BODY BALANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS 1
History: The Land and Sea 1
Why Supplement? 2
Limes vs. Vitamin C 6
Phytonutrients: The Missing Ingredients 8
Vitamins and Minerals 9
Glyconutrients and Amino Acids 10
SECTION 2: ALOE VERA 15
Aloe, the Plant 17
Modern Use 18
How Aloe Works 19
Topical Healing 19
Anti-Inflammatory 20
Immune-System Modulation 21
Gastrointestinal Health 22
Blood Sugar 23
Is All Aloe the Same? 26
SECTION 3: SEA VEGETABLES 27
Brown Sea Vegetables 30
Fucus vesiculosus 30
Alaria esculenta 31
Laminaria digitata 32
Ascophyllum nodosum 33
Green Sea Vegetables 34
Ulva lactuca 34
Red Sea Vegetables 35
Porphyra yezoensis 35
Gigartina chamissoi 36
Chondus cripus 36
Palmaria palmate 37
SECTION 4: THE NEED FOR BALANCE
APPENDIX A: IMPORTANT REFERENCES TO ALOE
SECTION 1:
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
On this earth, plants grow either on the land or in the sea. Despite their differences, land and sea vegetation have sustained life for many, many years. Wouldn’t it be great to take these, the most potent life-producing elements from both land and sea, and combine them into one? Well, it has already been done. A California-based company, Life Force International, has created an innovative liquid supplement that combines the Aloe vera plant from the land with nine different plants from the sea into one concentrated drink that balances the body and rejuvenates health – Body Balance. In this book, we will examine this natural, whole food supplement from a historical, modern, and scientific standpoint. We will explain how Aloe vera and sea vegetation work together to help balance the body in a variety of health-promoting ways.
History: The Land and Sea
Using plants medicinally was and still is a common practice for many Native Americans. The effectiveness of the plants used in Native American healing has been the source of much scientific study. In particular, the plant Aloe vera was (and is) extremely important to Native American culture wherein it is considered a master healing plant. In fact, years ago Native Americans called Aloe the “Wand of Heaven.” Aloe has a history of traditional use by Native Americans for stomach disorders and intestinal problems such as constipation, hemorrhoids, colitis, and colon problems to name just a few uses. There have been literally hundreds and hundreds of modern-day studies on Aloe and its healing properties, so much so that Aloe has become a household word.
Thousands of miles away from the Native Americans lives other culture that also has their own healing plants. In Hawaii, Japan, and Polynesia, sea vegetation has been a vital source of food and medicine for many coastal cultures. Many of these cultures credit their long lives to eating sea plants. Tongans of Polynesia are a robust people who suffer much less from the normal effects of aging than others. As a whole, Tongans enjoy a high incidence of centenarians (persons living over 100 years!). Another example is in Japan, where sea vegetation makes up nearly 25 percent of all food sources. Many Japanese enjoy longer lives and lower incidences of cancer when compared to counterparts in other parts of the world.
Even though Native Americans, Tongans, and Japanese live in very different worlds, they all found a way to make the best use of what Mother Nature offered them. One culture lived off the land; the other two cultures lived off the sea. In today’s world, most modern families live off fast food restaurants and frozen dinners—not what Mother Nature had in mind. We eat processed foods, ingest synthetic vitamin pills, play on cement-covered playgrounds, breathe polluted air, and drink “chemically enhanced” water.
Despite all of these modern “conveniences,” there is still a way in which to get the best of what Mother Nature has created. By drinking a natural liquid supplement that employs a pure form of Aloe vera and some of the most potent sea vegetation available, we can replenish our bodies with phytonutrients (such as glyconutrients) that our modern lifestyle sorely lacks.
Why Supplement?
In America, a nation once referred to as the land of milk and honey, two-thirds of its citizens are obese or overweight. Sadly, other industrial nations are closely following suit. Our nation has some of the best available healthcare in the world, yet chronic disease abounds. The irony is that with all of our hospitals, doctors, and prescriptions, chronic disease is not getting better. In fact, it’s getting worse. Check out some of these facts from the Center of Disease Control:
Seven out of every ten Americans who die each year die of a chronic disease.
Over 927,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each year, which amounts to one death every 34 seconds.
1 .3 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year.
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, limiting the activities of more than 16 million adults.
As many as half a million persons in the United States have a condition resembling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Nearly 30 million people have been diagnosed with asthma during their lifetime.
The facts are in and health professionals agree that most of us lack good, solid nutrition in our diets. However, even those of us who are trying to choose the right kinds of foods may still be lacking in important nutrients. The reason being that food grown in our modern-soil is nutrient deficient because the soil is deficient. ‘When plants grow, they take the nutrients they need from the soil. If the soil is depleted, then the plant is deficient. Even the U.S. government knows this to be true.
“The alarming fact is that foods (fruits, vegetables and grains), now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contain enough of certain minerals, are starving us—no matter how much of them we eat.”
Those words were spoken during the second session of the 74th Congress in 1936. That was 70 years ago! More recently, in 1992 the Earth Summit reconfirmed that our cultivated world’s soil was producing nutrient-deficient food. It’s no wonder that the government has to keep increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables we are suppose to eat each day. It began at three servings per day, then it was increased to five servings, and now the current government advice is nine servings of fruits and vegetables. Why? Because fruits and vegetables no longer have what our bodies need to maintain health and prevent disease.
Causes of Nutrient-Deficient Food
Air pollution
Creating less nutritious hybrids that are more convenient (i.e. seedless oranges)
Over-cultivation
Picking produce before ripe
Soil depletion
Synthetic fertilizers
Use of gases and other chemicals to stop or start the ripening process
Over-cultivation and modern fertilization methods are large contributors to our current soil-depletion (and consequent food-deficiency) problems. Since no one wants to suffer from chronic disease, many of us have turned to vitamin pills and mineral pill supplements. While these pills may contribute somewhat to better health, most are synthetically made and are not readily absorbable by the body. In other words, they do us little good.
“I will never choke down another vitamin pill again.”
Martial arts expert Ron Roy discovers for himself the difference between a llquid Aloe vera/sea plant supplement and other vitamin pill supplements.
“As a martial artist for over 25 years, I have always taken my training and lifestyle seriously. Whether I was inside or outside the training hall, I wanted to do my best. Inside the hall I would work hard by always giving 110 percent of myself. Outside the hall I would do my best to feed my body right. Vitamin pills and capsules were a big part of my regime. However, with the amount of vitamins I was taking daily, I felt that I should have been feeling and performing much better than I was.
“Searching for the ultimate vitamin, I discovered Body Balance, a liquid supplement made from Aloe vera and nine different sea plants. I decided to give it a try and see what liquid supplements were all about. Within the first 10 days on my new supplement I was feeling a tremendous boost of energy and well being. Around day 25 the digestion discomfort that I had been feeling for some time completely disappeared. What a relief. No longer am I feeling sluggish before training. I feel great! One of the best things I did to improve my training was to try the liquid difference. I can now say I will never choke down another vitamin pill again.”
