|  | Family Health | Babies Health

Activated Charcoal Remedies

Not to be confused with charcoal briquettes, activated charcoal is safe to ingest and is very useful for emergency situations involving the removal of toxins or poisons from the body. Activated charcoal is made by blasting burning charcoal with oxygen. As its surface area is increased through this process, its ability to absorb toxins and inorganic matter is maximized.

  1. How It Works

    • Activated charcoal is known as a clinical absorbent. Taken internally, activated charcoal works by absorbing and binding toxic substances within the digestive tract and passing them safely out of the body through natural elimination. A useful and effective remedy for most types of poisonings, emergency rooms often use activated charcoal to save people who have swallowed too many pills.

    Insect and Snake Bites

    • Spider bites, specifically from a brown recluse spider, may be healed through using activated charcoal. Being bitten by a brown recluse spider may cause an individual to lose skin around the bite and can cause other complications such as gangrene. Standard medicine has no remedy to offer for this type of spider bite. However, if a charcoal compress is applied to the area quickly, the effects of the bite may be eased significantly. Activated charcoal may also be used to treat bee stings and ant bites in the same manner.

      If an individual has been bitten by a poisonous snake and there isn't enough time to get to a hospital, activated charcoal may help save his life. An emergency charcoal compress in combination with ingesting activated charcoal internally may be an effective remedy for a snake bite when medical help is far away.

    How to Use a Charcoal Compress

    • A charcoal compress is made by mixing charcoal, water and starch to form a paste. Spread it onto a wet paper towel or directly on the skin and wrap the wet paper towel around the affected area. Next, wrap an additional wet paper towel on top of the first one. Seal in the moisture by wrapping the area with plastic wrap. In order to work effectively, a compress made with activated charcoal must remain wet. If it becomes dry, it will do absolutely nothing to help.

    Vomiting and Diarrhea

    • Ingested internally, activated charcoal may be an effective remedy for diarrhea and vomiting caused by the flu or even from food poisoning. When nausea strikes, try adding two tablespoons of activated charcoal to an 8-12 ounce glass of water and drink it down. This may cause your nausea symptoms to disappear altogether.
      If you have already been vomiting, activated charcoal can still work with a little patience. You may vomit the first time that you drink it, but once you are able to hold it down, it should stop you from vomiting from then on. It is essentially flavorless, but the texture may be less than appealing.

    Teeth Whitening

    • A surprising use for activated charcoal is teeth whitening. Brushing your teeth with activated charcoal may help you get a whiter smile. If your teeth have a grayish tint immediately after doing this, don't worry as it does go away shortly. Repeat this treatment as necessary.

Babies Health - Related Articles