When I was thinking about book club selections for this week, American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins popped into my head. It seemed like the perfect read. The story of a Mexican mother and her son fleeing their home to seek asylum in America as undocumented immigrants sounded heart-wrenching and thought-provoking.
I’ve always been a fan of books that explore social justice issues and immigration. This one is no exception.
The story is about a Mexican mother and her young son who have to flee their home after their family is killed by a drug cartel. She and her son, Luca, must leave everything behind to find a new life in America as undocumented citizens.
But before we can dive into the book, we have to address some controversy that has been brewing about it. The book has received a lot of criticism because of its racism and xenophobia.
Throughout history, people have indulged in a strange practice called geophagy. It’s most common among pregnant women and children, but has been reported on every continent.
A recent meta-analysis published in Science suggests that eating dirt may actually have benefits for your health. According to the study, the dirt might provide protection against possible pathogens and parasites.
Eating kaolin, which is a white clay, also appears to help relieve stomach upsets and diarrhea. It has a similar effect to the anti-diarrheal drug kaopectate, which is also found in soil.
I’ve long been skeptical about any diet that involves consuming unclean materials, but that’s why I embraced the eating dirt movement in 2015. It’s all about gut health, and I believe that if you do the right things for your body, it will take care of itself.