Supplementation really comes down to the question of bioavailability. Bioavailability is the rate at which a nutrient or substance can be absorbed by our bodies for use by the body’s cells. While our cells may not be able to tell the difference between the sources of molecules coming from vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, our digestive tract certainly can. Most minerals and some vitamins that we purchase as supplements in a pill or other “non-natural whole food form” are coupled with compounds like:
Chlorides
Sulfides/sulfates
Picolinate
Citrates etc.
These compounds have different solubility (the measurement of how much of a given substance will dissolve in a liquid). Experts continue to debate as to which is easer to digest and absorb. While the debates go on, these experts inevitably compare their products’ bioavailability to that of a natural or whole food. Simply put, the digestive tract knows how to digest real food. On the other hand, it often doesn’t know what to do with a synthetic pill.
Limes vs. Vitamin C
A real-life example of whole food nutrition is seen back in the days when sailors came down with scurvy during long ocean voyages. (Scurvy is an illness caused from the body not having enough vitamin C.) Sailors finally learned they wouldn’t get sick if they ate limes while on their trips. However, when sailors tried just eating vitamin C, it didn’t always prevent the onset of scurvy. Obviously there was something within the limes that boosted the function of vitamin C to give total nutrition and prevent scurvy. That something is one or more of the hundreds of different phytonutrients in the whole fruit. A supplement made from the entire plant is much more potent than a supplement that is simply an extraction of nutrients from either of the two. When we leave a whole food’s nutrients intact, we can get potent nutrition from smaller amounts, and we can help our bodies immune system fight against things such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses plaguing society today.
We need to give our bodies the nutrients they are lacking. But if popping a vitamin pill each morning isn’t solving the problem, what should we do?
First, look for a liquid supplement. Nearly 100 percent (98 percent) of a liquid supplement is quickly digested and pumped into the blood stream because it is easily absorbable. According to the Physician’s Desk Reference, only about 10 to 20 percent of pills and capsules are absorbed into the body. The rest is eliminated before it can break down and be absorbed.
Next, look for a supplement that is ionic and made from whole foods. Ionic means it has the correct “charge” to be easily absorbed into the intestinal tract. Imagine two magnets. If the magnets have the same ionic charge they repel each other. If they are oppositely charged they are attracted to each other. The intestinal tract is also charged, and particles from food must have an opposite ionic charge in order to be quickly absorbed into the body.
Five Rules in a Quality Health Supplement
1. Comes in a liquid form (makes it more easily digestible by the body)
2. Made from a whole food
3. Minimal time between picking, production, and shipping of product
4. Ionic (higher absorption in intestinal tract)
5. Organically grown
Last but not least, use a supplement that is made from whole foods instead of one that is made from an isolated compound or a “natural synthetic.” A natural synthetic is one or more specific compounds synthetically extracted or isolated from a once-natural product. Most health supplements are created this way in a laboratory. The final product is no longer in its natural form. These synthetically extracted supplements are missing the other micronutrients and trace elements that used to be in the natural product. ‘When we ingest pills that have been chemically isolated, as most of them are, we miss out on the synergistic function of all of the phytonutrients within the whole plant food.
Definition of phytonutrients - Phyto means plant in Latin. Webster defines “nutrient” as a chemical compound such as protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin, or mineral that makes up food. Therefore, phytonutrients are the protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in a plant.
Phytonutrients - The Missing Ingredients
The next time you buy a can of vegetables, take a quick look at the nutritional information chart on the back of the label. You may see a couple of lines telling you how much fat, carbohydrates, and protein are in a serving of the vegetable. A little lower you will also see what percentage (%DV) of vitamins and minerals are in the vegetable, according to the FDA’s recommended daily food value. Daily percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and they tell you what percent (or how much) of the recommended daily amount of a nutrient is in a serving of food. What you may not know is that the FDA has only identified the daily value percentage for 33 nutrients. That may sound like a lot until you learn there are at least 100,000 different types of phytonutrients available within different foods. That means even if you meticulously keep tract of your daily value percentage intake, you have no idea how much of the other thousands of phytonutrients you have or have not eaten.
So what are the “other” phytonutrients not listed? They include things such as amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), enzymes (the catalysts for many bodily functions), essential fatty acids (such as the widely touted omega 3, 6, and 9s), and healthy carbohydrates (such as fiber and the eight essential sugars referred to earlier as glyconutrients).
The Gradual Discovery of Phytonutrients
1800s to 1920s - vitamins and minerals discovered
1930s - proteins are found with their building blocks amino acids coming a little later
Enzymes are identified next
In the latter part of the 20th century, essential fatty acids are discovered
Late 1990s marked the finding of glyconutrients (essential sugars)
A unique liquid supplement that combines organic Aloe vera with sea vegetation gathered from unspoiled waters is now available to everyday consumers. This unique supplement, which combines the best nutrients from land and sea, used to be available only to doctors and other health professionals. However, it is now available to the general public. It is an ionic liquid supplement, made from whole food, which is harvested and produced on-site. In the supplement are least 121 different phytonutrients.
Body Balance is so beneficial to our health because of some of these phytonutrients. Let’s look at just a few of them.
Vitamins and Minerals
There are a number of readily bioavailable vitamins and minerals in Body Balance. Many of these vitamins occur in forms known as precursors or provitamins. Once inside our bodies these are changed chemically to one or more active forms known as the active vitamins. Thus when measuring the amount of a vitamin found in food, it is often most accurate to speak in terms of the potential vitamin activity.
When talking about whole foods, the exact value of vitamins and minerals is not important, just as no one expects each orange in a store to have an exact value set for vitamin C or the levels of B complex to be the same for every head of broccoli. However we all know that oranges and broccoli (if grown correctly) are good sources of vitamins and minerals. In natural, organic foods (not in the chemically grown, under ripened variety), even though vitamins and minerals exist in small amounts, if we eat these foods in the proper proportions on a regular basis we will benefit from their nutrition. On the other hand, vitamin and pharmaceutical companies wish to promote mega doses of vitamins thus appealing to the natural human instinct of “more must be better.” However, nutrition does not work that way.
To show the fallacy of this thinking, let’s examine the following statement:
A match is useful because you can make a little fire with it. Fires are useful because they keep us warm. Therefore, it would be ideal if we could ignite the entire planet.
A lot of a good thing is not always true! Whole food nutrition is leaps and bounds above mega doses of concentrated, synthetic vitamins, especially because of the body’s ability to digest whole food versus synthetic food.
Glyconutrients and Amino Acids
While nearly every fruit and vegetable has vitamins and minerals in it, Aloe vera and sea vegetation has something that sets it apart from other supplements. In Body Balance are all eight of the essential sugars necessary for healthy cell communication in the body.
