“Here is what Dr. Bernard Jensen has to say in short about bentonite clay in his book “Guide to Diet and Detoxification”:

"When used with the elimination diet, these products assist in producing the most thorough elimination possible." He goes on to suggest that they are helpful because they do not further bulk the impactions often found in the bowel.

The notion of eating clay to produce internal healing will no doubt strike many as farfetched if not a little primitive. But natural clay, especially the form known as bentonite, has not only been used medicinally for centuries by indigenous peoples around the world, but has, in recent years, been increasingly prescribed by practitioners of alternative medicine as a simple but effective internal cleanser to assist in reversing numerous health problems.

Clay is a great healer, according to clay expert Ran Knishinsky in The Clay Cure (Healing Arts Press, 1998), who quips “I have been eating dirt every day for the past six years.” Indeed, in over 200 cultures worldwide, every day people eat or drink clay—the medicinal form of “dirt”—as both a nutritional supplement and detoxifying agent, observes Knishinsky.

It is not ordinary “dirt” of course. The name bentonite refers to a clay first identified (or named) in cretaceous rocks in Fort Benton, Wyoming. Although bentonite deposits occur worldwide, many of the largest concentrations are found in the Great Plains area of North America.

Bentonite is not a mineral but a commercial name for montmorillonite, the active mineral in many medicinal clays and which comes from weathered volcanic ash. This name derives from Montmorillon, France, where the medicinal mineral was first identified. Sometimes mineralogists use the term smectite instead to describe the same substance.

A VOLCANIC DETOXIFIER—Bentonite, a medicinal powdered clay which is also known as montmorillonite, derives from deposits of weathered volcanic ash. It is one of the most effective natural intestinal detoxifying agents available and has been recognized as such for centuries by native peoples around the world. Whatever the name, liquid clay contains minerals that, once inside the gastrointestinal tract, are able to absorb toxins and deliver mineral nutrients to an impressive degree, says Knishinsky. Liquid clay is inert which means it passes through the body undigested.

Technically, the clay first adsorbs toxins (heavy metals, free radicals, pesticides), attracting them to its extensive surface area where they adhere like flies to sticky paper; then it absorbs the toxins, taking them in the way a sponge mops up a kitchen counter mess.

There is an electrical aspect to bentonite’s ability to bind and absorb toxins. According to Yerba Prima, a company based in Ashland, Oregon, which markets Great Plains® Bentonite, the clay’s minerals are negatively charged while toxins tend to be positively charged; hence the clay’s attraction works like a magnet drawing metal shavings. But it’s even more involved than that.

Once hydrated (combined with water), bentonite has an enormous surface area. According to Yerba Prima, a single quart bottle can represent a total surface area of 960 square yards or 12 American football fields. Bentonite is made of a great number of tiny platelets, with negative electrical charges on their flat surfaces and positive charges on their edges.

When bentonite absorbs water and swells, it is stretched open like a highly porous sponge; the toxins are drawn into these spaces by electrical attraction and bound fast. In fact, according to the Canadian Journal of Microbiology (31 [1985], 50-53), bentonite can absorb pathogenic viruses, aflatoxin (a mold), and pesticides and herbicides including Paraquat and Roundup. The clay is eventually eliminated from the body with the toxins bound to its multiple surfaces.

According to Sonne’s Organic Foods of North Kansas City, Missouri, a company that markets Detoxificant (a liquid montmorillonite), “There is no evidence that bentonite has any chemical action in the body. Its power is purely physical.”

Clay’s adsorptive and absorptive qualities may be the key to its multifaceted healing abilities. Knishinsky reports that drinking clay helped him eliminate painful ganglion cysts (tumors attached to joints and tendons, in his case, in his wrist) in two months, without surgery.

According to Knishinsky, benefits reported by people using liquid clay for a period of two to four weeks include: improved intestinal regularity; relief from chronic constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, and ulcers; a surge in physical energy; clearer complexion; brighter, whiter eyes; enhanced alertness; emotional uplift; improved tissue and gum repair; and increased resistance to infections. “Clay works on the entire organism. No part of the body is left untouched by its healing energies,” he notes.

