Silica supplementation (diatomaceous earth)

[C'Marie]

Who is still taking DE and any results?

[piratejenny]

I still do!
I feel it helps me sleep more deeply (when I do manage to get to sleep), and my tachycardia starts to come back if I skip it for 2 or 3 days. Plus whatever I said in my OP.

I started taking vit D about a week ago, & my hair is falling out a lot less. I thought the DE would help with that...it has in the past, but not so much this time around.

[C'Marie]

I think it makes hair softer when it comes back in, though! It also helps my skin retain moisture.

[adillenal]

I stopped everything when I started pterostilbene so I could see if I was getting any results from the ptero. I can see no difference with or without the DE yet. I am seeing appetite suppression on my UD's with the ptero so that is worth taking it for. I can really do some UUAA days.
I might start the DE in the evenings as to not interfer with my ptero that I take in the mornings.

[Joyjoy]

Adi, I don't mean to jack a thread, or whatever that's called, but I want to tell you that the combination of your new photo and your tendency toward UUADs is extremely inspiring for me. Your success is beautiful to witness
I'm grateful for you today.

[Kissa]

Yes she does look incredible doesn't she? You rock Adi.

I am still enjoying my DE, I take 1T at night. I don't know what is is doing but I quite enjoy it.

[adillenal]

Originally Posted by Joyjoy

Adi, I don't mean to jack a thread, or whatever that's called, but I want to tell you that the combination of your new photo and your tendency toward UUADs is extremely inspiring for me. Your success is beautiful to witness
I'm grateful for you today.

Aw thanks. I am the queen of UUAA days I think. It is amazing to me that I can lose weight and go crazy several times a week.

Originally Posted by Kissa

Yes she does look incredible doesn't she? You rock Adi.

I am still enjoying my DE, I take 1T at night. I don't know what is is doing but I quite enjoy it.

Thanks Kissa. I don't mind the DE so I would like to start it again but at night also. Don't want to mess up the ptero in the mornings.

[LowCarbMe]

Count me in as a DE fan! I've been taking it since May 15th.

Okay benefits:

Hair -- definitely! Even my husband noticed that my hair is thicker (and it takes alot for him to notice!

Fingernails -- rapid growth and much stronger

Sleep -- promotes a sounder sleep

No more cracks in my heel -- It's weird but one heel on my foot cracks. The other is fine. Well, it has cleared up and on the way to being perfect!

Being post menopausal (5 years) and with a recent bone density test, I have the beginnings of osteopenia. Well, after some research I decided to supplement with a bone-building Jarrow brand. Looking at the bottle, it suggests that it's best when used with a silicon product. So I'm thinking DE would also help to preserve/build bone density. In fact a poster on another site did report that DE increased her bone density. Interesting.

So, I'm, hooked! DE is now part of my daily supplements!

(However it did NOT seem to help with my cholesterol reading.)

[vanilla_latte]

Still taking it almost daily (weekends not so much) and am thinking - not sure yet - that my hair is beginning to see some benefits. It felt a little thicker yesterday and it doesn't look quite as thin in some places.

Haven't it noticed it helping anything else, but the hair is why I'll drink dirt if it helps!!

[Kissa]

Low Carb me, thanks for reminding me. Nails...my nails were growing so fast that I bravely took off my acrylics for the first time in years! I am keeping them really short until the damage tips grow out but they are doing remarkably well.

The other interesting thing is the bladder issue the PJ mentions in the OP.

I have been away from my London home for longer than planned and I was running out of the drug I am on to help with urge (different to stress) incontinences. I have been on 1/3 of the amount I usually take and have had no 'desperate' incidences at all. I am amazed. May keep the dose down and see how I go.

[dawnyama]

Yay!!! I found some DE in my health food store!!! 12 oz for $14.95. I bought some to try. Now I need to go back and read how to take it LOL

[sophiethecat]

I'm back to taking Calcium Bentonite for the last two days. I decided to give it a longer try than two weeks. I have a lot in that jar anyway, and it's too harsh for me to use as a facial mask (what this brand is marketed as).... So I take about 1/4 to 1/2 t. and mix it in with my daily green powdered drink and Metamucil. I mix these 3 things with some juice and water or some wine and water. Just helps me get it all down. Gritty, but I'm getting used to it.

