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Natural ways to absorb and remove toxins, infections, and irritation from insect and snake bites

This is an educational post. If you have been bitten by a snake, seek immediate medical attention.

You may have used a Bentonite Clay mask as a facial and treatment for acne. See my post here. It is wonderful for the skin. Did you know that a Bentonite Poultice is beneficial for edema, sprains, poison ivy, snake bites, insect bites and wasp/bee stings?

If you hike or live in an area with venomous snakes, spiders and insects, it is a good idea to have a kit ready to go with a few basics. My kit has bentonite clay, raw apple cider vinegar, activated charcoal, echinacea extract and a few homeopathic remedies.

Poultice: Bentonite Clay and Apple Cider Vinegar for bites and stings

Baby copperhead snake has venom and bites! It is small, like a worm, and likes the wood pile on our property.

Snake Bites

Snake bites need immediate treatment. The hospital is a nice idea, but there are effective treatments to use right away.

Bentonite Clay Powder

Pure Bentonite Powder for detox, burns, Mastitis, inflamed or chapped skin and snake bites, insect bites and stings.
  • Sodium Bentonite Clay Powder is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, infections, and irritation, soothe redness, prevent breakouts and shrink pores. 
  • Sodium Bentonite Clay draws in toxins through absorption. When it becomes wet, it works like a powerful sponge. 
  • As the healing clay absorbs impurities, it leaves behind sodium in its place. This sodium is a natural electrolyte, helping the body hydrate and rejuvenate. 
  • Be sure to choose 100% pure Sodium Bentonite Clay Powder that is sourced from volcanic ash of USA.
  • Bentonite Clay Powder can help draw out the toxins after a snake bite and it can help heal the wound area.

Make a Poultice

A poultice is a homemade healing paste or “drawing salve” that is applied externally. Wrap in cloth and leave for a period of time on the skin. In this case we are using Bentonite Clay Powder and Raw Apple Cider Vinegar to make the paste.

Do not use metal bowls or spoons when working with Bentonite Clay.

Mix 3 parts apple cider vinegar to 1 part clay, stir until smooth. You may need to add more apple cider vinegar or more clay to get the desired consistency. Apply the paste to the wound. Cover with cloth and secure in place.


Adding water to the clay gives it a negative electric charge, which in turn, removes toxins from the body. Bentonite clay works on a molecular level to rid the body of toxins! It introduces rich nutrients back into the skin, making it so much more than a simple detox!

Purest Natural Ingredients
This gentle, natural Bentonite clay is 100% pure sodium bentonite clay powder, harvested from naturally occurring volcanic ash in Wyoming, USA. This clay is naturally rich in minerals such as iron, sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium, formed from volcanic ash.

Echinacea

Echinacea angustifolia root was used by Native American tribes for pain, cough, stomach cramps, toothaches; insect, snake, and spider bites; and a wide variety of infectious disease (source)(source).

In 1936, Specific Medicine Echinacea was recommended by naturopathic physicians as an internal treatment and topical treatment as well. Twenty drops in a small amount of water were given every two hours until the crisis passed. The echinacea preparation was also applied locally as a wet dressing for snakebites, cuts, wounds, and insect stings (source).

Echinacea Tincture: Take 1/2 ounce liquid echinacea tincture in a small amount of water every 20 minutes for two hours. Then continue to take a dose every four hours.

Dr. Douglas Schar, author of Echinacea: The Plant That Boosts Your Immune System wrote, “They found that echinacea increased the number of white blood cells patrolling the body for infection and that it made these cells more vicious in their attack! Contemporary research has proven this early research was accurate.

“Echinacea stimulates the production of infection-fighting white blood cells, the phagocytes and lymphocytes. It enables them to kill and dispose of more toxins, disease causing microbes (bacteria, viruses, and fungi), and cancer cells. Echinacea has been shown to combats colds, flu, infections, and infected wounds.

“More than just increasing white blood cell counts, evidence indicates that echinacea also boosts the body’s production of interferon (a virus and cancer killer) and properdin (a bacteria and virus fighter).”

Keep Echinacea in your first aid kit. Dr. Schar recommends using Echinacea angustifolia root.

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is beneficial for bites and stings. Activated charcoal can be applied to the area of the snake bite and taken orally. Take four to eight capsules of activated charcoal orally or about 2 tsp of charcoal powder in water. Make a paste and apply to the snake bite, cover with cotton cloth and secure in place.

Homeopathic Remedies for bites

We keep three homeopathic remedies on hand for snake bites: Ledum palustre 30c (works for insect bites too), Lachesis mutus 30c (might help with hot flashes) and Crotalus 6c. If you are not familiar with homeopathic medicine, please consult a homeopathic practitioner. Do not purchase homeopathic remedies from Amazon, we have seen substitutions and adulterations. These remedies are available on my Professional Supplement site at 15% discount. Register for a free account here.

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