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Questions
and Answers About Aloe Vera
“It is better to know some of the questions than all
of the answers.” You will see that we don't have
all the answers. Only God has that prerogative.
WHAT
TO EXPECT FROM ALOE VERA...
Q:
Will using aloe vera cure my condition?
A: I don't know. It is dangerous to talk in terms of cure.
Try it and see what beneficial results you receive. I know
of no one who has been harmed by aloe vera. I know of so many
that testify to miraculous benefits. I know the medically
identified properties of the ingredients found in aloe vera.
I know it has worked for me.
Q:
How many of the Desert Harvest Super-Concentrated Aloe Vera
Capsules should I take each day?
A: Based on our clinical trial and other studies, we recommend
that you start with 6 capsules per day, three in the morning
and three in the evening with an 8 ounce glass of liquid.
Some people can eventually find a maintenance dose less than
6 capsules, and others might require as many as 12 capsules
per day, but you won't know until you experiment with your
own individual dosing needs. IC patients should refer to our
dosage
recommendations, which includes escalation protocols if
a standard dose doesn't work for you. It also gives recommendations
for bringing flares under control and instructions for titrating
doses to a maintenance level after your symptoms are under
control.
Q:
I am a diabetic. Can I take aloe?
A: Based on testimony and research, it would appear that
you can. You should monitor your blood sugar level very closely,
especially if you are taking insulin. Research using aloe
vera in diabetics has shown that blood sugar can be reduced
up to 55%. Insulin doses were either reduced or totally eliminated
when study subjects added aloe vera in sufficient quantities
to their daily diet. The mechanism is thought to be related
to aloe vera's beta-cell protective effects, inhibitory effects
on glucose-absortion speed, and a modulataion of liver enzymes.
Q:
Are there side effects when taking concentrated aloe vera?
A:
Concentrated aloe vera with the anthraquinones removed (like
our Desert Harvest products) have no negative side effects,
unless you happen to be allergic to aloe vera. In that case,
you would probably notice immediate hives, trouble breathing,
swelling of the mouth and/or tongue, profuse diarrhea, and/or
vomiting. Less than 1% of the general population can be allergic
to aloe vera, just like any plant. We do notice that many
people with allergies are actually helped by aloe vera, so
the 1% is probably much less, but the possibility is there.
Q:
Why did I feel "crappy" during the first few weeks
of taking your concentrated aloe vera capsules?
A:
In about 2% of our database of more than 15,000 people, we
have recorded what is sometimes called a "die-off"
reaction in the first few weeks of taking our concentrated
aloe vera capsules. We aren't sure exactly why this happens,
but we believe that, because your body now has the building
blocks it needs to heal itself, it begins to correct problems.
This means it replaces damaged cells with healthy ones. Your
body has to do something with those dead cells, so it "detoxifies"
itself by filtering those cells through the kidneys, liver,
and skin. Some people feel kind of achy, like when they have
the flu, or they have a flare of their disease during this
period. Once you are healthier, those "crappy" feelings
should go away.
If you
just started taking Desert Harvest Whole-Leaf Aloe Vera Capsules
and are experiencing a flare of your disease symptoms, you
can either stay at the full dose and "tough it out"
until the healing crisis is complete, or you can take fewer
capsules than the recommended dose for a while. Some people
have dropped down to one or two capsules per day and slowly
added a capsule per day over several weeks until they are
feeling better.
Q:
I've been taking Desert Harvest Aloe Vera Capsules for a while
now and my IC symptoms are nearly gone, but every now and
then I have a brief flare of my symptoms, usually associated
with eating some acidic foods. Can I take more capsules to
bring my symptoms back under control?
A: Absolutely! Many IC patients will take 3 to 6 capsules
immediately when their symptoms flare and can experience relief
within minutes to a few hours. You might have to maintain
an escalated dose for a few days and then begin decreasing
your dose by one capsules per day until you find a maintenance
dose that keeps you symptom free most of the time.
