Good for everything from teeth whitening to curing stomach aches

Activated charcoal is an ancient healing cure for all kinds of health issues. Now it’s a hot new health and beauty trend for your skin, stomach problems, detoxing and teeth whitening.

What is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal is made from carbon sources such as bamboo, coconut husk, willow peat, wood, coir, lignite, coal, and petroleum pitch – activated either by steam or chemicals. It’s then ground into a powdery substance full of pores in each granule.

This powder adsorbs, or binds to (versus absorb, which means to take in) toxins and chemicals, as well as other nutrients and substances in those pores. When taken internally, it works like a scrubbing sponge, moving its way through your stomach and intestines. As the sponge is eliminated from your body, toxins go with it.

Here are some of the top uses

• Detoxing

Maybe you are feeling sluggish, bloated and tired and simply want to help your system purge itself of toxins. Or perhaps you’ve been exposed to toxins through your environment. Activated charcoal will attract toxins and metals and pull them from your system.

In fact, activated charcoal is commonly used to remove many poisons in emergency treatment situations.

You can buy activated charcoal at your local health food store. Mix with water, per the instructions, and drink. Ideally, you won’t eat two hours before and an hour after taking the charcoal. If food is taken with it, integral nutrients will be removed from your body, along with the charcoal.

• Skin cleansing

The largest organ of your body is the skin, and you can use activated charcoal soap for external detoxification. Skin is the first defender against toxins in your environment, so it easily becomes dirty and oily, with unwanted impurities.

Activated charcoal soap penetrates deep below the skin’s surface to pull toxins, making this a great option if you have acne. There are also activated charcoal face masks that draw impurities from the pores, leaving your skin glowing and clean.

• Teeth cleansing and whitening

Using activated charcoal on your teeth is a messy process, but it’s effective for cleansing and whitening. Create a paste with purified water and the activated charcoal. Cover the bristles of a new toothbrush with the paste. Lean over your sink and brush your teeth gently for two minutes. Spit and rinse. The cleansing produces whiter, sparkling teeth.

Because of the detoxing qualities of activated charcoal, this process is great for treating swollen gums, keeping them free of infection and disease. If you swallow any of the paste, don’t worry – it’s good for you.

 

• Water purification

Many of us don’t want to drink tap water because of safety concerns. Activated charcoal is often used to filter water because it binds to pesticides, toxins and fluorides. This process works so effectively that it’s the most commonly used water filtration system across the globe.

You can buy an activated water filter, or try making your own: put a coffee filter over a cup and add charcoal to the filter. Pour water through the filter, and once all the water has passed into the cup, you have clean drinking water.

• Alleviates Gas & Bloating

Activated charcoal use often used to alleviate unpleasant gas and bloating. It works by binding the gas-causing byproducts in foods that cause discomfort.

Common dosing recommendations to alleviate gas and bloating: Take 500 milligrams one hour prior to a typical gas-producing meal, with a full glass of water. Follow with an additional glass of water immediately thereafter to help get the charcoal into your system, where it can bind gas-producing elements.

Please Note: It is important to consult your doctor before taking any remedies to ensure it is workable with your particular body and health.