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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Manuel says
I seem to have developed a kidney infection from taking too much DE at once. Maybe its just healing… but I too got the blood in urine, bladder infection symptoms, and now my sides hurt I think the infection moved up.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’ve never heard of DE causing a kidney infection but I hope you are being treated for it by your doctor since that’s nothing to fool around with! Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Katie says
I used D-Mannose for a UTI and it worked! I bought it from Mercola.com, capsule form.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Good to know Katie – I’m going to order some to have on hand!
Mary Beth says
I used to get a lot of bladder infections, haven’t had one for years, but I definitely felt some ache in my kidneys when I would up my DE dose – when I first noticed it, I looked around, found a few other people reporting something similar, not too many, but that is when I backed my dose down. I had gone from about 1 TBSP once a day, to 2 TBSP, twice a day. I had great parasite results, but when I felt the pressure in my kidneys, I backed down to 2 TBSP once a day. Then at the next new moon, I went back up to twice a day, did it for about a week, again had good results, but started to feel the ache in my kidneys, so dropped back down to once a day. I might have done that cycle one more time, and had no extreme parasite expulsion, so after a week went back down to the once a day – I don’t think I had the kidney ache before I did that, but I would just back down the dose as soon as you feel anything in that area. I think I had blood in my urine one day, on the first round, that helped me decide to back down. I would back down or stop, and if symptoms don’t subside, get to the dr soon. I would still start back up again with DE after you get straightened out, but using caution, and backing down at slightest irritation in kidneys.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I wonder if it’s an infection at all then, or just the added strain of taking the large amounts of DE. Did you increase your water exponentially when you increased your DE? I try to drink buckets of water when I’m taking a lot of it but I don’t know if that would have an effect on kidneys at all. Going to have to research this further! Thanks for the comment and sharing your own experiences with it!
Mary Beth says
I tried to remember to keep up my water intake, but I would not say I increased exponentially. Oh, and for bladder infections, I have to add my vote for D Mannose – it helped more than anything else I have ever used, and as I was tapering off on my run of infections, I used it whenever I felt any kind of twinge that one was developing, and it worked. I still keep it on hand, and have recommended it to many friends.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much for weighing in with that very informative comment, Dana – I had never heard of D-mannonse, though I took cranberry extract in the past for bladder infections which probably contained it. I’ll know what to reach for next time I get one (which hopefully won’t be for a long time! ha ha!)
Dana says
You’re welcome Mellissa. It’s fun to see how one comment can bring on so many others. And yes, cranberry extract products such as CranActin do contain D-mannose as their active ingredient. I also keep some on hand just in case.
Rachel Clark says
I really like D Mann also. IT helps anytime I feel like I am getting a uti. Symtoms always go away. I have been taking DE for 11 days. I still have aches in my back, but the bloating has lessened. I do find the gas is a little “yuck”.. I don’t ever really have gas anymore since eliminating processed foods, but boy do I have it now.
razz says
I have taken a parasite cleanse twice a year for at least a decade. But recently the bloating and gurgling in my stomach, the fatigue, the constipation and the extreme itching everywhere indicated that things had gotten out of control. I had used DE before and found that I passed worms while using it on it’s own. But, I decided to go one step further and create my own parasite cleanse. I began taking DE twice daily, along with an herbal parasite tincture and fulvic acid. Also, coffee enemas to help flush the worms out. What I learned is this: If you ever see 2 or 3 worms in the toilet, you could actually have 200 or 300! I passed worms for 60 days! At first they came out whole and long or slimy. Near the end, they came out with their skin shredded. Finally they came out as nothing but chaff. My stomach is flat again. My nails are crazy strong. My hair is getting thicker. And amazingly – and I don’t know if this is directly related to the DE or just my body getting in balance, but my low thyroid seems to be working on it’s own for the first time in years. I haven’t yet ventured into testing my allergies. But this stuff is great.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us Razz – sounds like you are having amazing results!!!
