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Since ancient times, charcoal has been used as a natural remedy. Early Egyptian writings document using charcoal as a healing remedy. The famous second century Roman doctor Galen wrote over 500 treatments using charcoal. Ancient Chinese texts describe charcoal used extensively for various ailments,
To be clear, we’re not talking about charcoal briquettes or charred burnt toast. Beneficial charcoal is organic matter (like wood) burned in a low oxygen environment. Charcoal works because it is extremely porous and has a large surface area. Using the chemical principle of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) and electrostatic forces, charcoal draws toxins and elements to itself. Activated charcoal is charcoal that has undergone a process to make it even more porous. The surface area of activated charcoal is so large, three grams of activated charcoal has the surface area of a football field.
Today, activated charcoal is used in industry, for water purification, in kidney dialysis, in air filtration and for poison control. It's even used in cosmetics such as face masks, cleansing products and even toothpaste for whitening. The US Food and Drug Administration lists activated charcoal as a completely safe substance and is approved for use in poison control and for upset stomachs.
Activated charcoal can be mixed in water or juice and drinking it could potentially save your life. It can adsorb over 4,000 types of chemicals, bacteria, viruses and other harmful substances. It’s so powerful that it is used in the ER and ambulances for poison and drug overdoses. It can also be used at home if you have food poisoning or develop norovirus or dysentery. Just take two tablespoons of charcoal powder mixed in a drink twice daily until the symptoms go away. You can buy activated charcoal on Amazon, in most health food stores and can be purchased as a powder, in capsules or tablet form.
But aside from ingesting it for stomach relief, activated charcoal can also be used on the surface of the skin. By mixing activated charcoal with water (and a binding agent like ground flaxseed), charcoal can be made into a poultice and put directly on the skin to help treat infections, burns, rashes, mosquito and ant bites, bee stings, even venomous spider and snake bites. Charcoal poultices for the skin can also be used for musculoskeletal injuries like sprains, muscle tears, arthritis and backaches.
But making a charcoal poultice is messy and not easy to keep on the body. That’s where Black Ice comes in. It’s a hydrogel patch infused with activated charcoal that is peel and stick and leaves no residue.
Whether it’s musculoskeletal pain or a bug bite, or rash or infection that won’t go away, Black Ice is an amazing natural remedy that you need to have in your first aid kit. You’ll be glad you did!