Recycled Information

Most of what you’ve read about healing clays comes from a single source: A book called Our Earth, Our Cure by French naturopath Raymond Dextreit. Translated into English in 1974, the book is a gold mine of information about clay’s many uses—so good that each of the books (and, eventually, blog posts) about clay since then have borrowed heavily from Dextreit’s work.

Some books even copy entire pages verbatim, including the section when Dextreit talks about the best way to store clay. In this section (pictured below in two books, published 27 years apart) Dextreit suggests that hydrated clay shouldn’t be stored in plastic.

A fresh look at traditional answers

Much of what has been written about clay and plastic — even if the book was published just last decade, or the blog post was written just last year — is simply a restatement of what we knew in 1974. And let’s face it, plastic in 1974 was probably a bad idea! Some plastics today would be just as bad, which is why we need to be careful when mixing and storing our clay.

Not all plastics are created equal

Redmond Clay, dry or hydrated, can be stored safely in the right kind of plastic. Yep, we know it contradicts Dextreit’s 1970s advice, but plastics are much more stable than they were 38 years ago.

Redmond Clay approved plastic meets the following standards:

• PET plastic, designated by the number 2: Used to store clay powder.
• LDPE plastic, designated by the number 4: Used for our ready-to-use, pre-hydrated clay products. (Including Earthpaste.)
• We use only “virgin” plastic. We love recycling, but for hydrated clay, we need to absolutely confident we know we’re getting just the right plastic. To be safe, we use only virgin, BPA-free plastic for our tubes. (Don’t worry, you can still recycle our tubes after you’re done!)

Two sides to aluminum

Like other metal elements, a tiny amount of aluminum is required to keep our body’s systems working properly—nickel for our heart, iron for blood, copper for nerves, and so on. The crucial distinction is the source and form of the elements: you could ingest aluminum in natural spring water, or you could force down a bit of aluminum foil. Your body can tell the difference, and won’t treat the sources of aluminum equally. It’s a silly example, maybe, but the basic idea is that our bodies recognize a chemical difference between heavy-metal aluminum, which could be absorbed by our system and potentially lead to health issues, and the naturally-occurring aluminum found in montmorillonite/bentonite clay.

Aluminum in bentonite clay

Unlike aluminum additives found in some products, experts agree that the natural aluminum in bentonite clay cannot be absorbed by our bodies. The aluminum carries such a high negative charge, it is actually central to the beneficial functions of clay—without it, the bentonite molecule that seems almost magical wouldn’t be able to do its job. (If we’re losing you, head over and learn how Redmond Clay works.)

Why aluminum is safe in clay

We wandered into some confusing territory there for a minute, so let’s regroup for those of you who like skipping to the end. Aluminum occurs naturally in our bodies, and in Redmond Clay. As with everything else we put in our bodies, the source and form of aluminum makes a big difference in how our bodies use it. The molecular structure of bentonite, especially the high negative charge of the aluminum, makes it impossible for the aluminum to leach into our systems. Instead, the aluminum leaves our bodies the old-fashioned way—along with the positively-charged toxins and impurities that the clay has bonded to. At a chemical level, much of clay’s healing benefit depends on aluminum.

Is Redmond Clay a Calcium Bentonite Clay?

This is one of the most common questions people have after reading Living Clay. Is Redmond Clay is a calcium bentonite clay?

Why might it matter?

Most clay deposits are high in either sodium (sodium bentonite clay) or calcium (calcium bentonite clay). Generally speaking, clays that are high in sodium and low in calcium are used for industrial applications—pond seal, drilling support, etc.—because these clays swell more than others. The calcium question was probably designed to be sure you choose a clay intended for human consumption, but before Living Clay was published, no clay experts had ever focused on the calcium / sodium distinction.

Why might it not matter?

Like most Redmond Clay customers, we trust clay because we’ve seen it improve our lives, and because we can look back throughout history to see ancient cultures using it internally and externally. It’s hard to imagine a primitive healer inspecting a ball of medicinal clay and saying, “My goodness! This clay has more sodium than calcium! Spit it out!” It’s important to know the source of your clay, but focusing on calcium or sodium may not be as relevant as you may have read.

