Full Version: Geophagia and Bigfoot
I recently relistened to the Rick Noll BipCast, He talked about his idea of geophagia (consumption of soil). Thought it was an interesting idea, and maybe a fun topic to discuss...Any thoughts?
You can get a geological map for your state just like you can get a topographical one. On them it will show where clay deposits can be found on the surface. Visits to those sites that are remote and with little human influence can of course yield excellent tracking conditions but you might find other things like where animals have come to consume some clay. Camera traps setup covering places like this could capture those animals that utilize this food processing technique. This is only the first step.
Now you need to identify in your area what plant material could be utilized if it could be processed away from being toxic. Nettles, willow and some ferns come to mind right away. Of course ungulates eat both so you would have to observe their typical methods and the results so you can look for anomalies in the field and then monitor to discover what is different.
Many other things come into play though. Rains can release the scent of clay into the air to visiting animals. Weather is another key thing to monitor for your area.
Now you need to identify in your area what plant material could be utilized if it could be processed away from being toxic. Nettles, willow and some ferns come to mind right away. Of course ungulates eat both so you would have to observe their typical methods and the results so you can look for anomalies in the field and then monitor to discover what is different.
Many other things come into play though. Rains can release the scent of clay into the air to visiting animals. Weather is another key thing to monitor for your area.
I can remember kids way back in elementary school that ate dirt or chalk. I can understand the bodies physiological cravings for substances which are required for balance and function. I the case of geophagia, specifically clay eating, the purported reasoning is for the acquiring of minerals and alkaloids and the calming effects is can provide to an irritated gastro tract.
DDA, how has geophagia become associated with sasquatch as a possible behaviour? Has it been witnessed repeatedly or is has there been suggestive evidence found in clay deposits such as bentonite of a large biped digging?
Sasquatch may be an opportunistic omnivore. In which case its guts will be exposed to a broad variety of food sources, such as fresh kill fish or small mammals, fresh seasonal berries, roots and other vegetation, carion and possible human leftovers.
The properties in some clays do help quell and upset stomach and I've noticed different animals seem to vomit regular. I know of one case of purported sasquatch vomiting in a campsite. Apparently there was alot of mucous and amphibian (frog) matter in the vomitous.
....maybe some Kaopectate would have kept those frogs down..
DDA, how has geophagia become associated with sasquatch as a possible behaviour? Has it been witnessed repeatedly or is has there been suggestive evidence found in clay deposits such as bentonite of a large biped digging?
Sasquatch may be an opportunistic omnivore. In which case its guts will be exposed to a broad variety of food sources, such as fresh kill fish or small mammals, fresh seasonal berries, roots and other vegetation, carion and possible human leftovers.
The properties in some clays do help quell and upset stomach and I've noticed different animals seem to vomit regular. I know of one case of purported sasquatch vomiting in a campsite. Apparently there was alot of mucous and amphibian (frog) matter in the vomitous.
....maybe some Kaopectate would have kept those frogs down..
clay is still collected and consumed here in mid georgia by some of the elderly.as a child i remember granny giving us kids a small piece ever so often for reasons i do not remember.there are several hand dug clay pits here in schley county that have been used for many a years.
Wasn't clay as well as laundry starch consumed by pregnant women with the idea it helped ease the stresses of childbirthing? I can't see where it would be of any nutritional value. If I remember correctly bentonite is diatomaceous earth, sometimes used in filtration as well as a mild abrasive, which is made up of the fossilized remains of hard shelled algae of prehistoric origin. I used a lot of it when I was a chemical op/tech in the bio-engineering industry for an enzyme manufacturer. I know they also use a lot of it to line the bottoms and sides of man-made lakes and ponds as it forms a waterproof barrier when wet to keep the pond/lake water from seeping through the normal soil found in areas. If you didn't use it you could build a pond/lake and fill it but before long it would be dry if it had no source of a natural inflow.
Good Grief! Someone on eBay is selling 50# bags of it claiming all kinds of health benefits for those who eat it. eBay Buy It Now $25.00 50# Bag!