[zagnut]

I also take DE, up to a tablespoon a day now, i just mix it with almond milk and peanut butter and coconut oil (to get the CO in for the day too). I've only been taking it about 2 wks or so and not sure I see any benefits yet. I just used it on a cat for fleas and seems to be working for that, though, lol.
But with the huge list of possible benefits I've seen, it could be working inside and just take a while for me to notice anything.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by OhioGuy

i think i read that red yeast extract is the best supp for bp

My DH is taking this for his blood pressure after I heard Dr Oz talking about it. His blood pressure has improved So I second this recommendation.

[piratejenny]

Hi Dawn,
I recently read some recommendations against red yeast rice, because it works similarly to statin drugs...interferes with liver enzymes and inhibits CoQ10, for example. I think it was an article by Dr Mercola.

I had high blood pressure a few months ago, and have corrected it with hawthorn berry, olive leaf, and Vitamin C. This morning it was 113/70!

If you have any concerns about the red yeast rice, or if your husband starts having any problems with it, I can give you more info about what I'm taking (and how much).

Glad to hear he's doing better!

[dawnyama]

pj--I have heard good things about the hawthorn berry too. Right now he is only willing to try one thing so we are doing the red yeast rice. The fish oil isn't helping with his cholesterol either. So not sure what to do about getting that down.......Oh, and we take olive leaf when we are sick. So I have that at home, but he is unwilling to take multiple supplements unless he is ill.

[piratejenny]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

...he is unwilling to take multiple supplements unless he is ill.

A lot of people say DE helps with cholesterol...
Do you guys take that?

The red yeast rice may help with that, too; maybe it takes a little longer than the BP.
(Taking ubiquinol is recommended when taking statins or red yeast rice, to address the CoQ10 issue.)

Although, how do you feel about the whole cholesterol issue any way? There's so much discussion about whether it needs to be lowered anyway...

[metqa]

Red yeast rice is the precurser to the statin so it shouldn't be taken since they have the same effect, but I guess if he's not taking the Rx med, he won't overdose, but should still be aware of the potential side effects even of the natural version. Thanks for that heads up Jenny. I remember I used to talk about that when I worked at the health food store. Those were the days....

I personally think that cholesterol level aren't the negative marker they claim but the damage done that requires cholesterol to be used. Some people have High cholesterol but great vascular health and very few damage markers so the cholesterol will never harm them. Then I heard that you need cholesterol to make repairs and certain hormones so I wouldn't want to lower it unless it were extremely high AND causing damage.

The cholesterol myth has been the most compelling information I've come across about it.

[piratejenny]

Metqa...I was having a lot of trouble recently with insomnia, and in looking into the whole process that happens in the body...l-tryptophan to serotonin to melatonin....I read about how cholesterol is needed to make hormones. Somehow, I don't think I knew this; it made me really angry that this is not common knowledge, and we're told to NOT eat cholesterol?!!! (The liver only makes about 75% of what we need; the rest should come from diet.)

I liked the explanation/graphic in the FatHead movie...inflammation causes fissures in the arteries, and cholesterol "patches" them...kinda like spackle, lol...if the arteries aren't damaged, the cholesterol in the bloodstream won't stick to anything.

The CRP test measures inflammation, and it seems to me that is a more important marker for health.

Oh, Dawn! I remember what I was reading about that is supposed to help with cholesterol that is already built up in the arteries; it's called serrapeptase.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by piratejenny

A lot of people say DE helps with cholesterol...
Do you guys take that?

The red yeast rice may help with that, too; maybe it takes a little longer than the BP.
(Taking ubiquinol is recommended when taking statins or red yeast rice, to address the CoQ10 issue.)

Although, how do you feel about the whole cholesterol issue any way? There's so much discussion about whether it needs to be lowered anyway...