So, is Redmond Clay a calcium bentonite clay?

If you’ve read the post up to this point, you’re probably expecting the answer to be no, right? In fact, Redmond Clay comes from one of the most unique clay deposits discovered so far—rich in both calcium and sodium. The unique composition is one reason Redmond Clay works so well in so many ways—the sodium content helps makes it more effective externally, while still sharing the benefits of taking clay internally.

Redmond Clay is a unique living clay that is high in both calcium and sodium. Of course, natural products like clay don’t work the same for each person. Redmond Clay has helped tens of thousands of people, but it may not be the right clay for your body—finding the clay that works best for you is a personal journey.

Johnstown, PA

Like other natural products, Redmond Clay benefits different people in different ways. One customer might tell us it cured their ailment completely, while another customer with the same trouble may experience less dramatic improvement. The FDA’s “generally recognized as safe” label seems to be accurate, though–in more than 30 years of interacting with clay customers, we’ve never seen any negative side effect, allergic reaction, or complication brought about by Redmond Clay.

Geologists say Redmond Clay is volcanic ash that fell into a prehistoric sea. The terms bentonite and montmorillonite are regional terms that both refer to the same type of clay in the smectite family, which is the preferred clay for personal use.

A new brand of natural toothpaste has a lot of people talking. Earthpaste is as natural a toothpaste as you’ll ever find, and it uses Redmond Clay as one of its few ingredients.

Earthpaste’s list of ingredients is unique, but the things they left out are just as important. Most brands of toothpaste contain foaming agents like SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), and chemicals like titanium dioxide to make the paste bright white. Not Earthpaste. It isn’t just safe to swallow — each ingredient in Earthpaste has been used to support healthy systems.

The Earthpaste team developed the product for a simple reason:

“Earthpaste began because we couldn’t find a natural toothpaste we loved for our families. We wanted a toothpaste that was as natural as possible, so we started with hydrated Redmond Clay and added Xylitol, essential oils, and Real Salt. And that’s it. Earthpaste is amazingly natural toothpaste.”

Learn more about Earthpaste on their website, and for a limited time, get a 15% discount on your entire order if you order Earthpaste online. (Use coupon code TryEarthpaste.)

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Hydrated Redmond Clay is typically two parts water to one part clay. To prepare your clay, pour one 10-oz. jar of dry clay powder into a quart-size glass jar. Fill the empty 10-oz. container with water and pour it into the jar, then put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Add another 10-oz container of water to the mixture, shake it again, and leave it on your counter overnight. By morning, Redmond Clay will be fully hydrated and ready for use, with a consistency similar to mustard.

Kept in an airtight container, hydrated clay will never dry out, separate, or go bad. If your clay seems thick or is left out and begins to dry, simply mix in water to reach the desired consistency. Since temperature extremes don’t affect clay, it can be stored wherever it’s convenient–your fridge, cupboard, car, or purse.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Clay as a Poultice

Hydrated Redmond Clay can be applied externally as a poultice on cuts, bruises, insect bites, bee stings, boils, rashes, achy joints, acne, and burns. To apply a clay poultice, place a thick layer (¼ to 1 inch thick) over the affected area. Redmond Clay has tremendous drawing power, so it should be washed off before it dries completely– especially when used on burns or sensitive areas such as the face. If the area can be wrapped with cheese cloth or plastic wrap, the clay can be left on overnight without drying out.

Redmond Clay Baths

To enjoy a full-body detox, add 1 to 2 cups of Redmond Clay to a tub of hot water and soak for 20-30 minutes. The remaining clay sediment can be safely washed down the drain. We have never seen it cause problems with the plumbing.

Foot Baths

Many people find that a foot bath with Redmond Clay also is a relaxing way to draw toxins out of the body. For a foot bath, add about 3 tablespoons of Redmond Clay to a pot of water that is as warm as you can stand. Soak your feet for about 30 minutes.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.