Did you know activated charcoal is one of the best substances to use if you are trying to detoxify your body? In fact, activated charcoal has many other uses that you might not have even heard about. Activated charcoal is much different than traditional every day charcoal, and it is treated to provide the benefits we desire.
Let me explain. Charcoal is heated in a chamber that holds different types of gases that helps facilitate the charcoal to develop pores that trap toxins or harmful chemicals. Making activated charcoal takes special equipment and a solid understanding of chemistry. We advise you to never try to make your own activated charcoal at home, for your own safety.
Before we get started I would like you to read the bullet points listed below if you are interested in trying activated charcoal to improve your health or your environment.
Activated Charcoal and Your Intestinal Health
Have you ever had a dinner date, and perhaps ate something spicy?
Well, if you have a sensitive stomach like myself, then eating that delicious Indian meal could have some lasting draw backs.
I am talking about unexpected bloating, heartburn, and of course gas. Nobody likes uncomfortable gas sneaking up on them.
Well dear readers, this is especially true if you are out with your significant other or a group of your closest friends.
We all know that there are products like Gas-x out on the market that can remedy this situation, but why put unnecessary pharmaceuticals in your body when you can cure these kinds of annoyances naturally? If you guessed that activated charcoal can help, then you guessed right! You can purchase activated charcoal which is known to be one of the oldest known detoxifying agents; however, it is highly important not to consume these capsules daily because you could end up with a bad case of constipation.
Get Cleaner Air With Activated Charcoal
Many different air purifying systems you buy at the store contain activated charcoal as a filter, because of its sponge like capabilities. If you have a few pieces of activated charcoal laying around, but no HEPA filter or other air purifying device, then I have a great DIY project for you.
Grab those extra pieces of activated charcoal and find yourself a place to store them safely, and bang, you have yourself your own air purifier! My husband and I have several hanging baskets of fake flowers in our home, so on occasion we put a couple of bags of activated charcoal in these and this gives us clean air all year around.
Believe it or not, many people still don’t know some of the great uses for activated charcoal, so let’s spread the word to our friends and family and share the benefits of activate charcoal.
Teeth Whitening? No Way
I know what you’re thinking right now, and no, I am not crazy. Activated charcoal is great for whitening your teeth. Since activated charcoal absorbs harmful toxins that also means that it is great at absorbing plaque and bacteria that are on your gums and teeth. Before we discuss how to use it for whitening your teeth, I must really stress that activated charcoal does stain counters, clothing, and almost everything it touches so protect your clothing and your surfaces with diligence!
Okay, let’s get down to business and inform you exactly how can whiten your teeth with this stuff. All you have to do is get your tooth brush a little bit wet and sprinkle some activated charcoal on your brush, then just start brushing! For this process to work it takes up to about four weeks, but it is much better than buying expensive teeth whitening products at the store, and not knowing what kind of dangerous chemicals they are putting in them, right? Also, after you are done brushing with activated charcoal I highly suggest you brush your teeth with a different tooth brush and use your typical toothpaste or when you smile it will look like you have been eating dirt!
It Treats Alcohol Poisoning?
I’m sure you weren’t aware of this fact, but it is absolutely true. If you ever have wondered what doctors use when someone has overdosed on alcohol, also known as alcohol poisoning, well this is one of their go-to substances. Activated charcoal sucks up the alcohol in the system which helps it become less available to your blood stream.
According to WebMD, this is sometimes used in conjunction with pumping your stomach; however, depending on the severity of the situation will depend on if doctors administer one or both of these treatments. On a less serious note, taking activated charcoal about twenty minutes before you decide to start drinking will actually prevent hangovers.
You can also take activated charcoal at the end of your night too. It will still absorb the alcohol content, but don’t take it too often. Let’s face it, nobody likes to wake up from a long night of drinking to a throbbing headache, and feeling like they have just been hit by a truck. Do yourself a favor and keep some activated charcoal on hand for your nights out!
