Aloe Vera question for Dia

[bookworm]

Dia, I'm wondering if you've heard, read or seen any information about aloe vera pills vs. juice? I've been taking the juice for a while, and I noticed they do have pill form at WM with supplements, and with the juice tasting like I'm sucking on a twig, I'd prefer a pill. Just wondering what you think. I haven't seen any amazing results yet, but I'll keep you posted. I only recently moved up from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup daily. I take it at the same time as my grape juice and apple cider vinegar tonic. I've had a nasty cold this weekend, but once that's gone, I'll start looking for signs of clearer skin, weight loss, etc.

Thanks!!

[Dia Minha]

Bookworm, I have heard of them, but I haven't done any research on them specifically. I have a really hard time swallowing pills so I advoid them at all costs. The main reason I use the Slim Fast is it is vitamin foritfied and can count as my daily multi-vitamin, with no pills. I even take my echanecea(sp?) and vitamin C in liquid form, through Airborn, because it is dissolved in a cup of water like alkaseltzer(sp?). I will take a pain pill every once in a while, but I would prefer a liquid.

The only thing I do know, is it is a more concentrated form. So of course you wouldn't have to take the same amount.

I don't want to discourage you, however, it might take a while before you see a difference. One article I read said it could take 3 months to a year to detox your liver. Of course it would depend on how fatty your liver is.

I feel like I have been coming down with a cold too. I got started on my Airborne early enough, hopefully it won't go to a full blown cold. I hope you feel better soon. The aloe vera juice is supposed to help boost your immune system too.

My eating has been terrible, but I'm still averaging a pound a week. So something is working. Yes, please keep me updated. I would love to do an experiment some day to see the results personally. Maybe I could get 20 of my WW buddies to experiment with me and post the results. When I get brave enough to ask them, that is.

Dia

[5ft Diva]

Pill form, eh? That sounds much more appealing.

[bookworm]

Dia, thank you for your thoughts. I actually have a high gag reflex, and liquids set it off faster than pills, so I may have to try the pills when my juice runs out. My son thinks I'm funny saying it, but the aftertaste of the juice is like sucking on tree bark! I'll have to see if I can find any research comparing the two. I would also need to find dosage recommendations, huh?

I hope you kick your cold, too, Dia. I immediately started taking zinc and extra vitamin c, when I realized I was getting it, and it's about gone, now. I woke up today and could breath! There was a feeling of something in my chest, but when I got moving and ate and had my juice, it went away, so I'm about 75% now. I should be 100% by tomorrow, I think.

If I find anything out, I'll post it.

[Dia Minha]

Thanks BW. I think I caught it early enough. I have that little tingling, burning sensation in my nose and throat for several days now and nothing else. Man I love my Airborne. The last cold I had lasted for less than five days. Everyone else with the same cold was sick for 10-14.

Good luck with your research. If I come across anything I'll let you know. And yes it is pretty nasty.

Dia

[5ft Diva]

BW, I'm so glad to hear you're doing much better!

[5ft Diva]

Hey, BW, are you still taking aloe vera? How's it working? BS says he notices a difference when he doesn't take it. Just wondering.

[bookworm]

nope. No money = no extras and that counts as extra. DH thought it might be beneficial when he was taking it, but it's been a while. I don't recall really noticing a drastic difference, but our friend (my neighbor) was taking it too for a while.. I wonder if she noticed any difference?

[Dia Minha]

I'm still taking it. I too notice a difference when I miss too many days.

[Big_Sissy]

I don't really notice anything. When I do take it, my kidneys get a bit sore after I have slept. I have no idea other than it seems that the soreness is due to the kidneys being cleansed maybe?

The biggest difference is I have lost nearly 30 lbs since I started taking it. I cannot 100% say this is the cause, but I've never just lost weight before. And I'm steadily losing a pound or so a week. Maybe 3lbs a month. And it all started when I started drinking it.

[bookworm]

dang! I wish I had seen results like that. Maybe I'll have to try again.

[Big_Sissy]

I honestly didn't expect it either. But it's the only thing I can think of that's changed. I have stopped eating out quite as much, but still, I sit at a desk all day long and drink Diet Coke. I am a little more active with working on our basement, but not really. Not enough to make a difference I don't think.

I've just been consistently drinking a cup or so. I only drink it when I remember, which averaged is probably once every 4 days or so.

[Dia Minha]

BigS, if you are having soreness in your kidneys, you might want to have your potassium (sp) levels checked. Aloe vera juice can mess with your potassium levels, causing them to go too high or too low. One thing I just learned recently is that anyone with kidney problems should not drink it. Just a heads up.

[Dia Minha]

Bookworm, if you didn't notice a difference while drinking it, then you just might not have a fatty liver. A fatty liver can be caused by taking certain medications like anti-depressants and synthetic hormones or even too much over the counter pain medication or aritficial sweetners. If you do not have a history of taking any such medications, the aloe vera juice might not help you loose weight. However, I truly believe there are many more benefits than just weight loss. If you get the gallons at Wal-mart it isn't that expensive and it lasts a long time if you only take 1/4-1/2 cup a day.

[Big_Sissy]

Originally Posted by Dia Minha

BigS, if you are having soreness in your kidneys, you might want to have your potassium (sp) levels checked. Aloe vera juice can mess with your potassium levels, causing them to go too high or too low. One thing I just learned recently is that anyone with kidney problems should not drink it. Just a heads up.

Thank you.

I don't have kidney problems per sae, only since drinking the juice. I think my bed has something to do with it as well. It's getting close to retirement.

Fatty liver? I don't recall reading anything about that. I'll have to read up on this.

[Dia Minha]

Actually lying down as a lot to do with it. When I was pregnant with my fifth I was having some kidney pain. The ultrasound technician noticed that I had a third kidney. She couldn't tell if it was a working one or not, but informed me that it would most likely cause more problems as I got older and with each additional pregnancy. She said to relieve the pain, I should lie down on my left side. So any time I felt the pain coming on, usually when I had been sitting or standing for too long, I would go lie down. Within the hour I would have to pee really bad. I swear my kidneys would store up a days worth of liquid and not release it until I lied down.

[Big_Sissy]

I do notice one side is worse than the other, but still can be a pretty big pain. Once I'm not lying down though, I'm fine.

I also have fatty ... I don't know what you would call them, but they are like balls of fat. They are tender to the touch and since losing weight, they are a lot more visible, and hopefully shrinking. They may actually be what is causing (or the source) of the pain since they are located in the exact same areas. I really should and will pay more attention to this and see if those are indeed causing the problem.

[Big_Sissy]

Lipomas -- that's what the fatty lumps are. I had to look it up.

[Meticulous madness]

So, does everybody do the liquid form onlyl? I know there was talk about pill-form in the past and I'm just wondering if anybody knows more now.

I just can't do liquid!

Congrats on the weight loss BS! For whatever reason it's happening, that's awesome!

[Big_Sissy]

I'm a liquid guy. I actually quite like it now.

I drink mine right from the jug (I'm the only one that drinks it).