Diatomaceous Earth

Please talk to a doctor! This material is not for human consumption! If you are seeing something on the internet saying so -- don't believe what you're reading.

I've never heard anything about it that was for respiratory issues.
You use the stuff that's pool grade for pool filters and for killing ants in the garden.
You use the stuff that's food grade as a silica supplement for strong hair/nails and
it's also used to protect grain/grain products from insect infestation.
You can find the food grade diatomaceous earth on Amazon.

Additional:
People are not understanding. There are different kinds.

FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth - you can eat. In fact you DO every time you use a boxed pre made pancake mix or Bisquick.

POOL GRADE diatomaceous earth - would be VERY HARMFUL if you ate it. It's too rough for our digestive systems.

For ingesting/eating/consuming, you purposely buy the stuff that is specifically labeled FOOD GRADE and it is available on Amazon and some health food stores.

You need to explain what you are talking about. Diatomaceous earth is carcinogenic if inhaled. Not something you want to mess around with.

dear gods above and below! NOT for respiratory issues! the diatoms, the tiny tiny carapaces of ancient insects that make up the DE, have sharp edges that are great for clearing away tiny parasites in guts, and terrible terrible for your lungs. don't EVER breathe DE.
i keep it around as a natural bug repellent. works great for ants, but fleas and stink bugs laugh at it. i buy food-grade DE and add it to my horses' feed as a natural de-wormer because i don't like to overuse the chemical kind and build their resistance. but the DE isn't as effective, so i still have to use a chemical de-wormer occasionally, just not as often.
it has a lot of uses. but not for your hubby's issue.
khairete
S.

Ditto Jo! Organic farmers use this as a natural insecticide. Are you sure you mean what you wrote?!

I know there is a food grade version of the stuff, but that only means it's okay to use around dry goods (like beans, flour, rice etc) during storage to prevent infestation. This stuff is basically finely ground shards of naturally occuring silica and other rocks and minerals ...you know, the stuff computer chips are made out of. It kills bugs by drying them out and cutting their tiny bodies to shreds. I can't image ingesting it on a regular basis can be safe for your internals. JMO

I tried to find this to rid a house with fleas the natural way. I called every pet store I could find. They said it was no longer available because it can cause a lot of health issues. I read everything I could find and it never once said it was good for lung/breathing issues. I did read it was a carcinogen. I think I would look for something else to help your husband.

I had not heard of it for human consumption. Here is a web site with testimonials. http://www.morethanalive.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grad...

Diatomaceous earth was used as dewormer for farm animals, added to feed to help get rid of internal parasites (worms) that animals are prone to. It can be used to dust the ground as well, to get rid of bugs, and there is a food grade version that is safe for people to ingest and is used around foods to keep bugs out of food. It is microscopically sharp, and in parasites & bugs, it cuts into them and causes them to dry out and die.

However, inhaling diatomaceous earth is a really bad idea, and particularly so for someone with respiratory problems.

Diatomaceous earth is made of the fossilized remains of a hard-shelled algae.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

http://www.earthworkshealth.com/How-Diatomaceous-Earth-Wo...

I had heard about it. But thought it was for killing bugs naturally instead of for human consumption....there are a ton of links out there.

questions to think about before you put a man made mixture into your hubby that has no long term effect studies. Is he exercising to increase his lung capacity? Is he eating clean? Is he eating organic? Is your home cleaned with high.chemicals or vinegar, baking soda,amonia,alchohol? No spray scents, either for home odor or for hair and other grooming? Home dust....dust covers for mattresses, no carpets. All rooms well maintained dusted? Before investing in a potentially harmful unknown do the cheaper and proven route. However if he wants to experiment go through a doctor and have results documented so if there are bad changes he is being followed
.

It is not for human consumption. Some put it on dogs food for digestion problems however some dogs have died from it. It is more for lawn & garden.

Sorry -- my only familiarity with this is using it in my horses' stalls to help keep them dry & odor-free. Can't say I'd use it anywhere near food!

Hi E.,

I have used it and it works GREAT for keeping the ants outside. The diatomaceous earth dries their bodies, so they don't want to go near the stuff. Good luck!

I. K.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.... it is NOT for respiratory problems.
NOT at all.
It is not for ingestion/eating/or breathing it in, in humans.

it is to get rid of insects.