Edible Clays

(Calcium Montmorillonite)
By Ray Kong

Both human and animal ingestion of calcium montmorillonite minerals have been an accepted practice throughout the world for many years. Calcium montmorillonite mineral deposits have been used by Native American healers for centuries as an internal and external healing agent. The Native Americans would use mineral rich clay on open wounds and for stomach or intestinal distress. The key to these healing benefits is the natural form in which these minerals are found.

Montmorillonite belongs to the smectite group of clays. There are two types of montmorillonite, sodium and calcium. Sodium montmorillonite is commonly known as bentonite; the name is derived from the location of the first commercial deposit mined at Fort Benton, Wyoming USA. Bentonite principally consists of sodium montmorillonite in combination with 10 to 20% of various mineral impurities such as feldspars, calcite, silica, gypsum, etc. Sodium montmorillonite clays are the industrial clays used in things like: plaster, oil well drilling mud, cat litter, matches, cement tiles, lubricating grease, paints, copy paper, dynamite, shoe polish, concrete, cleaning agents, wall boards, crayons, and bleaching agents to mention a few.

Calcium montmorillonite, the second type of montmorillonite, is also known as “living clay” for it principally consists of minerals that enhance the production of enzymes in all living organisms. California Earth Minerals calcium montmorillonite is called Terramin. It is the preferred choice to use for soil, plants, animals and humans, especially when ingested, hence “edible clays. ”

Benefits of calcium montmorillonite minerals have been documented in research conducted by many scientists and leading universities. Dr. B.H. Ershoff, from the University of Southern California School of Medicine, conducted research for NASA which demonstrated the growth promoting properties of calcium montmorillonite minerals in cattle. Dr. Quisenberry, from Texas A&M, researched the beneficial effects of calcium montmorillonite clays when fed to many farm animals including horses, pigs, chickens, etc. Neva Jensen, a nationally known nutrition expert, wrote a book on Terramin called “The Healing Power of Living Clay,” explaining how the nutrients in certain clays are assimilated in our bodies. The US Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted similar studies on trout fish on the Snake River in Hagerman, Idaho revealing the same health promoting effects. All of these studies were specific to Terramin.

The benefits of Terramin are due to the mineral content or trace elements which are vital to the cellular functions of all forms of living creatures. Perfect health can only be obtained by a diet which supplies a proper balance of essential nutrients. Trace mineral elements are necessary for vitamins and enzymes to function. Without enzymes the body can not activate certain chemical processes like digestion or the synthesis of proteins within cells.

For example:
A trace of Copper is needed for the synthesis of hemoglobin.
A trace of Cobalt is needed to make vitamin B 12.
A trace of Zinc is needed by the pancreas to manufacture insulin.

However, modern agricultural practices jeopardize our health. Our farming techniques use the soil over and over for high yield mass production, depleting the soil and the crops of vital essential elements. As soil health declines, crop health falters and farmers become increasingly reliant upon synthetic petroleum-based fertilizers to artificially replenish the soil with nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (NPK); only three essential elements. The tradeoff for adding synthetic enhancers is that the living soil remains deprived of naturally occurring bacteria that produce nitrogen, thus the soil is dying and crops actually become dependent on artificial fertilizer to sustain life. Aquifers are now contaminated with nitrates that were leached from farmlands. The combination of leaching from rain and irrigation, overuse of the land, and chemical fertilizers deteriorates the level of nutrients in our soil. As a result, most of the food grown is deficient in trace mineral elements. The few trace mineral elements that remain are removed during processing, e.g., the milling of wheat.

These same crops are used in turn to feed the animals we use for food. Mass production rids these animals of their natural grazing habits, so animal feeds are needed to supplement or replace their natural food sources. The plant life used to create animal feed is deficient of naturally occurring trace elements, therefore, the animals are robbed of these life giving nutrients.

