I’ve gotten a lot of emails and messages from IBIH readers asking for updates on my recent issues with food intolerances. First I want to say thank you so much for your concern and well wishes – it really means a lot to me. I’m so excited to let you know that I can now EAT ALL OF THE THINGS!!!!! Which is both good and bad! ha ha!
I went from being able to eat and drink almost nothing without having a reaction, to now being able to eat and drink pretty much anything. I credit this amazing change to the diatomaceous earth I started taking almost 2 weeks ago. In my desperation to find answers to my sudden onset of intolerance to everything, and in getting no answers from the doctors I tried, I did a ton of research online. I tried all sorts of supplements and enzymes in case it was a Histamine Intolerance and saw no improvement.
Mr. Hungry was also doing research and asked me about parasites, because he read that they could cause a sudden onset of food and chemical intolerances. In our research about that, we found diatomaceous earth (DE) which was supposed to kill parasites with no chemicals or herbs, so it was unlikely that I would have a reaction to it. Since DE was also purported to flush out viral, fungal and bacterial pathogens, heavy metals (especially mercury since I have a few amalgam fillings), yeast (Candida) and pesticide residues (we live in an agricultural area and they spray year round here), I thought it was worth trying since all of those things can also contribute to sudden intolerances.
I ordered the Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade ONLY) online and started taking just a teaspoon a day (mixed into water) on an empty stomach, and worked up to a tablespoon a day within a week.
I don’t know how quickly it actually worked, but my last reaction was on a Sunday evening (it was a bad one) and I started taking the DE the next morning and haven’t had a reaction since. I started testing foods in small amounts that Thursday, and nothing produced a reaction. By this past Sunday I was eating everything, and even drank a beer with no issues.
I deliberately pushed the envelope with sugar, gluten, and high sulfite foods like canned tomatoes and aged cheese, just waiting for a reaction to come out of nowhere and it never did (though I felt bloated and awful from eating all that junk). I still can’t believe it! Now that I can eat anything, I’m going back to my low carb/gluten free way of eating (with the occasional splurge) before I gain all the weight back that I lost since January! I’m also very excited to be back in the kitchen and cooking for the blog again. I have lots of recipes on my list to share with you guys soon, and I’m so looking forward to that!
While I can’t be 100% sure that it was the DE that fixed my problem, in my gut I feel strongly that it was no coincidence that my issues went away when I started taking it. I don’t know if it was parasites, or pathogens, or yeast, or built up toxins that were causing my intolerances – maybe it was a combination of things, but I can tell you that in the first week of taking it I saw some very disturbing things getting “flushed” out. That’s all I’m going to say about it, and no I did not take pictures, but I feel a lot better knowing that stuff is gone – whether it was causing my food intolerances or not!
Diatomaceous Earth isn’t just for parasites and all of the other stuff I mentioned, though that alone is more than enough reason for me to keep taking it! There are many, many other health benefits that come from taking DE – including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol! DE is also made up of mostly silica which is crucial for the production of collagen which improves skin tone and the health of your joints and tendons – not to mention gorgeous hair and nails!
I read so many testimonials about DE improving people’s arthritis and joint pain that I told my mother in law about it and she started taking it too. Mr. Hungry is also a believer and has been taking it for over a week, and I’ll be starting our son on it in small doses soon. DE is also used for livestock and pets to control worms and parasites. All of our cats will be starting the DE as well, since that is likely ground zero for a lot of potential parasites that the rest of our family might come in contact with.
There are so many uses for DE that I can’t possibly write about all of them here so I’m going to give you a few great links on it’s many uses, how to use it, where to get it, etc.
FAQ & other DE uses – for pets, livestock, gardens, bedbugs, etc.
Diatomaceous Earth Testimonials 1
Diatomaceous Earth Testimonials 2
Sources to purchase DE online (you can also find it at some health food stores to avoid shipping charges):
To take the DE, stir one tablespoon (you can work up to that amount if you’d like) into about 4 ounces of water. Be very careful not to inhale the dust from it when stirring. Once it’s fully incorporated, drink it down quickly and chase with some more water or your drink of choice. It’s best taken on an empty stomach in the morning or evening before bed (or both if you’re hard core!)
Drink lots of water throughout the day or you may get “bound up” as they say. You may experience some mild stomach discomfort and strange sensations in your abdomen in the first few days (things dying?!?!? Ewww!) which Mr. Hungry and I both did.
It’s also possible to have a Herxheimer Reaction, which is a normal part of detoxing, during which you may experience flu-like symptoms for a few days. This is a result of the toxins being released from the parasites, fungus, viruses, bacteria or other pathogens being killed off. Our family already had a bad cold the week we started taking it so it’s hard to say if we experienced that or not. But if you do, stay the course – it’s a good thing!
