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The Perfect Hydrating Gift

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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 …

 

1Earth 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 Beyond2

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.

3Touchscreen 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.

This Month in Aloe: A Real-World Lifesaver

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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.

Aloe Vera’s Natural “3-For-1” Healing Power

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Over the last few years, many Americans have become increasingly sensitive not just about their medications, but also about the complications and interactions that various types of medicine may have …

You might be on a few maintenance medications that you take on a regular basis. You might also be using a few beauty products, soaps and other chemicals on a regular basis—and that’s enough to get some people concerned.

The solution, for some, is consolidating and simplifying. They make the tough decision whether to give up on certain things or going more natural with their diet and skin care.

For others, the solution is much simpler. And it doesn’t require you to give up a thing …

 

The Succulent Solution for Natural Health and Wellness

It grows almost anywhere, basking in blistering sunlight or sitting unceremoniously on the windowsill, the thick leaves of Aloe Vera grow outward all the same.

Inside each leaf, you’ll find the familiar translucent gel—some 96% water—that contains 18 of the body’s 20 amino acids, Vitamin A, B, C, E and so much more. One of the most crucial elements, though, is far more unknown. It’s a complex carbohydrate called “acemannan,” which helps deliver all these vital nutrients to cells while simultaneously flushing out toxins.

The resulting gel delivers a highly soluble blast of nutrients that’s ideal for numerous applications. Recent scientific studies indicate that Aloe treatment could be effective for everything from heart disease to digestive issues.

So today, we’re going to look at four of the key ways that a little Aloe Vera can go a long way. We’re going to look at the most common everyday applications where aloe may even be better than expensive synthetic remedies.

So let’s get started …

 

Aloe for All-Natural Beauty

Most women will experiment with dozens of beauty products throughout their lifetime, while some realize early on that the daily nutrition of aloe can often be enough to keep skin looking youthful and vibrant.

Here are a few simple solutions that can help you replace harsh chemical exfoliants or acne medication:

Aloe Vera for Sensitive Skin—Combine some aloe vera gel with cucumber juice, yogurt and rose oil for a mask that gently nourishes and leaves you feeling perfectly clean.

 

For Dry Skin— Aloe can be combined with a pinch of turmeric, some honey, some milk, and a few drops of rose water to make a moist paste that can sooth dry skin and restore suffering skin cells.

For a Gentle Scrub—Mix half a cup of aloe gel with a cup of sugar and two tablespoons of lemon juice to make an all-natural, reinvigorating scrub that will remove dead skin cells and help heal knicks or scars.

Aloe Vera for Acne—Instead of turning to a cabinet full of expensive creams, aloe vera can be blended with walnut flour and honey to make a nourishing paste that’s packed with antioxidants.

 

But sure, you already knew about Aloe’s skincare benefits, right? Well what about Aloe and hair loss …

 

Aloe for Preventing Hair Loss

Aloe contains something called “proteolytic enzymes” which are uniquely effective at repairing dead skin cells in the scalp. Additionally, aloe can promote hair growth, prevent itching—even reduce dandruff.

The secret?

“Keratin consists of amino acids, oxygen, carbon, and small amounts of hydrogen, nitrogen, and Sulphur. Aloe vera has a chemical makeup similar to that of keratin and it rejuvenates the hair with its own nutrients, giving it more elasticity and preventing breakage.”

 

Heart Health, Weight Loss and Beyond

Of course, Aloe Vera’s benefits are much more than a “3-for-1.” And they vastly transcend the realm of skin care or hair growth …

Numerous studies have already revealed that it can stimulate weight loss when taken orally … that it could potentially aid with major ailments like diabetes and heart disease—and much more. The more scientists study this seemingly common, everyday plant, the more they learn of its impressive benefits and capabilities.

That’s why we recommend a daily supplement like AloeElite for virtually everyone out there. Concentrating dozens of plants into a few small pills, AloeElite’s supplements provide a nearly unrivaled concentration of the Aloe Mucilaginous Properties (AMPs) that make Aloe such an effective treatment.

Aloe’s Legacy

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When most people hear the words “Aloe Vera,” their minds go right to one simple image … a succulent, deep green in color with jagged, cactus like leaves emerging from the dirt.

In reality; however, Aloe Vera is an entire species of plant …

Evolved over tens of thousands of years, some 550 total variations can be found growing naturally across the remote Eastern Coast of Africa, and up into the Middle East. Some resemble the simple plants we know, while others twist and turn with bright hues of purple.  Some bear bright, exotic flowers while others look more earthy and bland. Some grow virtually anywhere while others are limited to a few key habitats, and each species bears its own subtle differences from the rest.

And their often remote location has been a complicating factor for ongoing Aloe Vera research.

That is—until now.

“I don’t know of any places really that have such a big collection of aloes in cultivation,” said Emma Bodley, conservation specialist for Auckland, New Zealand’s Botanical Gardens.

Emma, and the Gardens, have recently come into possession of a veritable treasure trove of Aloe Vera plant; some 400 different species of the plant delivered in various quantities and stages of growth.

Where did it all come from?

Believe it or not, this massive cache of Aloe Vera—almost a living record of the plant as a species—started with just one New Zealander and his “hobby.”

 

Gardens of the World

Auckland_Botanic_Gardens2The man’s name was Geoff Etherington, an apple grower from Wakefield, New Zealand who’d taken to collecting the plants in his spare time.

After selling the majority of his healthy orchard, Geoff was left with just 2.4 hectares of growing space and a singular drive to never see another apple tree again. So instead, Geoff and his wife embarked along a completely different path—developing their remaining land into the impressive, diverse natural attraction now known as Gardens of the World.

While cultivating such a wide variety of exotic plants, Geoff found the perfect opportunity to grow his Aloe collection even more. Over time it soared to epic proportions, and when the couple sold their lucrative business and moved on in 2008, Geoff’s massive collection went with him.

Geoff provided interviews from his new greenhouse, highlighting the widely varying attributes of the different Aloe variants, “Half have stems and half don’t … some grow into trees … and one or two aren’t so friendly.”

His collection contained plants from Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Yemen, Somalia and Zimbabwe—along with a great number from the island nation of Madagascar.

Whether he realized it or not, Etherington had cultivated what is now regarded to be the single best collection of Aloes in the world—a veritable “Library of Alexandria” for research of the plant.

 

The Gift of a Lifetime

Before Etherington passed away, he bequeathed his collection of aloes to the Auckland Botanical Gardens—finding them the best-suited to nurture and grow his one-of-a-kind collection.

And he was careful to pass on not just the plants, but the lifetime of unique knowledge he’d accumulated while living with his collection. He taught the Society’s staff plenty of “cool tricks,” including how to quickly identify different species by their defining characteristics, and his own special method for painstakingly pollinating his plants by hand.

From a scientific perspective, his collection and his methods represent decades of important foundational research, and it’s incredible news to hear that he’s passed it on effectively and efficiently—and at a time when Aloe research is more important than ever before.

The Botanical Gardens’ staff immediately realized the value of what they call an “amazing” resource for research, with numerous staff members fascinated by the prospect of learning more about the plants.

“We’ve learned a lot about where they come from and how they’re used,” explains Bodley, “it’s been a great learning curve for the staff here. Everyone’s excited to learn more about them.”

It’s a wonderful story, a tremendous legacy, and a testament to Etherington’s unflinching dedication to a hobby that one news reporter called “weird and wonderful.” What some might have seen as a gardener’s obsession has grown into one of the world’s most important sources for scientific research.

We can’t wait to see what comes of it …