GSE

Do you know about grapefruit seed extract ~ GSE? 

The active ingredient of grapefruit seed extract is non-toxic and is synthesized from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit. The process converts the grapefruit bioflavonoids (polyphenolics) into an extremely potent compound.  It’s considered to be anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic .  Four stars in my book!

It is effective in the fight against over 800 viral and bacterial strains, 100 fungi strains and a growing number of parasites.  With this in mind here are some common uses for GSE.

As a cleaning agent...

• GSE in its diluted form can be used as an all-purpose household cleaner. Add 15 to 30 drops to a 32 oz. spray bottle and use on all surfaces {kitchen counters, baby toys, etc.} 
• Kitchen utensils and refrigerator surfaces are great to clean with GSE.
• Scrub in 15 to 20 drops of GSE directly on your cutting board, leave it for a half hour and then rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
• You can use it as a fruit and vegetable wash to rid the skins of potential pathogens and pesticides.
• GSE is a nontoxic way to clean your toothbrush by soaking it in a few drops of diluted GSE for up to 15 minutes.
• Bring GSE camping as a biodegradable way to clean dishes.

External Use

• Use GSE externally to treat mild skin rashes, irritations and acne. Dilute a few drops of GSE in water and apply directly to irritated skin, wash off after a few minutes a repeat throughout the day.
• You can soak fingernails and toenails in a GSE dilution to act as an antifungal.
• For a face wash, put a few drops of GSE in the palm of your hands and apply to a damp face, washing in circular motions and rinsing completely.
• Add a few drops to your shampoo and massage into your scalp, leaving it in for two to five minutes. This may help relieve dry, itchy scalp or cradle cap. Avoid contact with your eyes.

You can use it internally too as a Ph balancer, a throat gargle, an ear rinse (ear infection), a nose rinse (sinisitus/allergies.) 

*Please note that this is not meant to take the place of your doctor’s advice and course of treatment for you so be sure to seek the advice of your physician first.  Also – those with a known allergy to citrus fruits should not use GSE.

Recently, a blogger asked me what we use for an udder wash with the goats.  After a very disheartening and discouraging year (several years ago) with an outbreak of mastitis, we changed two things.  We switched from using an iodine wash to a GSE wash, and we switched from using straw as bedding to sawdust.

I was so happy to find an all natural product that I could use on the goats and on the surfaces too.  Pure and Simple. 

GSE has such great broad spectrum uses.  Topically it disinfects the skin on the udder.  In my research, I found that not all substances disinfect against “organic matter” that are also safe to use on skin.  Iodine is one such substance and that is why we changed.  We are meticulous about our procedures.  We use paper towel and we consider each sheet as single-use and never “double-dip” in the GSE wash.  By doing this, the integrity of the GSE wash remains uncontaminated, therefore, we are able to also use the wash for cleaning the stanchion and other surfaces that need to be wiped down.  Lastly, we can offer this GSE rinse as drinking water for the goats because it’s great for the intestinal tract. Grapefruit seed extract clears the body of harmful bacteria, viruses, infection and fungi, simultaneously promoting and protecting the immune system. It has the ability to rid the body of parasites as well. I use the dilution of 14 drops of Nutribiotic GSE liquid concentrate to ¾ gallon of warm water.

I found these links to be so helpful in understanding the classes of cleaners and their effectiveness for our purposes.
http://www.microbiol.unimelb.edu.au/staff/ehs/chemdisinfect.html
http://www.nutriteam.com/study.htm

We wanted the disinfectant that we used to have these qualities:

Broad spectrum activity

Retention of activity in presence of organic matter
Low oral toxicity and skin irritation
High activity at same pH as the detergent component
Odor-free

Compatibility with effective detergents

GSE has been proven in laboratory tests to be 10 to 100 times more effective as a disinfectant than chlorine, colloidal silver, and iodine. The United States Department of Agriculture tested GSE and found it effective against four animal viruses: Foot and Mouth Disease, African Swine fever, Swine Vesicular Disease, and Avian influenza.

Amazing stuff that GSE!  I highly recommend it.  I buy it in the health food section of my local grocery store (Fred Meyer).  It costs about $11 for 2 fluid ounces.