The concept of “essential sugars” might sound foreign to a few of you, so let me begin at the beginning. Have you every thought of how eleven organ systems in the body made up of thirty-nine separate organ tissues containing some 560 trillion cells communicate? Or how our cells know when to eat, what to eat, what repairs to make, how to get the proper nutrients to make the right repair, and how to call for help when pathogens come invading?
It wasn’t until 1999, when a molecular biologist Dr. Gunter Blobel won the Nobel Prize in medicine for his discoveries in cell communication, that we found out how cells tell their needs to the body. The discoveries described by Dr. Blobel are perhaps the single most important principals in modern nutritional science since the early discovery of vitamins around the turn of the last century.
For a number of years, we have heard about nine essential amino acids that serve as the protein building blocks of cells. These are leucine, isoleucine, lysine, valine, methionine, phenylalanine, histidines, threonine, and tryptophan. These amino acids are called “essential” because the body cannot produce them. They must be obtained from the food we eat. These amino acids are found in Body Balance.
Lets compare these amino acids to the materials we need to build a home. We must have lumber, cement, dry wall, electrical wire, and other materials to build a home. But once we have collected all of the materials, do they assemble themselves? Do they know what to do? Where the cement should be poured? How to frame the lumber or run the electrical wires? Of course not. For that information there needs to be a general contractor who communicates those jobs to the subcontractors.
The eight essential sugars are like subcontractors and the body is the general contractor. Essential sugars tell the body if a cell needs more of a certain nutrient to repair something in it that is broken. Essential sugars tell the body when it’s being invaded by foreign bodies such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Essential sugars communicate what needs to happen to keep the body’s cells running as smoothly as they should.
Glyconutrients 101
Glyco means “sweet” and is used when describing a sugar or carbohydrate molecule.
Glyco forms are large sugar molecules that combine with proteins or fats to cover the surface of all cells.
Glycoproteins are molecules made of sugars and proteins. They are found coating the surface of every cell in the human body that contains a nucleus.
Glycolipids are molecules made of sugars and fats (also called lipids).
Glyconutrients are also called essential sugars, biological sugars, monosaccharides, saccharides, or nutritional carbohydrates.
The man who first brought to light cell communication, Dr. Blobel, discovered that perhaps all life on our planet—from microorganisms, plants, and animals, including most of us—all share the same need for the same eight essential sugars to carry out proper intercellular communication. These sugars are glucose, galactose, mannose, fucose, xylose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, and N-acetylneuraminic acid. These eight sugars combine with proteins and fats to form a code that are located on the membrane (or outside covering) of every cell.
Now if you remember from the discussion on amino acids, something is called “essential” only if the body has to get it from the food. Interestingly, only two of the eight essential sugars are technically “essential.” These two are glucose and galactose. From these two sugars a body that is working properly can create the other six. However, what scientists are finding is that people who have stress, chronic illness, toxicity, and other such symptoms of our modern world cannot make the other six sugars. It is like having only two spark plugs firing in an eight-cylinder engine. For many of us, to make the eight-cylinder engine work, we need to include all eight essential sugars in our diet.
Many journals and medical studies today are researching cellular communication in reference to diseases like AIDS and other auto-immune diseases, tumor growth and cancers. Even heart disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis seem to have a close relationship to essential sugars and cellular communication.
Changing Cancer Cells’ “Surface Sugars” Can Inhibit Tumor Growth
“The key to halting cancer cells may lie in their sugary coats, scientists say. Carbohydrate molecules surround all cells and help them to identify and interact with one another... The findings suggest that the sugars could one day serve as targets for new anti-cancer therapies.”
— Scientific American, January 22, 2002
The good news is that the three leading natural sources of these essential sugars are mother’s breast milk, Aloe vera, and sea vegetation. Aloe vera alone contains seven of the eight essential sugars and sea vegetation five of the eight, making this combination the next best thing to mom herself. By supplementing your diet with Body Balance, you give your body what it may no longer be able to make for itself. In so doing, you help restore the body to vitality and help prevent it from once again slipping into disrepair. In reality you can take all the vitamins and minerals you want, but if your cells cannot communicate their needs, then problems occur. That is why essential sugars are critical for healthy nutrition.
“Glycobiology is “one of the ten technologies that will change the world!”
--MIT’s Magazine of Innovation, February 2003
Now let’s move on and look at the specific ingredients found in Body Balance.
SECTION 2: ALOE VERA
Quanah Parker, a Native American Comanche chief, was born in 1852. Despite all the opposition toward Native Americans at the time, Quanah became a successful liaison between his tribe and the U.S. government. He eventually became a personal friend to Theodore Roosevelt, president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. During this time, President Roosevelt asked Quanah to visit the United Verde Mining Corporation.
During his visit to the mine, one of the shafts collapsed, killing and injuring many mine workers. Not only did Quanah help in the rescue efforts of the men, he also treated some of the burn victims with an odd-looking cactus leaf. Though suspicious at first, the men felt the soothing effect from the plant almost immediately. As we all know today, the odd-looking cactus leaf was Aloe vera.
Native Americans weren’t the first to tap into Aloe’s incredible healing properties. It has been used by many different cultures all over the world. Historical evidence suggests the Aloe vera plant originated in the warm, dry climates of Africa. However, because different cultures have been so eager to carry it from place to place, it now can be found in many warm lands all over the world.
A Sumerian clay tablet, found in the city of Nippu written around 2200 BC, is the first document to include Aloe vera among plants of great healing power. Egyptian writings record Aloe as being used medicinally 1,500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The Hebrews in the Bible’s Old Testament carried Aloe with them in the wilderness for 40 years to be sure they would have it in their new land. Greek physician Dioscorides wrote of using Aloe for constipation, burns, and kidney ailments. Later in history, the wife of the infamous French army hero Napoleon used a milk and Aloe lotion for her skin. The well-known beauty Cleopatra did the same thing. Currently, in the United States, Aloe is among the most widely used substances for the treatment of burns and bruises. And in recent years, the FDA has approved development aimed at the possible use of Aloe vera in the treatment of cancer and AIDS.
Aloe is mentioned in the Bible at least five times.
Numbers 24:5-6
Psalms 45:8
Song of Solomon 4:13-15
Proverbs 7:17-18
John 19:38-40
Aloe, the Plant
For ancient cultures, it was enough to know something worked. In our day and age, however, we want to know why it works. History has shown there is something distinctively unique about Aloe vera. Science has been trying to prove ever since what that “something” is. There are good theories, but the synergistic effect of whole foods is something science has yet to fully explain.
Aloe vera is a member of the (family Liliaceae) lily flower family even though it is very cactus-like in appearance. This exceptional plant also belongs to a larger plant family called “Xeroids.”
The type of Aloe used in Body Balance is Aloe barbadensis. It is made from the filleted inner leaf and non-enzyme treated, containing more than 75 nutrients, including 20 minerals, 18 amino acids, 12 vitamins, and 7 essential sugars.
