Diatomaceous Earth

One day as I was looking to find a natural and non-chemical way to worm my animals, I came across diatomaceous earth.  For the sake of having to type out diatomaceous earth throughout this blog post, lets refer to it as DE.  DE is simply a powder that is made out of the exoskeletons of diatoms, which are a form of algae.

Let me explain why I would be telling you about DE.  DE can be used for animals and humans alike.  What DE does is kill any parasite in our bodies.  DE works as a wormer, just like commercial wormers that you would buy for your dog or cat, but naturally and without the chemical agents.  One of the things that is so great about DE is that the parasites cannot build up an immunity to DE like they can with other chemical products, which have to be rotated in order to have the best effect.

Ok, I know that some of you are thinking that I am a big weirdo "worming" myself.  Listen.  There are more than a 100 different parasites that can live in the human body and don't think that you are somehow exempt.  When DE moves through your system, it attracts bacteria, fungi, viruses, pesticides and drug residues, etc.  It also kills and expels any larger parasites that may have taken up home in your guts.  All of this waste is then eliminated from your body.   

DE is approximately 3% magnesium, 33% silicon, 19% calcium, 5% sodium, 2% iron and many other trace minerals such as titanium, boron, manganese, copper and zirconium.  Silica is very good for our bodies.  It helps eliminate the bad fats from our bodies.  Silica is in short supply in our food system today because of the decreased quality of our food.  Silica has endless health benefits, which I would encourage you to research.  It is something that you will want your body to have more of and DE is an excellent way to get more of it while gaining many other health benefits as well.
  
DE is also very useful in the garden and home.  DE kill insects with it's razor sharp microscopic edges that damage the insects bodies, thus drying them out.  The bugs are essentially dehydrated and unable to survive.  I have used DE on my garden this year on a regular basis with very good results.  I put it in an old taco seasoning container and just spread it around any areas that seemed to be affected by bugs.  The same goes for any insect infestation that you are having a problem with, just sprinkle it wherever you are experiencing a problem.  Even carpets can do well with a dusting of DE to eliminate any pests that want to take up home.

Like I said earlier, I started my search for DE when looking in to a natural wormer for my animals.  I have been using DE for my animals for awhile now and have had pretty good results.  I mix it in with the goats feed, the dog food and spread it around my chicken coop.  DE can eliminate the mites that chickens are so prone to.  Since using DE I have not had a mite outbreak with my chickens.  My dog had a really bad infestation with worms and I used a horrible chemical wormer on him to get rid of it, but since have been giving him DE mixed with his dog food and he has been doing great.  I don't even remember the last time the goats have been given a commercial wormer and they are all doing well.  There is a time and place for chemical wormers, however DE can do the job most of the time and it's a lot safer for our animal friends.  I think that the wormer I had to use on my dog was the result of owner error(that would be me).  I was not consistent enough due to laziness.  If DE is used consistently with animals, I am convinced that one would have no need for commerical wormers.  You can do the reasearch and see if you come to the same conclusion.

So, if you decide to try out DE in your life, let me tell you a little more.  I buy my DE from Bridgeport Farm and Garden.  It can also be purchased online.  I use it whenever I think about it.  Just mix about a teaspoon or so in with some water.  For humans, it is suggested that you take between one to two tablespoons a day.  Start small and work your way up.  See what works best for your body.  Don't worry, you can't overdose on DE.  Whatever your body doesn't use will just be expelled from your body.

As a warning, please never buy pool grade DE.  It has been treated at high temperatures and with chemicals and is toxic to animals and humans and should only be used in pools.  Always be sure that you are purchasing food grade DE.  Also, if you are using the DE for animals or the garden, purchase the animal grade DE, which is much cheaper than the food grade that we need for us humans.  You can buy DE for your animals and garden in a 50 lb bag at the feed store for relatively cheap.  Also, there is information out there that will warn that inhaling DE may cause potential damage to your lungs.  This seems to be associated with the non-food grade DE.  So, to be careful, don't be huffin' it.  :)  I think this warning is overplayed and dramatic, but...let's be on the safe side of things.  I don't think there have been any deaths related to DE!