Used for detoxification of toxins and chemicals from our body, charcoal also popularly known as activated charcoal when used for medical purposes is one of the most accepted natural treatment for doing so. It traps the toxins and chemicals and flushes them out of the body, cleansing the body from within. One can obtain activated charcoal from various sources, however when used for natural healing it is advised that the charcoal obtained is from natural resources only.
Due to its ability to soak and absorb chemical and toxins, it is used in treatment of various medical emergencies. Charcoal is obtained from petroleum, coal , peat, coconut shell etc… but to obtain activated charcoal, the plain charcoal is heated along with another gas to form gaps. These gaps then act like the traps to hold in all those toxins and chemicals and then remove them from our body.
Well if you are thinking of charcoal that use for your grill to be consumed, then you are absolutely wrong! The barbeque charcoal is coated with multiple chemicals and is not meant for consumption at all. So before you do any such disaster, we have listed the uses of activated charcoal. This would enable you to understand how and where to use the charcoal. Check it out.
Uses Of Activated Charcoal And Its Benefits
With its ability to trap and flush toxins , there are multiple benefits and uses of charcoal. As it chemically binds other substances to its surface, it can easily absorb chemicals thousand of times of its own weight.
Let’s have a look!
As A Remedy For Gas And Bloating
We all love to eat what we like. But sometimes consuming food can get troublesome if it leads to bloating. With our modern day lifestyle and food habits, eating healthy is a bit of a task. So all these irregularities in the food habit can cause formation of gas and get painful if not taken care.
American Journal of Gastroenterology mentions in one of its studies, that activated charcoal has the ability to bind all the gas causing elements and prevents formation of intestinal gases. This can help in reducing the bloating and enhance digestion for an individual. To avoid bloating one needs to take 500 milligrams of activated charcoal mixed with a glass of water one hour prior to the gas causing meal. Post consumption, one needs to gulp another glass of water for the charcoal to get reacting quickly. This will help in preventing the bloating with ease.
For Teeth Whitening
Staining and darkening of teeth has become a common day scenario now. Either be it a coffee stain or some stain from the berries you popped in, activated charcoal can clean it all and whiten your teeth wonderfully. When used, it absorbs all that plaque and other bacteria present in the mouth maintaining the pH balance. This helps prevents cavities and other mouth and gum related diseases.
So to have a bright smile, use some activated charcoal powder to brush your teeth thrice a week and you will see amazing results. Avoid using if it causes sensitivity to your teeth and if you have crown caps, it might stain them.
[ Read: Turmeric Powder For Whiter Teeth]
For Treating Drug Over-dose And Emergency Toxin Removal
Off-late a lot of cases of drug-overdose are reported as emergencies at the hospital. As mentioned before, the most common attribute of activated charcoal is removal of toxins or chemicals post ingestion. When an individual takes in excessive of drugs like aspirin, cocaine, opium or consumes organic compounds like pesticides, bleach, pesticides, activated charcoal can be administered within an hour of ingestion to remove he toxins before the body absorbs it.
As per a study at the University of Michigan Health System, it states that 50 to 100 grams to an adult and 10 to 25 grams to a child in case of emergency toxin removal can be administered.
For Alcohol Poisoning And Hangovers
Activated charcoal can remove the toxins from the supplements that we use along with alcohol. It doesn’t absorb the alcohol, however it can reduce the alcohol content in the blood concentration level when taken along with it. It is administered in cases of medical issues caused by alcohol like acute alcohol poisoning.
For Water Filtration
As we know, activated charcoal can trap it all, it is best to be used as a water filter. It is effective in eliminating organic compounds, industrial waste, chemicals and other solvents and filtrating it to be drinkable.Journal of the Canadian Dental Association published a study where it is mentioned that, activated charcoal can remove fluoride from tap water, thus purifying it. This elimination of fluoride from water enhances immunity and improves the kidney’s health too.
Therefore using activated charcoal filters on taps will improve the purity and quality of water and keep you healthy.
For Improving Skin Health
Activated charcoals plays an important role in improving the skin’s health. It helps in reducing body odor and also drastically reduces acne. It can be used for treating for insect bites too. It has proven effective in treating snake bites and other dangerous insects like the black widow spider.
In such cases, activated charcoal needs to be mixed with coconut oil and applied around the affected area. A bandage needs to tied around to avoid staining. This needs to be repeated for every 30 minutes and if the pain and itching persists, one should seek for medical help!
To treat acne, a combination of charcoal and aloe vera gel can do wonders. It helps binding in all the dirt from the face and give it a glowing feel.
For Reducing High Cholesterol
Activated charcoal is also effective in reducing high cholesterol. It has proven to reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. In one of the cases it showed a decrease of cholesterol by 25% with LDL decreasing by 41% and HDL increasing by 8% in just a month.
It is advised not to consume activated charcoal with two hours of taking any medication as it can restrict the charcoal from absorbing.
Improves Organ Health
Activated charcoal is effective in preventing cellular damage to various internal organs like the kidney, liver and adrenal glands. It plays a major role in detoxifying them, thus preventing them from any kind of damage.
This flushing out of chemicals can help prevent premature aging. To ensure this, one can take two capsules of activated charcoal after heavy meals that can contain toxins. This will make the organs healthier and improves the digestive tract as well.
Now that we are aware of the benefits, we should also be aware of the side effects of consuming activated charcoal. Have a look.
Side Effects Of Activated Charcoal
Though there are not many major side-effects with activated charcoal when used for a short span, some individuals can complain of constipation and blackening of stools. Some rare but reported side-effects of activated charcoal includes congestion of intestinal tract, dehydration and regurgitation of lungs. If any of these seem to happen, one should rush to seek medical help.
It should be avoided by those who have a history of Gastrointestinal (GI) blockage or slow movement of food through the intestine.
With this we hope all of you a clear insight on how you could use this amazing substance and treat various causes at home. So go get yourself some activated charcoal and start using it to see how best you can benefit out of it.
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