Diatomaceous Earth - Food Grade

[KeepCalm 223]

For my very first topic starting post - I have a question that I have not been able to find the answer to and have 7 more days til I talk to my Nutritionist again.

Diatomaceous earth - has anyone used it as a supplement after having gastric sleeve done. Does anyone have any real information on it - ie. someone that has used it and can tell me if it its worth it or if it'll irritate my stomach after surgery?

My roommate is swearing by the stuff and well I'm not a fan of jumping on the new stuff bandwagons - but he's making me live with the crap all over my house, as it does kill bugs - that I have managed to find out first hand. However, he now wants me to start drinking it like he does everyday because he thinks it is good for us. I don't like anything extra going into my diet that I don't really know what it will do. I'm not a fan of medicines at all except when i'm seriously ill.

Anyhow, does anyone have any personal information with Diatomaceous earth?

Thank you!

[OKCPirate 5,323]

Makes as much sense as http://www.cricketflours.com/ yes it may not hurt, might help, but not at that cost IMHO

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I consider myself pretty granola-y but why on earth would you need to eat that? I'm absolutely serious. What's the benefit? Maybe I'm missing something. Honestly why would you want to risk that on a new tummy?

[Cervidae 2,389]

Definitely wait to talk to your nut about it. Not worth the risk of harming your new tummy

[Daisee68 2,493]

Umm I use that in my pool filter. I realize you said food grade, but that doesn't seem safe at all - especially if it kills bugs. Just sayin'....

[KeepCalm 223]

- Just to Clarify - I have not been sleeved yet I'm still waiting for approval and I am hoping for surgery in January, so I can use my flex spending for most of the out of pocket costs.

Yes, its the food grade and not the stuff you use in your pool - the one for pools is a different kind and not safe at all. I've been trying to find more information on it to be safe. I'm just not finding what I'm looking for, so I was hoping someone else might have experience with it.

When it comes to putting ANYTHING in my mouth/body/whatever - I want to be sure its safe and that I know where its been, what it can do, and what it can't do... I'm not stupid

but I get all these OH its sooo safe - yeah for normal people with normal stomachs... I want to know if it'll be safe after sleeved, as it is suppose to be a supplement. I guess I'm gonna have to wait to talk to my Nutritionist and find out.

Roommate doesn't do extensive research on anything - he's a very spur of the omg some chick told me this was good for me, I looked it up - read a little bit and now I drink it kinda person... yeah - I don't follow the new trendy bandwagon... hence why I did soooo much research on the sleeve before I even remotely considered it for replacing my band...

We'll see - maybe my nutritionist will have more info. If not, doesn't bother me none not to try it - but I didn't want to just say no without at least looking into it.

[KeepCalm 223]

I consider myself pretty granola-y but why on earth would you need to eat that? I'm absolutely serious. What's the benefit? Maybe I'm missing something. Honestly why would you want to risk that on a new tummy?

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to find out - what the real benefit is of it vs anything else that is out there as far as Vitamins and such... I mean if it does the same as Vitamins, but is drinkable then that is a benefit for when we're still healing and can only drink liquids... I dunno...

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

There are plenty of liquid vitamins that one could take that aren't food grade pesticides. My guts says run from this one.

[Boombalatty 94]

I had a coworker talk me into trying DE a year or two before the surgery. He said that it really helped clean out your intestines and colon like some kinds of Fiber. He also swore that where it helped clean things out, you absorbed minerals better and that it helped his hair, skin and nails a lot. I guess it helped some.

Now that I am a year out, I have been thinking about it again as a 'fiber' supplement. I haven't talked to my nutritionist about it, though, as I wonder about a few things. When I did it pre-op, I chugged a cup or so of Water with a tablespoon of the DE in it and then chased it with more Water. I can't chug water like that any more, so would I be able to drink it at all? Also, the DE particles are really small. I guess the suture line has healed or is water tight, so it shouldn't work it's way through, but being small hard particles I just wonder if it could erode the suture line...how tightly does that seal?

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I used to take Diatomaceous earth before surgery and I loved it, It does work very well. It is an old natural remedy. It has benefits for animals and humans.

However I would not take it after surgery at all. The reason being it can make you constipated etc, and I have enough issues with that. I also doubt I could flood my body with enough Water that you really need when you take it.

It is a great supplement but I think post surgery, Probiotics are a better route to go.

food grade is just basically silicia, it really helps with hair, skin and nails. I would love to take again, but like I said. I can't drink enough Water to risk.

I used to take with about 2-3oz of water then follow it with about 32 oz of water.

If you can drink a gallon of water a day then maybe. It isn't something I would try until after a year out, maybe more. I would have to be able to ingest a lot more water quickly before I tried.

Edited October 22, 2015 by OutsideMatchInside

[KeepCalm 223]

@@OutsideMatchInside

Thank you! That gave me a little bit more perspective.