Studies have shown that there is a relationship between human malnutrition and the depletion of trace elements in soil. According to the USDA, we would have to eat 75 bowls spinach in order to get the same amount of iron as one bowl eaten in 1948. As a result, malnutrition exists in 57% of US citizens over the age of 65! To slow (and eventually reverse) this malnutrition trend, we need to look more closely at nature and learn a more complete picture of health.

Animals are instinctively selective about the types of minerals they will ingest, shunning sedimentary minerals in favor of mineral deposits formed by igneous hydrothermal activity. Extensive studies with cattle, horses, pigs, fish, chickens and other animals have shown that the volume of food intake is less when mineral supplements are added to the their diet. Additional benefits are noted as well, for example, increases in butter fat and milk output are documented from dairy cows. These improvements have been found in all studies using a specific type of calcium montmorillonite.

Not all calcium montmorillonite is the same. In order to absorb the trace elements, these elements must be of a small size. Neva Jensen states that Terramin has the advantage of increased exchange properties since the California Earth Minerals calcium montmorillonite deposit has undergone extensive hydrothermal exposure. These favorable properties were created naturally from igneous activity deep in the fissures of the earth, bringing boiling water to the surface of the earth, and creating extensive pools of bubbling mud. These bubbling pools churn the calcium montmorillonite, adding beneficial trace minerals and breaking down the larger size parent material. Over a long period of time this activity brings about complete fragmentation or crystallization and hydrolysis of the clay making it readily available for absorption.

Mineral deposits formed by igneous activity in bubbling mud-pots have a calcium magnesium complex which have a powerful negative charge. Minerals are found throughout North America, however, Terramin is found in a region where the rainfall is minimal, moisture is nonexistent, and temperature consistently high. This combination of arid conditions keeps the ion in an ‘open ion state’ that is more usable. Deposits which are found in Northern areas where there is rain, snowfall and leaching are not as likely to be found in an ‘open ion state’, thereby being of lower quality and grade. The negative ion charge is best used by the body for detoxification purposes. All toxins are positively charged. In nature, opposites attract. Thus, the negative ions attract the toxins’ positive ions, facilitating the movement of toxins through the kidneys or lymphatic system to a site of normal excretion of the toxins.

Terramin can help to improve our health; from replenishing our soil with vital essential elements, to improving the vitality of our plant and animal foods, and by removing toxins from our bodies. Native Americans knew this. Animals instinctively know this. Scientific, medical, and agricultural research has proven this. Use life promoting Terramin.

Terramin is a product of California Earth Minerals, Corp. www.terramin.com or www.calearthminerals.com. Author Ray Kong is the president of California Earth Minerals Corp., but this important article is not just a promotional commercial. Edible Clay is an important tool for the management of modern world toxicity and the views of the author are indeed accurate and valid.

Your Size

By S.D. Craig

Size matters. That’s what they tell me. Only a lot of the time, they’re simply not referring to a man’s pride and joy.

As I once again tuned in to my taped version of a Dr. Phil episode, I hear the man himself introduce a slender, pretty young woman who despises fat people. I shake my head, my husband shakes his. And we sit and listen to her opinion on why fat people are fat, stay fat and infringe on her space.

Next, Dr. Phil has her wear a 300 lb. suit for the day and they put fake implants put in her cheeks (yes, both sets). Just for the day, I said. Just to see how the other half feels and what they continually go through on a daily basis. Funny, but it isn’t that funny to me. You see, in order to understand how being fat really is, you must live it.

This young woman just didn’t get it.

In her eyes, her mind, those of us that are heavy can change our lives if we want to. Some people cannot. There are a myriad of reasons for overweight statistics in America. Some are guilty of overeating, not exercising, indulging themselves in their passion (mine is chocolate). Others have health problems, family heredity, or issues, as Dr. Phil calls them.

She abhors people larger than her taking up room in her movie theatre seat, her airplane seat, her bus seat. She thinks they’re disgusting, arrogant and selfish.

