Ohio Blue Clay
Over the years I have discovered several things that I return to over and over again because they work so very well that I always have them as part of my healing arsenal. French Green Clay is one of those things. I learned about the healing properties of clay originally when I was a very young girl. I had horse trainers from England and Ireland who swore by the old ways , eschewing newer synthesized medicines for the herbal and natural remedies that they brought with them from their countries. One of my trainers taught me that clay makes the loveliest poultice for a horse with any sort of muscular strain because it's so absorbent...I love to mix it with warm water, a bit of olive oil and some essential oils of birch and lavender. I just pat it when its warm onto the tendons, wrap it up under a bit of saran wrap, top that with a layer of vet wrap and then let it do its magic for a few hours. Rinse off and voila....You've got a firm leg again without any trace of edema and a very happy horse! Here in Ohio we have generous deposits of blue clay and when I had my horses at a barn where they allowed it I would line the floor of their stalls with about 9 inches of it before bedding them in fresh straw. Their feet always stayed healthy and I didn't have the sort of lameness that can occur when horse stands on a floor of concrete. The clay absorbed everything and every other year I'd dig the stall out and replace it, backbreaking work but completely worth it. Hoof problems were non-existent and the smell was so much better!
One of my favorite places to be in the world is in Western North Carolina up in the Blue Ridge mountains.The are many wonderful stream and waterfalls that run through that part of the world and it's also well known for rich deposits of sapphire and other semi precious gemstones, even the occasional diamond and veins of gold. This clay is mineral rich and flecked with mica and I love to spend hours there with my feet soaking in the warm mud. Clay of any sort makes a fabulous drawing salve , but French green clay in particular seems to have a magical quality to it that is subtle yet strong. I have literally brought animals (and a occasional friend !) back from the dead with it. The French drink it in their juice routinely as a tonic to purify the system and draw parasites from the deepest recesses of the colon. I discovered it's ability to draw poison one night long ago when one of my dogs came in from outside and was dragging his hind end. Upon further inspection I saw that his tongue was blackened and he was panting heavily, pretty sure signs of poisoning in a dog. Because this was well in the day before emergency pet clinics, I had to think fast because he was slipping. I mixed up a loose soup of chicken broth, a few grains of white rice and some of my precious green clay and began to slowly spoon it down his throat. Slowly but surely the clay worked it's magic and by morning a trip to the vet wasn't even necessary. Last summer when a friend of mine was very ill and suffering from terrible lupus like symptoms, I started her on a course of French clay which she mixed with her juice. It took about a month but she continued drinking it for several weeks and when I next saw her the Rosacea was almost gone and she reported a substantial reduction in inflammation.
Whenever I have a stomach pains from my IBS or a bit of nausea I mix a teaspoon of French green clay with some spring water, raw honey and freshly minced ginger and I always feel better in no time! For a springtime (or anytime) cleanse I have a son who is allergic to bees and when he would get stung often I'd make a poultice of vinegar and green clay to neutralize the venom. It never replaced the trip to the emergency room , but often when we'd get there the clay had already worked it's magic and drawn out most of the venom and reduced the swelling. For a beauty mask there's nothing better than a couple of tablespoons of clay mixed with a bit of almond or coconut milk and a little bit of hydrogenated coconut oil.The clay powerfully absorbs dirt and oil as well as the bacteria and other toxins that can make our skin dull and listless. Mix into a soft loose paste and apply to a freshly washed face for about 15 minutes or until fairly dry. You'll notice a soft drawing sensation and when you rinse it off with cool water you'll notice that your skin will be smooth and feel really refreshed. Then rub a bit of olive oil between your hands until it's warm and then work it into your skin. This is really nice to do right before you go to bed especially if you combine it with a warm bath. You can turn it into a facial scrub by substituting raw sugar for the almond milk and adding more oil...it's super soothing and really effective.
French green clay and many others can be purchased online but I do think that this is one of the best sources of infomation that I've found as well as Mountain Rose Herbs which you will love. I urge you to try some green clay, both internally and externally. Don't be squeamish because you'll barely taste it or notice any grittiness. It's funny to think about because it's dirt, but French Green Clay is something that my body perceives as food, unlike synthesized supplements that barely resemble the plants they came from. Make it a part of your weekly or daily regimen and your body will thank you with glowing skin, fuller hair and nails and a brighter disposition. At the very (my dogs will tell you!) least it should always be in your medicine cabinet for emergencies. I love it for those at home spa weekends when you just need a bit of something extra and so will you!
Check out these excellent articles:
Photograph of Blue Clay from : http://nineappletrees.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/blue-clay-blues/
Photograph of French Green Clay poultice from: http://shimfarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/benefits-of-green-clay.html
