BOOK REPORT:
"The Science Behind Aloe: The Healing Plant"

by Erik H. Aguayo, EMBA; John E Hall, DDS; Bill H. McAnalley, PhD; Shayne A. McAnalley, MD; David N. McCollum, MD; Danny Sun, MD

Book report by Bruce W. Chenoweth

(NOTE: The sole purpose of this review is to motivate the reader to buy, study and recommend this book for the purposes of furthering education on a vitally important subject: Natural Health. Many people have been so impressed that they have purchased cases of this book to give to family and friends as gifts. To order copies, call 1-800-755-0044.)

The Disclaimer: A strange but appropriate place to begin.

Since the subject matter of this book skirts information that could be easily interpreted as medical or therapeutic advice, the first several pages clearly and effectively proclaim "This book is intended solely for educational purposes" and "... Oral acemannan has not been approved for the treatment, cure or mitigation of any disease in humans. ..." Although it is common practice for readers to 'skip over' much of the preface information, the disclaimer statement of this book is so informative and appropriately worded, this writer recommends studying the content with as much interest as will be given to any other part of the book.

Preface:

• Discusses the nature and causes of aberrant cell behavior and the healthy body's ability to repair or destroy them.

• Lacking properly nutritious foods results in body dysfunction.

• Society misdirects from seeking appropriate foods to reliance on drugs, even though only food can restore balance.

• Drugs create imbalances, resulting in need for more and more drugs.

• Some natural foods, such as acemannan, can help structure and function, and stimulate the immune system

• Added reminders of quotations from Hippocrates "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food," and Paracelcus "All things required for health are provided by nature."

"The History of Aloe vera":

• Begins with a fascinating discourse on "manna," the sweet essence of life, and how nutritional saccharides were identified and exploited before the development of agriculture. Even then Aloe had developed a reputation as a 'model medicinal plant."

• Speaks of sweetness as being a natural attractor to nutritional medicines. Also discusses nature and types of other, non-sweet plants with known therapeutic polysaccharides.

• Discusses current scientific understanding of the mechanism by which an immune response is induced by biologically active polysaccharides

• Although debated, it is thought that Aloe originated in Africa more than 6,000 years ago.

• Recorded history of Aloe begins around 4,000 B.C. The first recorded use as a medicinal plant was found from around 2200 B.C. Beginning around 1550 B.C. records began to identify specific health problems to which Aloe was applied, including arthritis, gout, acne, dermatitis, headache, high blood pressure, indigestion, rheumatoid arthritis, peptic ulcers, mouth diseases, pruritis, psoriasis and burns.

• History jumps forward to the 1930's and 40's when clinical testing began. Testing results clinically verified activity in treatment of conditions that will not be listed here, given that the BiAloe Group organization is involved with marketing of BiAloe as a dietary supplement. (Read the book if you want to be more fully educated on remedial aspects of the subject.)

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