Christina says
Hi, I have been taking D.E. for about two weeks. I take a heaping teaspoon and I feel wonderful during the day. I have more energy and less bloating and I don’t feel so full after a meal like I usually do. I sleep better, I also notice my hair getting shiny and longer. My completion looks better, and less acne. It also cleaned my system out, well that’s what I feel like. It also raised energy through the roof. I also use to have bedbugs and someone told me about this product, and I researched it, and found all the amazing facts about D.E. so I decided to use it for many reasons. After I noticed I had bedbugs, I had to get rid of many things, including furniture and they were so hard to get rid of, nothing was working until I found out about this D.E. and let me tell you how quickly there was I was bedbug free. I was so amazed with this product. It’s a God send! It also lowered my Mom’s blood pressure, which it is amazing! I’m trying to get my family and friends to take D.E. too! Thank you God for this!!
Margo says
I’ve been on DE for awhile and I said I’d update my reactions. So here goes. My body reacts to food allergies in two ways. One is immediate and the other manifests over 3 days.
My immediate reaction to food causes hives and the 3 day causes muscle pain. I believe the diatomaceous earth helps with the immediate food allergies. It has decreased my hive reaction. Dairy caused hives and now I can eat dairy (thank the universe!). However I still get hives from other things so I’m still trying to figure it all out.
This is my bottom line. DE is worth exploring. My nails are amazing (nails are a window into your health) and I 100% know it defeated my parasite infection.
DE is a worthwhile product. Try it and comment here so we can learn from each other’s experiences.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for sharing Margo! I’m happy to hear that some of your symptoms are subsiding and that you can eat dairy again!!!!
Dana says
Thanks for sharing your experience with this. Reading posts on this blog has been very helpful. I just started DE yesterday (1 tsp will work up to a tbsp or 2 twice per day). I had taken some in the late 1990s for a while, though I don’t remember how much or for how long and I don’t recall having any particular results. I’m pretty sure I didn’t take lots back then though.
At this point I have many food sensitivities, and I’m fairly certain I have histamine intolerance. I’ve been taking the enzyme diamine oxydase, and I’m not sure if that’s helping or not. If DE could help that it would be great, because the enzyme supplement is expensive.
I also just found out that I have some genetic polymorphisms that affect methylation (detoxification and lots of other important stuff). I’m working on understanding all of it – it’s a rather new area of research that is proving helpful for people with difficult health challenges. I’ve had chronic fatigue for a couple of decades, and this stuff is shedding some light on why. I got genetic testing done through 23andme.com, and my current challenge is finding a doc that knows enough about it to be helpful. In the meantime I’m doing my own research and participating in a Yahoo Group on the subject (MTHFRdiscussions). Anyone interested in this can Google MTHFR for lots of info.
With DE, I’m hoping for better bowel function, less histamine sensitivity, and a parasite cleanse. Thanks again.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Welcome Dana, please keep us posted on how you’re doing! When I was researching histamine intolerance I also found that B6, B12, Vitamin C and Magnesium were important for methylation and other issues related to intolerance, so I have been supplementing with those as well. It wasn’t until I took the DE though that my intolerances finally went away. I do still have some histamine issues during peak allergy season (just went through a couple of bad weeks with ragweed) but as long as I’m diligent with DE and supplements it never turned into the full blown food intolerances that I had in the spring. I hope that the DE will help you as well – I’ll be looking forward to hearing about your results!!!
Pallavi says
Hi..I am planning on trying this. Does anybody know the effect of DE on lupus patients ? Is it safe for people who have lupus ? I have lupus and want to know of any side effects before I start.
Margo says
Hi Pallavi,
I do not have Lupus but I have an unnamed autoimmune issue. My doctors initially thought I had lupus but then decided it was something else. Though they don’t know what it is. I experienced the lupus rash on my face (which I was able to control through eating lacto fermented sauerkraut), have chronic hives, muscle issues and other things. I started slow with 1/2 tsp a day and within 2 weeks worked my way up to 1.5-2 tablespoons once a day. I have been taking the high dosage for almost 2 months. I have not noticed any side effects by taking the DE. I am very happy with the results. However, I am on a strict diet. I make everything that I eat (no processed foods what-so-ever) and do not eat any anti-inflammatory foods: no sugar, corn, wheat or soy. I avoided diary for 4 months but have recently added it back in. I also take bovine colostrum which helps repair the intestines. I would recommend you read: Autoimmune. The Cause and The Cure by Annesse Brockley. I’m not sure if her theory on the cause is correct but I can personally attest that her cure help. A lot. She had lupus in the 90s when no one even knew what it was and she helped herself get better. I have incorporated everything she did into my lifestyle and have dramatically decreased my symptoms. I am almost normal again. Even thought the book is $25 (I think she self publishes it) it’s worth it. Good luck!
