Warning: This opinion contains some very personal and embarrassing problems that some readers may find disgusting!!
What is Aloe Vera?
Aloe Vera is a plant that grows in the deserts of America, Africa, and Asia. It contains a jelly like substance which is used in many products from face creams to vitamins. It has very healing properties and contains many different substances that have a very positive effect on the body. These include:
Vitamins A, C, E and B12 Minerals: Magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, chromium, calcium, sodium, potassium and iron. Amino Acids: Humans require 22 amino acids, 20 of which are found in aloe Vera. Enzymes: Lipases and proteases, which help break down food and aid digestion. There are many other beneficial substances in aloe, including Anthraquinones, Salycylic Acid, and essential sugars, don’t ask me what they do though, I don’t have a clue!!
Who Should Use Aloe Vera?
Aloe Vera is recommended to everyone to help top up vitamins and minerals that can be lacking in today’s fast food diet. It contains no harmful ingredients, although young children and the weak or elderly should take a smaller dose than healthy adults. It is especially recommended for people who have ailments such as arthritis and psoriases as aloe Vera has agents which act as an anti-inflammatory and help the body heal itself. It is also highly recommended for people with irritable bowel syndrome as it helps even out the digestion process. Other illnesses it is helpful for are those where the immune system is weak, as with M.E or similar illness.
Why I started taking Aloe Vera
I have suffered from the illness M.E (or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) for 13 years (I became ill when I was eight years old). This illness is not very well understood by the medical profession and there is no real treatment for it. There are many different symptoms that are associated with M.E; some of the most common are (greatest first):
There are many other symptoms which come with the illness, but those listed are the most common, and unfortunately I suffer with them all.
My doctor prescribes me some very mild anti-depressants, which I take at night to help me sleep, and when I have a good nights sleep I can cope cope with all the other symptoms better.
However, there was one problem that I couldn’t get any help for, and that was irritable bowel syndrome. Well, it wasn’t so much irritable bowel syndrome as continuous constipation. This was the first symptom I had before I became really ill. It wasn’t as if I didn’t eat good food, in fact I have a very healthy diet and eat a lot of fruit and veg. I tried all sorts of over the counter products such as Syrup of Figs, Andrews Liver Salts etc. but nothing worked.
I suffered this constipation for several years, going to the toilet about once every three days, when I was introduced by a friend to Aloe Vera. It was made by a company called Forever Living, whose products are not sold in the shops, but by ‘pyramid’ selling. I was a bit dubious to try it but at that stage I was desperate to find something that would help me, however small the results.
Another reason I was put off at first was the price. Aloe Vera by Forever living is not cheap, it costs £11 for a 1-litre bottle if you buy it direct from the company, but if you buy it from a distributor it costs £17! They do offer a guarantee though that if after 3 months you feel no benefit then they will give you your money back.
I thought there was nothing to lose seeing as they give a guarantee, so I decided to give it a go. So, I started taking 2 dessertspoonfuls of the juice twice a day. It tastes disgusting, like grapefruit rind. After the first week I nearly stopped taking it because I was feeling worse, not better, I had diarrhoea and felt even more exhausted than ever.
However, I was assured that this was normal and that the Aloe Vera was just clearing all the toxins out of my body. I stuck with it for a few more weeks and realised that I was beginning to feel brighter. I can’t say it made me feel like jumping jack flash but I definitely felt a little brighter in myself.
One thing I know it has made better is my constipation. I have been taking aloe Vera for 6 years now and I have been regular as clockwork all that time. I have forgotten to take the juice from time to time and when I do I become constipated again, so I know it has had a positive affect. As far as I’m concerned even if it just cures one symptom I think it is worth it.
You may be thinking, why buy this expensive stuff when you can get a bottle of Aloe Vera from your local health food shop for £4, but I assure you it is not the same quality as Forever Living. I have tried different brands to try and save some money but taking the other kinds of aloe Vera is like taking water. Some tests have shown that the aloe Vera available in the shops is 95% water. Forever Living Aloe is 99% pure Aloe Vera.
Since I have been taking Aloe Vera my family have found a range of uses for it. My Mum suffers from sinusitis and she uses it in a dropper and puts it up her nose (there’s no other way to describe it!), I won’t go into gory details but Mum assures me it works, although it is not something you would want to do when you have guests for dinner! She has had a lot of relief from her headaches since she has been snorting Aloe Vera!!
My father has lost all his hair in the last year due to alopecia and he has been taking Aloe Vera for a few months now, already some hairs are appearing on his head. It may just be a coincidence that his hair has started growing back since he’s been drinking Aloe Vera but needless to say he is not going to stop taking it in case it is having a positive affect.
So, in my experience I think Aloe Vera is a very good product. It is safe to use, has lots of positive effects, and so far I have found no side effects other than during the first two weeks of taking it. I would recommend anyone who has M.E or irritable bowel syndrome to at least give aloe Vera a try. It won’t work for everyone, I know that, but even if it helps just one person the way it has undoubtedly helped me it will be worth it.
More details
Value for Money
Good
Price
£11 from forever living products
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