Some of the well-known nutrients in Aloe are vitamins C, A, E, and B; B-carotene; zinc; calcium; copper; magnesium; manganese; and phosphorous. Some of the lesser-known nutrients are at least five different enzymes: plant sterols (anti-inflammatory agents); gibberellin, a growth factor that assists in healing; and polysaccharides (glyconutrients) including Ri -3 and B 1-4 glucomannans that are known for their immune-stimulating effects
In addition there is aloin (also called barbaloin and shown to kill the bacteria that cause tuberculosis) and chrysophanic acid, a healing stimulator. Add to that emodin, anthraquinones, anthranols, anthrones, p coumaric acid, glucose, aldopentose, and calcium oxalate, all of which have been shown to promote health and well being in many different areas of the body. Be sure to remember the six antiseptic agents in Aloe: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols, and sulphur. And last (but not least) there are antineoplastic and acemannan compounds in Aloe, both of which are immune system modulators that seem to help fight against HIV and other deadly viruses.
There is probably no other natural herb that has as wide a range of use as Aloe vera. There are literally hundreds of research papers indicating modern uses for the plant—too much to cover here, so we’ll try and focus on some of the main modern health uses of Aloe.
Medical reports (both conventional and alternative) indicate Aloe is used modernly for natural cleansing, pain relief associated with the joints and muscles, and fighting bacterial invaders. Aloe has acted as a virucidal (virus killer) when used for long periods of time. It is also used as a fungicide, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing aid. Of course, it is one of the most widely used substances (conventional and non-conventional) for treating burns, scrapes, sunburns, cuts, and bruises. Internally, Aloe is commonly used to promote better intestinal function, and it is often taken to help with constipation, hemorrhoids, colitis, and colon problems. Additionally, Aloe has been used more and more as an immune-system enhancer. One of modern science’s most recent findings is that Aloe helps rebuild the mucus lining in the intestinal tract. This lining is very important to maintain health and vitality in many areas of the body.
“My thyroid is back to the level it was 20 years ago!”
Zeeda Bacchus recounts the many different ways that drinking an Aloe vera/sea plant liquid supplement has helped her health.
“I’ve been drinking Body Balance since December of 2001. Since I started, I have been able to reduce my thyroid medication by one-third. My thyroid is back to the level it was 20 years ago! I also have found that my life-long allergies, especially to cats, have totally disappeared. I even have my own cat now, and he’s been with me for over a year. I have also been helped tremendously with controlling food cravings, replenishing my dry skin, and strengthening what used to be very brittle nails.
“I also have more energy, an improvement in my mental clarity, in my concentration levels, and in my overall wellness. I can tell when I drink Aloe vera combined with sea plants, I am giving myself all of the necessary biochemicals I need to be healthy!”
How Aloe Works
So we know people use Aloe for a number of different health conditions, but do we know if it really works and if there is scientific proof behind these uses? The answer to that is a resounding yes! (See Appendix A for important medical and scientific references to Aloe vera.) In the next few sections, we will briefly cover just a little of the scientific research that has been conducted on Aloe vera in connection with common modern-day ailments.
Topical Healing
The number one use of Aloe in modern times is for topical wound healing. It is among the most widely used substances in the U.S. for the treatment of burns and bruises. Additionally, it is used in a large number of cosmetics, and skin care products. Numerous scientific studies have shown improved wound healing using Aloe. Aloe stimulates epidermal growth factor (the natural body chemical responsible for enhancing skin growth), and it enhances fibroblast function (cells responsible for collagen formation). This is especially useful for diabetics who often suffer from topical sores.
In addition, Aloe has been shown to produce at least six different antiseptic agents: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols, and sulphur. All of these substances kill or control mold, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. All of these microorganisms are involved with skin problems, and by controlling them with Aloe you minimize their ability to do harm to the body. The lupeol and salicylic acid in Aloe are proven effective pain-killers.
Anti-Inflammatory
“As scientists delve deeper into the fundamental causes of illnesses, they are starting to see links to an age-old immunological defense mechanism called inflammation. Hardly a week goes by without the publication of yet another study uncovering a new way that chronic inflammation does harm to the body.”
—Time, Monday, Feb 23, 2004
There has been quite a bit said in the medical community lately about the link between chronic illnesses and low-level chronic inflammation. Inflammation is not just considered a symptom (and cause) of arthritis anymore. Low-level inflammation has been shown to be a factor with illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease (high cholesterol in particular), Parkinson’s, diabetes, and many others. The basic theory is that at times the body’s inflammation reaction can turn on itself and grow out of control, causing more damage than good. What starts out as normal inflammation from a minor injury may grow into inflammation that is no longer related to the initial injury, but instead roams throughout the body wrecking havoc.
In answer to these modern illnesses, Aloe is a proven anti-inflammatory agent. It contains at least three anti-inflammatory fatty acids that have been found to be highly effective for allergic reactions, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, acid indigestion, ulcers, and other inflammatory conditions. One of these anti-inflammatory fatty acids, B-sitosterol, is also a powerful anti-cholestromatic that may help lower harmful cholesterol levels.
In addition to low-level chronic inflammation, Aloe has also been shown to have biologic anti-inflammatory properties that help slow down and stop acute and intense inflammation. Aloe’s results in this area have been compared to those of cortisone, but without any of the side effects.
Immune-System Modulation
The body’s immune system is critical in fighting off disease. Modulation of the immune system means to fortify it by strengthening the production, activity, and effectiveness of its individual components or agents. A group of very important immune system agents are called macrophages.
Research shows that Aloe has the ability to stimulate macrophages. Macrophages are scavenger cells found in the bloodstream and other tissues. These immune system agents help the immune system “see” dangerous microorganisms and tumor cells and then help remove the bacteria or other foreign bodies from the blood. The long chain polysaccharides (B 1-3 and B 1-4 glucomannans) have direct immune-enhancing and modulating properties. These properties include increasing immune cell production and stimulating and improving white blood cell activity.
Aloe provides excellent nutritional support for a smooth-running immune system by modulating the immune system through at least 23 different polypeptides (immune stimulators). This ability to modulate the immune system helps us better understand how Aloe can aid controlling a broad spectrum of immune system diseases and disorders, including HIV and AIDS. The polypeptides, plus Aloe’s anti-tumor agents such as emodin and lectins, help explain its ability to possibly aid in the treatment of cancer.
“My liver assay results went to the normal range within nine months of starting Body Balance.”
Gall Lambourne was on the brink of losing her liver when she tried Body Balance.
“In January of 1999 I became extremely ill and was diagnosed with Hepatitis C (a disease caused by a virus). After being bedridden for almost two months I was close to liver failure. The only therapy the liver specialists offered was the drug program that would cost me a lot of money, and there were no guarantees! (Not to mention how ill the drug program would make me feel.)
