange capability of clay in a clay bath. One can purchase a natural sea salt in 25 lb. boxes from Real Salt, or explore a wide range of natural sea salts: http://www.saltworks.us/shop/category.asp?idCat=3

Our short answer to the question, 'What clay should I use?': Whatever pure, raw clay you have access to!

No two clays are the same. We have found that claims that "clay X works better than clay Y", are usually unfounded. In fact, many third party companies that sell clay try to guard their clay sources carefully, because they don't want you to know how much that they actually pay for their clay, nor do they want you to know the sources. In many cases, having this knowledge, you'd feel very cheated.

In the author's opinion, this is not the way to approach a healing endevour. Beware of speciality clay sources that will not or cannot reveal the actual source from which their clay is derived. At the very least, this displays a level of ignorance that may not be worthy of your hard earned dollars... Or at least, perhaps your money would be more useful in the hands of those dedicated to a higher level of excellence.

We are currently in the process of having 6 different clays tested using analytical scientific measurements ( tests are being conducted by a researcher with a Ph.D in organic chemistry ) to determine what clays have a more active effect in the elimination of heavy metals from water. When these tests are completed, we will not be able to state that any of these clays are better for the human body, but we will then know what type of clay is more active for bath purposes; we will then be able to work on determining exactly why.

Until that time, what follows is our opinion based on our research and field testing.

A healing clay bath should predominantly consist of green or grey sodium/calcium smectite. This includes swelling bentonites ( low sodium or high sodium ) and montmorillonites. We do recommend to use at least 50-75% swelling green clay for clay baths. Natural, raw clays are best, agricultural grade clays are next best, and technical grade clays are third. We've tested all, and have had acceptable results with all three.

Our first recommendation is American Colloid HPM-20, which is an exceptional agricultural certified Wyoming clay ( processed to "technical standards" ) that is processed via air purification. This clay has a ph of between 8.5 - 10, and, fully dispersed, has a surface area of greater than 750 quare meters per gram. It has 2.7% magnesium, 2.4% sodium, and 1.3% calcium. The average particle size is 5 microns in diameter.

Green Wyoming bentonites have proven to be excellent for bath use, especially since the cost of these clay is far lower than specialty clays available.

Utah bentonite ( such as the pale clay technical-only grade clay marketed by Western ), blended with Wyoming bentonite, is an acceptable blend for bath purposes.

Redmond Clay, marketed by Real Salt, is also an excellent clay to add to green bentonite.

When testing clay combinations, we use the greenest smectite as the primary clay, and then add other quality clays as desired.

Our latest research experiments utilize 75% American Colloid HPM-20, and 25% Western Bentonite from Utah. This combination in bath has proven completely successful in eliminating what is known as the "dreaded ozone rash" that many ozone sauna "experts" state cannot be eliminated, and at doses two times the recommended dose level, with an ozone concenration 2.5% more than the recommended maximum concentration level.

This, in our opinion, is nothing short of miraculous, and was accomplished by spending less than an average of $60.00 per 50 pounds of dry clay.

What to Avoid

Avoid any contaminated clays, and pay careful attention when storing clay. Store in a completely sealed container, and away from petrolium chemicals. Do not allow clay to come in prolonged contact with metals, and if one needs to store clay in plastic, the first best choice is FDA grade plastic, the worst choice is plastics such as "tuperware".

Always use clays without any additives.

 

Our short answer to the question, "How much clay should be used in a clay bath?": About two tons.

Unfortunately, unless one is willing to custom build one's own personal clay therapy center, using two tons of clay in a clay bath is hardly practical. That said, we would like to note that there is no equal experience than submersing the body in in large amounts of warm clay magma, especially when one is able to sit or stand in the clay bath ( with the body vertical, by which there is a greater impact on the body's lymphatic system ).

Our experience is that no less than five pounds of clay should be used. No less than ten pounds of clay should be used if one is addressing issues of serious metal toxicity. We have adjusted our measurements from volume to weight, as some clays are more dense than others. This doesn't mean that one cannot enjoy a clay bath with only a cup or a pound of clay, of course.

The bath should be filled only with enough water to comfortably and completely submerge the body, especially if smaller amounts of clay are used in the bath.

 

Can clay ruin standard plumbing? Yes.

However, if you have modern plumbing, and your pipes are in good shape and not clogged, as long as the clay is completely aqueous when drained, it will not stick to the pipes and cause problems. The sandy silt that may or may not be left behind in a clay bath poses no problem.

Can clay disturb a standard septic tank? Yes, it is possible for clay, if enough used, to disturb the fragile balance maintained in a septic tank. City sewage, however, is perfectly fine.

If one has a personal concern about a septic system or pipes, then we can only recommend that one should either pump the water out and let it dry outside ( then disposing of the clay as one would normal garbage ), or install an inline pressurized filter to remove clay from the water.

The most convenient way to prepare a bath:

The best way to prepare a bath:

If the clay settles at the bottom of the tub, a few short moments of agitation will suffice.

 

Adding Sea Salt

One to five cups of quality sea salt may be added to any clay bath.

 

How much time should one spend in a bath?

Overcoming the clay resistant immune system: The 12-15 minute mark

How hot should the water be?

How often should one take a clay bath?

Taking the body beyond the conscious mind