It does state that Diatomaceous earth is 87% Silica, which is a necessary trace element but I don't see something living and thriving off a diet rich in silica as a replacement for other needs.
Out of all of the above statements the one I can see actually being true is:
After all if you eat it it's going to imbed itself into everything your body passes through it's intestines. This of course means every time you have your normal "Movement" your passing a lump of sandpaper through, as silica is what common sandpaper is made of. So slowly, millimeter by millimeter you'd be sanding those hemorrhoids down to normal size over time. I certainly hope nobody ever gets the idea they don't want to wait lots of time for the diatomaceous earth to work and simply grab one of these puppies to speed the process up to get rid of those hemorrhoids fast!
Click to view attachment
Good Grief! Someone on eBay is selling 50# bags of it claiming all kinds of health benefits for those who eat it. eBay Buy It Now $25.00 50# Bag!
QUOTE
More Benefits!
Silica lowers bad cholesterol and raises good
Silica fades age spots
Silica stimulates metabolism for higher energy levels
Diatomaceous earth has a negative charge and bacteria has a positive charge. It is believed that diatomaceous earth sweeps bacteria out of the body by trapping it in it"s honeycomb shaped skeletal form.
Silica supplementation helps repair and maintain vital lung tissues and protects them from pollution. By maintaining or restoring the elasticity of lung tissues, silica reduces inflammation in bronchitis.
It acts as a cough decreasing agent. Silica tones the upper respiratory tract (nose, pharynx, larynx) and reduces swelling because of its positive action on the lymphatic system.
Silica supplementation keeps menopause free of stress and helps to prevent many unwanted side-effects of menopause
Cancer can not survive in cells that have the correct levels of Silica.
Silica works with other antioxidants to prevent premature aging and to preserve youthfulness.
Silica can help prevent kidney stones and heal infections of the urinary tract. It is a natural diuretic which can increase excretion of urine by 30 percent, thus flushing the water-excreting system and restoring normal function to these vital organs.
The presence of sufficient silica in the intestines will reduce inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can cause disinfection in the case of stomach and intestinal mucus and ulcers. Silica can prevent or clear up diarrhea and its opposite, constipation.
Silica will help normalize hemorrhoidal tissues.
In regulating and normalizing the bowels, silica has a pleasant side effect; it can alleviate lower back pain, which often troubles the elderly.
Silica proves effective with female discharge, abscesses and ulcers in the genital area and cervix, as well as mastitis (especially for breast feeding mothers).
The intake of silica acts as a supportive treatment for inflammation of the middle ear. Because of the beneficial effectiveness on the lymphatic system, silica can be used for swelling of the lymph nodes in the throat.
Has anti-inflammatory disinfecting, absorbing and odor binding effects.
Silica can normalize circulation and regulate high blood pressure (hypertension).
Silica can decrease vertigo, headache, tinnitus (buzzing of the ears) and insomnia.
Silica can help diabetes by promoting synthesis of elastase inhibitor by the pancreas.
Silica can help arterial disease by strengthening the blood vessels. Studies confirm that with age, silica disappears from the aorta, the heart's key blood vessels thus weakening its critical connective tissue and resulting in a greater cardiac risk.
Silica can help prevent Tuberculosis.
By improving the elasticity of the joints, silica helps rheumatism.
Silica has inhibitory effects on coronary diseases.
Silica can help avoiding or alleviating Alzheimers disease by preventing the body from absorbing aluminum and may flush out aluminum from the tissues.
Silica can stimulate the immune system.
Silica lowers bad cholesterol and raises good
Silica fades age spots
Silica stimulates metabolism for higher energy levels
Diatomaceous earth has a negative charge and bacteria has a positive charge. It is believed that diatomaceous earth sweeps bacteria out of the body by trapping it in it"s honeycomb shaped skeletal form.
Silica supplementation helps repair and maintain vital lung tissues and protects them from pollution. By maintaining or restoring the elasticity of lung tissues, silica reduces inflammation in bronchitis.