Activated Charcoal is Also Good For Survival Situations
This substance has many uses and benefits, but let’s talk about one of the best reasons to have it around. Let’s say you and some friends go out exploring the wilderness, or maybe you went camping out of state and got lost. Well, be sure to pack a good supply of activated charcoal in your first aid kit in case you have to make a water filter to ensure you have good drinking water.
Rehydrating from unknown water sources could prove detrimental to the health of you and your friends. Water sources that are out in the wilderness have millions of strains of bacteria. That means if you drink it, then you have a good possibility of getting sick. I suggest searching for ways to make water filters out of activated charcoal before you head out on that next adventure. It might possibly save your life.
Activated Charcoal Can Prevent High Cholesterol
Yes, you did read that headline correctly. In fact, I couldn’t believe that this product is sometimes used in different medicines to help people fight high cholesterol either. However, after doing some extensive research on webmd.com (a very reliable medical source as you are aware of) I found out that doctors do use it as a treatment option.
In fact, there have been several studies done that have shown that activated charcoal was just as effective as many prescription medicines in today’s current market. However, if you decide to take this for your high cholesterol we suggest consulting a doctor first to be sure you can take it with other medicines you might be on. Always consult a doctor before taking any kind of additional supplements, because you never know how they might interact with other things you are taking.
It is better to be safe than to be sorry!
Expert-Backed Reasons Activated Charcoal Rocks for Your Health
Earlier in this article we talked a little bit about activated charcoal being good for reducing gas and bloating, but did you know that it can also be used as a digestive cleanse? Well, the short answer is yes it can. It is great at absorbing just about anything, so that means it is also great at absorbing the harmful bacteria in your digestive track!
You would also be surprised to know, as I was, that it can also help get rid of allergens like pet dander that you might have accidently breathed in that ended up going into your digestive track as well.
Furthermore, I would encourage those who are middle aged or even those that are elderly to try and consume activated charcoal once in a while to promote joint health. There have been several studies on activated charcoal as treatment for joint pain and it has been proven in several cases that yes it will help some with their painful joints.
This would be a great treatment for anyone with Chron’s disease because those patients usually have very bad digestive problems as well as extreme pain in their joints.
Chron’s disease can attack any part of a person’s immune system. Unfortunately, it usually attacks our joints too. If you have Chron’s disease it might be a good idea to take a trip to the doctor and ask if activated charcoal would provide you with any benefits or added relief.
I would also like to mention that activated charcoal is very good at detoxifying your kidneys. When you take activated charcoal on occasion it literally absorbs whatever it can get a hold of.
Dr. Andrew Weil from www.drwiel.com claims that it can trap these chemicals because the pores in activated charcoal actually give the substance more surface area. However, he doesn’t suggest using it for all types of poisoning, and he recommends you always consult your doctor.This Podcast.
Still Not Convinced?
If you still aren’t convinced that activated charcoal will provide you with great benefits in your everyday life, then don’t take my word for it, but go do some additional digging and find out for yourself. In fact, I want you to go ahead right now and google activated charcoal uses webmd, and then look at all of the different uses and make the decision yourself!
Also, if you have an air purifier in your home I want you to also call the manufacturer and ask them if they use activated charcoal in your system, or any other systems they produce. I bet the answer is going to be yes. The benefits of this stuff have been known for hundreds of years, and many people still use it, and they use it for good reason.
That reason is because it works. I also want you to do a search on why it can absorb harmful toxins. Be sure to click on accredited scientific sources. I guarantee that once you do the research you will be amazed with the results.
Spread The Knowledge
Does any of these health problems remind you of a friend or family member? That is good, because now you can share your knowledge with them and let them know there is a natural and healthy solution to their problem.
As always, our top priority is our reader’s health, we too have used activated charcoal for many different reasons and we have seen the benefit first hand. Share this article, guide your friends, knowledge will lead you to a healthier lifestyle. I hope you found this article helpful, please leave a comment below, let’s start a debate on the benefits of this substance, did we miss an important bullet point? Let us know. Have a great day everyone.