Tag Archives: Summer 2007 Catalog

Recipes for using Grapefruit Seed Extract- Summer 2007 Catalog

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Recipes for using Grapefruit Seed Extract:

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Vegetable/Fruit Wash

Add 15 drops of grapefruit seed extract per 32 ounces of water and put into a spray bottle. Shake, spray thoroughly, and rinse afterward.

 

Body Odor Spray

2 fluid ounces distilled witch hazel extract

7 drops grapefruit seed extract

10 drops cypress essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

Mix together in spray bottle. Shake and apply as needed.

 

Odorless Mold Killer Spray

15 drops grapefruit seed extract

2 cups water

Mix together in spray bottle. Spray on troublesome spots. Do not rinse. This mixture keeps well.

 

Dreamy, Creamy Lotion

2 1/2 ounces almond, olive or peanut oil (or a combination)

1 1/2 ounces coconut oil

1 ounce beeswax

2 ounces aloe vera gel

2 ounces water or rose water

1 Tbsp glycerin

Natural preservative (1 tsp vitamin C powder, 1/4 tsp vitamin A powder and 1 Tbsp wheat germ oil or 1/4 tsp grape fruit seed extract)

10 – 25 drops fragrant essential oils, if desired

1 tsp borax (optional)

Melt the oils and beeswax over medium heat in a double boiler. Remove from the heat, pour in the aloe vera gel, water, glycerin, preservative and fragrance (if using), and stir with a mixer until thick and creamy. For a thinner lotion, slightly decrease the beeswax. (You can also add 1 tsp borax.)

Makes 1 cup.

 

Citrus and Lavender Moisturizing Cream

2 Tbsp grape-seed oil

2 Tbsp jojoba oil

1 Tbsp grated beeswax

1 400-IU capsule vitamin E oil

1/4 cup (60 ml) aloe vera juice

2 drops grapefruit seed extract

5 drops lavender essential oil

5 drops grapefruit essential oil

 

Mouthwash

Dilute 2 – 4 drops grapefruit seed extract in 6 – 8 ounces water. Swish in mouth and then rinse with water.

 

Poison Ivy Treatment

Mix 1/3 ounce grapefruit seed extract with 10 ounces of water in a spray bottle. Spray liberally on affected area. If burning sensation results, add 10 more ounces of water. Repeat every two hours as needed.

Xylitol- Summer 2007 Catalog

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by Nancy Brillaut

From the time we are young children, we are taught to brush our teeth, planting the seeds for good dental hygiene. Good brushing and flossing and restricted sugar consumption can reduce the occurrence of cavities, yet they still remain common. A National Institute of Health survey shows nearly 20% of children, ages 2-4, have already experienced cavities; more than 67% of adults aged 35-44 have lost at least one permanent tooth due to dental cavities, and 25% of people 65-74 have lost all of their natural teeth! Here’s what is going on.smiles1

Tooth decay is a bacterial disease. The bacterium, streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), is one of many millions of bacteria living in our mouths. Most of these bacteria are harmless, some even beneficial. However, S. mutans is the culprit causing tooth decay by feeding on sugars in our mouth. Simple carbohydrates are fermented by S. mutans into lactic acid. Lactic acid increases acidity in the mouth, initiating the process of dissolving tooth enamel, also referred to as de-mineralization. This is a simplistic explanation of tooth decay; however, this article is not meant to be a chemistry lesson, but rather an introduction to a wonderful sugar substitute called Xylitol.

What is Xylitol you ask? Xylitol is a natural sugar, sometimes called wood sugar or birch sugar. It can be extracted from birch wood, raspberries, plums and other fruits, corn, seed hulls, and nutshells. Xylitol is a 5-carbon structure and, unlike the 6-carbon structure of sucrose, is not a substance on which bacteria can grow. In fact, Xylitol may inhibit S. mutans and other bacterial enzymes and actually interfere with the metabolism of other sugars found in the mouth.

So, what does all this chemistry babble mean to us in terms of our dental hygiene and general health? Xylitol is actually a “tooth-friendly” sugar substitute. Xylitol not only discourages tooth decay, but may actively help repair small cavities. Recent research suggests Xylitol attracts and then starves harmful bacteria, allowing remineralization of damaged teeth. Xylitol is not a sugar, so there is no sugar rush, or crash. Twenty-five years of scientific research, mostly on children, has shown that regular use of Xylitol over a period of time reduces the incidence of cavities. There are many studies, the majority conducted in “developing” countries like Belize, Hungary, and Costa Rica, where routine dental care is limited at best, and the results are consistent; the incidence of dental cavities is reduced by large percentages, in some cases as much as 75%. Most research tested gums and candies (mints) containing Xylitol, since the delivery systems that produced the best anti-cavity results were those permitting direct contact with the teeth for the longest time.

