Purifying Water: When camping, good water may be hard to find, but by adding a chunk of charcoal - from your campfire into a pot of boiling water it will make the water safe to drink. Do NOT use a commercial briquette such as Kingsford - that is pressed together with chemicals!
For treating little ones with diarrhea mix charcoal powder with bananas.
Charcoal may be given internally to detoxify and cleanse the body - as it has the ability to adsorb most drugs, excess cholesterol and triglycerides. Most people put it into capsules, or buy capsules from a health food store.
Charcoal is rated Category I, safe and effective by the FDA for acute, toxic poisoning. Virtually every hospital across the country has charcoal on hand to deal with drug overdoses, food poisoning and other poisoning from toxic substances. Charcoal is superior to anything else for poisoning and this is proven by clinical evidence. Time is of the essence when it comes to poisoning, and activated charcoal is more likely to reduce poison absorption if given within an hour of ingesting a poison.
Charcoal effectively neutralizes Prozac, acetaminophen, caffeine, strychnine, morphine, nicotine and aspirin. However, it works poorly (or not at all) for strong acids and bases, alcohols and hydrocarbons such as petroleum distillates like gasoline, paint thinner and cleaning fluids.
What is commonly called stomach flu is technically not the flu. Rather in most cases it is gastroenteritis which is an acute inflammation of the lining of the stomach. This calls for a charcoal slurry.
Charcoal is neither absorbed nor metabolized by the body but the charcoal adsorbs toxins before these poisons are able to compete with oxygen and nutrients that were trying to pass through the cell membrane. Instead of absorbing essential food elements, charcoal removes toxins that are competing with nutrients for intestinal and cellular absorption thereby promoting efficient nutrient uptake. Charcoal may also be used externally in poultices. The human skin has the amazing ability to allow the transfer of liquids and gases through its permeable membrane. By the application of moist charcoal compresses and poultices bacteria and poisons are drawn through the skin into the charcoal. Poultices have been found to be effective for itchy skin, infections, gangrenous ulcers, insect bites and stings. That includes the bites from brown recluse spiders, rattlesnakes, scorpions and ants.
Charcoal poultices have also been found good for the pain associated with sore throats, earaches, toothaches, irritated eyes, sprains, inflammations and bruises. Any area that is red, painful, swollen and hot responds to charcoal. Pain produced by cancer, whether in the bone, abdomen or elsewhere, may be controlled with a charcoal poultice.
The combination of flaxseed and charcoal is one popular way to make a poultice. Flaxseed, when powdered or boiled, acts as a binder for the charcoal - and Flaxseed has its own healing virtues. A poultice can also be made with just plain water, K-Y Jelly, hand lotion or herbs such as Hops, Slippery Elm or Golden Seal.
Charcoal is also used for:
- Purification processes, respirators, air conditioning systems and in the clean-up of waste gases.
- Cleaning soil of contaminants and as a soil conditioner.
- A substitute for lime because of its high pot ash content.
- In a toolbox to help keep tools dry and rust-free.
- In the house where there is a problem with odor, mildew or mold - inhibiting bacterial andviral growth.
- Treating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and controlling flatulence.
- An adjuvant to taking herbs (Works well in conjunction with herbs)..
- Whitening teeth, helping infected gums and toothache
While charcoal may greatly benefit some as a general detoxifier for a couple of months, it is not meant to be taken as a daily supplement. It helps to restore health if used along with good health practices and a nutritional diet.
Much of the information for this article came from Charcoal Remedies.com by John Dinsley
