Activated charcoal uses. A must carry..

I am always telling people to carry a little activated charcoal with them for water filtration. Or even make a mini water filter with a small PVC pipe and two end  caps a rubber band and some window screen.

But did you know that it has other uses!! For 1000's of years activated charcoal has been used without adverse side effects to help with medical issues. 

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR! (this info is for emergency purposes ONLY!)

I got my bits at the pet store, cheaper that way   
 (but Not everything sold in stores for use in aquarium filtration is activated carbon even though it might be black and it might even have the name activated carbon, or a close variation, on the box. Boxes of cheap black shiny bits of material are probably anthracite coal and have little to no adsorption capability.)   
You can make you own by using the charcoal a wood fire produces.  (NOT BRICKETTS!  they have additives)   
I found this page to be helpful in learning about the different type of carbon products. Click Here

Also Click here to see how to recharge your activated charcoal to get long use from it. 

Video on How to Make Activated Charcoal

But I also like the video in my Pine sap post Click here....the video is of just that pine sap,  but the process known as "Destructive distillation"  will give you a high heat level to make a most effective activated charcoal....you need high high heat the kind you get in a pottery oven. But regular fire wood will do in an emergency. 

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 Uses

- Water Filter

- Air Filter  

- Ink

- Make a cheap homemade gas mask with it Click here  Put for use in this bag you can wrap it up in a wet banana and breath threw that till you can get to a safer place.  (And don't laugh it looks funny but it really makes sense!)

- Use as face camouflage 

- Mixed in compost helps remove the toxins (so great for garden)  

- Odor remover 

- Clean food ... It can remove bacterias, pesticides and heavy metals from fruit and vegetable. Add 1 or 2 tsp of chopped up charcoal to a bowl and soak for 15 min.

Medical Uses

-Use in eye drops see my post about eye care Click Here  and its use with salt

 -Activated charcoal normalizes cholesterol and lipid metabolism.

-Activated charcoal reduces the activity of some viruses So next time you have a cold or the flu

-It is universal antidote for drugs, chemicals and poisons.

Oral Use of Activated Charcoal
Activated Charcoal can help with mild digestive upsets, stop diarrhea, viral and bacterial infections. It adsorbs toxins and can render them inert and carrys them through the digestive tract. Charcoal be digested by the human body. It is a valuable aid in the treatment of accidental poisonings. The powder can be placed in the mouth and moistened with saliva for swallowing.

Gas and Indigestion
Activated Charcoal adsorbs excess gas and bacteria that forms gas in the digestive tract. . Except if you have a blockage (do not take)

Tooth Powder
It can trap bacteria and help treat gum and tooth disease. Just by brushing your teeth with the powder. Rinse well!
  
Slurry Form Place 4 TBS of activated charcoal powder in a pint size jar of distilled water, shake it up to mix well, and use it as needed. You may want to add a bit of sugar to it to make it taste a little better.

Topical Applications -- Poultice
Topically, Activated Charcoal is a powerful poultice for skin irritations. Charcoal compresses help speed the healing of wounds and eliminate their odors. Even on spider bites!

Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of Activated Charcoal powder into a sterile glass container. Add  water to make a paste.  Place  firmly onto the skin and cover the poultice completely with plastic to hold in the heat and moisture.  Activated Charcoal draws bacteria and poisons through the skin and into the poultice. Keep the poultice moist and warm to speed healing. . Change every 6 to 10 hours.



Absolutely not one good song for this post!!! So a random song is the game plan this go around