How safe is Aloe Ferox Bitters when used for constipation?

How safe is Aloe ferox bitters when used for

constipation?

Constipation is not a disease, but the inefficient functioning of

a biological process. Research on constipation have shown

that Aloe ferox bitters is an effective laxative for acute

constipation and that the bitters does not present any safety

risks for short- or long-term use in this regard.

However, research for one bowel condition should never simply be extended

for self-treatment of other bowel conditions. For example, chronic constipation

may be a sign of an underlying disorder, which should be identified and treated

as such. It may also be a sign of a low-fibre diet or even a high-fibre diet but

with insufficient water intake ̶ both these can be corrected by lifestyle changes

and does not require any dietary supplements for a long-term solution.

Individuals with bowel diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or

diverticulitis are not advised to use bitter supplements or laxatives since these

increase symptoms of the disease. Long-term use of Aloe ferox extracts to selftreat

diseases is counter indicated, since safety of any product for a specific

condition should be tested for that condition and cannot simply be assumed

from safety reports for other conditions.

Liver health & Aloe ferox

The LIVER is one of our vital organs without which we cannot survive. Since the

liver supports almost every organ in the body, its malfunctioning is severely

debilitating.

In various scientific studies on damaged livers, researchers found a significant

improvement in liver health after treatment with Aloe ferox bitters. Also, those

treated with bitters had much lower damage to their livers than control groups

after other treatments that are known to affect the liver.

This is great news to those who suffer from liver problems as well as those who

have to take medicines that might have adverse effects on the liver. Dose: take

1/4 - 1/2 tablet of Fabulous Fibre Bitter (or a small bitter crystal) every day to

assist in the health of your liver.

Interesting facts about stained colons

Research reports of the 80’s and 90’s questioned the use of

anthraquinones (found in aloe bitters) as a potential risk of

colon cancer because these substances stain the colon.

What does the latest research say?

From studies done between 2000 and 2013 it was shown

that colon staining could be ascribed to many different reasons and that it

cannot be linked to cancer or the risk thereof. Some interesting facts from

these studies:

• Colon staining is due to a natural intestinal pigment (lipofuscin) that

deposits in the colon lining and is not due to the brown pigment found in

bitters.

• Lipofuscin only deposits on normal colon linings and not on growths.

Therefore, during a colonoscopy polyps, glands and other growths

appear “bright” against a stained colon. This actually helps to see lumps!

• The use of bitters does indeed cause staining of the colon. Staining

occurs within 4 months of continuous use and disappears within 12-15

months after discontinuation.

• Study participants, who used bitters for a long period, were compared to

one another to determine if long-term use can be linked to cancerous

growths. Interestingly, healthy patients used bitters on average for about

2 years longer than sick patients – with no indication of cancerous

growths!

• Inflammatory bowel disease causes colon staining – even if

anthraquinones were never used before.

• Many patients with colon growths (benign or malignant) have never used

any laxatives – neither bitters nor others. Also, many of these patients

show no signs of stained colons.

• Undesirable colorectal growths are strongly linked to gender, age and

smoking. These are more predominant in males and the incidence also

increases with aging and with smoking habits.

A Testimonial from one of our customers:

A few years ago I purchased some Aloe Ferox Gel & Bitter Crystals from a vendor at an African Street Fair.  

I was born with a physical deficiency that caused lifelong constipation. As a child I was always sick with fevers because my body was not eliminating properly. I've tried so many things to remedy this condition, from avoiding constipating foods, eating high fiber diets, whole grains, psyllium & flax seeds, to drinking more water, prunes / juices, probiotics, various herbs like senna, triphala, teas, both natural and OTC laxatives, prescription medicines, detox cleanses, enemas, colonics, massage, castor oil internally and external packs, special yogic exercises, etc...

Some were effective temporarily but eventually the condition would return. Some were very expensive, messy or inconvenient. Others caused tremendous pain, cramping, bloating, gas or diarrhea. And sadly, most of these solutions left me even more constipated after I stopped using them, promoting dependence or reducing natural peristalsis as lazy bowel syndrome after using them long term.

This vendor explained how the bitter crystals worked, and I thought being natural it was worth a try. I followed the instructions taking a tiny dose before bed with water, and by morning I was regular with no pain, bloating or cramping, and the results for me were almost miraculous. It was hard to believe such a tiny dosage could have such a powerful balancing effect with no negative side effects.

Aloe Ferox Bitter Crystals are the only product I use now when constipated. I've never experienced any negative side effects from them. The product lasts a very long time so the cost of use is minimal compared to other products/ treatments I've tried, with no mess or inconvenience, They are easy to travel with and something I would not want to be without. It is the only product I have found that works well for me.