Xylitol is also available in toothpastes, mouthwashes, chewable supplements and breath sprays. How much should we use? Studies show using 4-12 grams per day is most effective. If a piece of gum contains 1 gram, chew a minimum of four pieces per day. Given the safety of this product, this is one case where “more is better.” Remarkably, it appears that regular use of Xylitol for a period of time (2 years in the study of children in Belize), provides lasting protection against cavities. These children were examined five years later and the Xylitol group had an average of only 1.5 new cavities, compared to 4 new cavities in the control group.

Another study indicated that regular intake of Xylitol by mom while baby is in the womb, provides lifelong protection for baby. New clinical evidence appears regularly about this safe sugar substitute. Other benefits include prevention of childhood ear infections, lower risk of Type II Diabetes due to the slower absorption of this sugar into the blood, and reduction of subsequent insulin response. A Finnish study has shown improved bone density.

Apparently Xylitol is here to stay. Children who begin chewing Xylitol gum about a year before their permanent teeth erupt may avoid a lifetime of painful visits to the dentist. In fact, one dentist was reported as saying that regular use of Xylitol in the American diet, could put dentists out of business. Time to change our diets people!

Nancy Brillault is a clinically certified herbalist, certified aromatherapist and practicing wellness consultant in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The Skeptic Meets Grapefruit Seed Extract- Summer 2007 Catalog

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by Summer Moellergfsc

 

OK, I admit it! I am a skeptic when it comes to “natural” medicine and remedies. I grew up going to doctors when I was sick, taking all kinds of antibiotics and over-the-counter drugs, and generally avoiding herbal remedies and other natural cures. Then my mother began to have health problems and was prescribed many different drugs with side effects. Later, I lived overseas, and my health was compromised. When I became pregnant with my first child, my perspective changed. I began to look into eating more healthfully and searching for ways to treat illness apart from prescription drugs.

I’m still a skeptic-in-therapy, though, so when I heard about the merits of grapefruit seed extract (GSE), I listened with reserve. One of the first articles I found on the Internet disputed all the positive claims of GSE manufacturers and promoters. “Aha!” I thought. However, as I read further (including three different books about GSE), it was hard to dismiss the claims from around the world of GSE’s helpful uses. I also talked to friends who praised it and used it with their families.

 

Fruit with a Fight

In 1980, Dr. Jacob Harich first noticed a unique property of grapefruit seeds: they refused to rot in his compost pile. In fact, experienced composters know it takes citrus fruits up to two years to decompose enough to make suitable compost. Why? God created the grapefruit with powerful germ-inhibiting chemicals.

Dr. Harich’s interest in the grapefruit and its seeds was soon picked up by other researchers. Today many promote GSE as one of nature’s most powerful broad-spectrum, non-toxic antibiotics, antimicrobials, and antifungals. Many tests have been done worldwide with GSE to see how it reacts against different types of bacteria and viruses. In these tests GSE has performed remarkably well. It even out-performed well-known disinfectants commonly used in hospitals. However, few tests have been performed in vivo, that is, on humans; most of the tests were performed in vitro, in laboratories or with animals.

 

What is GSE?

Grapefruit seed extract is derived from the pulp, seeds, and membranes and converted into a highly concentrated, acidic substance. (Manufacturers keep the exact process a secret.) It is then usually mixed with glycerin in differing levels of concentration. Beeyoutiful sells a high-quality, more potent version of GSE (60% GSE/40% glycerin).

 

What are the benefits of using GSE?

Unlike synthetic antibiotics (often produced from petroleum and coal tar), GSE is derived from natural sources. It is non-toxic, broad-spectrum (meaning active against a variety of germs), and has a minimal negative effect on beneficial bacteria (synthetic antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria indiscriminately). When I learned that many synthetic antibiotics were produced from petroleum and coal tar, I was anxious to learn more about grapefruit seed extract. Which would you rather give to your family?!

 

A Doctor Who Promotes GSE

In his book on GSE (see note below), Dr. Alan Sachs talks about ways he has successfully used grapefruit seed extract. One of the most common is to help treat patients dealing with chronic Candida Albicans yeast infections. He tells about a woman who had tried all kinds of traditional antibiotics and whose immune system was weak and no longer responding to the drugs. After a few weeks of initial tiredness (as her body cleansed itself), while continuing to use the grapefruit seed extract, she made a full recovery. He also talks of similar cases with success against parasites, cold sores, intestinal illnesses, and warts. There are other books and articles that document like successes. If you are interested in these resources, contact Beeyoutiful for more information.

 

My Experiments with GSE. . .

As I read the various books and articles, I found a number of ways I could put GSE immediately to work. As mentioned earlier, GSE, according to Allan Sach’s book, (see note below) outperformed many commercial and common disinfectants in laboratory tests. Of course I didn’t have the means of testing it scientifically in my own home; however, I did mix up a batch of water/GSE to use to spray down and clean my kitchen and bathroom. I liked the idea that I was using a non-toxic cleanser, rather than chemicals.