If you have food intolerances that randomly just popped up like I did (or even if you’ve had them for awhile), don’t just accept that they are simply there for life like most allergists will tell you. Try the DE – it’s cheap and has many other health benefits so you have nothing to lose! I can’t say enough how glad I am that I found and ordered this amazing product! I’m a believer for life!
If you’ve used DE before with great results (or not) we’d love to hear from you! And if you haven’t yet, but are inspired to research it and try it out for yourself, please do let me know about your experiences with it! I feel like I want to bag it up and hand it out to everyone I know! Hmmm…maybe there is a DE giveaway in the near future – I’ll get on that! ;)
UPDATE 2: I received an email from Larry Smith, the President of Earthworks, who wanted to clear up the misconception about any dangers of inhaling food grade diatomaceous earth – here’s what he wrote: “This is a misunderstanding about food grade DE. There are 2 kinds of DE—food grade and filter grade (used in swimming pool and other filters) Only the filter grade is dangerous to breathe. The “dangerous” part of DE is the amount of crystalline silica that is in it. Filter grade is 65% crystalline silica while food grade is less than 1/10 of 1%! The world health org. has said that diatomaceous earth is safe to breathe as long as the crystalline content is under 2%. Food grade is 20X lower than even that level!!”
So no need to be concerned about any danger associated with using DE for pets, bedding, consumption or anything else – as long as it’s FOOD GRADE! Thanks so much for clearing that up Larry!!! It’s a huge relief to know that I don’t have to worry about that anymore!
Necessary internet disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I have any medical training – I’m just sharing what worked for me. Use this product at your own risk. Also, this is not a sponsored or for profit post, and I have no affiliation with any of the companies that produce this product.
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mckenziepartyof5 says
I am on day 4 of taking DE, only day 3 of taking 1 TBSP of it though ( the first day I took 1 tsp thinking to go slow, but I decided what the heck and did a full Tbsp the next day and since then). I am having some pretty heavy detox with stuffed up and draining sinuses and coughing up phlem. My lungs feel lighter though, so I think good things are definitely happening. I have scalp issues and my scalp has been very tingly and itchy too lately, but I noticed the “scabs” are not building up as quickly on my scalp so I think good things are happening there too. I have Hashimotos disease and I do not have celiac disease but I had problems with gluten for a long time. I also have elevated liver enzymes and chronic constipation. I suspect I probably have parasites and have had them for a long time, so I am looking forward to eliminating them if I do have them. My husband, younger son and my daughter are all taking it, they have not had any noticeable detox symptoms at all, my younger son is feeling real good, so I’m glad about that. They are taking 2 tsps a day at this point, I will be giving them a full Tbsp tomorrow.
Oh, my nose is running like crazy today too :) I expect this since I have had sinus issues for many years, so I suspect the DE is working on that area. I will keep you tuned in on my progress.
I have been eating gluten lately to test the waters on that, I can’t say if I am doing better in that area or not, but we shall see. I definitely need to go back to low carb though, I felt better eating that way.
Steph
Btw, I just wanted to let you know, I tried to post on the forum, but the math equation thingy is not working, so it won’t let me post any replies.
Kaarina says
I know this is old post but if you have phlegm problems, could indicate dairy allergy, especially milk as fermented products like yoghurt are generally easier to digest. Also if your liver enzymes are raised, this could indicate Gilbert’s Syndrome. This means problems digesting starchy foods like wheat, grains, chickpeas, pulses etc..Also fats, though I tolerate animal and fish fat, but not short chain vegetable oils. Need to eat small meals and often.
Rhoda says
I have intolerances to so many foods that I eat almost the same thing daily. But there was no sudden onset. I’ve had difficulties with my GI system since I was a baby. I don’t eat anything acidy it hurts my belly. I don’t eat meat because it slows me down and makes me tired. I don’t eat corn- and that’s corn starch, corn syrup, =dextrose that’s corn based, it makes my stomach blow up and hurt intensely. I’ve been diagnosed with Irritable bowel syndrome and hiatus hernia. So if this is a life long thing, will this help and how? Thanks, it’s always good to find more natural alternatives to prescriptions. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been given a prescription or a solution for a colonoscopy and there’s corn in it. I don’t take anything home from the pharmacy without checking the ingredients first. Even if I have to call the drug manufacturer from the drug store.
Katie says
Try eliminating wheat and and all grains. Read the WheatBelly book!
James says
Hi, I’m dealing with a Heliopactor Pylori virus in my stomach, wonder if this will help?
