By Marie Boularand

Clay is the most ancient healing remedy and hygienic substance used by humans and animals since the creation of life on Earth. In ancient texts and parchments, it is said that humans were made out of clay. In science, they have shown that life started in a mixture made of clay and water. These statements show how essential clay is for humans and all living beings on Earth.

Clay has been one of my main remedies for over 25 years, using it on a weekly basis for beauty and healing purposes. Through my travels, I’ve tried a lot of clays from different countries and continents and I realized that not all healing clays were equal. With some I could feel and see the benefits right away when with others just preparing them was an interesting, not to say a weird experience. So I made some research and met some experts to understand why there were such differences between clays.  Let me share the two main categories of healing clays sold on the market out there.

It seems that many so-called “healing” clays are indeed no better than cat litter! They are actually shales, which are clay-rich rocks found deeper in the soils where clay starts to form. These types of wrongly called “clays” are usually quarries’ industrial rejects, hence their lower price. Because they are shales, their purity is very poor (35-15% of clay) and their safety is questionable due to their high content in heavy metals, quartz, sands, debris, along with other pollutants. Laboratory tests show that their healing properties are very low.

The most potent and beneficial clays come from noble soil layers a term that defines the surface layers of very old soils usually located at the site of ancient volcanic activities and sea sedimentation basins. It takes several centuries for the clay to reach the surface and concentrate in those soil layers (up to 85% of clay). On its way up, the clay transforms and gets loaded with bioavailable minerals and vital energy. Nourished by the roots of the trees, plants and grass, exposed to the natural sunlight and rainwater, the clay slowly matures and gains its full physical and energetic characteristics that you are about to (re-) discover now.

1 – CLAY DETOXIFIES

Thanks to its of ABsorption and ADsorption properties (read more about those two properties here), clay mechanically neutralizes toxins, impurities, chemicals, dead cells, etc, which are then carried out of the body. It is traditionally used for liver detox, colon, blood and skin cleanse.

2- CLAY DISINFECTS

Clay neutralizes pathogenic microbes, bacteria and virus but doesn’t disturb the natural balance of friendly germs indispensable for our good health. We can apply a clay poultice on infected wounds. If a wound is seeping, you can pour some dry clay powder* on it several times a day until seeping stops. If a wound is opened, you can fill it up with dry clay* until the wound repairs and closes up.

3 – CLAY REJUVENATES TISSUES

This is the property that made clay famous around the world for its anti-aging action.  Clay is known for naturally stimulating collagen production. Exceptionally rich in bio-available essential minerals, trace elements and negative ions, clay from noble soil layers replenishes and regenerates all damaged, injured and aging tissues, from the skin to any tissues in the body (muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, liver, intestines, colon, etc). I usually recommend a facial clay mask once a week for andeep pore cleansing. People suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) can also benefit from an internal clay* treatment.

4 – CLAY STIMULATES STEM CELLS PRODUCTION

As mentioned earlier, clay appears to be at the origin of life on earth which explains its capacity of stimulating stem cells production, which, as a consequence, increases the production of all other cells in the body such as blood cells, bone cells, skin cells, liver cells, etc. This property explains the highly rejuvenating and anti-aging characteristics of clay. In some type of anemia, internal treatments with green illite clay or montmorillonite clay* show some significant results.

5 – CLAY INCREASES CELL OXYGENATION

Unprocessed living clay is loaded with free electrons and is capable of exchanging ions. This property is a major factor to understand the regenerative property of clay. As oxygen is the key substance in the detoxifying and alkalizing process, it makes clay an interesting remedy to add to any anti-aging and healing treatments including cancer therapy. Science has proven that cancer cells cannot develop and survive in an alkaline and oxygenated environment. More oxygenated, healthy cells can function optimally. That’s why a regular use of clay can be your best preventive treatment. I usually recommend a full body wrap once a month for a full body rejuvenation: healing and preventive !

6 – CLAY RECHARGES YOUR BATTERIES

Only unprocessed living clay is loaded with negative ions, a vital energy-form from Mother Nature – a crucial element that we are depleted of in our modern civilizations because in one hand it is siphoned by our electrical systems, electronic devices, chemicals, synthetic clothes, building materials, stressful lifestyles, etc, and on the other hand it is not replenished due to a lack of contact with natural elements such as sunlight, outside air, trees, plants, raw food, etc.  Completely depleted of vital elements, people experience constant tiredness, extreme fatigue, low energy, slow and incomplete rejuvenating and healing process. A regular use of living clay is an excellent alternative to refill your batteries with vital energy. My favorite treatment is a full body wrap with red clay once month. Relaxation guarantee, a pure delight!

7 – CLAY IS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND A GREAT PAIN-RELIEVER

Clay soothes pains, especially from the joints, muscles, back, headaches, insect bites, itching, sunburns, etc. Apply a thick clay plaster on the site that hurts. You would have to check which temperature is more efficient to relieve the pain: cold, warm or room temperature. Usually if the site is red, hot and inflamed, cold or room temperature clay is recommended. If the site of the pain is “cold” (not red and hot), usually warm clay is advised. But every body is different, so you will have to experiment on yourself to know what works best for you.

8 – CLAY RE-BALANCES ORGANS’ FUNCTIONS

Whether an organ or a tissue is functioning in excess or under-functioning, clay tends to re-balance its activity to a healthy functioning by stimulating it or calming it down (thyroid, liver, kidneys, pancreas, stomach, intestines, etc).

9 – CLAY NEUTRALIZES RADIOACTIVITY

This property makes clay an excellent detoxifying substance after radiotherapy or a radiation leak from power reactors! I remember after the Fukushima event in Japan, I suddenly received a lot of orders from Japan for French clay, going up to 40 pounds at once. It seems that Japanese know more about this clay property than western people!

10 – CLAY NEUTRALIZES EXCESS OF ACIDITY

and re-balances the natural pH of many liquids and tissues in the body. An internal course of treatment with montmorillonite or green illite clays* helps with acid reflux and repairs the stomach lining.

11 – CLAY NEUTRALIZES EXCESS OF SEBUM

Clay absorbs a great amount of liquids and grease, especially the montmorillonite clay. It’s a great treatment for people with acne and oily skin. Not only does it remove the excess of sebum and oil on the skin but it restores the skin natural balance and radiance.

12 – CLAY IS A GREASE STAIN REMOVER

Montmorillonite clay is known for being a natural grease stain remover that we can safely use on any clothes, fabrics and carpet by powdering the stain with dry clay and leaving it for an hour or two.

13 – CLAY NEUTRALIZES ODORS 

What is it that clay can’t do? Yes, it also neutralizes odors, especially the green illite and montmorillonite clay. Pour some clay in the cat litter box or put a bowl of clay in the fridge to neutralize those bad smells. An internal clay treatment (with ultra-ventilated green or montmorillonite clay*) neutralizes bad breath and body’s odors. At some point I had a tooth infection which gave me a bad breath. I was gargling a mixture of green illite clay with raw unrefined coarse sea salt several times a day to neutralize the odor. It played the trick until I got my tooth fixed.

We are not allowed to make any claims. We have decided to give you some information that you can find on the internet. Clays can be use in various applications, the choice of the process used is the sole responsibility of the user.