I also used it to wash some fruit. I didn’t notice any difference in the shelf life of the fruit that had been rinsed with GSE vs. plain water, but, again, I liked the idea that I was using something natural rather than the unnatural and unhealthy ingredients in detergent to wash them off.

I gargled with GSE for a sore throat I felt coming on (which went away). My husband was also pleasantly surprised to find his sore throat, which he says “always” means he’s about to get sick, went away after gargling with GSE. I put a drop on my toothpaste as I brushed my teeth and then gargled with it afterwards. (I had read that GSE was extremely bitter, but it didn’t seem to bother me.) I also added a few drops of GSE every time I refilled our water filter pitcher. (It has a nasty habit of growing green, slimy stuff inside.) Check out the sidebars for more specific directions and other ideas I liked. I plan to test it the next time I find mold in my house. (It’s the only time I’ve been disappointed that I couldn’t find any!) I’m also mixing a few drops into juice and giving it to my husband to see if it helps him with the stomach problems he’s had since being overseas.

 

How Else Can GSEBe Used?

There are a multitude of ideas for using GSE in your family and home. Here are a few:
Medicinally:

  • As a gargle for sore throats
  • When traveling (especially overseas), as a precaution against parasites
  • As a spray for athletes foot
  • As a mouthwash

• Mixed with shampoo to treat eczema or dandruff
In the Home:

  • Put a few drops in your humidifier to inhibit mold growth
  • Add to dishwater to sanitize
  • Spray on houseplants to prevent mold (one book recommended GSE spray against aphids)

• Add drops to baby wipes to make antibacterial hand wipes

These are just a few ideas. There are many more available on the Internet and in books. When using “recipes” for GSE, make sure you check the concentration of the GSE in the recipe. Keep in mind that Beeyoutiful sells a higher concentration GSE than many other brands.

 

Precautions When Using GSEtummy_tune_120_1

It is wise to take probiotics, such as Tummy Tuneup, or eat yogurt with active cultures if you take GSE internally for an extended period of time. Never use GSE undiluted or in the eyes; it could cause severe irritation. Remember it is acidic! It hasn’t been tested for its effects on pregnancy, so use it cautiously if you are pregnant.

 

The Skeptic’s Conclusions . . .

As with any drug, herb, or treatment, I believe the responsibility lies with each of us individually to educate ourselves and to make our own informed healthcare decisions. Too often I tend to follow traditional medical advice without being fully aware of all the possible effects.

As a skeptic-in-therapy, I’ll be performing more of my own experiments with GSE and seeing how it can best meet the needs of my family, but I have been impressed enough with the potential GSE shows to make it a part of my medicine cabinet. Check out the forums  for others who are doing the same!

Beeyoutiful Products Mentioned in this Article:

 

~ Summer Moeller jots from the end of a dirt road with her husband and daughter (soon to be, two daughters!) in Whitesburg, GA.

A Small Miracle- Summer 2007 Catalog

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by Maranatha Owens

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I have a good friend who has five kids, the youngest of which is still a baby. One day I left a small sample of Miracle Salve balanced precariously on her doorknob since nobody answered when I knocked. (It didn’t have it’s name at that time and was simply known as propolis salve.) I had pretty much forgotten all about it until I ran into her two months later. “It’s a miracle!” she exclaimed. “Uhhh…. What’s a miracle?” I was clueless until she told me the story. It went something like this:

One summer day she had her baby in the backpack and was walking in her backyard. Her twelve-year-old son who was a few steps in front of her pulled back the metal clothesline to duck under it, not thinking that mama and baby were behind him. He let go of the line which immediately flew back and struck the six-month-old across the cheek. It lacerated the skin which instantly grew inflamed and bright red, swelling before their eyes. There was a thick welt in the shape of the clothesline and bruises were forming rapidly. Mama didn’t know what to do and was in quite a panic (so was the screaming baby). She then thought of the little salve container that I had left without much explanation as to its usage. She packed the green goo generously on the little one’s cheek not thinking it could possibly help this horrible sight. But as she watched the wound over the next day, the healing power of the salve became more evident. The bruising disappeared. The inflammation subsided. The clothesline mark was still there, but faint. Healing was well underway-with no sign of infection. She related to me her awe that the bruising seemed to just disappear. It was a small miracle.

Another friend of mine who has two older sons is one of my very best product testers. She is the one person I can trust to try my products on every imaginable ailment-even problems that I wouldn’t have suggested using the product for. Even so, she discovers new practical uses for various herbal concoctions all the time. She says that Miracle Salve works great on chigger bites, mosquito bites, kitchen burns, rashes (although not those that are a side-effect of prescription drugs) and certain face blemishes, but not acne.