“I chose to go in search of a naturopathic treatment plan instead. For 18 months I tried all kinds of “stuff.” I had some benefits, but nothing seemed to help consistently.
“Then in September of 2000 I was introduced to Body Balance. I started drinking it and immediately began to feel more energy. With each blood test my results improved and the rest is history!
“I still have Hepatitis C, but I can do everything and function like a “normal” person. Since I started drinking Body Balance, my test results have never jumped around. They are consistently better. My liver assay results went to the normal range within nine months of starting the liquid supplement.
Body Balance has given my body what it needed to fight this disease, and they gave my liver a chance to heal and repair itself.”
Gastrointestinal Health
The digestive tract is a complex system of organs responsible for converting the food we eat into the nutrients we need to live. Diseases of the digestive tract are responsible for the hospitalization of more people in the United States than any other group of disorders. Diseases that fall under this umbrella term include heartburn, ulcers, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, and hemorrhoids.
In the last few decades, research has shed light on some of the more interesting aspects of digestive diseases. These studies show that digestive diseases once thought to have been caused by emotional problems (especially stress) may, in fact, be the result of viruses interacting with the body’s immune system. Doctors now know that an ulcer has more to do with the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori than with the level of stress.
Many studies about Aloe and gastrointestinal health have been conducted. These studies show that Aloe improves bowel regularity, increases protein absorption, decreases the presence of unfriendly bacteria and yeast, and increases water content of the stool. All of these benefits are essential for people suffering from gastrointestinal disease (See Appendix A).
Blood Sugar
Currently more than 58 million Americans are considered obese. This number has increased by 74 percent since 1991. During that time, diabetes has increased by 61 percent. It is no coincidence that these two numbers have increased similarly. The link between these two deadly diseases is unbalanced blood sugar levels.
The more we maintain a fairly stable level of sugar molecules in our blood, the easier it is to control portion sizes, have energy to exercise, and burn fat. When blood sugar levels fall too low, the brain signals us to find some concentrated carbohydrates (sweets) to rapidly raise blood sugar levels. Some symptoms of low blood sugar are irritability, weakness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, shakes, jitters, and uncontrollable hunger. When blood sugar levels rise too high or rise too quickly—like after we eat refined sugar—our bodies respond hormonally by making insulin. If you’ve ever ridden a roller coaster over and over again for an entire day, then you may know how a body feels when it goes from low blood sugar to high blood sugar over and over again. Not a pleasant experience!
More regulated blood sugar levels have been observed in individuals using Aloe on a regular basis. One single-blind study in Thailand reported that combining one tablespoon of Aloe juice two times each day with glyburide (a medication to lower blood sugar in diabetics), significantly improved blood sugar and lipid levels in people with diabetes. The control group that was just fed the glyburide did not fare as well.
Time Line of Important Aloe Research Since 1934
1934—First modern medical paper about Aloe vera published in the United States by G.E. Collins. The paper describes using an Aloe leaf to heal radiation dermatitis on the forehead of a 31-year-old woman.
1945—A Russian scientist reports that Aloe juice was a very effective treatment of a skin disease caused by parasites, and that it is an effective treatment for many types of lung disorders.
1947—A study in Philadelphia reports that Aloe vera heals skin injuries at least one-third faster than any other treatment 1950—Research shows that Aloe sap kills Tubercle bacilli (Tuberculosis).
1956—Aloe shown to not just heal but also prevent radiation burns and skin cancer.
1957—Aloe shown to help cure periodontal disease.
1963—Paper showing how patients with chronic peptic ulcers were successfully treated with Aloe.
1966—Antibacterial and anti-fun gal properties of Aloe are found and discussed.
1966—Reports showing Aloe used to treat atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
1967—A study shows patients with glaucoma (an eye disease) are helped with Aloe.
1969—Aloe is shown to kill or control various organisms including:
Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus viridaus, Candida albicans, Corynebacterium xerosis, and the five strains of Streptococcus mutant. Researchers also conclude that Aloe is a very powerful anti-inflammatory.
1968—Research shows patients with high blood pressure use Aloe to reduce their readings.
1970—Scientific study on the positive implications of Aloe on the liver is published.
1978—Research from Oklahoma State University reports that Aloe contains a broad spectrum of free amino acids, free monosaccharides, and total saccharides. Ingredients in Aloe are confirmed to be anticholesterol, anti-pain, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial.
1978—A journal reports the possible use of Aloe with infertility.
1980—Aloe is shown to be an immunostimulant, or in other words, it may stimulate the immune system in order to help it fight off disease and infection more effectively Another researcher reports on Aloe being used to treat syphilis.
1982—Aloe is shown to be effective in the treatment of arthritis.
1985—A researcher confirms that drinking Aloe vera juice improves digestion and helps with yeast infections, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, and stomach acid. Two other researchers show positive results using Aloe in the treatment of kidney disease and asthma.
1986—A published study from Saudi Arabia states that Aloe is able to lower the blood glucose in diabetic patients. Paper concludes that Aloes contain a hypoglycemic agent, which lowers the blood glucose.
1987—A report from Texas shows Aloe vera stopped the progress of AIDS. The same research further concluded that Aloe would control or kill many other viruses, including the viruses that cause the common cold, measles, mumps, chicken pox, flu, and other viral diseases, This same year there were three other separate and distinct reports citing Aloe in the treatment of acne, frostbite, and shingles.
1989—Researchers from Japan report that Aloe contains at least three anti-tumor agents: emodin, mannose, and lectin. 1994—FDA approves Aloe for human testing against the human immune-deficiency virus (HIV), the virus which causes AIDS. 1998—A report shows positive results in treating chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia with Aloe.
1999—A group of scientists finds that Aloe contains neuromuscular properties.
2001—Major report done on the high antioxidant levels found in Aloe. A different report shows Aloe to be hypotensive.
2002—A research paper reports on the use of Aloe with thyroid problems.
2003—Research on the potential benefit of Aloe in intercellular communication.
2004—Anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe vera in human intestinal tissue. Aloe was found to help restore the necessary mucus lining of the intestinal tract.
NOTE: Information used to compile this timeline was taken from Aloe Myth-Magic Medicine and over 400 studies on Aloe vera listed in PUBMED.
Is All Aloe the Same?
Not all Aloe is the same. In Body Balance, the Aloe barbadensis is organic and has been properly grown, processed, and stabilized according to the certification standards of the International Aloe Science Council (IASC).
The International Aloe Science Council is a non-profit trade organization for the Aloe vera industry world-wide. Its members include Aloe growers as well as those who produce Aloe-containing products. The Council monitors current Aloe growers to ensure their Aloe is of the finest quality. This assures consumers that the Aloe product they are buying is of the highest quality.
Some may try and pass off inferior Aloe products, or products that are mostly composed of fillers. However, if the IASC seal of approval is on the product, you are guaranteed the product is what it says it is.
