The Many Uses of Charcoal for Health and Beauty

I was probably ten or eleven years old as my family drove back from a trip to visit family in Pennsylvania. I was feeling awful. My stomach was churning, making it impossible to eat. To make matters worse, my sense of smell was probably about a million times stronger (okay maybe twice as strong), and my grandmother was enjoying herself a nice fish sandwich from McDonalds. I shoved my face into a pillow and tried not to breathe, but for some reason or another, my survival instinct kicked in and I inhaled, using the pillow as an air filter. It didn't work. I could still smell it. It was the worst smell in the world and it was making me sicker. 

My mom passed back a bottle of gatorade, but the liquid inside was jet black. This was no big deal to me. As a kid, I had become accustomed to black drinks when I wasn't feeling well. I drank it down, savoring the wonderful gatorade flavor. About 15 minutes later, the black drink began kicking and screaming in my stomach. My father pulled over at a gas station, I ran in and found the bathroom, and threw up black, acidic vomit in the toilet. My mom found me and helped me get back on my feet, rinse my mouth out with water, and get back to the van. As unpleasant as this awful experience was, I felt instantly better. The magic black gatorade had done its job and I was able to sit and behave like a normal human being once again. 

What was the magic black gatorade, you ask, (having not read the title of this blog, I assume)? My mom liked to mix in charcoal with juice when my siblings and I were feeling sick to our stomachs. It worked every time. She would also make a paste out of the charcoal and place it over infected eyes and bee stings. I remember going to a church function once with an eyepatch full of charcoal paste. What she knew that I didn't understand was that charcoal pulls out poisons. 

Charcoal is so effective at absorbing or drawing out poisons that it is used in emergency situations to treat poisoning (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Charcoal is also used to absorb poisons through poultices (like my eyepatch) for the treatment of bug bites, mastitis (Charcoal is nursing-mom-friendly), colitis, eczema, poison ivy, and many sorts of inflammation, as well as bad breath and many other health issues (Joe and Elsa Willis, 2009). According to the Willis' it is also useful for diarrhea and nausea (hence my lovely intro). Charcoal is so useful for absorbing poisons because it is so porous and attracts and stores organic chemicals (General Carbon Corporation, 2015). In other words, it is like an irresistible sponge to poisons/organic chemicals.

Are you sold yet? Naturopaths have been using charcoal for centuries. Considering the overuse of antibiotics has started to create superbugs, or strains of bacteria that resist antibiotics (News in Health, 2014), it might be time to rethink how often you ingest antibiotics. The following are some great ways to use charcoal. (I am not a medical professional, if you absolutely need antibiotics, please use them. I tend to avoid them when I can.)

Hold on, did I forget to mention that it is great at treating acne and cleaning out pores? You read the part where I said charcoal is super absorbent, right? Because it is so effective at drawing out toxins, it is also great at pulling pus and the bacteria that infected your face out. How can you use this to your advantage? Read on my friend, read on. 

http://www.secretlyhealthy.com/cure-millions-of-years-old/

To combat nausea and bad breath, a Charcoal Slurry is best. Simply mix half a tablespoon of activated charcoal in two cups of water (I like using gatorade or juice) and drink away.  This can be repeated up to three times a day in between meals.

To fight skin/eye infections, create a Charcoal Poultice.  Mix three tablespoons of activated charcoal powder and three tablespoons of cornstarch in 3/4 cup of hot water. Stir until blended and let it cool down to room temperature. Spread the mixture thickly onto a strip of gauze (cut large enough to cover the entire affected area). Tape the entire gauze to the skin, making sure it can't leak. Leave on for at least three hours or overnight.

To detox (remove odors/nicotine, treat skin disorders, and assist with chronic fatigue), a Charcoal Bath might be of use. Place six cups of granular charcoal in a cloth bag and tie it. Place the bag in the tub and fill the tub with warm water to soak yourself. Dry the bag out after the bath by hanging it up and reuse up to two more times. 

To treat acne, a mask is very helpful. I have already written a couple different blogs about charcoal face masks. My personal favorite is the clay mask, but I also have posted a clay-free mask that involves lemon juice and egg whites. (Apparently charcoal soap is also a thing: you can buy it here. Honestly, who doesn't want to use obsidian soap everyday? I know I do!) The clay mask can also be used a spot treatment for nasty zits.

Some people whiten their teeth with it. Simply mix a capsule of charcoal powder with your toothpaste that morning or pour it on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth. Leave it for five minutes and then rinse it out. This method is super attractive. (I have not tested this method as of yet.)

Disclaimer: I didn't mention how to use charcoal to treat ingested poisons on purpose. I don't want to be the reason someone didn't go to the hospital because they used charcoal after their child drank a bottle of bathroom cleaner. Although charcoal is used for this purpose, I would never suggest using it by itself. Contact Poison Control to find out how to use it in these cases and go to the hospital anyway. Better safe than sorry.

Second disclaimer: I do not guarantee that these treatments will work for you. I have found them to work for me and my family, but I do not assume to know your specific situation or medical status. Please consult with a doctor before using charcoal if you are taking any medications at all.