Q:
What do you feel is aloe vera's greatest contribution to good
health and is it a panacea for all disease?
A: Probably the best way to answer this is to quote what
Dr. Terry Pulse said, "If you can hold the progress of
disease in check and if you can stimulate and enhance one's
own defense mechanism, which is your immune system, there
are no diseases that your own body is not capable of conquering
and aloe vera meets those principles." No, I would not
go so far as to say that it is a panacea, but aloe has been
around for 4000 years and has obviously had great benefits
to the body, more so than any other substance that we have
discovered.
Q:
What changes will I notice when taking aloe vera for health
maintenance rather than to treat a particular illness?
A: I cannot identify a specific change that you will notice.
If you are rundown, you will probably notice more dramatic
changes than if you are in good health. I take the product
daily because I know that it helps maintain my healthy condition.
I do know that, since taking aloe, I have developed greater
resistance to illnesses such as the common cold, sore throats,
and the flu. Also, my energy level is higher.
Q:
Why didn't aloe vera help my condition?
A: I don't know. But I will tell you this, in almost every
case where a person has told me that they have received no
benefit and I have been able to determine the brand of aloe
vera they used, it has been my opinion that the brand contained
too small a quantity of aloe in proportion to the amount of
the product consumed to be of any benefit. Then you must be
consistent and take the product every day. Also, aloe is not
a drug. It is a natural modality that helps supply you with
your daily nutritional needs to keep your body defensive and
able to fight against the invasion of disease and to rid your
body of a disease already present. Your body heals itself
if it has the right defense weapons. We believe aloe is one
of those weapons. In clinical studies using aloe vera, you
will never see a 100% response rate.
HOW
TO USE ALOE VERA...
Q:
Can I take aloe along with other vitamins, medicines, and
supplements? Does it make a difference if I take your aloe
vera with or without food?
A: Yes, you can take whatever medications and food supplements
you are currently taking without a problem. As a matter of
fact, most people report back that their other products work
better when taken with aloe. Although you can take your aloe
vera either with or without food and it won't effect the way
it works, you can actually increase the blood levels of certain
nutrients if you take your aloe vera with food. Recent research
by the International Aloe Science Council (IASC) has linked
aloe vera to the bioavailability of vitamins C and E. According
to the research, aloe vera increases levels of vitamins C
and E in the bloodstream by more than 200% when consumed while
taking both vitamins. In addition, levels of these vitamins
remained elevated for 48 hours, providing a natural time-release
effect. The study also concluded that aloe vera can enhance
the bioavailability of both water- and fat-soluble vitamins.
Q:
How much aloe should I take?
A: First, you must know the polysaccharide count in the
brand you are taking. Then you should take an amount that
is equal to the need. Most people who are in perfect health
tell us they use 400 to 1200 milligrams of polysaccharides
per day (that is 2 to 6 capsules per day of the Desert Harvest
Super-Strength Aloe Vera). Those people with serious problems
take 1200 to 4200 milligrams daily (6 to 18 capsules per day).
You don't fight a forest fire with a garden hose. It is better
to take more than less, especially when you are trying to
recover from a disease or other medical problem. I have never
heard of a reaction from taking too much.
Q:
Can I take concentrated aloe vera while I am pregnant or nursing?
A:
Because our aloe vera concentrates haven't been studied specifically
in pregnant women, the FDA doesn't allow us to recommend them
during pregnancy. However, I can tell you that aloe vera concentrates
with the anthraquinones removed (like our products) can be
taken safely by babies and very young children with no problems.
The primary ingredient in the aloe plant is a long-chain sugar
called a polysaccharide. There are more than 200 individual
ingredients in the aloe plant, most of which are nutritional,
but there are ingredients that are unidentifiable.
Q:
My bottle of Desert Harvest Aloe Vera Capsules has expired.
Are they still okay to take?
