By Bill Mathews CNC, Kinesiologist, Reiki Master, Ki Center for Holistic Healing

            When dealing with gut problems such as food poisoning, chronic diarrhea, over acid stomach or even chronic gastritis, there is nothing like clay to remedy the situation quickly.

            Standard Process provides a supplement that is far superior to charcoal in its ability to absorb toxins. The product is called Gastrex, and is made from Bentonite clay (montmorillonite clay). It can absorb hundreds of times its weight in toxins and poisons and has a host of other gut healing phytonutrients besides the clay alone. It works immediately and can provide welcome relief when no other product is helpful.

            There are many “clay products” out there that make many claims to heal everything from diarrhea to clearing your complexion. Some of these claims are way overblown but do have a grain of truth. Gastrex is volcanic clay that absorbs toxins, poisons, heavy metals, some viruses, molds and even pesticides such as roundup. For food poisoning a heavy dose will usually take care of the problem within twenty four hours.

            Gastrex contains several powerful healing agents besides the Bentonite clay. It also has chlorophyll, okra, duodenal tissue extract and silica. It also stimulates bile production which helps with eliminating toxins.

            If you suffer from diverticulitis or other malabsorption problems, adding the product Okra Pepsin E3 will begin the healing process in short order. The okra in the product sticks pepsin (a natural digestive enzyme) to the intestinal wall where it will begin to dissolve stale mucus. Think of Gastrex like a fire extinguisher and the okra product for long term healing.

            In order for your gut to work properly, a host of digestive enzymes, including hydrochloric acid are needed. You can take the best supplements in the world, eat right, exercise and do everything else right, and still have digestive problems. Through years of watching these products work, I am comfortable saying that digestive problems are one of the easiest and quickest problems to correct.

            Too often, over the counter products like Prilosec are used to get relief from gastric distress. These products can give you temporary relief, but unfortunately, can exacerbate the root cause of the problem. I find that the majority of acid stomach problems can be attributed to too little stomach acid as opposed to too much. In most cases the acid upset comes within a few hours after eating and caused from pyruvic acid backing up into the esophagus. Pyruvic acid is produced from foods not being properly digested and remaining in the stomach, causing gastric upset from the acid produced by rotting food. A quick home remedy for this type of acid indigestion is to take a tablespoon of good quality apple cider vinegar in about eight ounces of water taken right after you eat. If you find relief from this remedy, you have too little stomach acid processing your food. However, if you suffer from acid indigestion on an empty stomach or immediately after you eat, you may have too much stomach acid. Both of these conditions are easily and quickly taken care of by balancing the digestive system. As I mentioned before, Gastrex can be a miracle product for both conditions.

            Be cautious of any product that makes numerous claims to healing all sorts of maladies. The common sense approach of “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” is generally accurate. I believe Standard Process products to be far superior to anything else out there. These powerful phytonutrient based organics are like specialty tools, designed for specific tasks in the body. If you’ve ever tried to remove a stubborn bolt with a pair of pliers instead of the proper wrench, you get the idea.

            A healthy gut is so important to the foundation of long term healing. Fixing it is straight forward, quick and inexpensive. It does require a good understanding of the digestive process, anatomy and physiology and the proper use of phytonutrient products to achieve the desired goal.