The Aloe Ferox skin gel also was almost as miraculous in healing sunburns overnight. I love being in the sun but don't like to use sunscreen because most contain unhealthy ingredients and block natural vitamin D production. This gel helps heal and prevent my skin from that leathery look I used to get after heavy sun exposure. Another wonderful product I would not want to travel without!

Source:

Aloe Ferox Newsletter Oct/Nov 2013 and Testimonial from our customer MS

IBS- Irritable Bowel Syndrome

I have yet again discovered that most chronic diseases have a strong link with emotional distress – and IBS is no exception.

Life is filled with all kinds of stresses and laughter is an excellent way to de-stress.

I hope these make you smile:

• Smile, it's the second best thing you can do with your lips.
• Always remember you're unique... Just like everyone else.
• Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off now.
• Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
• I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes.
• The trouble with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard.
• I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) must not be confused with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD) like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which is characterized by ulcers and inflammation in the intestinal lining.

With IBS, however, the symptoms of abdominal pain, cramping and alternating constipation or diarrhoea can’t be explained because there isn’t any visible inflammation or damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as in IBD.

Normally, food moves through the digestive system due to a constant rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the walls of the GI tract (peristalsis), which is controlled by the nervous system. However, when these peristaltic contractions slow down or speed up it causes constipation or diarrhea. Abnormal contractions can also occur that cause the GI wall to go into spasm, which can be extremely painful.





Subsequently, IBS can be classified as:

• IBS-C: constipation is predominant when nerves signal the GI tract to have less frequent contractions.
• IBS-D: diarrhoea is predominant when nerves signal the GI tract to have more frequent contractions.
• IBS-A: alternating stool pattern is caused when nerve signals are sporadic causing both diarrhoea and constipation.

Therefore IBS is described as a hyperactive or hypersensitive digestive system (spastic colon) due to lack of, or excess stimulation by the nervous system.

Unfortunately, medically there is no cure for IBS, however, you can do a lot to alleviate the symptoms.



In order to control IBS it is essential to isolate the foods that cause the most grief and find a suitable substitute. It is also important to keep in mind that since IBS is mainly triggered by stress, food that normally doesn’t pose a problem may become a trigger food during a stressful day.

1. EAT natural foods like vegetables and fruit rich in soluble fiber and its associated nutrients. DRINK plenty of water.

2. AVOID the following:

• Artificial sweeteners may cause severe cramping and trigger diarrhea.
• Sugar contributes to bloating due to bacterial fermentation.
• Preservatives in food can trigger IBS.
• Carbonated drinks may push gas bubbles into the intestine and contain lots of sugar.
• Coffee is a laxative and can give you abdominal cramps.
• Alcohol irritates the gut lining and upsets digestion.
• Fatty and fried foods as well as cow’s milk can be hard to digest.

3. SUPPLEMENT your diet:

• Whole-leaf Aloe Juice provides soluble fibre that doesn’t irritate the gut lining.
• Fabulous Fibre Bitter assists in alleviating constipation.
• Omega 3, which is called nature’s Prozac, alleviates depression and other mental problems.
• Body Basics provides the necessary minerals and vitamins that are depleted during chronic stress.
• Calci-Boost provides both calcium and magnesium that have been shown to calm an overactive nervous system.
• Vitamin C helps the adrenal glands to produce cortisol to allow normal metabolic functioning of the body.

Replacing the culprits with healthy food choices will not only solve your health problems but also save you a lot of discomfort and pain.

(Marsden, K. 2003. Good Gut Healing. Piatkus:London)

How to Reduce Stress and have a Healthy Colon:

IBS is primarily caused by stress and is typically associated with other stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression as well as PMS, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

All these disorders point to past traumatic events or abuse and ongoing psychological stress.
What these disorders have in common is a lack of the “happy” hormone SEROTONIN and a fatigued adrenal gland, which cause a deficiency in the stress hormone cortisol. It may sound like a good thing, but you can’t function properly with a shortage of cortisol.

In order to cope with the stresses of life it is helpful to use
• Get-a-Grip, which is a mild herbal anti-depressant that helps the GI tract to function properly.
• Slim & Trim, which contains a herb that boosts serotonin to normal levels and alleviates the symptoms of these disorders


This article was originally published in the Aloe Ferox Africa Newsletter, by Ronnie Ambachtsheer (BSc Clinical Nutrition)

Please visit our website at www.aloeferox.us to find a distributor
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Sources:

(Gershon, M.D. 1999. The Second Brain. Harper:New York
Marsden, K. 2003. Good Gut Healing. Piatkus:London)