A medical study by Frederic Damrau, M.D., in 1961 (Medical Annals of the District of Columbia) established clearly that bentonite can end bouts of diarrhea. When 35 individuals (average age 51) suffering from diarrhea took two tablespoons of bentonite in distilled water daily, the diarrhea was relieved in 97% (34 of the 35 patients) in 3.8 days, regardless of the original cause of the problem (allergies, virus infection, spastic colitis, or food poisoning). According to Dr. Damrau, bentonite is “safe and highly effective” in treating acute diarrhea.

Knishinsky’s research suggests that the regular intake of liquid clay (typically one to three tablespoons daily, in divided doses) can produce other benefits including parasite removal from the intestines, allergy and hay fever relief, and elimination of anemia and acne. For example, clay helps anemia because it contains both types of dietary iron (ferrous and ferric) in an easily assimilated form; it reduces discomfort from allergies by quickly neutralizing allergens that would otherwise produce allergic reactions; and it reduces heartburn and indigestion by absorbing excess stomach acids...

Bentonite Minerals are derived from an ancient seabed formation in Utah; according to geologists, the clay formed when a layer of volcanic ash fell into what was, long ago, a shallow inland sea. “As the ash filtered through the seawater, it collected pure minerals, forming a layer of highly mineralized clay,” says Payne.

The best way to drink clay is on an empty stomach, or at least an hour before or after a meal or immediately before sleeping at night, says Knishinsky. Typically, clay is available as a thick tasteless, pale-grey gel, but it also comes as a powder or encapsulated.

Generally, it is advisable to start with one tablespoon daily, mixed with a small amount of juice; observe the results for a week, then gradually increase the dosage to no more than four tablespoons daily, in divided doses. Drinking clay can be an annual spring cleaning of your gastrointestinal tract or it can be a symptom-focused, self-care method”.

from: http://www.alternativemedicine.com/digest/issue27/27044R00.shtml

Good website about clays: http://www.eytonsearth.org/bentonite

An "Army of Trillions"

The idea of beneficial bacteria to preserve foods has been around for centuries. Even the ancient Sumerians painted about the use of fermented cheese in 2500 B.C. However, the idea of beneficial bacteria aiding us in life wasn’t thought up until the early 1900s when Dr. Elie Metchnikoff traveled to Eastern Europe. He was surprise to find so many people living to be 100 years of age or older and concluded that this was due to the large quantities of yogurt they consumed.

Metchnikoff investigated the benefits of lactic acid bacteria, which flourish in milk. He found that many disease-producing organisms died or could not develop in milk containing these powerful bacteria. This, along with his other research on the immune system, lead Metchnikoff to connect lactic acid bacteria to improved immune function, which relates to optimal health and vitality.

Probiotics, according to the World Health Organization, are "live organisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host." Probiotics literally mean "for life" and are coming to the forefront of medicine as beneficial bacteria supplements to help restore our vital microflora.

When you are healthy, over 100 trillion microorganisms, from some 400 different species, flourish in your intestinal tract, aiding in digestion, absorption, and the production of significant amounts of B vitamins and enzymes. But more importantly, they crowd out all harmful bacteria -- allowing them no place to gain a foothold.

Unfortunately, the levels of beneficial bacteria decline dramatically as the human body ages. Some of the reasons for this decline include:

Over time, the colonies of friendly bacteria just naturally age and lose their vitality.

Disruptions and changes in the acid/alkaline balance of the bowels can play a major role in reducing the growth of beneficial bacteria. In addition, these changes tend to favor the growth of harmful viral and fungal organisms as well as putrefactive, disease-causing bacteria.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like Advil, Motrin, Midol, etc. are destructive to intestinal flora.

Chlorine in the drinking water not only serves to kill bacteria in the water; it is equally devastating to the colonies of beneficial bacteria living in the intestines.

Radiation and chemotherapy are devastating to your inner bacterial environment.

Virtually all meat and chicken and dairy that you eat (other than organic) is loaded with antibiotics, which destroy ALL of the beneficial bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.

A diet high in meats and fats, because they take so long to break down in the human body, promotes the growth of the harmful, putrefying bacteria.