You know what I think? I think, no, I know, that she’s never even taken the time to get to know a person whom she’d call fat. Underneath everyone’s size, color of skin, or disabilities happens to be a real person. Someone special she’s just missed knowing because she can’t see past her own nose in the air.

Now, to me, a curvy woman myself, that’s what arrogance really is.

Size does matter. It’s all about heart.

SD Craig is a freelance writer and editor of LovingYourCurves.com and was given the nickname “Chatterbox” by fellow writers. At age fifty, Craigs Southern flair and sense of humor give her plenty to write about with a rapier wit and a wacky outlook. Her articles on body image (her biggest passion), marriage/divorce and relationships, family, friends, career issues, computers, the Internet, horses, baseball, movie reviews and writing tips remind one of Erma Bombeck or Dave Barry. A freelance writer who once juggled five columns then got real, Craig welcomes your e-mails and feedback on her articles. Drop her a hello at sdcraig922@yahoo.com or stop by www.lovingyourcurves.com.

Collecting Portable Time

By Sig Shonholtz

History of Collecting

Collecting antiques is not a new idea. Historical records indicate that 3000 years ago there were collectors and dealers of coins and artifacts in Egypt. Today, collecting antiques is different then it was in Egyptian times. For one reason collecting antiques today is a matter of semantics. According to Webster’s an antique must be 100 years old. This places many contemporary collectors’ items outside the realm of the antique; the majority of collected items today would be considered vintage collectibles. The word vintage usually refers to wine, specifically a fine or quality vintage from a particular year. The word vintage can however also refer to a year or period; a time that most defines the style, that is how we apply it to the wrist watch, as well as many other collected items. This word is also used to define classic automobiles, they are called vintage. Vintage clothing is a common one. Vintage motorcycles is also quite common, in fact the word vintage in front of these nouns is more common then not if it is about a collectable item.

circa 1915 J.W. Benson, military style wristwatch

The great architect Le Corbusier suggested that a house was a machine for living in, if it is so then the watch is a machine for living with, and people do live with their watches. They sleep with them, shower with them, and yes they even make love with them, literally and figuratively. Few things have consumed mans creativity more then the perfection of time. History is filled with accounts of great philosophers and scientists who spent years studying time; Henry Ford was a watchmaker and attributes his ideas in automobile manufacturing to modern watch making production. Like most of man’s creations, watches are a clear reflection of the political and historical events of the times, and like so many things in our world the watch’s development had direct military applications. In fact it is difficult to find something man has created, or invented that has not at one time or another been utilized or studied by the military, either offensively or defensively or both. Regarding the watch; one of the more fundamental applications was in the military. For example the ability to launch an attack on two fronts requires each regiment to have synchronized time. Napoleon Bonaparte wore a watch in his pocket produced by the worlds greatest watch maker, Abraham Louis Breguet, in the late 1700’s. Napoleon believed that the difference between him and his opponents was that he understood the value of 5 minutes. He not only knew what could happen in 5 minutes he had the power in his pocket to count it off, watch it pass accurately, and contemplate what he could accomplish in those 5 minutes.

circa 1930s Bulova, Art Deco style wristwatch

Why People Collect

Interestingly, one of the reasons people collect has little to do with what they collect. The most powerful drive for most people in their collecting has to do with souvenirs, as a way to remember time. People collect because it reminds them of a time or event in their lives. The item takes them back to the moment, in the case of a watch the machine of time becomes a time machine propelling people back to the moment when they bought it. It evokes all the emotion, feeling and enthusiasm, as well as all the fears and concerns they had at the time. It usually carries with it the memory of who they were with and what their lives were like. This makes collecting a powerful force for evocation as well as a catalyst of thoughts and feelings. The renowned actor Eli Wallach for example made it his habit to wander into a jewelry or local antique store when he was working on a film and make a purchase of a watch or small travel clock. He wanted to buy something that would remind him of the films he had worked on. He recounts the time he bought a beautiful old wrist watch with a blue enamel bezel in Almeria, in Southern Spain while he was filming the Good the Bad and the Ugly. Eli says, During the filming Sergio Leoni allowed a local vendor onto the set to show his wares and Sergio bought me a solid white gold Baume Mercier wrist watch as a gift. Eli remembers Sergio warning the vendor if it is not a genuine Baume Mercier I will have you shot. Eli is not the only famous person that buys time to remember the time.