From my own experience with my four children, I can say that I’ve observed it to work great on scrapes, bruises, burns, sliver sites (sometimes they get little embedded slivers which they don’t want removed with a needle), dry wind-chapped skin and lips, diaper rash, and mosquito bites. My two-month-old had a horrible face rash that I think might have been yeast related, which seemed like it would never go away. Yeast can’t thrive without moisture, so I experimented by lightly coating her face with Miracle Salve. Now I can’t prove that she had a yeast infection, but after applying the salve for two days, the rash went away and did not return. It is my theory that the oil and beeswax formed a vapor barrier which starved the “yeasties”, while the propolis inhibited infection from spreading. The comfrey and plantain nourished the skin and sped healing–as they are both famous for doing.

Miracle Salve is excellent for hemorrhoids because of plantain’s cooling action. It has also been observed to reduce scarring after extreme staph. infection (applied daily for approx. 2 months) and after skin cancer surgery (applied daily for 3 months).

The beauty of this product is that you will probably find new uses for this salve that I’ve never even thought of. Does Miracle Salve really work miracles? You’ll have to see for yourself.

 

A note of caution: Although I have never heard of any adverse reactions to this product, it is always wise to test any product on a small patch of skin before going hog wild. This will let you know if you have any sort of allergic reaction to any of the ingredients.

 

So how does Miracle Salve work?

There is so much to know about the incredible ingredients in its formulation, but a brief explanation will have to suffice. Read more about any of these ingredients at the library or online-the sheer volume of beneficial properties is staggering.

 

Extra virgin olive oil: If you’ve done your research on olive oils, you know that unless it says “extra virgin” it has been chemically extracted. Light, dark green, the word “pure,” these all mean nothing-only the words “extra virgin.”

Coconut oil: Is known for its skin-softening qualities. Coconut oil strengthens connective tissue, reduces free radical production, and contains high levels of special fatty acids that boost the immune system.

Beeswax: Our beeswax is bright yellow, sweet smelling, and collected by local beekeepers. It is the natural alternative to all petroleum-based waxes which have numerous toxic elements known to be harmful to humans.

Certified organically grown comfrey root: This herb has a long, rich history and is also known as “bone-knit,” as it well should be. Comfrey speeds healing to skin abrasions as well as bruises, bone breaks and fractures. The leaves can be used to make poultices. My knee was once hit by a heavy weight. It turned every shade of green, yellow, purple and blue you could imagine. I pounded fresh comfrey leaves until they were damp and packed them around my knee, securing them with an elastic bandage. Within a day, the knee hardly hurt and had no bruising…a truly amazing herb.

Certified organically grown plantain leaf: Plantain spells relief. My four children will agree. All but the newborn can identify it wherever we go, and they have many times served their brother or sister who was stung by a bee or wasp by running to the nearest plantain plant, ripping a leaf off, chewing it up, and smacking it onto the sting. It usually only takes a minute to feel the relief that plantain brings. Plantain is an astringent and works by drawing out infection, venom, or sting from burns. It also works wonders on diaper rash. You can even apply the masticated leaves directly to baby’s bottom for relief you will be sure to notice!

Calendula: Gentle, healing and emollient, calendula is wonderful for rashes, skin inflammation, and dry, sensitive skin.

Propolis: Also known as bee glue, propolis has strong antibiotic, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. It promotes wound healing, fights bacteria, and is useful on various skin infections.

Lavender essential oil: Lavender is known as the Swiss Army knife of the herbs. Few match its abilities. It is an antiseptic, antibacterial, antispasmodic, sedative, diuretic, and calmative. It is very useful in treating minor burns.

Rosemary essential oil: We have included rosemary in this formula because of its power as a natural preservative and for its pain relieving qualities.

 

Beeyoutiful Products Mentioned in This Article

Miracle Skin Salve

Eucalyptus Bath Salts- Summer 2007 Catalog

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by L. Robbins

EucalyptusBathSaltsWebsite1

Until a few months ago, I had never heard of bath salts. Then, I began using Beeyoutiful’s Eucalyptus Bath Salts. It was wonderful to soak for 20 to 30 minutes in my tub and come out with hydrated, silky soft skin! Plus, I was relaxed, and my body aches were gone so I could fall asleep quickly.

For years I had heard of people traveling long distances to go to a hot spring or paying large sums of money to go to a spa, and I couldn’t understand why. I knew that in Hot Springs, Arkansas, people came from all over the world and paid to get into the baths that contained the water from the hot springs. I thought if all they wanted was a hot bath, they could stay home and get into a hot bath. I just didn’t understand the therapeutic value of a mineral bath until I began researching it.