Constipation, of course, allows harmful bacteria to hang around longer, which allows them to proliferate.

Cigarettes, alcohol, and stress are also major culprits -- as are some antibiotic herbs, such as goldenseal (if taken in sufficient quantity).

And if you've ever been subjected to a round of "medicinal" antibiotics, you can kiss your beneficial bacteria good-bye. The problem is that antibiotics indiscriminately destroy both bad and GOOD bacteria -- allowing virulent, mutant strains of harmful microorganisms to emerge and run rampant inside the body. Antibiotics (both medicinal and in our food supply) are the #1 culprit in the overgrowth of HARMFUL pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract (a condition called dysbiosis) that may be at the root of many autoimmune disorders and certain cancers.

The Bottom Line to Immunity

A properly functioning intestinal tract is one of your body's first lines of defense against invaders and a healthy immune system. In a healthy colon there are, on average, anywhere from 100 billion to 1,000 billion beneficial bacteria per milliliter (about 1/5 of a teaspoon) that literally consume harmful bacteria and other invaders. In the typical American, because of poor diet and neglect of the colon, the beneficial bacteria count may be as low as 4 or 5 per milliliter. Just compare 1,000 billion to 4, and you'll have an understanding of the scope of the problem. Many researchers now believe that declining levels of friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract may actually mark the onset of chronic degenerative disease and a suppressed immune system.

A Key to Good Health: Probiotics

There can be no true health or recovery from disease unless you have colonies of over 100 trillion beneficial microorganisms flourishing in your intestinal tract, from your mouth to your anus, aiding in digestion, absorption, the production of significant amounts of vitamins and enzymes, and working to crowd out all harmful bacteria -- allowing them no place to gain a foothold. SUPPLEMENTATION WITH A GOOD PROBIOTIC IS MANDATORY TO RAISE YOUR BASELINE OF HEALTH.

Probiotics play a vital role in the healthy operation many of our body’s functions.  Here are some of the most common and well-researched problems that can benefit from probiotic supplementation:

Control digestive problems:  Constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and symptoms of IBS are some of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the U.S.  Probiotic supplementation helps to build up a healthy supply of good bacteria in the intestine and can be an alternative to over-the-counter remedies.  Probiotics are safe and effective without side effects.

Enhances weight loss & weight maintenance programs:  A healthy digestive system increases energy and improves your metabolism.

Suppress bad bacteria:  A safer and more effective way of eliminating bad bacteria in the body is by overpowering it with good bacteria.  By supplementing with probiotics, there’s little room for unfriendly bacteria to settle in, including e. coli and salmonella.

Produce natural antibiotic-like substances

Fight yeast and fungal infections:  Diets rich in sugar, cortisone and cortisone-like drugs, birth control pills, immunosuppressive drugs and antibiotics, have been major culprits in the "candida epidemic" of today. Studies prove the ability of probiotics to stimulate the production of white blood cells in the body that combat candida yeast and fungal infections.

Enhance calcium metabolism:  Studies prove that probiotics increase the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize calcium. This is an incredible advantage for individuals suffering from bone density loss such as osteoporosis and osteopenia.  This is also of great benefit for growing young adults and expectant mothers who need lots of calcium.

Improve immune function:  Since the intestine is the body’s largest immune system organ, its ability to efficiently respond to immune attacks is directly related to its balance of healthy bacteria. Regular probiotic supplementation has been shown to maintain intestinal health and enhance natural immune system response by stimulating the body’s production of NK- and T-cells.

Reduce cholesterol in the blood:  Probiotics are proven aides in the digesting of fats that contribute to the levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol in the blood.  Consumption of probiotics has been associated with the lowering of LDL levels and the increasing of HDL levels in the blood.

Produce B vitamins naturally:  Probiotics have been shown to produce B vitamins, which support and increase the rate of metabolism, help maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance nervous system function.  Vitamin B9, or Folic Acid, is essential for children, adults, and especially expectant mothers.

Reduces skin problems:  Probiotics have been shown to help alleviate skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

Help with liver function:  By detoxifying the blood, probiotics help the liver to perform more efficiently and with less strain.