Leslie Mori says
We originally purchased DE to deal with a bad year for fleas…actually, it was a good year for fleas…just bad for our dog, cats and us. I sprinkled it all over the house and truly, we haven’t had much flea trouble since. After reading/reasearching I began taking DE. I always felt very energetic afterward and aches and pains diminished but I never did it for long. I am encouraged now to go for it. The testimonials on EW sometimes sounds a bit “out there” even though I could read on that site for hours. What the heck, I’ve got a HUGE bag….might as well. I will follow this strand to see how everyone is doing on it.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Leslie I despise fleas so much! They just gross me out!!! Growing up we had outdoor cats that brought fleas in that infested our house once, and I’ll never forget walking across the living room in shorts and seeing them hopping onto my legs. Ewwww!!!! My mom had to bomb multiple times to finally get rid of them. If only she knew about DE back then, we wouldn’t have had to empty all the cabinets and hand wash every single dish because of all the chemicals from the bombs! Like you said, if you’ve already got it, you might as well take it! Keep us posted!
Carel W says
Hi Mellissa!! I stumbled upon your website via a post on my FB abt DE! I am abt 4 hrs from Norfolk, NE and just ordered some from Earthworks, will get it tomorrow! I too have trouble with sensitivites. Primarily chemicals, I think. My nervous system needs to take a chill pill, I feel sometimes :) I used to have migraines on a daily basis, ended up at a head pain clinic where they placed me on medication which helped for abt a year. After that I was introduced to NAET (allergy elimination technique) and did that for abt 5 years, cleared alot of my food and chemical allergies along with emotional blockages and I can say that I am not on any medicaiton and I don’t have migraines as much anymore :) My diet has evolved over the years to where I eat pretty healthy. I do green shakes and I enjoy my fruits and vegetables :) I don’t think I have a gluten intolerance per se but I do have to watch the amount of breads I consume in a day. My biggest problem right now is fatigue, the probiotics and digestive enzymes that I take seem to help with that. So I am thinking that my digestive system isnt breaking down food properly?? My doctor said I have an irritable bowel too-haha! Last winter I got a very bad stomach flu/virus(?) and ever since then my intestinal tract has never been the same since. I can’t wait to see what kind of results I will get with DE. I have done bentonite clay before and it kinda scared me cuz I couldn’t tell if it was leaving my body and I dont think it really made much of a difference. Will keep you posted on my results :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for sharing your experience Carol – I can’t wait to see what results you get with the DE too!!!
Stephanie Mckenzie says
I just started taking this, I’m on day two and am taking 2 tsp a day so far. I will work up to a Tbsp by end of week. So far I am having mild detox symptoms, coughing up a bit of gunk throughout the day, I read that can happen. My husband and 2 younger kids are taking it as well (my oldest is not very adventurous), we are excited and hopeful!!!
Steph
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Steph, sorry to hear that you are experiencing detox symptoms, but it’s nice to know that something is happening! I hope that your family has good results with it! We are on week three and my tendonitis that used to keep me awake at night has significantly improved in the last week – I’m hoping it will be completely gone at some point!! Keep us posted on your progress!!!
Lora says
What is the difference between the food grade and what you can buy at a farm and feed store in the bag? Also what is the problem of inhaling it as is mentioned earlier not to do? Just curious.
Christine F says
This shounds amazing! I’m gonna try it. I’m glad it works for you. I have had different food allergies for the last 12 years. Some worse than others and some coming and going. I’m glad to hear thsi has worked for you and I would be exstatic to be able to not live in constant fear that someone in a nearby vacinity is eating nuts and will cause my throat to close.
Thank you for shating!
Gloria Botts says
I got the DE to use for my chickens but read the applications for humans and thought I’d give it a try. The results were miraculous. It was time for my yearly check up and when the doctor took my blood pressure it was in the normal range for the first time in years. It seems to give me so much more energy. The skin and hair effects were just as miraculous. I have been taking it every day for about 8 months and would not live without it!
Gail Sarlo says
I really appreciate that you have shared your experience about DE. I am an advocate of DE. I have been taking DE for about seven months and have noticed my food intolerances have change dramatically for the better as well. Along with better energy, digestion, new hair growth..which I felt was becoming a problem. I now have my whole family taking DE, even our dog Pearl. Her coat is now soft and beautiful. she now has noticeable clear whites of her eyes & not a single ear mite present when there used to be intermittent scratching waking my husband & I in the middle of the night.
I am a body worker & have recommended DE to a lot of my clients with much success.
I don’t know what I would have done had I not found DE and incorporated it in my daily routine. I was completely frustrated because of my ever growing list of intolerances to everything. I began a gluten free diet, did not consume alcohol anymore, restricted my sugar intake to the extreme & nothing gave me any relief. Now I feel like a normal but improved human being making my way as gracefully as I can in the world…