Pallavi says
Thanks so much for your response Margo. It gives me confidence knowing that DE worked for you with no side effects. I plan to start soon and will definitely read the book you suggest. Thanks again for your response !!
Margo says
You’re welcome. I’ve found for me with autoimmune issues, natural healing has been more successful than conventional medicine.
Good luck!
Dana says
Manuel – I would just add to Margo’s really interesting post that if I had Lupus and was contemplating taking DE, I would start really slowly. I have CFS and ramped up my amount pretty quickly. I ended up with a detox “Herx” reaction with flu-like symptoms. With an autoimmune disease, it’s probably a good idea to not tax your immune system too much more. I’m only taking 1 level teaspoon per day right now, but if I had Lupus, I’d probably start with 1/2 teaspoon and increase pretty slowly. Just my 2 cents, though – I’m not a doctor.
I think a key for each one of us is improving gut health. Some wise person once said that death begins in the colon (and by implication – health begins in the colon). Good luck.
Pallavi says
That’s a good point Dana. I will slowly ramp up with DE. Thanks for your suggestion !
Dana says
You’re welcome. Good luck with the DE.
Oxana says
I read somewhere that candida is responsible for eating our body from inside out after we die )) my two cents to “death starts in the colon” ))
sharon foster says
Hi Melissa and thank you for responding. I do believe I am detoxing, I came down with a little sniffles and I continue to be tired and constipated. I will update you when things get moving.
sharon foster says
I forgot to mention. I am quite impressed with my nails, they seem to be harder and not brittle as they were. before…so YAY for DE.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I noticed that within a couple of weeks of taking it too! Also that I had tons of new hair growth, and months later if I tugged a piece out I could visibly see that the shaft was thicker in the newest inch or two since I had started taking the DE! It really does work – so amazing!!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Forgot to mention that we also had cold symptoms in the first week or so – definitely a detox side effect!
sharon foster says
Hi, Thank you for this website. I really enjoyed reading every bit of it. I started DE 11 days ago, I have been experiencing a lot of bloating, back pain, slight constipation and muscle aches. I drink a lot of water as suggested so I don’t think that is the problem. Can you help me understand what is going on with me. I don’t want to stop the DE as I am determined to experience the many benefits I read about. Thanks Sharon
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Sharon, it sounds like you are detoxing which is a good thing! If you are drinking lots of water then things should regulate with your constipation – when in doubt though, drink more water! Unless you have some really adverse symptoms I would stick with it and the detox symptoms should start to subside over time. I had bloating and crazy strange pains in my abdomen for the first two weeks and so did my husband! If you have parasites (and most of us do) they don’t go quietly! And if you have candida yeast issues, the die off releases toxins that can cause some of the symptoms you mentioned. Stay the course if possible, but stop (or cut back) if you truly feel nervous or uncomfortable like something is really wrong.
Kelly says
I took 1 teaspoon of DE this morning, and late this afternoon I could hardly walk. I should state that I’ve been very ill for years with ME/CFS, and use a wheelchair most of the time, but do walk out of the building when I get a ride to the grocery store, and could barely walk, or now back at home, can barely stand.
I guess this could be a release of toxins, but at the same time, I don’t understand how this product is supposed to help with joint health if it binds with toxins?