A: Yes, they are perfectly safe to take if they have been
kept at room temperature or below without being exposed to
excessive heat and humidity for long periods of time. Our
shelf-life tests indicate that all of our Desert Harvest food
supplements containing our super-concentrated aloe vera are
still bioactive five years from the manufacturing date. We
chose to use a three-month shelf life while we continue to
study archived samples to see how many more years they will
last, but indications are that they are good indefinitely
as long as they aren't exposed to excessive heat or moisture
for long periods of time (like a car's glove compartment for
months during the summer in Arizona, or open without a lid
on a humid bathroom shelf).
TYPES
OF ALOE VERA PRODUCTS...
Q:
Which is better, concentrate or regular 1X aloe?
A: If you have a quality brand of aloe vera in the bottle,
a 1X (single strength) is as good as a 15X (fifteen times
stronger than 1X). The difference is that you need to take
15 times more of the 1X to achieve the same amount of the
potentially beneficial active ingredients. One ounce of 15X
is equal to 15 ounces of 1X. Cold processed concentrates had
percentages of the water removed via a single-stage evaporator,
resulting in less bulk, making it easier to store and more
convenient for travel. aloe is not known for its taste, but
you can mask the taste to suit your own taste buds by adding
the concentrate to your favorite beverage. Concentrate costs
less to ship because 1 bottle of 15X would equal 15 1X bottles.
Q:
Are all aloe vera concentrates the same?
A: No. Many concentrates have had heat applied as part
of their process. One company, whose product we recently tested,
processes their aloe using a high-heat evaporation and stabilization
process which caramelizes the sugars and also breaks down
the large chains which science believes contribute so valuably
to healing. It also had extremely high levels of Aloin. Many
companies are labeling their products concentrated when, in
fact, testing reveals very little of the active ingredients
in their products. In other words, their labels are misleading
in that the amount of concentrate stated is grossly inaccurate.
Q:
Are the whole-leaf capsules as effective as the liquid aloe
vera concentrates?
A: According to the people that are using both the capsules
and liquid, they are achieving the same results. People with
interstitial cystitis (IC) shouldn't take liquid aloe veras
because they are usually preserved with citric acid or other
additives to lower their pH. This can cause IC symptoms to
flare.
Q:
Why does the color and taste of aloe vera vary so greatly?
A: That is a good, observant question and one of the most
frequently asked. If you harvest the leaves after a long,
dry period (no rain), it will reflect both a darker color
and a much stronger taste. It also varies from season to season
(summer vs. winter) therefore, variation in color and taste
is very normal and should be expected.
Q:
Can I beneficially take aloe directly from the aloe vera plant?
A: Of course, but there are some things you need to be
aware of. Both the inner and the outer skin have many of the
important ingredients in them, but just under the skin is
a yellowish substance called anthraquinones. These substances
are very strong laxatives. They need to be removed with patented
filtration processes. If you use aloe vera directly from the
plant, you should only use the centermost part of the leaf,
the clear gel. Even though Desert Harvest believes in the
synergy of the whole plant, it is nearly impossible for home
users to remove the anthraquinones and soluble fiber, so we
recommend just slicing out the clear gel. The plant loses
most of its active, beneficial ingredients during its flowering
period and should not be used at that time. Make certain that
the aloe is freshly cut and used immediately. Without processing
and preservatives, aloe loses important properties within
the first six hours after harvest. Finally, make certain that
you really have an aloe vera plant. Some plants are very similar
but have few, if any, beneficial properties. There are over
200 species of aloe vera. You should use the Barbadensis Miller
plant. Really, in most all instances, it's easier to purchase
a commercially prepared, whole-leaf aloe vera concentrate
that has been cold processed and tested for its MPS content.
Q:
Can I raise my own aloe vera?
A: You should be able to. However, if you live in a cold
climate where it freezes in the winter, the plant should be
grown indoors. It is hardy and takes very little care. Don't
overwater it. Give it some occasional plant food and lots
of sun. Having said that, though, please read the previous
question and its answer.