While immersed in a warm mineral salt bath, our bodies absorb the minerals and oils that are in the water. The minerals and nutrients go quickly into the blood stream where they can be used by the body. Sea salts and Epsom salts contain many minerals beneficial to the muscles, bones, and circulatory system. I was surprised to find that Dead Sea salts even help with skin conditions like psoriasis. These mineral salts heal and condition the skin, leaving it smooth and moisturized.

People from all over the world have traveled to the Dead Sea over the years to bathe in its mineral-rich waters for relief of arthritis, rheumatism, and other health problems. The waters of the Dead Sea are unique, containing 27% of various salts and minerals in comparison to 3% in normal sea water. Sodium comprises eighty percent of normal sea salt, but the highest concentrations of mineral salts in Dead Sea salts are magnesium, potassium, calcium and bromides. Magnesium is important for combating stress and fluid retention, slowing skin aging, and calming the nervous system. Calcium is effective in preventing water retention, increasing circulation, and strengthening bones and nails. Potassium energizes the body, helps balance skin moisture and is a crucial mineral to replenish following intense exercise. Bromides relax the muscles and ease muscle stiffness and tension. Sodium is important for lymphatic fluid balance (this in turn is important for immune system function).

I never knew exactly why we always used Epsom salts in hot water to soak our very sore or swollen feet, but it always made them feel so much better. The swelling would go down, and the pain would go away. When we had a very tired, achy body, we would put it in our bath water. It was just “the thing to do.”

Epsom salts are named for the mineral rich water of Epsom, England. The village of Epsom was 17th century England’s first spa town because of the marvelous magnesium-rich water in its wells. The village was well known and people came to use the water externally and internally, for its great health benefits.

Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is one of the most effective means getting the magnesium our bodies need. Researchers and physicians report that raising your magnesium levels may improve heart and circulatory health-reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure. Also, magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation. Epsom salts improve the body’s ability to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes. It also delivers sulfates, which are extremely difficult to get through food, but which are readily absorbed through the skin. Medical research indicates sulfates are needed for the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and mucin proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. Sulfates also stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and help to detoxify the body’s residue of medicines, heavy metals, and environmental contaminants.

It’s no wonder that my skin feels so soft, silky and hydrated after a hot bath to which I have added 3 to 4 tablespoons of Beeyoutiful’s Eucalyptus Bath Salts. My research shows that the jojoba oil, grape seed oil, and olive oil, in combination with the Dead Sea salts, provide exceptional skin conditioning and moisturizing.

Natural jojoba oil is an excellent moisturizing agent, which leaves a rich, velvety, non-oily feel to the skin while retarding water loss and enhancing the flexibility and suppleness of the skin. Because it is rapidly absorbed, the pores and hair follicles remain open and thus maintain their proper functioning. In addition to relieving dry, itchy, flaky skin, jojoba oil effectively treats rashes, sores, cuts, bruises, burns, sunburns, acne, psoriasis, and eczema. It may also reduce wrinkles and stretch marks and lighten and help heal scars. It even has some anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Grape seed oil has emollient properties that impart a rich, silky luster to the skin while soothing skin irritation. This oil has mild astringent properties and possesses regenerative and restructuring qualities for better control of skin moisturization. Grape seed oil is also noted to be e?ective for reducing stretch marks.

The moisturizing and skin softening benefits of pure virgin olive oil have long been known. For centuries Mediterranean beauties have relied on it to help maintain fresh, dewy complexions and lustrous hair.eucnewlabelwebsized

The final benefit of Beeyoutiful’s Eucalyptus Bath Salts is the eucalyptus oil. It is great for helping to open study heads and noses due to allergies or colds. When I take a hot bath with these salts added, it’s like using a vaporizer. My nose opens up, and if I have a sinus headache, it goes away.

I usually take my hot “salt bath” just before bed and sleep very well. Plus, I don’t have to use body lotions very often anymore. Now that I know how beneficial hot mineral baths really are, I am even more pleased that I can have them in my own home at a fraction of the cost of going to a spa

 

 

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Amazing Aloe Vera – Summer 2007 Catalog

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by S. Lee

 

Christopher Columbus called it “the doctor in the pot” and attempted to have aloe vera plants on all his ships. The Mayans considered it a magic plant. For centuries it has been used in many countries, including the United States, to treat both internal and external ailments. The American Indians included it among their sixteen sacred plants, cooking the leaves over hot coals and eating them. They also used the pulp to stop bleeding and heal wounds. The fermented gel was used to calm stomach pain, to clean the kidneys and bladder, to dissolve stones, stop coughs and ease pneumonia, and the Egyptians used aloe vera gel on their faces as a beauty treatment.

