Can a natural whole food help you live with Ulcerative Colitis?
I am a distributor of natural health and nutrition products. I am not a medical practitioner and I am not about to claim that I have a miracle cure for this debilitating disease. If you have severe problems, it is unlikely that you will ever be totally independent of drugs, but what I am going to tell you may help you manage your symptoms and lead to a better quality of life.
If you have lived with colitis for any length of time you will probably have had plenty of advise on changing your diet. No doubt you have tried to identify your problem foods and to eliminate them from your diet but have you tried adding something new to your diet?
Did you know that thousands of colitis sufferers worldwide find having a small drink of Aloe Vera gel every morning has improved their quality of life?
Just take a few minutes to browse the web and you will find a whole host of anecdotal evidence, and some negative comments too. Taking Aloe Vera doesn't help everyone. In this article I am going to give you some information about Aloe Vera which may help you decide whether to try it or not.
Clinical evidence
Clinical trials have been very limited to date but there is some independent evidence which supports the anecdotal claims that Aloe Vera can help in the management of the symptoms of colitis.
A short trial in 2004, aimed principally at assessing whether the use of Aloe Vera actually did any harm, concluded that even after only 4 weeks of use 'Oral aloe vera ...produced a clinical response more often than placebo; it also reduced the histological disease activity and appeared to be safe'.
Also that 'The anti-inflammatory actions of aloe vera gel in vitro provide support for the proposal that it may have a therapeutic effect in inflammatory bowel disease'.
You can read the whole of these research reports below:
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe Vera gel for active Ulcerative Colitis.
Anti-inflammatory effects of aloe Vera gel in human colorectal mucosa in vitro.
So there is both anecdotal and some clinical evidence that Aloe Vera can help with the management of Ulcerative Colitis symptoms and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. (It also, by the way, helps many people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.)
However the proof of the pudding is in the eating! You will only know if it works for you by trying it yourself. But before I tell you about my offer, let me tell you a bit more about Aloe Vera.
So what is Aloe Vera?
Aloe Vera is a plant that looks like a cactus but which actually is a succulent, like lilies and garlic. It grows in very hot climates. If you have been to the Caribbean you may have been offered a leaf by a local to treat sunburn, as it takes the heat out of burnt and inflamed skin, i.e. it is anti-pyretic - just one of its many properties.
It has been used in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments for thousands of years. All the ancient civilizations knew of its properties and they each had their own name for it, such as the medicine plant, the wand of heaven, the burn plant, to name just a few.
Why does it help?
As I said before, I am not a doctor or a scientist, so I cannot make scientific claims but I can tell you some facts and some published observations by people more qualified than myself. I have used for my source:
'Aloe Vera - The Medicine Plant' by Dr Peter Atherton.
If you would like to read this book for yourself then I will be happy to send you a copy at cost price - £6.50 + p&p. Buy this book.
1. Constituents
Raw, unprocessed Aloe Barbadensis Miller, (the 'true Aloe' or Aloe 'Vera') contains more than 75 active ingredients. It is truly nature's natural tonic, so even if it doesn't help with your symptoms you will be getting an improved diet! As one of your 5 a day fruit & veg it is second to none.
It contains, amongst other things:
- Vitamins
- The anti-oxidant vitamins, A, C and E, plus all the B vitamins, including B12 which is rare in a vegetable.
- Minerals
- all of the main minerals we need in our diet except for selenium (eat some brazil nuts every day!)
- Amino acids
- 20 out of the 22 required amino acids.
- Enzymes
- digestive enzymes which help break food down and anti-inflammatory enzymes
- Saponins
- soap like substances with cleansing and antiseptic properties
- Acemannan
- a long chain sugar which supports and helps balance the immune system
2. How it works
Aloe Vera works in three main ways:
- It provides essential micro nutrients which help new cells regenerate quickly
- It kills bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts
- It reduces inflammation
3. Where it works
- On your epithelium - your inner and outer skin including your digestive tract lining.
- On your immune system
As UC, and other IBDs such as Diverticulitis and Crohn's, are all digestive tract and immune system problems you can see how it might help.
Is all Aloe Vera equal?
As I am a distributor of Aloe Vera gel you would expect me to say mine is best! However, bear with me and consider the following.
The Aloe Vera I sell is the whole inner gel. It is harvested, the leaves are filleted and the inner gel is extracted all by hand. Some natural fruit stabilisers are added to give it a shelf life, and that's it!
Compare that to the cheaper stuff on the market generally called Aloe 'juice'. I have customers who have bought this, thinking they could get a bargain, and have ended up pouring it down the sink!
The difference is in the processing. Aloe Vera juice typically is the whole leaf mechanically harvested, mashed up and then processed to remove a toxic compound called Aloin (did your Mum ever paint your fingers with bitter Aloes when you were a kid to stop your biting your nails?)
Ours is, according to the Food and Drug laboratories of New York, 'essentially identical' to the raw gel so you can be sure all the ingredients and the resulting properties are still in place, including the delicate long chain sugar.
Forever Living Products Aloe Vera is organically grown and produced to the highest standards. Each leaf is picked at the right stage of maturity and the inner gel is immediately processed and bottled while it is fresh. The remaining leaves are then mashed up and put back into the soil as a natural fertilizer and insecticide. No chemicals here!
Our Aloe Vera gel is a whole natural food, not a 'supplement'. There has been no extraction or concentration, so it is very safe to use. Overdosing is difficult to do, much as you would have to drink a whole load of carrot juice to o/d on vitamin A!
People with digestive problems, however, do have to go gingerly when introducing a new food to their diet so I advise small quantities to begin with. More on this with your first order. I also advise that you talk to your doctor before you introduce any new food into your diet.
****Introductory Offer****
Because I am passionate about Aloe Vera and how it may help you with your quality of life, I am offering the first three bottles at a generous discount.
Normal Retail Price for 3 x litre bottles is £54. That works out at around £1.15p a day for a normal maintenance dose; less than a decent cup of coffee.
My Introductory offer - 3 x litre bottles for £42
Clicking the items will add them to a PayPal shopping basket.
'Can't I buy just one to try it?' I hear you say. The answer is 'yes of course' if that is what you want, but I seriously recommend you try it over a longer period of time. This is not a drug, it is a food and it will take time for you to feel the benefit.
However, you have nothing to lose as all our products come with a
*********60 Day Money Back Guarantee*********
No caveats, no small print. If you return the bottles (full, empty or partially used) within 60 days you will get a full refund, such is our confidence in the quality of the product.
What's more, if you would like to taste some before you pay but want to take advantage of the offer, I am even prepared to send you the products and you can pay, by cheque or online, when you have tried it for a few days. Just contact me
By the way, with a three bottle order you will also receive a free shot glass to make it easy for you to gauge how much you are drinking. Hurry as I have a limited number of these!
I hope you have enjoyed this article. I always appreciate feedback so please do contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Regards
Kate Findlay - Independent Distributor of Forever Living Products
P.S. sign up as a wholesale customer and get it even cheaper! Ask me how.