The Benefits of Clay

he practice of eating clay is not new. There are places in Africa where clay is sold for consumption, and markets in South America where you can buy clay in the form of bite-sized tablets. Often sold for its gastrointestinal benefits and ability to detoxify the body, Europeans believe in its purification properties. Many people claim that clay improves their health when suffering from many ailments, especially having to do with the gastric system, although not limited to it. Constipation and diarrhea, chronic infections, eczema, acne, and psoriasis, stress, and even arthritis have all been greatly improved by eating clay. The practice of eating clay, or geophagy, is not new, nor is it unusual or perverted.

James Gilardi, research director of the Oceanic Society, says that eating clay is not restricted to indigenous cultures. "Commonly, it [clay eating] is a traditional cultural activity that takes place during pregnancy, religious ceremonies, or as a remedy for disease. But while it is a cultural practice, it also fills a physiological need for nutrients."

Old fashioned home remedies have been used for centuries, even in the not-too-distant past. How many times has your mother sworn by chicken soup for colds and flu symptoms? Didn't your grandmother ply you with hot toddies (tea and honey, sometimes with a dash of alcohol) for a sore throat? Natural medicines are pure. They contain no preservatives, no added sugar, flavoring, or coloring. Natural medicines restore the body to a healthy balance, speeding up the body's natural healing process. Who wouldn't rather take a bite of clay or crush some fresh herbs for tea than take a pill that, while supposedly fixing the problem, creates others? Haven't you balked at the television commercials that praise certain drugs for particular ailments, but always have a disclaimer at the end: "May cause nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, rash, heartburn, or dizziness."? These are some side effects from a medicine that is supposed to clear clogged sinuses!

Nature knows what the body needs to heal itself. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs today had to have a start somewhere, and they can almost all be traced back to nature. Consider the mineral clay, kaolin. Pharmaceutical companies used this natural clay to create Kaopectate to relieve diarrhea. And salicin, from the white willow tree, was the natural beginning to aspirin. The whole point of natural medicines is to help the body repair itself and maintain overall health.

There are many reasons why people worldwide eat clay. Historically, clay has been used along with tree bark, grass, and herbs during times of famine because of its ability to make the stomach feel full and to relieve hunger pangs. Many cultures ate it as a cure for cholera or applied clay paste to counteract poisons. Geophagy has been recommended for medicinal uses for thousands of years. It was prescribed to clean out and purify the intestinal tract, to rid the body of parasites, and as an antibiotic against infections. Many use clay-eating as a way to remove toxins from the body. Clinical studies have been performed which conclude that clay absorbs dietary and bacterial toxins, among others. Toxic overload in the body results in a large variety of symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

Many cultures believe there is a connection between clay eating and spiritual and physical healing. In Guatemala, holy clay tablets are produced which are believed to cure many illnesses of the stomach, heart, eyes, and pelvis. In Mecca, clay is sold and has the inscription "In the name of Allah! Dust of our land with the saliva of some of us." It is believed that anyone who eats this clay will share his spirit with Allah. Mahatma Gandhi recommended eating dirt to clean the body and relieve constipation.

Eating clay is not limited to culture or race, or civilization vs. primitive lifestyles. It mainly has to do with the body's innate need for the benefits clay has to offer. Clay contains many minerals, including calcium and iron, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, zinc, and silica. These are basic minerals that are necessary for the body to live, and, since the body cannot manufacture its own minerals, it must get them from outside sources. Clay is excellent for putting back those minerals the body has lost.

In short, earth eating fulfills a global human desire for famine food, medicine, nutrition, poison buffer, or spiritual reminder.