I am curious if anyone here has experimented with bentonite clay? It is purported to be very good for drawing out heavy metals from the system, though there is no research on the topic that I can find. I am also curious what others here think about silver filling removal and chelation therapy?

We tried the clay, no noticeable effect. Also, someone here posted that in addition to drawing out the "bad stuff", chelation will also draw out good things like minerals which we must all have. The clay can affect meds, too, so timing is very important. I think you'd have to be pretty careful with your mineral (ie, electrolyte too) balances if you wanted to chelate and/or do the clay.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I would think that if bentonite clay were so effective that it draws out systemic minerals, that it would also affect heavy metal accumulation. Since many people theorize that Parkinson's is due to either neurotoxic chemical exposure and/or heavy metal accumulation (or some other cause I am unaware of), then I would think it might have an effect on the progression of the disease, but not a decrease in tremors.

When you say it had no noticeable effects, perhaps your symptoms didn't decrease, but perhaps you're not taking into account the fact that rate of progression might have been slowed down due to a reduction of systemic heavy metals?

-Jonathan

Jonathan,

My first experience with clay was through pedicures and yes I definitely felt my feet relax and a bit more grounded - that was with La Palm mint masque. I bought some other clay and take only the footbaths on occassion and get a little less of a noticeable sensation than with the La Palm. I LOVE my foot care including yin tui na on the feet! don't know which clay is actually the best but if sensation is a barometer would go with the La Palm.

enjoy!
sharilyn

One therapeutic use for clay worth remembering is when you have an infection and have a bunch of toxins or dead bacteria in your GI tract awaiting disposal. The toxins can be reabsorbed if they are around awhile. The clay binds to them and keeps them under control.

Hi Reverett,

Thank you very much for the input. I want to caution everyone that taking bentonite clay internally can lead to serious issues in certain people. I would take a look at earthcures' website under the Bentonite Clay warning section for evidence of this. Some types of bentonite clay are used to fill cracks in cement, so if you are to experiment with taking it internally, make sure the type of clay bentonite clay you are ingesting is intended for internal purposes and be aware of the potential adverse effects. I imagine if you have a weak digestive system, that you should proceed with caution, or only use it externally in a slurry paste (where it is smeared all over the body) or in a bath. Make sure you have a filter for your bathtub, since it expands in the pipes!

That said, what has your experience been with taking it internally? Have you also bathed in it?

-Jonathan

Thanks for the feedback. I don't know if there should be much of a sensation, but I could be wrong. When I bathed in it, I didn't necessarily feel different, but I imagine each person would react differently. I did notice that my skin was softer afterward. Perhaps the brand you tried had some added ingredients, such as herbs or essential oils?

I think the most important part in all of this to find a reputable company, as I have read some companies have used clay from toxic sites. I don't know how this would be done, other than to make sure the company can provide verifiable independent lab testing of their product.

-Jonathan

Clay is not the best thing for detoxifying heavy metals. There are things that work much more effectively and bind with the metals better. The best one I know about is microsilica which binds with mercury and other heavy metals like lead. There are two products that contain microsilica which are:

- IMD (intestinal metal detox)

- MetalSweep

I've had great results with the first product and use it as part of an overall detox program that has benefited me immensely.

There are several heavy metal chelators that are very effective and have made a significant difference to my health and energy levels and overall quality of life.

It is also true that detoxification will pull-out good minerals from the body, and so it is recommended to take minerals in supplements and from foods to make up for the lost minerals.