For years I have known aloe vera was beneficial and usually had an aloe plant in my home. I would cut off a piece of one of the leaves, cut the piece open and rub it on cuts, burns and insect bites. I knew it would promote healing and prevent scars, and I knew it would relieve the itch or pain of insect bites. But now that I have researched aloe vera, I am in awe of it!aloe vera

The aloe vera plant is a member of the Lily family, but looks somewhat like a cactus. This succulent is usually 80 to 100 cm tall with thick fleshy leaves that are long and narrow. Aloe Vera makes a good houseplant and requires very little care. It is from the mid and lower portion of the leaves that the gel is harvested. When the leaf is cut open it will ooze a clear gel-like liquid within a few minutes. Simply rub the opened leaf on the infected area of the skin for most external uses. Refrigerate leaves after cutting them open if you plan to use them again. If you don’t happen to have an aloe plant handy, the next best thing is to use pure aloe vera gel, such as that in Beeyoutiful’s Aloe Vera Gelcaps. Simply puncture the gelcap and squeeze out the gel.

Aloe vera is so amazing there is an abundance of research showing the antibacterial, antifungal and antibiotic properties of it, as well as how it acts to reduce in?ammation and heal and regenerate cells. In cancer patients, taking aloe vera internally helps by activating the white blood cells and promoting the growth of non-cancerous cells. The National Cancer Institute has ordered increased testing on aloe vera. An injectable form of acemannan, one of the components from aloe vera, has been approved in the United States for treatment of cancer in dogs and cats.

An astonishing array of components found in aloe vera are bene?cial to the human body, including polysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, biological stimulators, more than forty vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C and E, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc and six of the B vitamins, to name a few. Aloe vera also contains seven of the eight “essential” (since our bodies cannot manufacture them) amino acids, eleven of the sixteen remaining “secondary” amino acids contained in the human body and most (if not all) of the eight essential sugars (which are necessary for healthy cells). Plus, there are numerous bactericides, fungicides, germicides and painkilling agents in aloe vera. Study continues on this amazing plant with new components still being isolated and identi?ed.

In 1985 Dr. Bill McAnalley isolated a polysaccharide taken from the aloe vera which he named Carrisyn. Numerous clinical tests on patients with AIDS show that Carrisyn can stop the progression of the virus and showed no secondary side e?ects. Canadian researchers discovered an active molecule possessing remarkable antiviral properties which they named Acemannon. A Japanese doctor has shown that the bradykinase enzyme is responsible for the remarkable anti-pain, calming and healing action of aloe vera.

In 1996 a research study showed that taking aloe vera internally reduced blood sugar levels in diabetics by as much as 48%. Recently an active molecule in aloe has been discovered which gives a very astounding result in the treatment of burns and atomic radiation. Another recent finding is that aloe vera stimulates the production of collagen, which in turn promotes and restores skin cells.

Other clinical research shows its e?ectiveness, when taken internally, in treating and relieving sciatica, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, ulcers, liver and kidney problems, TB, prostate problems, sores in the mouth, urinary infections, yeast infections, digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and gastritis, any internal in?ammation, constipation, asthma, cleaning out the colon and more. It is even being used to preserve fresh produce!

A few years ago, someone suggested that my son should drink aloe vera juice to relieve in?ammation in his digestive system. He didn’t like the taste of that juice and would not drink it. But, he would take the gel capsules and he felt much better. Now that I have learned all that aloe vera can do, I am taking the recommended amount of capsules every day and my digestion is greatly improved. I know it is also doing other really good things for my body and my general health.

Studies have shown that applying aloe vera gel to the skin aids healing from minor cuts and abrasions not only by acting as an invisible bandage, but by killing germs and stimulating the growth of healthy cells while soothing and eliminating pain. On insect bites and rashes it reduces or eliminates itching and pain. It helps clear acne because of its antibacterial and cell regenerating properties. It can even be used e?ectively on eye infections such as conjunctivitis and sties, sunburns and other minor burns, blisters, herpes, boils, athlete’s foot, vaginal infections, shingles, frostbite, warts, rosacea, cracked dry skin, wrinkles and as a scalp and hair treatment.

I recently treated a vaginal infection with aloe vera gel (after going to the doctor and getting no help), and it cleared right up. Most of the itching, swelling, pain and redness were gone within twenty-four hours. Having just researched aloe vera, I am con?dent that it killed whatever bacteria or fungus was there.

To treat minor cuts or burns, including sunburns, apply aloe vera gel frequently during the ?rst twenty-four hours. Do the same for poison ivy. The aloe vera will prevent infection and reduce or eliminate scarring. For athlete’s foot, apply aloe vera gel at least four times a day.

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For scalp and hair treatment to prevent hair loss, add aloe vera gel to your favorite shampoo and shake it up well. The most effective combination is 70% aloe vera. This helps control dandruff and gives a shine to the hair. Beeyoutiful’s Hair Shine contains aloe vera and not only gives your hair a healthy shine, but also rebuilds damaged hair and makes hair more manageable. Just spray it on.