Most people don’t realize there is a huge difference between a plant that is “organic” versus a plant called “natural.” Something that is organically grown means that the plant has been grown and processed using natural methods without the use of synthetic (or man-made) chemicals. Natural simply means that the plant is not of man-made origin. Few, if any, plants are man-made, which means it is very easy to slap the word “natural” in front of a plant. To earn the name of organic, however, a plant must be grown under certain conditions.
Organic Aloe is grown on a farm that is free of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Soil fertility is replenished and maintained, biodiversity is enhanced, and water sources are protected.
SECTION 3: SEA VEGETABLES
“Knowledge of the oceans is more than a matter of curiosity. Our very survival may hinge upon it.”
—President John F. Kennedy March 1961, in a message to Congress
Even though the ocean covers 70 percent of the earth, most of its waters remain unexplored and untouched by human life. Housed within the earth’s oceans are millions and millions of pounds of food - food that is unlike the food grown on land. This food is not depleted of important nutrients. This food is not harvested before it is ripened. In fact, this food may very well be the most potent form of nutrition currently available. In an article in the Wall Street Journal, it confirmed that sea vegetables were on the top of most nutrition charts. The headline stated, “Green and Slimy and Two Billion Years Old? Eat It.”
Sea vegetables go by the names of sea plants, “greens,” sea algae and several other titles. Sea vegetables are one of the oldest forms of life on this planet. Some are microscopic and some grow to gigantic size, weighing in at 200 pounds. Sea vegetables come in different colors, the main three being brown, green, and red. Many sea vegetables grow by attaching themselves to objects in the ocean and absorbing nutrients directly from the water. There are over 77 naturally occurring elements in sea water, which accounts for the high nutritional value and variety of potential uses for sea vegetables.
Historically, sea vegetables have been used by coastal cultures as an important source of food and medicine. For centuries, Asian populations have used the plants not only as food, but also in traditional medicine. In France, traditional healers have used sea plants for hundreds of years to treat fatigue, obesity, nervous disorders, and diseases related to aging. In Japan, where the incidence of heart disease is much lower than in the United States, nearly 25 percent of the daily diet consists of sea vegetables. Other cultures that eat lots of plants from the sea report health benefits such as lower blood pressure and a stronger, cleaner liver.
Most sea vegetables contain a concentration of potassium, chlorine, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur phosphorus, iodine, iron, copper, manganese, and a great variety of trace elements. The trace elements found in sea vegetation are much more easily assimilated into the body than those same elements in synthetic mineral form. Sea vegetables also contain vitamins (and pro-vitamins or the precursors to vitamins) such as A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D3, and E. In addition, they are sources of a number of other beneficial phytonutrients such as alginate (a health-promoting fiber), amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), pigments (where the plants get their rich color), phytohormones (plant hormones), and five of the eight essential sugars.
The slimy texture of sea vegetables actually contributes to its potent health benefits. The same compounds that create that “unique feel.” In Body Balance nine different brown, green, and red sea plants are used.
Brown Sea Plants
Brown sea plants are probably the most well-known of all life in the ocean. The great kelp beds found off the coasts of the Pacific U.S., Norway, Ireland, Japan, and many other places are examples of brown sea plants. Packed with nutrition, the brown sea plant provides a healthy source of many of the phytonutrients our bodies need.
Whole brown sea plants contain a type of fiber called alginate. Alginate is a viscous gum that is found in the cell walls of brown sea plant. Once ingested in the human body, it binds with unwanted compounds, such as cholesterol or toxins. After binding with the unwanted substance, alginate makes it non-digestible and then carries it out of the body. In so doing, alginate may help lower cholesterol levels and detoxify the liver.
The four brown sea plants used in Body Balance are Fucus vesicuiosus, Maria esculenta, Laminaria digitata, and Ascophyllum nodosum.
Fucus vesiculosus
The common name for Fucus vesiculosus is bladder wrack. It is grown on the coastline of colder regions including the northwestern United States and northern Europe. The plant has receptacles that are usually swollen at the ends, which has everything the plant needs to reproduce (both eggs and sperms). When it’s about to die, the seaweed’s swollen ends will burst. This way the plant manages to reproduce itself.
The plant has a thick skin that secretes a sticky substance that helps keep it moist. It contains fucoidan and myostatin, which have been reported to have varying health benefits such as being an anti-coagulant (blood thinning and anti-clotting), anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral. There will be more about fucoidan and it benefits in the section about the brown sea plant Ascophyllum nodosum.
Fucus vesicuiosus also contains alginate. Besides helping to excrete toxins from the body, alginate may also positively affect the immune system T-cells and support the endocrine system (or hormone system) in the body. Lastly, alginate from Fucus has been used to help control gastroesophageal reflux disease (also known as GERD). GERD is a type of chronic heartburn. Statistics show that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn once a month. The alginate from Eucus may help control the reflux problem and reduce the acidity content of the stomach.
“I no longer crashed at the end of the day.”
Michael Pollock tells how his energy for life returned after drinking Body Balance.
“I am a service electrician. My specialty is solving major electrical problems in a hurry. Being up high on a power pole, with cold gusting winds biting my face and fingers, I need to have my wits about me.
“At the end of each day on the job, I would sit in my service van, exhausted. I would then drive home, crash in my chair, and not want to do anything else. I wouldn’t want to talk to anyone, help clean the house, do laundry, or even shovel snow, which is a pretty big job where I come from. My family told me I was crabby. Then I would spend my weekends helping my brother on the farm. I was exhausted.
“Then, in December of 2002, I was told about a liquid supplement called Body Balance that helped revitalize the body. I was curious, and I placed an order. A couple of days later I opened a bottle of the stuff and guzzled a few gulps. I did this every morning for two weeks. I soon noticed my energy level increased. I was able to handle stress at work and home a heck of a lot better. I slept better, and I no longer crash at the end of the day.
AIaria esculenta
The brown alga name Maria esculenta is translated to mean “edible wings.” Alaria sea vegetables have a nice flavor, and they are popular as a food item in some cultures. Like other brown sea vegetation, Alaria esculenta contains fucans—carbohydrate-related nutrients that are often described as the “slimy stuff” found on the outside of the skin of the plant.
Alaria esculenta is made up of 42 percent alginate. In addition, it contains fucoidan, and a number of amino acids (or protein building blocks) . Lastly, Alaria escuienta is relatively high in potassium which helps promotes a healthy nervous system.
Laminaria digitata
Laminaria is a perennial type of sea plant, meaning that it grows back year after year. As with the some of the other brown sea vegetables, Laminaria digitata contains potassium, iodine, and calcium, which may promote health of the nervous system, thyroid gland, and bone structure. There has been quite a bit of research done on Laminaria digitata because of its apparent health benefits. We will discuss just a few studies.
