‘Clay is the word and clay is the flesh’
Patrick Kavanagh
Zeljko and Ana Bozic, the Totnes based husband and wife team who started The Clay Cure Co. in 2015, are on a mission. After coming across a rare original copy of the book ‘Our Earth Our Cure’ (L’argile qui guérit) by the French Naturopath Raymon Dextreit, they were both amazed and intrigued by what they read. They started using clay themselves, and soon ‘felt its subtle and deep effects’ on their lives. At this time, they ‘started to recognise a mission to bring these ancient healing practices back into vogue.’
They are a dynamic team and are constantly researching and adding new products to their extensive and innovative range. They source their raw materials – clays, salts, minerals and plant ingredients, from all over the planet (chiefly France, Sardinia and Turkey), and are immensely proud of the fact that ‘Only 100% natural ingredients are used, which do no harm to the people or the Earth we are part of.’
The Clay Cure range includes bodycare products, tooth powders, natural deodorants, and various other salts, minerals and clays for both external use and internal consumption. At the time of writing, we carry 41 of them on our shelves at Greenlife(!), and many are extremely popular with our customers. The company is a great local success story. No wonder that they have just moved to larger premises.
So why Clay?
Clay has been used in healing by many societies for literally thousands of years. Much has been written and researched about the healing properties of clay – it is detoxifying and alkalising whilst at the same time is both nourishing and stimulating.
Clay has strongly negatively charged ions that pull, hold and capture positive charged ions which are found in many toxins, moulds, yeasts and heavy metals. One of the most well-known healing clays, Bentonite, has tremendous absorption properties which enable it to literally ‘mop up’ many damaging particles. According to Perry A. Arledge, author of ‘Calcium Bentonite Clay: Nature’s Pathway to Healing’ – it seems that ‘the body recognises clay and responds immediately to its presence.’
Clay has a high alkaline Ph, of between 8.5 and 10. Internally calcium Bentonite clay works from the mouth, down through the alimentary canal, providing an effective cleansing and detoxing capability even though it is not absorbed through the colon wall into the bloodstream. It can also promote blood flow and oxygenation, stimulating circulation and the flow of energy necessary for cellular revitalization and repair, and some practitioners believe that it awakens latent cell energy. It is also believed by some that clay communicates with the body and acts as needed, and that it is homeostatic and strives to return the body to a state of wellness. These beliefs are based on the principle that crystals such as those found in healing clays like Bentonite are capable of memory, reorganisation and holding energy.
In addition, its naturally high content of minerals and trace elements make it a natural mineral supplement. Some research indicates that these are found in a balance that is optimally absorbed and utilised by the body. Its nourishing benefits to the skin are well known, but internal use of specific clays like Bentonite and others can also yield other health benefits.
Clay, Body and Mind
Wherever your personal beliefs may lie – we certainly have many customers who would attribute relief from fatigue, digestive health problems and other ailments to their discovery of a ‘clay cure.’
Zelkjo believes that ‘In many ways, we have increasingly lost touch with an aspect of our being, where we worked intuitively with the ground, the natural world and Mother Earth. In a time when nothing could be more paramount than to help slow down the climate catastrophe upon us all, and in which we all have a moral and practical role to play, it is extremely refreshing to be part of the cure in this fun, healthy and creative way. And whilst consuming less, to set one’s heart on products that prioritise Gaia, mind, body and soul.’
This ethos of care for the planet continues not just to their product formulations, but also to their packaging as well (which features beautiful mandalas created by Ana). They use no harmful aerosols and try to use as little complex and non-recyclable packaging as they can, with little waste, and a minimal carbon footprint. With a large focus on reducing packing completely, you’ll find refill bags available for many products.
Know Your Clay
The Clay Cure Co. offer such a wide range of clays and other mineral supplements, it can be confusing to know which are most suitable for your desired use. Thankfully, they supply our staff and customers with brilliant information and guidance about the products, and they have a growing Instagram account where they share news, information, advice, benefits, recipes and tutorials. Their website www.theclaycure.co.uk is a great source of information too.
It is clear that not all clays are the same, and Zelkjo and Ana are quick to condemn the commercial sale of cheaper ‘shales’ and clay rich rocks which may have a low purity of 35-15% of clay. They explain that the most potent and beneficial clays come from noble soil layers, a term that defines the surface layers of very old soils usually located at the site of ancient volcanic activity or sea sedimentation basins. It takes several centuries for the clay to reach the surface and concentrate in those soil layers (up to 85% of clay). On its way up, the clay transforms and gets loaded with bioavailable minerals and vital energy. Nourished by the roots of the trees, plants and grass, exposed to the natural sunlight and rainwater, the clay slowly matures and gains its full physical (and some believe energetic) characteristics that you may discover when you use them.