Art Deco 2-Tone Rectangular Faceted Patek Philippe

Watches are frequently purchased as gifts, Malcolm McDowell, an actor well known for his role in A Clockwork Orange, and dozens of other impressive films is an avid watch collector. He says It started when I received a watch as gift in 1979 at the opening of a play I was in. After that he says he was hooked, I decided to buy a watch every time I did a play or film, or something. Speaking of time, Malcolm shared the story about the title A Clockwork Orange. He had asked Anthony Burgess, who wrote the original novel, Where did you get the idea for this title? Anthony said he was in a pub in the East end of London, and one of the old guy regulars in there said [in a cockney accent] Yes, e’s as queer as a clockwork orange. And it always stuck with him, this title. Which means he’s as peculiar as a clockwork orange, god knows, your imagination has to do the rest, said Malcolm. Rolex watches made from 1920 through 1940 are Malcolm’s favorite models.

Designed by Sig Shonholtz, Guillermin Mollet

There are some rare collectors that are so ahead of their time that they collect before it happens, almost in anticipation of the future. The writer musician artist Artie Shaw, made it a habit to stop in to the Cartier shop in New York during the 1930’s, just to see what was new he said. I was very successful as a musician and band leader and I bought a watch every few weeks just to confirm my success, to pinch myself. Artie said The entire collection was stolen from me while I was staying in a hotel in the late 1930’s. He said The insurance company would only pay out about $40,000, but I had spent well over that on the items. Artie shares that Their reasoning was that since the stolen watches, were never recovered they were not sure the robbery ever occurred. In today’s world that would be a ridiculous argument. Artie was the kind of collector that bought only what moved him and what was considered at the time the highest level of craftsmanship, he was an artist with an artist’s eye for beauty, and based most of decisions on the esthetic impression the watch made on him.

Designed by Sig Shonholtz, Guillermin Mollet

What Makes Something Rare ?

One of the most exciting aspects about collecting watches is that you have the opportunity to participate in 500 years of scientific experiments, and the entire history of contemporary design spanning, Egyptian revival, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, and Modernism and this for as little as $300 or $400. Now, let’s just take a moment to consider what it means to collect something like a watch that is rare. It might be rare because there were only a few pieces made, but in many cases it’s rare because it’s still here. That might seem a strange idea, but precious metals have been used for thousands of years to finance wars and expansions. That means that exceptional and unique watches as well as jewelry have been destroyed for their precious metal value. Gold and silver has been melted down and turned into jewelry and melted down again and again for thousands of years. It’s true that new gold and silver is still being mined all the time, but old precious metal is also being refined from old jewelry and turned into new jewelry (or bullion to be used for other purposes). The newly mined gold is mixed with old refined gold, so each piece of modern jewelry, as well as old watches and jewelry, have trace elements of ancient gold. Somewhere in every ring, each watch, and every necklace are elements of jewelry that was worn by Cleopatra, Charlemagne, the Medici’s, or even George Washington. So, next time you look at your watch touch it for good luck, because you are linked to the past and the future. Maybe that is why jewelry historically has such a magical and mysterious attraction to us all.
How to Start your Collection

Today’s modern watch collector has a lot of decisions to make. If you are a new collector fascinated by watches and time (hopefully you will be after reading this) you will have to focus in on a category to make your collecting experience as rich as possible. It does not really matter what you are collecting in fact, watches, cars, clothing, or furniture the same decision will have to be made. You will also need to define your own personal style since wearing a vintage or antique watch is part of the fun of collecting them. Many types of collections, for example stamps and coins, do not relate to peoples lives, they can not be practically used, but still require safe keeping. A vintage watch can be used and surprisingly, in these modern times, actually be depended upon. The best way to start is to decide what kind of a budget you have and where your interests are.