A couple of recent studies (in 2003 and 2004), demonstrated that in a laboratory setting Laminaria digitata displayed strong anti-cancer properties. For example, in the first study a solution extracted from Laminaria digitata had a strong inhibitory activity against the spreading of human leukemia cells. The second study looked specifically at tumor cells. In this experiment the extract from Laminaria digitata killed tumor cells in both in vitro and in vivo tests. In vivo means the extract was able to kill the tumor cells within a living biological organism (such as rats), whereas in vitro means the experiment was done in a test tube or some similar medium.
Another study, completed as recently as 2005, showed that a preparation made from Laminaria digitata acted as an effective vaccine against several disease-causing fungi in the human body such as Candida albicans, which is involved in various gastrointestinal as well as vaginal infections.
Ascophyllum nodosum
Ascophyllum nodosum is a slow growing sea vegetable found in the northern Atlantic ocean. It grows by attaching itself to rocks and boulders and can live to be several decades old.
It contains high amounts of fucoidan—a specialized polysaccharide. Fucoidan molecules tend to bond with sulphate groups. While this may not say much to the rest of us, scientists know that the higher the sulphate group count in a plant, the higher the plant’s medicinal potential.
It is believed the high fucoidan count in Ascophyllum nodosum may be why in studies an extract from the sea plant helped prevent blood coagulation. This could be beneficial for those at risk for heart disease and stroke. Additionally, fuicoidan has been shown to have significant cancer-fighting properties. In an in vitro (or not in a live animal) test, a fucoidan extract from Ascophyllum nodosum was able to reverse the spreading of cancer cells. And in mice, the same extract significantly reduced the size of cancerous tumors.
Possible Health Benefits from Fucoidan
Enhances immunity
Relieves stomach disorders
Fights allergies
Improves and supports liver function
Inhibits blood clotting
Fights free radicals
Lowers cholesterol levels
Promotes healthy skin
Decreases high blood pressure
Regulates blood sugar
Green Sea Plants
Green sea plants can be found in both fresh and marine waters. These plants range in size from a single-cell organism to large vegetation. Since green sea vegetables are dependent on the sun for photosynthesis, they are usually found in shallow waters.
Green seaweed is a good source of chlorophyll in the plant world. Eating high levels of chlorophyll has been linked to helping fight against anemia and helping stimulate the production of red blood cells in the body.
The green seaweed in Body Balance is Ulva lactuca.
Ulva lactuca
Ulva Iactuca is often called sea lettuce. It grows in many areas around the world but especially in the northern hemisphere. Ulva Iactuca has a long history of being used in different cultures medicinally. In Cuba, sea lettuce was boiled and then drunk as a juice to kill intestinal worms. In Bretagne, the plant was applied directly on wounds to help stop infection.
The main elements within Ulva lactuca are bioactive substances as well as fiber, iron, calcium, and magnesium. It contains polysaccharide fibers that cannot be dissolved or degraded by digestive enzymes. This aids in digestion. One particular polysaccharide within Ulva iactuca is called ulvan. Ulvan is a sulfated polysaccharide that has been shown to kill cancerous colon cells. Researchers from France reported ulvan proved to be useful in killing various human cancer cells.
The iron content in sea lettuce is high, 15 times higher than the iron found in an egg yolk or spinach. Iron is known to stimulate the immune system and improve overall strength and physical performance.
Calcium is what makes up bones and teeth. In addition, it helps with muscle contraction, including the very important muscle that we all want to keep contracting...the heart! Magnesium is another important mineral that works in conjunction with calcium. The two help prevent cardiovascular disease, and they also help maintain the cell health of the nerves in the body.
A bioactive substance discovered within Ulva lactuca in 2000 is a biologically active steroid discovered called 3-O-beta-D glucopolyranosylstigmasta-5. This plant steroid has been found to be anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial (or in other words it kills off harmful microscopic bacteria). It also tested positive against 10 different fungi and yeast strains.
Red Sea Plants
Red sea plants are found in somewhat deeper marine waters. They are extremely brittle, and they prefer the calmer depths of around 15 to 30 feet deep. There are thousands of species of red sea vegetation, and most of them are multi-cellular. Many red sea vegetables secrete calcium carbonate, which naturally builds ocean reefs.
Porphyra yezoensis
Nori, a sea plant known to scientists as Porphyrayezoensis, is one of the most widely used sea vegetables in Japan. It has been grown in Japan as a food source for hundreds of years. As a plant, it is highly nutritious. It contains minerals such as zinc and copper, as well as various vitamins and provitamins.
As of late, Porphyra yezoensis has also become the subject of a number of health-related studies. It has been shown to help healthy liver activity, prevent the occurrence of gallstone disease, and control blood cholesterol levels. It also contains sulfated polysaccharides, which may inhibit the growth of certain tumors and help prevent ulcer activity in shay ulcers.
Porphyra yezoensis is a potent source of vitamin B. Diseases aggravated by low levels of vitamin B in the body are dermatitis (skin inflammation), depression, and anemia (low iron). One recent study, published in 2001, showed that Porphyra yezoensis has high amounts of bioavailable vitamin B. In the study, after B-deficient rats were fed extracts of Porphyra yezoensis their symptoms from the B-deficiency were undetectable. Tests revealed the rats’ vitamin B levels were significantly increased. Another study has shown that Porphyra yezoensis contains compounds that fight fungus.
Gigartina chamissoi
Gigartina chamissoi is a leafy, red seaweed. There has been quite a bit of research done on the natural carrageenans found within Gigartina. Carrageenans are a special kind of polysaccharide. Originally, carrageenans from red seaweed were extracted and used for gelling and thickening agents in the food industry. Then it was discovered that some of these carrageenans worked well in skin products and cosmetics.
Within the last few years, scientists have discovered that the carrageenans in Gigartina also possess some unique medicinal properties. Among other things, they have found them be antibacterial as well as antiviral. In fact, one study showed that an extract of Gigartina could kill the bacteria Streptococcus. In addition, in 1997 scientists from Argentina found carrageenans in Gigartina to be anti-herpetic (able to kill the herpes viruses) and anti-coagulant (able to prevent blood from clotting).
Chondus cripus
Chondus cripus grows in thick patches and has leaf tips that are iridescent. Once the sea plant is removed from the water, however, it loses its color. This plant is rich in iodine, which is known to promote a healthy thyroid. Chondus cripus is a powerful antioxidant that has a unique genetic structure. Scientific literature reports that one single gene isolated from Chondus cripus contained a polypeptide of 825 amino acids.
The role of antioxidants is important to health. Sickness, particularly chronic illness, has been attributed to the high presence of free radicals in our modern society. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that bombard normally healthy cells and damage them by taking an electron. The damage from free radicals can be countered with antioxidants. Antioxidants stop free radical damage by donating an electron without becoming a free radical themselves.
Palmaria
High in potassium and calcium, the red sea plant Palmaria palmata is named for its resemblance to the palm of the human hand. Like other red sea vegetables, it is also known for its high levels of healthy antioxidants.