My DH is NOT going on statins for it. I know that much! He feels as I do--they are not worth it. He gets pressured every single time he goes to the doctor to be on them--no matter what he is in there for. He just says no and then goes on with the matter that brought him in in the first place. I am so glad he refuses them. Don't want him starting on those. That is why we are doing the fish oil.

[metqa]

Originally Posted by piratejenny

Metqa...I was having a lot of trouble recently with insomnia, and in looking into the whole process that happens in the body...l-tryptophan to serotonin to melatonin....I read about how cholesterol is needed to make hormones. Somehow, I don't think I knew this; it made me really angry that this is not common knowledge, and we're told to NOT eat cholesterol?!!! (The liver only makes about 75% of what we need; the rest should come from diet.)

I liked the explanation/graphic in the FatHead movie...inflammation causes fissures in the arteries, and cholesterol "patches" them...kinda like spackle, lol...if the arteries aren't damaged, the cholesterol in the bloodstream won't stick to anything.

The CRP test measures inflammation, and it seems to me that is a more important marker for health.

Oh, Dawn! I remember what I was reading about that is supposed to help with cholesterol that is already built up in the arteries; it's called serrapeptase.

I remember some years ago making a graphic cartoon almost exactly the same as the fat head one. I had little men in hazmat suits instead of Haughtons head LOL. MY Mother MADE FUN OF IT. I hope I can find it I'll scan it and post it somewhere , it was cute! Anyway, I said the same thing back then that Fat head said, nobody believed me. I feel a bit vindicated now that it's becoming "common" knowledge.


Oh and also Magnesium is needed for the conversion of melatonin to help with sleep. I learned that last night. Jimmy Morre had a Podcast with the Magnesium Man. ( sounds like a super hero) So among other reason, that's a new one to encourage me to keep taking my magnesium.

[piratejenny]

Cool...I've been taking magnesium faithfully for several months now. It helps me with several issues!
And I've heard it is needed for about 300 functions in the body...really important stuff!

I didn't take it for a long time because the kind I had gave me tummy issues. I'm happy to say that I found another kind!
I also have a magnesium "lotion" (really, it's more like a gel) that I use at night when I need a little help winding down. I wonder if it needs a couple hours to get working with the melatonin? In which case, it might be better to use it earlier in the evening?

[mykidsteacher]

I started eating dirt a couple weeks ago. Not sure I notice a lot of difference, but I do have to file my nails more often (my dd is teaching me piano, so I keep them shorter now than I used to). And I notice a LOT less hair in my hairbrush. Not really seeing any increase in thickness yet, but I think I'm losing less.

For fish oil when you are taking it to heal, you need to make sure you are taking what would be considered a "therapeutic dose". My naturopath put me and my dh on a dose of 3000mg of EPA daily. Not just total mg of fish oil, but the actual EPA count. For most fish oil capsules, this would be a TON of capsules (the brand dh was using would have been 18/day!!!). I did find one that has 800mg EPA/ 2 capsules. I take 2 with each meal (since I am more in a maintenance phase of my treatment) and dh takes 8/day.

And I completely agree that inflammation and blood sugar likely have much more effect on cardiovascular health than cholesterol (unless cholesterol is over 300 or so from what I've read). Getting to the bottom of what is causing damage in your body that is causing the over production of cholesterol is key to getting it under control.

For me, it was hidden food allergies to eggs and dairy. When I eliminated the offending foods, I dropped 40 points in my cholesterol (even raised my hdl by 2 points) in 6 mos. That is about the improvement a statin would have been expected to give over the same time period. I am now well within normal, and my inflammation markers are as low as they can get. I had no overt/obvious symptoms for these allergies. But the constant low level inflammation was causing problems. Just a thought.

[metqa]

Okay so I'm thinking of actually ordering some and I'm confused.

Initially Jenny, you mentioned you had some that was light in color and some that was dark in color.

the RED earth stuff is dark in color and they praise the fact that it contains the clay.
Permaguard is light in color and they praise the fact that it does NOT contain clay, and is fresh water( whatever diff that makes)

Do You Dirt Eaters have a preference for the lighter or the darker and why. I want to compile the benefits and figure out which one would benefit me the best.

