December 2015

The Perfect Hydrating Holiday Gift

The air is growing colder out there, and the holidays will soon be upon us.

That means plenty of Turkey and Pumpkin Pie … plenty of time with the family, and for many Americans—plenty of snow and icy cold weather. It can be a truly wonderful time of year.

But it can also bring dry skin, chapped lips, and cracked hands & heels.

To overcome those tough and persistent side effects of cold wintry weather, it’s important to keep your skin as hydrated as possible throughout the winter months. And of course—for obvious reasons—Aloe is one of the best choices for getting that done. It’s an all-natural solution for smoother skin year-round.

So what’s the problem? “Where’s the rub” as they say?

Well, the “rub” is that it’s best to rub in heaping amounts of aloe, then put on a pair of socks or gloves. But that can get a bit messy … so some brilliant mind had the idea to infuse the aloe directly into socks and gloves.

The result? Pure heaven for your hands and feet. Just slip on a pair of these comfortable booties/mittens and you’ll soon find your skin feeling super soft and rejuvenated.

They’re just a great, non-invasive way to enjoy the wonderful effects of Aloe on your skin. Try them when you’re watching TV … when you step out of the shower or just before heading off to sleep and you’ll be enjoying the benefits right away.

Let’s take a look at some of the wonderful alternatives out there for you to try …

Earth Therapeutics Aloe Socks: $9.50 on Amazon.com

These wonderful socks are our first recommendation with good reason—because we’ve actually tried them!

This brand is commonly available at some supermarkets and drug stores, and a member of our staff picked up a pair on happenstance for his girlfriend. She gave the socks rave reviews; enjoying the refreshing treat on occasion.

These socks are extremely soft and loaded with Aloe, to the point where you can feel it, but they’re not gel-lined or anything like that. The only downside is that they’re not really built to last. Sometimes after just a few wearings, they’ll start to shed fabric.

Aloe Plush Gloves: $7 at Bed Bath and Beyond

Infused with both Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, these super-soft gloves offer your hands the same gentle pampering that Aloe Socks give to your feet.

Since they won’t see the same wear that Aloe socks might see, the Aloe and Vitamin E in these gloves is said to last an impressive 20 washings before it’s depleted.

Touchscreen Aloe Gloves: $8 at Wal-Mart

Looking to indulge a bit, but still get your work done? How about a Touchscreen-compatible, Aloe-infused glove to treat yourself?

We know; we couldn’t quite believe it either, but we’d definitely be willing to give this one a shot. With the same soft and fuzzy texture, we can imagine these gloves must be heavenly.

Still Second Best

Of course, Aloe-infused socks and gloves can be a great way to moisturize and rejuvenate your skin during the winter months. But at the end of the day—if you want to enjoy Aloe’s full spectrum of benefits—there’s simply no substitute for an oral Aloe supplement.

Good for everything from digestive issues to improved circulation and cardiovascular health, the benefits of Aloe can go much further than skin deep.

A Practical and Affordable Solution in Florida:

A recent article from Fox News 13 out of Tampa, Florida, tells a surprisingly frank story about the impressive healing power of Aloe Vera. Check out a quick excerpt from the article:

Her symptoms were similar to a urinary tract infection. The pain was so bad, it woke her from her sleep.

Over the course of that year, she saw two primary care doctors, and five specialists, including two urologists, two neurologists and a gynecologist. They prescribed hormonal creams, anti-viral, anti-seizure, and rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Nothing stopped her pain.

Doris was giving up hope. “I was to the point that I didn’t’ know if I could ever feel normal again.”

Then her primary care doctor sent her to one more urologist. Instead of writing a prescription, he recommended an online Aloe Vera supplement.
Afterwards, the woman in the story finally experienced some peace—her symptoms alleviated. Insurance didn’t cover her supplement, so she had to pay $68 per month for it, but that didn’t bother her. “I don’t care if it’s $600 a month, I will use it,” she insisted. “There’s no way I’m stopping taking it. It’s working.”

It sounds surprising in a world filled with prescription medication and excessive insurance costs—but it’s the truth. And the woman in this story isn’t alone either.

“For patients who we treat for bladder pain and bladder disorders, I’ll tell you it’s usually our first-line agent and its response rate is well over 60 to 70 percent,” explained Dr. Raviendar Bukkapatnam, chief of Urology at Tampa’s General Hospital.

It’s an impressive statement that hospital physicians should trust an all-natural supplement based on Aloe Vera as their first line of defense against bladder maladies. And it works—even though they’re not yet sure exactly why …

“It has various cancer-fighting properties,” Dr. Bukkapatnam explained. “It has various hypoglycemic properties so it can help with diabetes. It has significant anti-inflammatory properties.”

But all that matters to his patients is that it works.

A Delightful new Dessert for Indian Diabetics:

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Indian scientists have devised a way for diabetics to enjoy their favorite dessert once again.

It’s called Pedha, and it’s a sweet, richly-colored treat flavored with khoa (a sweet kind of concentrated milk) and topped with pistachio seeds. And at India’s College of Dairy Science & Food Technology, scientists have developed a way to make the treat with Aloe Vera juice—which can help balance out the sugary content of the treat by helping the body produce a more effective amount of insulin.

“Diabetics need not fear for rise in their sugar level in the blood if they savour the aloe vera integrated ‘peda’ prepared in a traditional way of adding sugar,” explained Professor S. Kartikeyan.

It’s a small thing … just a dessert. A nice little treat that diabetics couldn’t have enjoyed before. But like Dr. Bukkapatnam’s story above, this new formulation lends even more credibility to Aloe’s impressive health benefits.

But by far, the week’s most eye-catching Aloe story involves a spill of epic proportions …

The Great Aloe Spill of 2015:

Coming back to Florida to close out our journey today, we arrive in West Melbourne, where a semi truck carrying a 2,000 lb load of Aloe gel suffered a puncture … spilling hundreds of gallons all over town.

Of course, the gel was entirely non-toxic so no one was too alarmed. Eventually, a sand truck was called in to help clean up the mess.

No, you’re not reading the Onion. Yes, there was a massive Aloe Vera spill.

And it brings a refreshing smile to our face to hear that no one was hurt.

With so many toxic oil spills, so many chemical plants and so much waste material seeping into our soil and groundwater, it’s nice to be able to enjoy a little bit of Aloe lotion or an Aloe supplement without having to worry about the negative effects it might have on the environment around you.

It just goes to show how easily the humble succulent fits into our modern lives.

The Perfect Hydrating Gift

This Month in Aloe: A Real-World Lifesaver

Archives for December 2015