One scientific journal reports that Palmaria palmate has anti-cancer properties. Extracts from the sea plant were tested on human cervical cancer cells. It was found that chemicals in the sea plant stopped the cells from reproducing and spreading. Another health benefit of Palmaria palmate may be to those with irregular blood sugar and even those with diabetes. Scientists found that the polysaccharides in Palmaria palmate affect the intestinal absorption of glucose and insulin response.
Angela Scully, a professional in nutrition, tells of her experience with her clients after using Body Balance.
“My name is Angela Scully, and I live in Canada. I have a private wellness clinic where I offer alternative health services in blood analysis, iridology, and nutritional consulting. Like many people in the professional side of the wellness industry, I am inundated with the “latest and greatest” natural nutritional products on the market. I was sick and tired of the dialogue, and I had become quite laded and skeptical about most natural products. Luckily, I had a friend and mentor who was very persistent that I take a look at Body Balance. The supplement is a whole food supplement that comes in a liquid, ionic form. She asked me to evaluate the product for her. So I did, and I saw some incredible results
“After using Body Balance, I was able to reduce my inventory of other “natural” products. Almost every client that walks through my door is lacking foundational nutrition! By using Body Balance with my clients, I took six other products off my shelves. My clients love not having to take so many different products, and the savings in dollars has been greatly appreciated since now my clients only buy one supplement instead of six. Life is so much simpler. My clients are happier, have better results, and we all are living in wellness for the first time in many of our lives.”
SECTION 4: THE NEED FOR BALANCE
The previous three sections have explained just how important natural, whole food compounds are within our bodies. Both Aloe and sea vegetation contain elements that are crucial in maintaining health in the smallest of cells to the largest of organs.
In our modern world, we have a need to rebalance our bodies. This balancing act will not come by synthetic means. Whole food nutrition is the best source of complete nourishment. It is as Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine.” Years later science has done nothing but confirm this statement.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4 billion people, or 80 percent of the world population, currently use plants as medicine for some aspect of primary health care. Plant-based medicine is a major part in all indigenous people’s traditional medicine as well as in Ayurvedic, homeopathic, naturopathic, traditional oriental, and Native American Indian medicine. WHO reports that of 119 plant-derived pharmaceutical medicines, about 74 percent are used in modern medicine in ways that correlate directly with their traditional uses.
Remember, however, just because the label says natural it doesn’t mean that it is whole food nutrition. It could be a natural synthetic that has been chemically extracted from a plant in laboratory. This synthetic extraction often destroys the synergistic qualities of the whole food. In addition, keep in mind that nearly 100 percent of liquids are absorbed directly into the blood. Liquid whole food nutrition keeps the many different types of phytonutrients intact, including the essential sugars and provitamins that are often missing from our modern diets.
When the body is in balance, it has a stronger immune system to ward off disease. It has the energy it needs to keep going the entire day, and it has the ability to fall into a deep, restful sleep. As we rejuvenate our bodies each day through the whole food nutrition of Aloe vera and unique sea vegetation, we help promote a healthy balance in our bodies that will benefit every part of our daily lives.
APPENDIX A:
IMPORTANT REFERENCES TO ALOE
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Preliminary report,” J Am Osteopathic Assoc 1963;62:73 1—35.
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6. Bunyapraphatsara N, Yongchaiyudha 5, Rungpitarangsi V, Chokechaijaroenporn 0. ‘Antidiabetic activity of Aloe Vera L. juice: Clinical trial in diabetes mellitus patients in combination with glibenclamide,” Phytomed 1 996;3:245—48.
7. Corsi MM, Bertelli AA, Gaja G, Fulgenzi A, Ferrero ME. “The therapeutic potential of Aloe Vera in tumor-bearing rats,” mt J Tissue React 1998 20:4 115-8.
8. David,Rober . Aloe Vera—A scientific approach, Vantage Press mc,
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Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) Extracts,” J Agric Food Chem. 2003
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12. lena laM. “The therapeutic properties of Aloe,” Lik Sprava 1993 Feb-Mar :2-3 142-5.
13. Klein AD, Penneys NS. “Aloe Vera,” J Am Acad Dermatol 1988 Apr 18:4 Pt 1 714-20.
14. Korkina L, Suprun M, Petrova A, Mikhal’chik E, Luci A, De
Luca C. “The protective and healing effects of a natural antioxidant
formulation based on ubiquinol and Aloe Vera against dextran sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis in rats,” Biofactors. 2003; 18(1-4) :255-
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15. Langmead L, Makins RJ, Rampton DS. “Anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe Vera gel in human colorectal mucosa in vitro,” Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2004 Mar;19(5):521-7.
16. Leung MY, Liu C, Zhu LF, Hui YZ, Yu B, Fung KR. “Chemical and biological characterization of a polysaccharide biological response modifier from Aloe Vera. L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berg,” Glycobiology. 2004 Jan 22.
17. Okyar A, Can A, Akev N, Baktir G, Sutlupinar N. “Effect of Aloe Vera leaves on blood glucose level in type I and type II diabetic rat models,” Phytother Res 2001 Mar 15:2 157-61.
18. Pecere T, Gazzola MV, Mucignat C, Parolin C, Vecchia FD, Cavaggioni A, Basso G, Diaspro A, Salvato B, Carli M, Palu G. “Aloe-emodin is a new type of anticancer agent with selective activity against neuroectodermal tumors,” Cancer Res 2000 Jun 1 60:11
19. Pugh N, Ross SA, ElSohly MA, Pasco DS. “Characterization of
Aloeride, a new high-molecular-weight polysaccharide from Aloe Vera
with potent immunostimulatory activity,” J Agric Food Chem 2001
Feb 49:2 1030-4.
20. Saada HN, Ussama ZS, Mahdy AM. “Effectiveness of Aloe Vera on the antioxidant status of different tissues in irradiated rats, Pharmazie. 2003 Dec; 58(12) :929-31.
21. Sabeh F, Wright T, Norton SJ. “Jsozymes of superoxide dismutase from Aloe Vera,” Enzyme Protein 1996 49:4 212-21.
22. Shamaan NA, Kadir KA, Rahmat A, Ngah WZ. “Vitamin C and Aloe Vera supplementation protects from chemical hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat,” Nutrition 1998 Nov-Dec 14:11-12 846-52.
23. Syed TA, Ahmad SA, Holt AH, et al. “Management of psoriasis with Aloe Vera extract in a hydrophilic cream: A placebo-controlled double-blind study,” Trop Med mt Health 1996; 1:505—9.
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END NOTES
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~ Aloe Myth-Magic Medicine, Universal Graphics, 1989.
~ Wall Street Journal, January 19, 2000.
6 William M. Brady, MD; Carrie P. Ogorek, MD. “Gastroesophageal reflux disease: The long and the short of therapeutic options,”
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