Shanna says
I have a serious question. Last week, I had an anaphylaxic reaction to peppers, and I’ve been eating peppers no problem for years. Researching the net, it looks bad. I went in for allergy testing and tested allergic to almost everything they checked, including very type of pollen they tested me for. They are blaming my sudden, severe allergy on my previously easy-to-handle pollen allergy. Someone suggested this to me. Did this actually cure you of real food allergies, or just intolerances? I’m desperate, as I’ve been told to eat nothing but meat, eggs, milk, and grains–and I LOVE fruits and veggies and have 4 small children I want to raise eating right.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Shanna, I am so sorry for what you are going through! Your situation sounds similar to mine and I know how terrifying it is! My allergies appear to be related to Oral Allergy Syndrome which is tied to specific pollens and proteins in foods. But for me, my body was so overloaded that I became allergic to everything, even water. Though I was prescribed an epi-pen, I didn’t get to a point that I needed to use it (yet), though I was close a few times. I’m not sure that the DE cured me per se, but it helped my body handle the histamines so that I could eat again. I’m not sure what will happen next spring when the pollen I’m most allergic to is out again. Hopefully the DE will keep me out of the hospital, even if I have to be extra careful of what I eat. If your issues are also pollen related, when whatever fall pollen you are allergic to dissipates your food allergies may as well. (though I wouldn’t test it unless you are in the presence of a medical professional just in case!) When you have an overload of histamines in your body, you can show allergic to everything on their tests, even when you aren’t. The DE swept histamines out of my body which kept me from reacting. When I stopped taking it during pollen season, after a couple of days my symptoms would come back as the histamines built up in my system. I would start taking DE again and they would dissipate. In the past couple of weeks when the ragweed started, I could feel my allergies returning. I started the DE again and I haven’t had any food reactions, though I have felt on the verge a few times before I took it. So, I can’t say for a certainty that the DE will help you, but I am 100% positive that it is key for me, so it’s worth a try, right? You may also want to supplement with Magnesium, B-12 and vitamin C if you aren’t already, because those help your body metabolize histamines so they don’t build up and cause reactions as well. Your liver is key in this process (methylation), so you may want to eliminate alcohol and any other things that could be taxing your liver as well. Other things that can cause you to react are heavy metal poisoning (especially mercury), parasites, and a build up of candida yeast – DE also addresses these things over time, so it may have been a factor for me – and possibly you. I hope this is helpful, please do keep us posted on your progress, especially if you decide to try the DE.
Shanna says
Thank you! I do want to try it. I live in a tiny country in Eastern Europe, so we’re looking for it now, we do have a lead. One thing I do know: God is in control, He loves me, and He will give me the grace to deal with this one way or another. Thank you for boosting my hope level with your reply! It’s good to know I’m not the only one dealing with this, and I do hope & pray I will respond as well as you have to it.
Sarah says
I take up to 12000mg of MSM a day for allergies (I’m allergic to just about every type of pollen, dust, smoke, mold, and MSG). I was taking 2-3 24 hr otc antihistamines per day and still having asthma-like symptoms from my allergies before discovering MSM. I haven’t taken an otc antihistamine since the very first dose of MSM I took.
http://www.msm-info.com/
Mary Beth says
Good luck, and keep at it! I remembered that the reason I backed my dose back down the first few times was that after the ‘morning and evening’ routine for a while, I started feeling a little pressure or mild discomfort, or something, in my kidney area. After two days of that, I would reduce to once a day, and was fine again. I think that happened twice, and now that am just in a routine, if I occasionally add a second dose, I just do it for a week, then drop it. I was thinking that I had no real parasite symptoms, but I do get some seasonal allergies, and while I still have them, they are not as bad. But the bigger one was that I was having a rough skin year, I had had impetigo in my nose, and was getting weird itchy, scaly breakouts behind my ears, and then noticed a kind of buildup on my scalp. I have had some of that for years, off and on, but the patches behind the ears were new. I had looked into essential oils, I had started getting them from Native American Nutritionals, and I read about some guy who had developed a blend that worked for his wife, so I had bought those oils and made my own, which helped a lot, but it was like whack a mole, I had to keep it up. But, when I went through the DE cycle, after I saw the first batch of parasites, all of that went away, so i suspect it was related.
Kelly says
If DE “tears up” and dehydrates parasites, how is it possible that you a ‘large one’ swim down your toilet bowl?