Energy and nutrition shakes are all the rage…but what if I told you that adding diatomaceous earth to your daily regime would take your body’s health to a whole new level for a fraction of the cost? Believe it or not there is an age-old product out there that takes care of your mortal enemies (such as pesky bugs) while making you healthier while vitalizing you with a stronger immune system.

Diatomaceous earth is the remains of fossilized algae. Yes, really. Diatomaceous earth contains silica, sodium, magnesium, and iron exclusively. While that doesn’t sound too appetizing by itself, FOOD GRADE (not POOL grade) diatomaceous earth is perfectly fine to ingest. Mined diatomaceous earth is usually around 1,000 years old (gleaned from lakes and sea beds all over the Western United States); which means that it has an unlimited shelf life!

You might be thinking at this point…SO…what does that have to do with me and mine? Well, one of the attributes of diatomaceous earth is its distinguished capability to "de-worm". It’s commonly used to eliminate parasites and worms in livestock and pets; and what’s not quite so known is that it does the same job on humans, too! Aren’t multi-purpose items grand? Here are some of DE’s other features:

• Heat resistant

• Absorbs liquid

• Natural insecticide (spray this around your house to keep the bugs out!)

• Reduces the nasty smell of waste (sweet!)

• Mild abrasive

• Blood clotting agent

• Water filtration aid

• Combats parasites (including: mealworms, fleas, ticks, bed bugs, ants, cockroaches, slugs, and worms)

• Easily digestible

• Keeps stored grain free from parasites without killing the grain (read on…)

However, there are a few downsides that should be noted. Diatomaceous earth is a drying agent, so it will irritate your eyes upon immediate contact and will also irritate your skin after long periods of contact. You should also be careful in disseminating it throughout your garden area too heavily or too deeply as it can also kill off helpful garden critters like lady bugs, bees, and earthworms.

Now, I’ll bet you’re wondering how something that can be used as an insecticide could also be safe for human consumption. As long as you purchase the FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth, it is perfectly harmless to humans, helping to absorb endotoxins and regulate digestion. However, it’s NOT so harmless to things such as: e-coli, detrimental bacteria, viruses, ethyl mercury, drug residue, and parasites! Also, when you purchase diatomaceous earth, make sure it’s not only food grade, but also as pure white in color as you can find (the grayer it is, the more clay it contains). Just simply take the recommended dosage of a mere 1 tablespoon daily to experience all the benefits I mentioned. Oh, and by the way, it’s completely safe for children and pregnant women, too.

Now, let’s address your grain storage. Did you know that wheat (and other grain) is best eaten while they are still living, breathing organisms? Only "live" grains have the ability to sprout—which increases their nutritional value ten-fold. And even if you don’t sprout it upon opening your container of grain, using it in its grain form is MUCH more nutritious when the grain is still alive. In order to maintain its ability to sprout after storage, wheat and other grains must be allowed to breath. So what happens when you place an oxygen absorber in your bucket of grain before sealing the lid? Yep, you guessed it—all the oxygen is removed, essentially sucking the breath and life out of your grain—thus rendering it dead and unable to sprout, thereby decreasing the nutritional value as well.

Another issue with grain storage is the amount of weevil eggs inherently found in stored grain. A study by ACRES, USA determined that untreated grain stored for a mere 12 months contained 16,994 insects in it! However, the grain treated with diatomaceous earth only had 15—you decide. Additionally, it only takes a single tablespoon of diatomaceous earth in a 5 pound bucket of grain to hinder insect infestation. So you get less insects AND all the health benefits in one fell swoop! Not only that, but adding diatomaceous earth to your stored grains will actually add 15 trace minerals to your grain—now THAT’S a plus!

Copyright 2010 Five Star Preparedness and Eliza Vaile. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to http://fivestarpreparedness.com/ and Eliza Vaile.