Why did this natural digestion remedy DISAPPEAR from the mainstream?
Friend, there are any NUMBER of factors that can contribute to less-than-ideal digestion and digestive upset…
From toxins to infections and more.
And there’s no SHORTAGE of remedies out there to help you BEAT BACK indigestion… nausea… vomiting… and even diarrhea.
But there’s one ingredient that used to be MUCH more prominent on U.S. pharmacy shelves…
And now, it’s MUCH harder to find.
The reason behind this fall from grace might be much DARKER than what they’re letting on…
But I’ve got my theories.
There’s a type of white clay also known as “china clay” or “porcelain clay”… because it’s been used to make fine china tableware and Chinese ceramics for as long as 2,000 years.
That’s right – just like the dinner plates and teacups in your wedding set! (Or your Wedgwood family heirlooms…)
This material is also called kaolin clay… named after the Chinese village of Gaoling, although it can be found naturally all over the world…
Including right here in this country… particularly the state of Georgia, where it’s considered “white gold.”
In fact, the town of Sandersville, Georgia is considered the “Kaolin Capital of the World”!
Now, you may be wondering what on earth dishware has to do with your digestive system.
Believe it or not, kaolin clay isn’t just an industrial ingredient. It’s EDIBLE!
In fact, wild parrots of Peru are INFAMOUS for their clay-eating habits…
And the people of South America… and the Southern American states… have been known to dabble in some dirt-eating (a.k.a. geophagy), too.
It’s a tradition that’s been passed on from generation to generation… and still continues today.
Why?
Well, this medicinal clay could help CALM DOWN an upset stomach… and DRY UP bouts of diarrhea.
That’s why when the over-the-counter diarrhea medicine Kaopectate first debuted, it included the clay mineral kaolinite as its star ingredient, along with pectin. (It switched to bismuth subsalicylate, also found in Pepto Bismol, in 2003.)
At the turn of the last century, kaolin clay even helped treat cholera… a bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea.
Since then, kaolin has been shown to help NEUTRALIZE certain pathogens in the gut… including viruses and bacterial endotoxins.
It appears to also settle stomach upset and nausea by COATING the digestive tract…
Which is why OTC antacids like Rolaids (R-O-L-A-I-D-S) and Maalox once contained it.
So what happened? Why has the mainstream TURNED ITS BACK on kaolin clay?
Some companies CLAIM that the science revealed that this traditional remedy isn’t as effective as other ingredients out there.
But NO studies have been able to refute HUNDREDS of years of traditional use!
If you ask me, there’s something else at play here.
First of all, too much of a good thing in this case can be REALLY bad. Excess kaolin consumption could lead to dehydration… or constipation.
And the mainstream wants ingredients it can sell you A LOT of… not ones you have to use sparingly.
Kaolin also slows your body’s absorption of certain nutrients and even medications, especially heart medications – even at times interfering with their activity.
That’s, in part, because of its ability to act as a detoxifying agent – which is why some cultures cook possibly contaminated foods in clay pots and ovens.
But you can bet Big Pharma wouldn’t stand for a natural ingredient… one FROM THE EARTH… getting in the way of folks taking their meds.
Fortunately, you can still find this healing clay… if you know where to look.
If you don’t live in Georgia, where it’s widely available in local shops, look for kaolin clay (or just “kaolin”) as an ingredient in over-the-counter antacids — especially those found at your local health food store or online.
You can also get kaolin clay on its own… either as a powder or in solid form… but make sure it’s food-grade and safe to consume. (In Germany, it’s sold as “Bolus alba” by the company WALA.
Some makers may offer it for its cosmetic benefits when used topically… and they may not intend for their products to be ingested.
To heritage health practices,
Sarah Reagan
P.S. There’s another healing clay that comes from here in the U.S. – right out of the state of Montana! Here’s what it could do for you.
