By Dr. Royal Lee
Summary: An illuminating discussion of water-absorbing compounds in foods known as hydrophilic colloids. These compounds, found in foods such as okra and apples, absorb water once in the gastrointestinal tract, creating bulk that initiates peristalsis; irritants to the bowel are also taken up, making hydrophilic colloids effective against diarrhea as well as constipation. The modern use of hydrophilic colloids such as kaolin and bentonite clay, Dr. Lee says, substantiates the genius of traditional cultures that used similar clays to combat dysentery and food infections. Lee quotes Dr. Weston A. Price: “One of the sources I have found helpful in studying primitive races is an investigation of knapsacks. Among the groups (natives) in the Andes, Central Africa and Australia…each knapsack contained a ball of clay, a little of which was dissolved in water. Into this they dipped their morsel of food while eating. Their explanation was to prevent ‘sick stomach’.” From Let's Live magazine, 1958.
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