Diatomaceous Earth Informational Pages

Diatomaceous Earth began life between 5 and 20 million years ago as single-cell aquatic plants known today as diatoms.  During the 15 million years that they lived and died, truly unfathonable numbers of their microscopic skeletons accumulated at the bottom of what were once enormous fresh water lakes.  Eventually the lakes disappeared, leaving dried deposits of these fossilized skeletons.  Subsequent geological events buried many of these deposits, but more recent (a few hundred thousand years ago) geological eruptions made some of the deeper deposits that are several hundred feet in depth more accessible.

The diatoms that produce Diatomaceous Earth grow in a unique way.  Most plants use the sun's energy to synthesize cellulose for the cell structure.  Instead, diatoms extract dissolved amorphous silica from the water.  Silica is responsible for building their stong and stable skeletons.  These naturally porous hard skeletons are what give DE its remarkably abrasive and absorbent abilities.  This is also why DE is a good source of silica.

Of the 600 DE deposits in the USA, only four are considered Food Grade by the FDA.  Not even these few Food Grade deposits are identical; some Food Grade deposits may contain higher amounts of sediment and clay.  Depending on how the deposits are formed, sufficient clay particles can clog the pores of these fossilized shells, reducing the effectiveness of the DE.

There are thousands of products that contain Diatomaceous Earth.  These include skin care products, toothpastes, foods, beverages, medicines, paints, and water filters.  The FDA lists DE as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe).

Producing a small canister or bag of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a lengthy and expensive project.  Our DE is from the four corners region of the Southwestern US and is prized for the purity and consistency of its ore deposits.

The best DE is not just waiting to be picked up.  It is buried and covered by what is known as "overburden".  This must be removed before the diatomite can be extracted with giant excavators.  For the purest DE, darker layers are rejected; only the lightest are chosen for processing.

The large pieces of excavated DE are then arranged so that solar energy can dry them out for crushing.  After crushing they are moved to storage bins.

The stored ore must then be carefully milled and further dried to preserve the structure of the diatoms that are responsible for its amazing abilities.  After milling, the DE is further sorted to remove impurities and foreign matter with a progression of sifters and traps.  It is now ready to be jarred or bagged.

Many harmful substances entering the body have a positive charge.  Diatomaceous Earth is a semi-conductive maneral.  When warmed by body heat it develops a negative charge and gives off electrons.  These charged mineral ions attract unhealthy microbes, free radicals, and other harmful metals. &nbap;Acting as magnets, they attract and absorb positive things that are small enough to fit through the holes.  The trapped toxins are then excreted out of the body.  Because of its strong charge, each DE shell can absorb a large number of positively charged substances.  They then pass through the stomach and intestine, taking these harmful substances out of the body.

It has been postulated that parasites in the stomach and digestive tract are pierced by the sharp edges of the DE.  Another theory is that they voluntarily leave because because of the alkaline ph and negative electrical charge of the DE.  DE does NOT affect beneficial bacteria.  Removing toxins and parasites results in a much healthier body with a stronger resistance to disease.

Diatomaceous Earth is hard.  On the hardness scale where diamonds are a nine, DE is a seven.  As these minute hard and sharp DE cylinders pass through the small and large intestines, they scrub the walls.  After only a few monthsof taking DE, the intestine wall is no longer coated with mucus or other deposits.  The advantage of this is regular bowel movements.  This is the number one comment users make about DE.

DE can help create a healthier colon.  This is especially important as we age.  A clean healthy colon keeps away polyps, cancers, and ulcers.  Many users report increased energy and needing less sleep.  This is a result of food and nutrients that are better absorbed into the blood stream.  With a coated colon, many nutrients never get absorbed.

DE kills insects and parasites by desiccation.     Due to its highly porous nature, DE is one of the most effective of all natural inert dusts.   It absorbs waxy fats and oils (lipids) from the epicuticle (skin) of insects and other invertebrate pests.   Once the waxy, oily coating is removed, the insect cannot retain water and dies due to dehydration.   Partial water loss makes them thirsty, but most insects die when about 60 percent of their water is lost.

The same principles of flea control, frequent vacuuming, the use of flea-unfriendly surfacing materials and the application of DE for the house and yard also apply to flea control and prevention in other places.   If you keep on seeing fleas, you need to consider all of the 'other' out-of-the-way places your pet might be hanging out, which you haven't yet treated for these pests.

Your car(s) can be a significant source of flea re-infestation problems.   Flea infested animals drop eggs into the car during car trips - these flea eggs can hatch into larvae and go through the entire flea life cycle inside of the soft seats and carpet floors of the car.   DE and frequent vacuuming are among the safest ways of ridding the car of flea eggs, larvae and cocoons.

If your pet spends a lot of time outside in a kennel or aviary you can expect a thriving flea population to be present in the soil or in the bedding you have placed within it.

If the walls and floor of the kennel are made of smooth, hard, easy to wash materials (metal, hard plastic) then only the pet's bedding needs to be cleaned or discarded.   and not the kennel itself.   Open-floor kennels standing on grass or soil can be washed likewise and then the kennel should be relocated to a different region of the yard, well away from the original location, to let the sun and dry air kill the flea life cycle stages present in the grass and soil of the first area.

Should you choose not to discard your pet's bedding, sunlight and drying, also kill larval fleas and flea pupae in kennel beds.   Leaving pet beds and pet bedding out in the open sunlight for a few days (make sure that they are hot days with a very low air humidity) can also reduce flea larvae and flea pupae populations in these items.

Dogs and cats often go under houses and sheds seeking solitude and shade.   Used often, these spaces will soon be home to a robust flea life cycle.   Other possible hiding places for fleas; Tops of cupboards and dressers - cats often like to hide out in high places as well as barns, attics and woodpiles.

Wherever dogs and cats and wild animals hang out in numbers, there is the potential for fleas to exist.   Should your dog or cat visit such areas or hang out with other flea-carrying animals, there is always the potential for him or her to come back home carrying new fleas.   Make sure that your pets are treated with DE before they go anywhere where they could pick up fleas.