It acts as a cough decreasing agent. Silica tones the upper respiratory tract (nose, pharynx, larynx) and reduces swelling because of its positive action on the lymphatic system.
Silica supplementation keeps menopause free of stress and helps to prevent many unwanted side-effects of menopause
Cancer can not survive in cells that have the correct levels of Silica.
Silica works with other antioxidants to prevent premature aging and to preserve youthfulness.
Silica can help prevent kidney stones and heal infections of the urinary tract. It is a natural diuretic which can increase excretion of urine by 30 percent, thus flushing the water-excreting system and restoring normal function to these vital organs.
The presence of sufficient silica in the intestines will reduce inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can cause disinfection in the case of stomach and intestinal mucus and ulcers. Silica can prevent or clear up diarrhea and its opposite, constipation.
Silica will help normalize hemorrhoidal tissues.
In regulating and normalizing the bowels, silica has a pleasant side effect; it can alleviate lower back pain, which often troubles the elderly.
Silica proves effective with female discharge, abscesses and ulcers in the genital area and cervix, as well as mastitis (especially for breast feeding mothers).
The intake of silica acts as a supportive treatment for inflammation of the middle ear. Because of the beneficial effectiveness on the lymphatic system, silica can be used for swelling of the lymph nodes in the throat.
Has anti-inflammatory disinfecting, absorbing and odor binding effects.
Silica can normalize circulation and regulate high blood pressure (hypertension).
Silica can decrease vertigo, headache, tinnitus (buzzing of the ears) and insomnia.
Silica can help diabetes by promoting synthesis of elastase inhibitor by the pancreas.
Silica can help arterial disease by strengthening the blood vessels. Studies confirm that with age, silica disappears from the aorta, the heart's key blood vessels thus weakening its critical connective tissue and resulting in a greater cardiac risk.
Silica can help prevent Tuberculosis.
By improving the elasticity of the joints, silica helps rheumatism.
Silica has inhibitory effects on coronary diseases.
Silica can help avoiding or alleviating Alzheimers disease by preventing the body from absorbing aluminum and may flush out aluminum from the tissues.
Silica can stimulate the immune system.
It does state that Diatomaceous earth is 87% Silica, which is a necessary trace element but I don't see something living and thriving off a diet rich in silica as a replacement for other needs.
Out of all of the above statements the one I can see actually being true is:
QUOTE
Silica will help normalize hemorrhoidal tissues.
After all if you eat it it's going to imbed itself into everything your body passes through it's intestines. This of course means every time you have your normal "Movement" your passing a lump of sandpaper through, as silica is what common sandpaper is made of. So slowly, millimeter by millimeter you'd be sanding those hemorrhoids down to normal size over time. I certainly hope nobody ever gets the idea they don't want to wait lots of time for the diatomaceous earth to work and simply grab one of these puppies to speed the process up to get rid of those hemorrhoids fast!
Click to view attachment
If I may add:
I would suggest using Silicon Carbide wet/dry 80 grit sand paper for optimum results.
I would suggest using Silicon Carbide wet/dry 80 grit sand paper for optimum results.
I seem to recall reading that clays (however they are defined) were eaten for the mineral salts (I'm presuming not just sodium-chloride) that they sometimes contain and in the case of a population of amazonian macaws that sought out a specific clay deposit to neutralize the effects of a chemical in one of the ordinarily toxic seeds or nuts that they ate. So maybe there other reasons too. Diatomaceous earth is composed of the mineral castings created by diatoms...out of primarily silica, in contrast to the shells of most marine animals which are largely calcium. Silica itself is so abundant that I don't think it would have to be sought out for dietary reasons.
Wikipedia has an awesome section on clay and its definitions and properties...worth a quick read if one is going to seriously contemplate what it is that might attract a fellow hominid following their instinctive dietary cravings.
Wikipedia has an awesome section on clay and its definitions and properties...worth a quick read if one is going to seriously contemplate what it is that might attract a fellow hominid following their instinctive dietary cravings.
