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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D says
P.S.i mix mine with 100% fruit juice. In a small bottle with a cap so I can continuously shake it. Since DE doesn’t dissolve you have to shake it between swallows.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I usually pound mine all at once mixed into water and then chase it with tons MORE water. But I like this idea of putting it in the bottle so you don’t end up with that last mouthful of mud at the bottom! Thanks for sharing! :)
D says
Hi…I also started DE about a week ago. I’m hoping it’ll help with all the arthritis pain I have in my knees. I don’t have any food intolerances(wish I did sometimes,lol).
Btw…the 2 DE websites I bought mine from say that you may not want to take before bed as it gives some people more energy. I take it when I get home from work(6:00am) and then again when I wake up(6:00pm). The morning dose is usually about 4 before I go to bed and so far I haven’t had any trouble sleeping.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I hope that the DE helps you! I read the same thing about people being unable to sleep when taking it at night – I have never experienced that even when I took it minutes before going to bed, but it may be different for everyone! I try to take it in the morning on an empty stomach whenever possible! Keep us posted on your progress!
Stephanie Mckenzie says
After watching World War Z last night I was wondering if DE would save us from becoming infected and turning into zombies in a zombie apocalypse ;). Just a little humor.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m not saying it will Stephanie, but I’m not saying it won’t either! ha ha! :)
Viola says
My 3 years old son suffers from food allergies and eczema. Could I give him a bit of DE ? Is he he to young for DE treatment ? Should I rather combine DE with lotion or moisturizer and apply on his skin ?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m not a doctor obviously so I don’t feel comfortable giving advice about how to treat a child especially. However, I don’t think DE applied to the skin will have a positive effect on anyone. My son had eczema when he was really young, and cutting out gluten made a huge difference for him and then he eventually outgrew it – if he eats gluten now you might want to try cutting it out for two weeks and see if that helps. If you decide to try the DE on your son, I would start at 1/2 tsp per day and work up to 1 tsp. Just make sure he drinks lots of juice or water throughout the day so he doesn’t get bound up. It’s probably wise to consult your doctor first just to be sure!
Anne Studdard says
Are there any carbs in DE? Just started eating low-carb so wanted to be sure.
Mellissa Sevigny says
It just passes right through you Anne – no carbs! :)
brian says
Hi and thank you for this.
I wanted to point out I have a bag of Perma D.E. with warnings on it not to inhale it or it may cause lung damage. I was excited to see your update from Larry at Earthworks, but perhaps that is just their brand of D.E. My bag of food grade D.E. recommends using dust masks and respirators.
I hate to be the negative nancy. I just want to share before someone snorts D.E. thinking it will cure their sinuses (as it cures everything else), and end up with problems.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Brian, I appreciate you weighing in! I still use extreme caution when mixing mine too, just in case! :)
Dana says
Just wanted to post another update. I’ve been on DE for almost 4 weeks. I can’t say that I’ve noticed anything so far, but also I haven’t had any further detox symptoms. I’ve been up to a heaping tablespoon once per day for about a week. I think in my case improvements from DE will show up over time. I’ll definitely keep it up.
I also wanted to mention that 6 days ago I started an eating plan designed by neurosurgeon Jack Kruse, MD (jackkruse.com) called the “leptin reset.” (There is LOTS on the Internet about this.) So far it’s been wonderful. I had recently finished a round of the hCG diet and as usual had been having trouble maintaining my weight (was back up 15 pounds in under six weeks – argh!). On the first day of the leptin reset, all my cravings were gone, my hunger was and is almost nil, and I lost one pound in the first five days. I’m feeling a bit more energetic and sleeping a somewhat better. I started it to just be able to maintain, and if that’s all i get from it, I’ll be very happy. It is, however, supposed to lead to lots of other health benefits, do we’ll see on that. In theory, at least, having leptin and insulin under control and in balance should lead to significant health benefits. Time will tell.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Haven’t heard of that one Dana, but will look into it – thanks for sharing! Hope you continue to feel better and make progress towards your goal of better health! Keep us posted!
Dana says
Hey Mellissa-
You’re welcome. I will let you know how it goes. I weighed this morning and have lost a total of 1.8 pounds in the first week. I’m thrilled. It’s been so very frustrating not being able to maintain the 92 (total) pound weight loss i had with the hCG diet. Finding this is such a relief and is so very easy. One thing I’ve been eating that’s made it a little more fun is Shirataki (“Miracle”) noodles. A couple of nights ago I served them with pot roast to my husband and guest. We all loved them – they’re sort of a “free” comfort food. Hard to find locally though – the ones more commonly available have tofu in them, and I don’t eat any soy.
Mellissa Sevigny says
If anything Eiren it’s common to suffer constipation because people don’t drink nearly enough water while taking the DE. You must chase it with AT LEAST 8oz of water, preferably 16oz, and then be sure to drink LOTS of water throughout the day. It’s possible to have headaches, weird stomach sensations, and some other symptoms when you first start taking it. They shouldn’t be extreme though – it’s not harsh like taking some of the chemical detoxes and cleanses. I hope this works for you! I would start with 1 teaspoon the first two days, then 2 teaspoons for 2 days, then 1 tablespoon each morning. You can also start taking 1 Tbsp at night once you reach that point. Keep me posted!
Susan H says
For those of us with strong gag reflexes, is it possible to cap the DE powder just as I do for other herbal formulations? 2-3 capsules with water first thing in the morning sounds a lot more palatable to me. Anyone?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work Susan – but if you dilute it in enough water or juice, it really doesn’t have a flavor or anything so I would at least see if you can stand it before going to all of the trouble of making the capsules!
Dana says
DE update. I started taking DE on the 9/18, so I’m really just getting started. I ramped up pretty fast to a rounded tbsp per day, and earlier this week I experienced a pretty obvious Herx (detox/cleansing) reaction: fatigue, muscle aches, nausea/queasiness, and headache. That lasted for around 24 hours followed by around 12 hours (sorry TMI) of diarrhea. It wasn’t pleasant, but I did recognize the symptoms for what they were. I had also started taking a supplement called butyrate at the same time as DE.
I skipped one day of those supplements then resumed DE at 1 tsp per day along with butyrate, where I am now. I will probably add another teaspoon in a couple more days. Can’t say I’ve noticed any obvious benefits yet, though the “Herx” is a benefit in that it was evidence of detoxification. What’s interesting about this for me is that I’ve never experienced a Herx before in spite of having taken just about every imaginable detox supplement here and there over the last 20 years or so. This DE is apparently pretty powerful stuff. I’m excited to see more benefits as time goes by (especially ones that make me feel better ;-)
Just a note about butyrate: It’s a short chain fatty acid produced by gut bacteria when they break down dietary fiber (of course that would be if one actually has the probiotic gut bacteria that do that – I don’t think I do). Butyrate is the main energy source for cells that line the gut and is, when absorbed into the system, a powerfully helpful agent throughout the body. It’s also contained in pretty small amounts in butter. I find it interesting that I’ve noticed far less craving for fats (yum – butter!) since I started taking it.