There are many directions you can take; some people collect a particular brand by name or period. Some collect by style or country, for example American watches made before World War One, commonly called trench watches or military styles. Some collectors only buy chronograph or calendar watches. There are collectors who only purchase ‘new old stock’ watches and do not care if it is a humble Bulova for $400 or a very expensive Patek Philippe for $10,000. You might like to collect every model made by a particular house during an era. This gets harder as your collection gets larger, but you can refine your collection by selling off the less perfect duplicates. Many collectors are in fact investors, they collect for value and some have done very well.

two-tone gold Gruen

Personally I like to collect watches that represent an idea or a theme. I have watches in my collection of modest value worth $200 or $300, but they accurately represent a theme or idea. For example I have several watches that are excellent examples of Art Deco design, and some that represent the shapes that they are called, for instance a simple tortoise shaped watch called a tortue. I have several watches that are very valuable high quality copies of famous designer’s ideas. I also like to collect commemorative pieces; these are not necessarily expensive but define an era, or highlight an event. I have a few early examples of waterproof watches which were produced during Word War One. I also like to collect watches with great engravings, and historical provenance. I have a watch in my collection which was owned by Commander Richard E. Byrd. The Longines chronograph he wore on his expedition to the North Pole. And I have many watches owned by famous people which were given to them by famous people. I also have a small collection of very old wrist watches, really antique pieces, some as old as 200 years.

Having been in the watch field my entire life I finally decided to try my hand at watch manufacturing. This has proven to be more difficult then I imagined, producing my own watch required that I work with nearly 30 different companies in many languages on individual aspects of manufacturing and packaging. It has taken several years but I am proud to offer the premier edition of the Guillermin Mollet watch. At under $6000 it is probably one of the most sophisticated watches being produced today. It was inspired by a design originally produced for Patek Philippe in 1951 this striking watch is available in 3 colors of gold with a variety of dial designs. The high-grade automatic movement has a power reserve of nearly 40 hours! The house of Guillermin Mollet was located in the historic Place Vendome in Paris. They designed exquisite jewelry and watches for international film stars and European royalty.

There are still some bargains out there but you will have to look carefully, I think that the Omega line offers a lot of great styling and affordability, as well as Longines, and Le Coultre, and of course Gruens. In addition the Bulova watch company made excellent watches with hundreds of models, all very dependable and very sophisticated. These lines are all accurate, high quality, and serviceable, and are all affordable. As a beginner collector it is very important to be patient, and stay within your budget, try and buy watches in good condition from a reputable dealer who will give you an opportunity to have the watch checked out with a refund policy of one week. My last piece of advice is; buy what you like and what you will enjoy wearing, and always spend a little bit more for the piece you really want, do not compromise, after a month or two the extra bit of money you would have saved will not matter but wearing a watch that does not move you will, and remember collecting should be fun, if it is not fun then it is not worth it.

Author Sig Shonholtz is a watchmaker and a jeweler. In 1898, Sig’s grandfather, Sigmund Shonholtz, a respected watchmaker and jeweler, opened a small, but exclusive jewelry store in Philadelphia. The firm relocated to Los Angeles in 1918 and soon became the jeweler of choice to many of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Sig is a third generation watchmaker and his collection is admired by watch dealers and collectors worldwide. As the above article explains, Sig has recently designed his own watch, the Guillermin Mollet, which is creating quite a stir in the world of watches. Sig is also an appraiser of timepieces on television’s Antiques Roadshow.