People have been using activated charcoal for thousands of years. In World War I, activated charcoal was used in gas masks to prevent soldiers from being poisoned by chemical exposure and it has been used to treat water (making it tasteless and odorless). Activated charcoal and regular charcoal are identical, the only difference is that activated charcoal has been created solely for medicinal use. To create activated charcoal, regular charcoal is heated with a gas that causes the charcoal to expand, creating a porous surface that traps toxins.

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RELIEVE BITES AND BEE STINGS

Mixing a poultice of activated charcoal with a bit of water and cornstarch or flax seed powder can help cure bee stings, poison ivy rashes, snake bites, spider bites (including highly poisoning bites from the Brown Recluse or Black Widow) and other poisoning bites!

REDUCE ACNE AND IMPROVE SKIN HEALTH

Because activated charcoal removes toxins, it can help reduce the instances of acne and other skin impurities you might suffer from. It also works wonders for completely removing makeup. Mix aloe vera, rose water and tea tree oil together until you have an even consistency. But be aware that this face mask is going to be black, and while it can stain your clothing, it won’t stain your skin. Apply to your skin, let it dry, and then rinse off. Your skin will feel amazing.

WHITEN TEETH

While you might not think that a black powder could actually whiten teeth, you’d be surprised all you have to do is sprinkle charcoal onto a tooth brush and brush away. Your mouth may look really bizarre when you brush with charcoal, but if you do this daily, you’ll notice a difference within a couple of weeks. Activated charcoal is odorless and tasteless, so aside from having temporarily black teeth, you won’t be able to tell you’ve got charcoal in your mouth.

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BODY DETOX

Since charcoal does such an amazing job ridding your body of toxins, some people also use it to rid their body of built-up toxins. The length of these cleanses can vary, but they often last a week or two. There are many different recipes for using activated charcoal as a cleansing/detox agent, and it’s important that you find a recipe that works for your lifestyle. If you take too much charcoal, you could become constipated and sluggish. If you take too little, it won’t be effective.

ELIMINATE GAS

Activated charcoal can be effective for reducing gas, especially after eating. It can also relieve an upset stomach or nausea. It is worth repeating that activated charcoal should only be taken occasionally to relieve these symptoms, and should not be used every day.