My BP has always been normal. My cholesterol was normal on the high side but back then my Tri's were very low. They probably aren't low now. I have tinnitus, and panic attacks ( poor sleep) I'm gonna restart taking my magnesium for that.

I don't have a specific issue, I just want to add something beneficial to my diet and I've wanted to add DE for a long time. I just don't know which ones correspond with which benefits.. I'm going back through the thread to see if I can figure out but I don't think many mentioned which color DE they take.

[piratejenny]

I prefer the Permaguard...it's finer, mixes better in liquid, and has less "flavor".

The Red Lake Earth was gritty and hurt my throat a little. A lot of it would settle to the bottom of the cup, so I'd have to add more water. I think it's meant to add to livestock feed, and the calcium or clay or whatever is added to it doesn't help kill fleas or anything, if you want to also have the DE on hand for that.

Somewhere upthread I think I mentioned that the Red Lake Earth seemed to have helped with my tachycardia more than Permaguard, but that's not really a problem these days.

I got a 10lb box of Permaguard for about $20, free shipping, on Amazon.

I fill up an old coffee can with the DE and put it on a shelf in the kitchen. I keep a little jam jar on top of that, use it exclusively to drink my DE, and don't bother washing it out every day.

[gotsomeold]

Originally Posted by mykidsteacher

And I completely agree that inflammation and blood sugar likely have much more effect on cardiovascular health than cholesterol (unless cholesterol is over 300 or so from what I've read). Getting to the bottom of what is causing damage in your body that is causing the over production of cholesterol is key to getting it under control.

Total agreement. Farmington and the Nurses' Study convinced me long before I read The Great Cholesterol Con.

[stargazer]

I've been drinking the DE water (not the powder itself) for about a month or more now and my nails are finally looking better - thicker and shinier. My hair is sprouting all over my hairline so something is definitely happening. I also think it does help your skin to be more moisturised from the inside. Just maybe my thread veins are better.

Still wondering if my sun/liver spots will go as advertised but not much change so far. If anyone knows how to shift them without laser treatment let me know. I've tried hydroquine, TCA peels, Kojic acid and regularly use Retinoic acid and Vit C crème on them. This seems to be the most intractable beauty issue there is.

I'm also adding pomegranate juice to my daily supplements as it has good press for heart health. Shame about the calories in it.

[Kissa]

Stargalzer, I am not a Dr and I am simply reporting what I did, it worked for me.

Please don't laugh, but I freeze them off with over the counter 'Wart and Verucca" remover. This honestly works. I have done 2 largish spots on my face and a number on my hands. I scabs over and comes off within a week, leaving a red mark which fades quite quickly. I did the first one 2 years ago, with no recurrence, the second I did a couple of months ago.

However, after a couple of months of taking DE I am really seeing the liverspots on my hands appearing lighter. Funnily it was only yesterday that I noticed this.

Where do you order your DE from?

[adillenal]

I quit DE about a month ago when I started taking pterostilbene as I wanted the ptero to be the only supplment I was taking to see if it had benefits.

Now I know what the benefits from DE are too. My hair is starting to fly away again and my nails are soft and break easily. I am going to keep taking the Ptero since I can see that it has helped with the appetite problem I had on UD's and hopefully I can remember to start the DE again. Need to put a sticky on my cabinet where I store my supplements.

[piratejenny]

Originally Posted by stargazer

I've been drinking the DE water (not the powder itself) ....

Still wondering if my sun/liver spots will go as advertised but not much change so far. If anyone knows how to shift them without laser treatment let me know.

You might have to drink the actual powder to get the liver spots to go. I think I mentioned this effect at the beginning of the thread...not for myself, but others who noticed the spots just "drying up and flaking off" were taking the powder.

This, plus Kissa's story, makes me realize that it sounds like they are a topical growth, like a mole? I always assumed they were caused by a change in pigmentation....like a big freckle!