I have heard of American Crossbills eating clay. It detoxifies the pine seeds they eat but I don't think it is for the minerals. It probably just acts like activated charcoal and provides a very large surface area for toxic chemicals to adhere to. I have heard of elephants and other animals eating clay for minerals though.
All interesting thoughts on geophagia, Thanks! In humans, geophagy is commonly associated with eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa and also malnutrition in children. Also in some African tribes women eat clay because it turns there skin a lighter color, which is favored by men in there respective tribes. Does anyone think that maybe the sick or dying would be practicing geophagia more than the healthy?? Because that would be of strong value to my method of trying to find a dead Sas.
QUOTE(Sac-squatch @ Oct 7 2007, 05:45 AM) 
All interesting thoughts on geophagia, Thanks! In humans, geophagy is commonly associated with eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa and also malnutrition in children. Also in some African tribes women eat clay because it turns there skin a lighter color, which is favored by men in there respective tribes. Does anyone think that maybe the sick or dying would be practicing geophagia more than the healthy?? Because that would be of strong value to my method of trying to find a dead Sas.
Interesting thought. I suppose they might but what I have been concentrating on is what other great apes do... which is use it to detoxify food resources. Not really as an after thought like "Hey I am sick, maybe I should do this..." Animals that are about to die naturally usually seek out a protective hole somewhere so that they won't be attacked in their weakened condition. If it is bad enough they die right there and are already buried. The easiest and most reliable holes would be around boulders and tree roots... both, if weakened by digging under them, might collapse on them as well. Seeing downed trees and dropped boulders might be a place to look for remains.
QUOTE(damndirtyape @ Oct 7 2007, 09:17 AM)
Interesting thought. I suppose they might but what I have been concentrating on is what other great apes do... which is use it to detoxify food resources. Not really as an after thought like "Hey I am sick, maybe I should do this..." Animals that are about to die naturally usually seek out a protective hole somewhere so that they won't be attacked in their weakened condition. If it is bad enough they die right there and are already buried. The easiest and most reliable holes would be around boulders and tree roots... both, if weakened by digging under them, might collapse on them as well. Seeing downed trees and dropped boulders might be a place to look for remains.
Thanks for the feedback, you see I am using a human cadaver dog and circling buzzards as an indicator of death, and I was just maybe trying to narrow locations of where they might be found dead i.e. canyon, deep brush, cave? Would help me narrow search area a little, if i thought the reasoning behind it is viable.
I have to say, Rick, you are quite the resource for serious sasquatch research ideas.
There is a wealth of information coming from the naturalists and wildlife photographers in the world. Sometimes their teachings are hard to come by but I think everyone with an interest in this subject should try and seek it out as one of their top priorities. Most of the things I play with have already been tried out in the field by others.
QUOTE(damndirtyape @ Oct 7 2007, 09:17 AM)
Interesting thought. I suppose they might but what I have been concentrating on is what other great apes do... which is use it to detoxify food resources.
That's very interesting, I'm curious as to where has this behavior in other apes been published? I'd like to read up a bit, it's a great idea.
Thanks,
David
Here are a couple of articles I found.
Geophagy in Chimpanzees
More observations of chimps and geophagia.
Geophagia in Mountain Gorillas.
Geophagy in Chimpanzees
More observations of chimps and geophagia.
Geophagia in Mountain Gorillas.
QUOTE(FredSneakers/David @ Oct 14 2007, 09:08 PM)
Here are a couple of articles I found.
Geophagy in Chimpanzees
More observations of chimps and geophagia.
Geophagia in Mountain Gorillas.
Geophagy in Chimpanzees
More observations of chimps and geophagia.
Geophagia in Mountain Gorillas.
I seem to remember watching a show about this subject many years ago. I can not remember if it was on chimps or Gorillas, But every now and then they would travel a long distance up a mountain to eat what I seem to remember was clay but it could have been something else.
If I remember right they was watching them doing some sort of study. Every so often they would be gone so one day they followed them to see where they was going them days. They then found out they was going a long distance to eat what it was they needed. I wish I could remember what the name of the show was.
A natural salt or mineral lick would be another good location.
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