Binge on Clay Like the Chimpanzee's Do

""Wild chimpanzees in the forests of Uganda are increasingly eating clay to supplement the minerals in their diet, according to a long-term study published in PLOS ONE. The paper led by the University of Oxford describes how the researchers observed wild chimpanzees in the Budongo forest eating and drinking from clay pits and termite mounds.

The paper concludes that this change in diet may be partly due to the widespread destruction of raffia palm trees that chimps relied on for their minerals in the past. However, the main reason seems to be the chimps have recently started to boost the minerals in their diet by eating the clay which also helps them 'detox' and digest their food.

The research was led by Emeritus Professor of Biological Anthropology at Oxford University, Vernon Reynolds, with a team of researchers from the universities of St Andrews, Brighton, Kent, Neuchatel, and Utrecht. Researchers observed the chimps using leaves like clay 'sponges', dipping the leaves in the clay water and returning to their mouths where they squeezed the liquid out with their tongues. They were also seen using their fingers to extract lumps of clay directly from the ground before eating it.

Studies of wild chimpanzees in the Budongo Forest, Western Uganda, have been continuing uninterrupted since 1990, when Professor Reynolds set up the Budongo Conservation Field Station there.

An analysis of the clay and termite soils shows they are very high in a range of minerals, but the clay was particularly high in aluminium - a feature of kaolinite clays eaten by a range of species, including humans, to aid digestion and detoxification. The chimps' diet, which consists mainly of fruits and leaves, is very high in tannins and the researchers believe that the clay provides an important way for chimpanzees to neutralize these.

It is common practice for local women in Budongo to drink or eat forest clay mixed with water for stomach problems and during pregnancy. Clays, such as kaolinite, also contain sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, says the paper, which the Budongo chimps seem to have discovered they can access with their leaf sponges. Accessing the clay with the leaf sponges was also found to provide higher mineral concentrations than taking clay-water or clay directly from the ground.""

http://www.sciencecodex.com/chimpanzees_binge_on_clay_to_detox_and_boost_the_minerals_in_their_diet-162327

Transform Your Health, Just Eat Dirt

""While it may seem counterintuitive for someone who adheres to a clean lifestyle to ingest dirt on a daily basis, age-old cultures, as well as our current day scientific community, have found the practice to be one of the healthiest habits you can adopt. But it's not just any dirt -- specific types of clay prove to be most beneficial. Where to begin?

Dr. Edward F. Group III, founder of the Global Healing Center, recommends a high-quality zeolite or bentonite clay for increasing immunity, cleansing the colon, promoting healthy bacteria in the gut and detoxification of heavy metals. Additionally, research published in the Journal of Molecular Medicine discovered that finely ground zeolite clinoptilolite holds promise as an effective anti-cancer compound.

Why be worried about heavy metals?

Environmental heavy metals are an unfortunate reality in modern life. A byproduct of industry and energy production, we are saturated with these toxins. Found in our drinking water, food supply and the air we breathe, heavy metals are impossible to avoid. Below are four of the most prevalent.

Cadmium - An exceptionally toxic metal, cadmium is found in many soils and rocks as well as coal and mineral fertilizers. Cadmium is used in batteries, pigments, plastics and metal coatings. Long-term exposure can damage the kidneys, lungs and bones.

Mercury - Coal-burning power plants are the largest source of mercury emissions in the United States. Once in the soil and water, microorganisms convert the compound to methylmercury -- a bioaccumulating toxin that affects the nervous system, lungs, cardiovascular system and kidneys. Effects on the brain include memory problems, irritability, shyness, changes in vision or hearing and tremors.

Aluminum - Found in an array of personal products, from antiperspirants to cosmetics, as well as baking powders, foodstuffs, antacids, drinking water and pharmaceuticals, exposure to aluminum is difficult to dodge. This heavy metal is considered a neurotoxin and has been linked to the development of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Lead - Due to the burning of fossil fuels, along with mining and manufacturing, lead is a pervasive environmental toxin. Sources of exposure include water pipes in older homes, paint, contaminated soil, household dust, lead crystal, cosmetics, toys, drinking water and lead-glazed pottery. It's a suspected human carcinogen, and contact with high levels severely damages the brain and kidneys, ultimately causing death.""

Conclusions and Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/049676_bentonite_clay_zeolites_heavy_metal_detoxification.html