Q:
What effect does using heat have when processing aloe vera?
A: Heat can caramelize the sugars and break down the large
saccharide chains which science believes contribute so valuably
to healing.
Q:
How can I tell if a topical lotion or ointment has enough
aloe vera in it to be of any benefit?
A: Look at the label. The contents should be listed in
percentage of volume. In most lotions and ointments, aloe
is listed last or very near the end of ingredients. This tells
you that the product has very little aloe in it and, in my
opinion, is of little or no worth. aloe should be listed as
the first ingredient on the label if you want to receive the
maximum healing, soothing, and skin care benefits from aloe.
One word of caution -- buy from a reputable supplier of products.
There are some dishonest ones in the industry that list aloe
not in the order of its percentage of volume.
Q:
One supplier indicates that only their aloe product contains
acemannan. Is this true?
A: All aloe vera has acemannan in it. Acemannan comes
from aloe vera. The U.S. Adopted Names Council assigned the
generic name acemannan to a long chain sugar linked, acetylated
polymannose found in aloe vera and first identified by Dr.
Bill McAnalley.
Q:
How can I determine what is a good brand of aloe vera to purchase?
A: There are two ways, one is to rely on testing from
a reliable, independent laboratory. Another is to perform
the testing yourself. It is possible to buy inexpensive test
kits, but beware. Some fraudulent companies are becoming more
sophisticated. They are adding cheap ingredients which are
of no medical value but which fool the simple tests. The more
complex tests which can detect these additions as well as
determine the presence and quantities of aloe are expensive,
usually running between $700 and $1,000 per test. Click here
to see the latest lab tests
on Desert Harvest's aloe vera.
ALOE
VERA AND THE FDA...
Q:
Is aloe vera a drug?
A: No. It is no more a drug than carrots or potatoes
or peaches. It is a natural food. But just as science is beginning
to recognize the value of grains, vegetables, and fruits to
our health, so aloe vera contributes to health as it strengthens
our immune systems.
Q:
Why doesn't the government approve the use of aloe vera as
a drug?
A: They would, but to get registered as a drug would take
several years and costs would be between $100 and $150 million.
When registration is granted, the research company that spent
all the money would not have any proprietary interest since
aloe vera is protected from patent.
Q:
Why doesn't the FDA stop those in the aloe vera industry who
are misrepresenting their product?
A: If you take a 10,000 gallon vat and put one gallon
of aloe vera juice in it and then add 9,999 gallons of water,
you can advertise that it contains 100 percent pure stabilized
aloe vera. That has been the position of the FDA to date.
One FDA representative told me, "It's not our responsibility
to say how much water is in a tomato, an orange, or in aloe
vera." This position, of course, allows the unscrupulous
to dilute the aloe as much as they want. There is no labeling
requirement to list how much water and how much aloe is in
a beverage.
Q:
I am really upset about the frauds in the aloe vera industry.
What can I do?
A: There are several things you can do. First, refuse
to buy aloe vera products that haven't been testsed by an
independent laboratory for sufficient aloe content. Insist
that the producer of the product furnish you with a copy of
the
independent testing results. If they won't supply the
results, don't buy it. Second, educate your local health food
stores and request that they carry only the best, tested aloe
vera products. And third, inform your friends and associates
about the problem in the industry and tell them how they can
determine what products are good.
QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR ORDER...
Q:
What forms of payment do you accept?
A: Desert Harvest accepts cash, checks, money orders,
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. International
customers can even use a wire transfer if they prefer (see
below). It is our policy to request the three-digit security
code located on the back of your credit card on the signature
line (except for American Express, which prints a four-digit
code on the front of the card, located just above the last
four digits of your account number).