To make an after-bath lotion, add aloe vera gel to 4-5 drops of glycerin or lemon juice and apply over the body for a refreshing feeling. Add aloe vera gel to your bath to relax muscles or add it to a cream base for a body massage that will ease pain from arthritis, rheumatism, sore muscles, or injury. Add aloe vera to face creams to help heal and condition skin. Many major sports teams in the United States use aloe vera massage creams on their players because of their astonishingly fast relief of soreness and pain.

Many topical products contain aloe because of all its amazing properties, but one must carefully look at the list of ingredients. Aloe is very e?ective at transporting through the skin and will also transport other things with it, including the dyes and other questionable things contained in many skin products.

One of the great things about aloe is that it increases the bioavailability of other foods and vitamins taken with it. For internal use there are basically three forms of aloe-gel, powder and juice. Obviously fresh gel is the best, but it is not always the most convenient. Prepackaged 100% gel is available but, again, is not always convenient, and you have to take quite a bit for an e?ective dosage. Some people like to drink aloe vera juice. Juice does not contain all of the components of gel, or even all that is in the freeze-dried whole leaf powder, so be sure that the juice you buy is at least 95% aloe vera or else it may not be very e?ective at all. Gelcaps are the easiest and preferred form of ingesting aloe vera and provide the most accurate concentrations. They are almost always made by freeze drying gel or whole leaves, concentrating the powder and then reconstituting it in a thick gel and packaging it in a gelcap.SuperKidsOrangeWebProBottle_1

The Aloe Vera 5000 mg Capsules carried by Beeyoutiful are the recommended strength for optimum effectiveness with daily use. For children, Beeyoutiful has a new multivitamin containing aloe vera called Super Kids. With all the benefits of aloe vera, it is no wonder that it has been called the miracle plant and the universal panacea!

Beeyoutiful’s Products Mentioned in this Article:

–          Aloe Vera Gelcaps

–          Hair Shine Spray-in Conditioner

–          SuperKids

Taking a Shine to Your Hair- Summer 2007 Catalog

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by Nancy Websternancy_small

I always assumed I’d have a baby girl first. It seemed the natural thing because I didn’t have much background in boys. My only sibling was a sister. I went to an all-girls’ high school, and all of my dolls were female (never had a Ken). But as standard baby-having procedure dictates, I didn’t get to choose. My first two were boys-all boys, I might add. From their early books, I learned what to call any piece of construction equipment ever invented and the names of every dinosaur yet discovered. I controlled my inclination to heart failure when the boys climbed too high in a tree or picked up a snake. And it was actually fun. Still, I hoped for a girl to dress in ribbons and bows, someone to be a cooking soul mate and a baby lover. So when our third bundle of joy came along and the doctor proclaimed, “It’s a girl!” I literally did not believe him at first.

Precious Anna wore the mandated pink ruffles but ripped out every hair barrette or bow until she was four years old. I became well-practiced in daughter maintenance, though, since she was the first of five girls in a row! The bathroom drawers bulged with brushes and ribbons, and dollies joined the army men on our toy shelves.

Letting (Hair) Go

What I’m going to tell you next is a True Confession of a tired mommy. Because our babies came close together and some had special needs, many nights-no, as long as we’re confessing I should honestly say: most nights-I bedded them down after a quick toothbrushing and a wishful promise to brush their hair the next morning. If hair happened to be in braids, the promise might be made several nights in a row while wispy hairs wrapped more and more intricately around their rubber bands.

When beauty parlor time finally came, my only hope of getting out their tangles was to spray my girls’ hair with a mélange of water, behentrimonium methosulfate, sodium benzoate, dimethicone, hydroxyethyl behenamidopropyl dimonium chloride, polysorbate 20, cetearyl alcohol, trisiloxane, citric acid, fragrance, ceteth-10, and laureth-4. And because tired mommy moments still happen, this threatening sounding broth (a name brand hair detangler and conditioner) has been my only resource-until now.

Taking a Shine to Your Hair

hairshinewebThese days, when Grace, our eleven-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, comes to me with a rubber band stuck in her self-styled pigtails, I grab Hair Shine by Beeyoutiful. This organic blend of aloe and the essential oils of lavender, rosemary, and citrus is all I need! I can pronounce the names of each ingredient and could even eat them safely if I wanted to. And the detangling ability of Hair Shine is just as good as the name brand alternative but with the added bonus that it doesn’t make the girls’ hair greasy. There’s also a value-added olfactory benefit. We smell fresh, clean and pretty thanks to the softly aromatic essential oils.

Ingredients for Many Uses

The aloe in Hair Shine comes from a plant much like the one I manage to keep alive to apply in case someone gets burned on our wood stove. It soothes and conditions your skin (and hair) while it adds shine.

