Food grade diatomaceous earth is a very popular home remedy that can be used for treating everything from bed bugs to intestinal parasites. If you plan to consume it, use it on yourself or on pets, then you must be certain to purchase a “Food Grade” version of this product – otherwise you can cause serious harm and health side effects.
Here’s the “scientific” background on diatomaceous earth:
It’s a type of silica made from the fossilized remains of diatoms, which is a type of algae. It has a wide range of commercial uses but for the purposes of this article, we will stick to the “food grade” version.
Uses of Diatomaceous Earth
DE is said to work by literally grinding, chopping and piercing the bodies of different types of parasites and other invasive critters on a microscopic level. It’s absolutely harmless to the human touch, however, the tiny silica particles act as razor blades that are capable of ripping and piercing through the bodies of smaller creatures by getting “stuck” in-between their exoskeletons or by simply rubbing up against their bodies.
Kill Bed Bugs and Kill Fleas
Diatomaceous earth is used to kill bed bugs and fleas in two different ways: you can either apply DE directly on to your pet in small amounts, or you can simply spread the DE around the infested areas. Slowly but surely, the DE will act to kill the bugs.
Kill Candida
Diatomaceous earth has also be shown to be an effective candida killer. For many people, fighting candida has been an uphill struggle and battle that’s lasted for months, or even years. When you ingest food grade DE, it’s capable of killing candida in the intestinal track.
Dewormer for Pets
Diatomaceous earth is also used by many as a way to deworm their pets. You can find many food grade DE products that are branded to specifically deworm house pets.
Kill Unwanted Bugs and Pests In Your Garden
Diatomaceous earth can be safely used in gardens to kill unwanted pests and bugs that may interfere with the growth of your produce.
Diatomaceous Earth Is Good For Your Health, Too
Many food grade DE products also contain trace minerals and elements such as calcium, magnesium, boron and copper etc. These trace minerals contribute to the overall health and well-being of the body.