The 4 Main Benefits of Bentonite Clay Josh Axe

The 4 Main Benefits of Bentonite Clay

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[Below is my transcript of my video about the benefits of bentonite clay, along with supplemental information on the topic.]

Today, I want to talk to you about the many benefits of bentonite clay, also known as montmorillonite clay. Clay has been used for thousands of years for healing benefits, including supporting skin health, reducing inflammation and especially supporting digestive health as well as detoxifying and cleansing.

Bentonite clay sometimes comes in a liquid form, but most of the time, I use it in a powder form. Again, clay has tremendous benefits, so it’s surprising to some people when I say that eating dirt or eating clay can actually be good for your body — and I want to break this down on how this works.

Bentonite Clay Benefits 

The reason clay is beneficial is it absorbs the toxins and microorganisms, and so if your body has been exposed to any type of bad bacteria, heavy metal or something that shouldn’t be in your body, clay really binds to things.

In fact, if you ever picked up clay yourself, you know it’s very, very sticky. Think of it that way: It’s going through your body and sticking to and binding to those toxins, pulling them out of your body.

1. Supports Healthy Detoxification 

So the first main benefit you’re going to have with using bentonite clay is that it really supports your body with a healthy detoxification. It absorbs the heavy metals — perfect for a heavy metal detox. It absorbs environmental pollutants plus different types of bad bacteria and parasites — making it a great addition to any parasite cleanse — and other chemicals that you may be exposed to.

2. Works as an Anti-Inflammatory

The second benefit of bentonite clay is that it’s anti-inflammatory. In fact, it’s also great for the skin for that reason.

Women have been putting on clay face masks for well over 100 years and seeing great results in their skin by doing so. This has been shown to be an effective natural treatment for eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, as well as an excellent home remedy for acne — overall, helping to naturally slow the aging of your skin.

To make a clay face mask, start by mixing just a little bit of water with clay, rub it on your face, leave it on there for about 20 minutes and then rinse it off. Clay will actually bind to the bad bacteria on your skin that can cause things like acne as well as other chemicals and gently pull them out from your skin.

By the way, a lot of women should practice putting clay on their face because a lot of these makeups today that women use are loaded with different types of chemicals that can cause the skin to age prematurely. A lot of those toxins can even get into the system over time, increasing the risk of different diseases. So again, clay is amazing for detoxifying the skin and skin health in general, and it’s also great to be taken internally to mitigate the real price of beauty products.

3. Supports the Digestive System

The third main benefit of clay is how it supports the digestive system and digestive health. You can take about one teaspoon of clay a day mixed with water to get this bentonite clay benefit. I recommend doing that right before you go to bed or first thing in the morning. You want to do it between meals, about an hour apart from a meal.

So, if you struggle with an issue — especially like diarrhea, loose stools, leaky gut, etc. — you can benefit from taking a teaspoon of clay a day and again, especially useful as a step to cure diarrhea. Just one teaspoon a day will really go through your system. If you have pathogenic bacteria, or different types of metals or toxins within the body, the clay will absorb and help your body eliminate any of this junk.

4. Acts as a Natural Multivitamin

Last but not least, the fourth main benefit of bentonite clay is that it can be used as a natural multivitamin. It’s absolutely true; in fact, when you look at the minerals that are found in clay, it’s tremendous. The soil itself is packed with healthy minerals and clay especially.

Again, in a way, it can be used as a natural multivitamin. You’ll no longer need to ask if your multivitamin is helping or hurting you. Now, obviously, you need to consume a lot of fruits and vegetables on a regular basis as well along with bentonite clay.

In addition, bentonite clay is packed with minerals, and it’s very alkalizing to the body. If you’re looking to get your body more alkaline, it has a lot of alkaline minerals, especially things like iron, magnesium and zinc, and a lot of those minerals in the soil that are alkaline in nature.

This helps reduce acidity and alkalize the body. So again, one teaspoon of clay a day is going to bring your body tremendous health benefits. This is why I do recommend it.

Bentonite Clay and ‘Good’ Bacteria

You think about this, for the past 5,000 years, people ate dirt. Literally, when you pulled a carrot out of the ground, we washed it off, but some of that good bacteria and micro-organisms stayed on that piece of food.

Today, we chlorinate our foods. We kill off all the bacteria, which isn’t good. We should be getting what are called SBOs. Those soil-based organisms or soil-based microbes are great for our health, and so clay is also going to contain probiotics as well as other micronutrients that really support the health of your body.

Again, if you really want to experience these benefits from reducing inflammation, detoxifying your skin, detoxifying your intestines and colon, and getting more nutrients and vitamins in the body — which also will help alkalize the body — then I recommend taking one teaspoon of bentonite clay a day.

By the way, when buying clay, make sure it’s a food grade clay or a medicinal clay like bentonite or montmorillonite clay.

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