We also
have the ability to accept checks by phone (e-checks). All
you need to do is to provide us with the information off the
face of the paper check you would have mailed to us. That
includes your name as it appears on the account, the bank's
name, the bank routing number (first row of numbers in the
bottom left-hand corner of your check), your account number
(the next set of numbers), the check number (printed in the
upper right-hand corner), and what type of account you are
using (checking or savings). Simply call us to place your
order (800-222-3901) and have the paper check handy to provide
us with the above information.
Q:
How do you protect my credit card information?
A: Our ordering system utilizes the highest level of data
encryption legally allowed in the United States. This means
that you can trust that all orders and credit card numbers
are secure in the transmission from your computer to our server.
Q:
Do you ship internationally?
A: Yes. In fact, we have clients in more than 42 countries.
Unfortunately, we do not have translators on staff at the
present time, so all transactions much be completed in English.
If you do not speak English, we recommend that you find a
friend in your town who can translate for you when placing
your order either by telephone or through our secure website
at www.desertharvest.com.
Even though
we have clients all over the world, we do have difficulty
shipping to certain countries, including Italy, Brazil, Argentina,
and most of the African and Eastern European countries. If
your country's customs department returns a package to us,
we cannot refund the shipping charges.
There
are two ways we can handle international orders without a
credit card. One is to place your order over the Internet
and in the place of the credit card, indicate that you want
to pay with a cashier's check or money order in US dollars
from your bank. We will email you back with the exact total
of your order with shipping (in US dollars) and you can take
that to your local bank and request a cashier check or money
order. You will simply airmail that check to Desert Harvest,
20070 Roaming Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80908, USA. When
we receive the check, we will immediately ship your order.
The second
option is a wire transfer from your bank to ours, which happens
immediately and your order can be shipped the same day. There
is an additional $7.50 fee at our end for this option and
your bank may charge you something extra as well. If you choose
this option, simply write "wire transfer" in the
comment space on the Internet order form and we will email
you with your order total and the instructions your bank will
need for the wire transfer.
Q:
How can I check the status of my order?
A: To check the status of your order, log into your Desert
Harvest account at https://www.desertharvest.com/shop/
and click on "Order History", or give us a call
at 1-800-222-3901 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-719-592-0223 (International).
Q:
Can I talk to a live person?
A: Absolutely! Please feel free to call us anytime (Monday
through Friday) between 7:00 AM and
7:00 PM mountain time or Saturdays between
9:00 AM and 3:00 PM
at 1-800-222-3901 (toll free to U.S. and Canada) or 1-719-592-0223
(for all other countries). We are closed on Sundays and all
major U.S. holidays.
Q:
Can I return or exchange an item?
A: You
may return any of our products for a full refund of the unused
portion, no questions asked (up to 6 months after purchase).
Simply box up the bottle(s), enclose a copy of your invoice
(or simply write your name and telephone number on a piece
of paper), and return them to:
Returns
Department
Desert Harvest
20070 Roaming Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80908
Unopened
bottles are refunded at the full price you paid for the product
(without shipping) up to 6 months after purchase. Autoship
customers will be charged a minimum $6.00 restocking fee for
any items returned.
We go
one step further and even take back opened bottles. We count
the capsules, throw them away, and give you a refund for the
portion you didn't use. Most manufacturers of nutritional
supplements won't refund used products, but we like to provide
exceptional customer service that exceeds your expectations.
Q:
I'm concerned about my privacy. Do
you sell your database?
A: Desert
Harvest has long recognized our responsibility to safeguard
the privacy, confidentiality, and security of the customer
information entrusted to us. We do this because it is good
business practice and because we care. We
realize that our customers trust us to protect their personal
information, and we take that responsibility seriously. We
maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to
protect your personal information. Desert Harvest never
sells its database or customer contact information. Click
here to read our complete privacy policy.
Desert Harvest
does not make any health claims regarding any of its products.
Even though we are committed to scientific research, we are
not healthcare professionals. Our products are not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with
any good health measures, it is important for an individual
to be under the routine care of a physician and to follow
the directions of qualified healthcare professionals. The
suggestions, statements, and products on this website have
not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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