The lavender is an especially hard worker in the mixture. It enhances body in your hair and is a major contributor to Hair Shine’s detangling and softening qualities. Like aloe, lavender is known for its use on burns, so putting the two together makes Hair Shine a cooling, healthy alternative to standard sunburn sprays. (Just make sure you don’t use it before you hit the sun-the sweet orange essential oil may actually increase photosensitivity in some people.)

Another use for Hair Shine is as a refreshing body spray, even on your face (close your eyes, of course). Here, the rosemary oil acts as an astringent and skin rejuvenator. And because Hair Shine can be sprayed on either wet or dry hair, you can get trigger happy from head to toe right out of the shower. There’s enough in the four-fluid-ounce bottle to give you hundreds of spritzes, so indulge yourself!

While I’m at it: there’s one other unsung benefit of Hair Shine I discovered once warm weather set in. Ticks-those disgusting arachnids only good for guinea hen food-and other biting bugs leave irritating itchy spots that Hair Shine soothes wonderfully.

But back to hair basics. My five girls and I represent examples of all hair types-fine, straight, curly, course, thick, and thin. Hair Shine helps keep straight hair from looking stringy (plus, the nice smell inspires you to spritz and brush more frequently), and it tones down the frizz of curly hair without the stiffness sometimes caused by other sculpting, frizz-control products. Not only that, Hair Shine costs much less than most alternatives sold through salons.

By the way, girls aren’t the only benefactors of Hair Shine. My 17-year-old son has fine, blond, curly hair. Even though he keeps it very short, the curls on the front can get a little out of hand, and while my mother’s heart loves those curls-remnants of his cherished toddlerhood- David’s not so thrilled with them. He’s accustomed to using water or even a little mousse to tame the twirls, but after allowing me to experiment on him with Hair Shine, he’s sold on the softness and taming for his hair, too. So, Hair Shine is right for pretty much everybody in your family. I wonder about the dog…

Beeyoutiful’s Products Mentioned in this Article:

Hair Shine Spray-In Conditioner

Eucalyptus Essential Oil- Summer 2007 Catalog

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by Samantha Davis

 

eucnewlabelwebsizedAlmost everyone has heard of eucalyptus, and for some reason it reminds them of California. (Or if they’re really into trivia, they know it has something to do with koalas.) Many people who are interested in natural healing know of eucalyptus essential oil, and perhaps they even own a bottle. They will most likely open the lid and breathe in memories of what grandma’s house smelled like when she was sick or of the vapor rub their mom used on their chest when they had a stuffy nose. The bottle will then be placed in the medicine cabinet where it will stay, unused and unappreciated; however, eucalyptus oil serves a much higher purpose than collecting dust on a shelf. Not only do the leaves nourish Australia’s adorable little marsupial, but from inside the eucalyptus tree flows a wonderful healing essence capable of treating a wide variety of sicknesses and complaints.

Over the past hundred and fifty years, eucalyptus oil has been explored and appreciated in the western medical and cosmetic fields for its wide range of uses, particularly in the area of respiratory health, even in cases of serious illness. Studies have shown that eucalyptol, the prime constituent of eucalyptus oil (also found in other herbs, including bay leaves and rosemary sprigs) may be capable of destroying leukemia cells. Eucalyptus has a wide variety of applications in washes, salves and blends including: cleansing and promoting healing in cuts, scrapes and minor wounds; soothing a wide variety of skin problems; ridding the scalp of ringworm, lice and scabies; regulating skin and scalp; healing cold sores; relieving stomach discomfort due to diarrhea; and easing muscle cramps, spasms, swelling, aches, sprains and other injuries.

A eucalyptus salve can be made by blending 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil into 2 oz. beeswax. Stored in a canning jar, this salve can be used it to cleanse and soothe burns, abscesses, dry skin, heat rash, measles, chicken pox, acne, insect bites and stings, sores, poison ivy, and like complaints (including bull nettle).

Add 6 drops eucalyptus essential oil to boiling water and inhale steam for 20 minutes to break down mucous and heal a stuffy nose. Deep inhalation of eucalyptus has been highly praised for its ability to heal pneumonia and other bronchial complaints, as well as sinusitis. Adding eucalyptus essential oil to an inhaler or sprinkling it onto a cloth to inhale is a concentrated and effective method of healing. Initially the oil will burn inside your throat and chest as you deeply inhale; however, you can literally feel your breathing become less labored and your chest clearing. The burning will be replaced by a sweet-tasting sensation in the back of your throat.

 

Cautions: Eucalyptus oil is not considered safe for ingestion. If a history of hypertension or epilepsy is present, conduct thorough research before using eucalyptus essential oil in any form or consult a doctor or aroma therapist for information. It is always risky to use essential oils neatly (undiluted) due to the possibility of burning your skin.

 

Beeyoutiful Products Mentioned in This Article:

Eucalyptus Oil