Did you know that there are people who eat dirt and clay? Eww! Yuck! I can imagine it and boy howdy is it disgusting. Now that I have that off my chest, let's talk about why people do this.

* Nerd Alert! * Doctors call this activity pica which is defined as an eating disorder that is characterized by the eating of nonnutritive substances for a longer than 1 month.

For centuries, pregnant women all over the world have eaten dirt. I know some pregnant dirt eaters and they say that it isn't that simple. It isn't just any dirt that they eat. They have varying descriptions that have some commonality. They frequently say that it is a deep rich color. Which color? That seems to vary from woman to woman. They appear to have an instinct on what dirt is the "good" dirt.

It is possible; perhaps even probable that behind the mystery is good science. There are two benefits to consuming good dirt. First, the additional mineral content may be meeting a deficit created by the pregnancy. This might account for it begin most prevalent among pregnant women. This isn't an issue among men. The second largest group it affects is women of childbearing years.

The second reason is this could be a survival instinct reaction. It is also theorized that a good dirt that is predominantly clay would absorb toxins from the intestinal tract. This point of purification has become a hot trend among men and women looking to detoxify their bodies. Commercially, bentonite clay is sold in tablet form and as a dust that you add to liquid and drink.

A word of caution about pregnant women eating dirt. A distinct draw back to pregnant women eating wildcrafted dirt is the nasty tendency to get lead poisoning. Apparently, the instinct for good dirt does not ward one off from leaded dirt. Tip for today: Always eat unleaded dirt.

In short, (I know it's a little late for that) there is one more reason to keep the environment clean. One person's dirt beneath their feet is another person's dinner.