Just yesterday, January 16th, after watching the movie The 7th Son with mom and Chesca, while checking out the health and beauty section of Landmark, Trinoma, I came across this product of Thailand ~ Aloe Mineral Deodorant Stick (TAWAS). Since generation from my great grandma (mother's side), the ladies have been using TAWAS. It used to be crystallized and sold in a small plastic. Starting my puberty, this was introduced by my grandma Leonor, deceased since 1996. I have loved the effect because I did sweat but no awful smell. She told me to damp my finger and put the crystallized tawas on my damp armpit. Until in the evening, my armpit was smelling clean. Five stars! But after many years passed, and with some good product launched in the market, I've tried several deodorant as well. Although now, I am so happy with Rexona (whiten in two weeks). I just can't help my excitement for this one. It is no longer crystallized but packed into a stick making it easier to apply. Plus of course, it comes with the ALOE Mineral...
2 Reasons Why Deo Fresh Aloe Mineral Deodorant Stick is Amazing:
1. Because of TAWAS. According to Medical Health Guide
Chemical Name : aluminum potassium sulfate
Common Name : Alum, potassium alum, soda alum, ammonium alum and aluminum alum and Tawas.
Tawas is the tagalog term for alum, a chemically hydrated aluminum potassium sulfate that possesses a specific crystal shape. Tawas or alum (common English name) has a chemical formula KAl(SO4)2·12H2O. It is non-toxic, has somewhat a sweet acidic taste that dissolves easily in water and reacts with acid. There are several types of tawas in the market like potassium alum, soda alum, ammonium alum and aluminum alum, but the more common is the potassium alum that most can buy in botika or health stores and from street vendors near churches in the Philippines.
Tawas or alum has varieties of uses. Tawas has industrial, cosmetic, culinary applications as well as some medicinal and health benefits.
Medical Uses:
1. Tawas or Alum used as adjutant in human vaccines
Tawas or alum is used in many human vaccines as an adjuvant based on its ability to enhance the body's response to immunogen.
2. Antibacterial action of Alum or Tawas
In a study published in “Indian Journal of Medical Research” 1996. Potash alum or tawas was found to inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms in water that has the potential to cause epidemic. Such as V. cholerae and V. cholerae.
3. Alum or Tawas used in the Treatment of Hemorrhage
In a study reported in “Ann Chir Gynaecol” 1987, patients suffering from severe hemorrhage from the bladder were subjected to continuous irrigation with 1% alum solution.. Bleeding ceased in 8 patients, and was temporary in only one of these cases. In 2 patients with thrombocytopaenia the treatment failed. No side effects were noticed. Serum aluminum level was measured in one patient and the value was normal.
HEALTH BENEFITS:
1. Tawas as deodorant
Tawas is a safe natural way to control body odor or deodorant. Tawas is hypoallergenic, easily washable, it is not an antiperspirant thus it does not clog the skin pores. Tawas works by eliminating the odor causing bacteria so the body would not smell while maintaining the natural way of sweating. Tawas is applied by gently rubbing the crystal in the armpits or feet while the area is damp from showering or washing. Tawas leaves an invisible layer to the areas it is applied. The crystal has no scent and gives 24 hour protection.
2. Tawas as astringent
Tawas acts as astringent in small cuts to stop bleeding and infection.
Tawas is also used as a soothing agent during or after body hair removals by waxing or shaving.
Tawas is also used to treat hemorrhoids. Tawas powder dissolved in five parts water has been used to shrink hemorrhoids and stop them from bleeding
Powdered alum is commonly cited as a home remedy for canker sores.
3. Tawas as mouthwash
Tawas is also used as mouthwash to protect against tooth decay and gum diseases. Tawas is used as an ingredient in some toothpaste and commercial mouthwash.
It may also be used for :
1. Culinary
Alum powder may be used in pickling recipes as a preservative to maintain fruit and vegetable crispness.
Alum is used as the acidic component of some commercial baking powders.
Alum was used by bakers in England during the 1800s to make bread whiter.
2. Flame retardant
Solutions containing alum may be used to treat cloth, wood, and paper materials to increase their resistance to fire.
Alum is also a component of foamite.
Alum is also used in fire extinguishers to smother chemical and oil fires.
WOW! As I make this blog and research, I found out this is a WONDER mineral. What even made it more wonderful is because it is combined with FRESH ALOE VERA which plant is also considered with a lot of health benefits. Let's see according to MedicalNewsToday.
2. Because of Aloe Vera.
Aloe vera, sometimes described as a "wonder plant", is a short-stemmed shrub that only occurs in cultivation - it cannot be found in the wild. Some related Aloes occur naturally in North Africa. An Aloe is a genus containing more than 500 species of flowering succulent plants.
Aloe vera is widely used today in:
- food - it is approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) as a natural flavoring
- cosmetics
- food supplements
- herbal remedies
The earliest records of Aloe vera being used by humans appear in the Ebers Papyrus (Egypcian medical papyrus) from 16th century BC. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Dematology, in ancient Egypt they called Aloe vera "that plant of immortality". The authors added that the plant has been used therapeutically for many centuries in China, Japan, India, Greece, Egypt, Mexico and Japan.
Cleopatra and Nefertiti, two queens of Egypt, apparently used Aloe vera to keep their skin soft. It was used to treat soldiers' wounds by Christopher Columbus and Alexander the Great.
Aloe vera, sometimes described as a "wonder plant", is a short-stemmed shrub that only occurs in cultivation - it cannot be found in the wild. Some related Aloes occur naturally in North Africa. An Aloe is a genus containing more than 500 species of flowering succulent plants.
The Aloe vera leaves are succulent, erect and form a dense rosette. Many uses are made from the gel obtained from the plant's leaves
Aloe vera has been the subject of scientific study for the last few years, along with other members of the Aloe genus regarding several claimed therapeutic properties.
According to Kew Gardens, England's royal botanical center of excellence, Aloe vera has been used for centuries and is currently more popular than ever. It is cultivated worldwide, primarily as a crop for "Aloe gel", which comes from the leaf.
Aloe vera is widely used today in:
- food - it is approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) as a natural flavoring
- cosmetics
- food supplements
- herbal remedies
The earliest records of Aloe vera being used by humans appear in the Ebers Papyrus (Egypcian medical papyrus) from 16th century BC. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Dematology, in ancient Egypt they called Aloe vera "that plant of immortality". The authors added that the plant has been used therapeutically for many centuries in China, Japan, India, Greece, Egypt, Mexico and Japan.
Cleopatra and Nefertiti, two queens of Egypt, apparently used Aloe vera to keep their skin soft. It was used to treat soldiers' wounds by Christopher Columbus and Alexander the Great.
Pedanius Dioscorides (circa 40-90 AD) a Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist, mentioned Aloe vera and its therapeutic qualities in "De Mataria Medica", a 5-volume encyclopedia about medical substances and herbal medicine - it was widely read for over 1,500 years.
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23-79), better known as Pliny the Elder, a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, mentioned Aloe vera's therapeutic benefits in "Natural History", an early encyclopedia - one of the major single works to have survived from the Roman Empire.
Aloe vera shrub and flower (inset image)
What are the therapeutic benefits of Aloe vera?
The medicinal claims made about Aloe vera, as with many herbs and plants, are endless. Some are backed by rigorous scientific studies while others are not. This article attempts to focus mainly on those that have been backed up by science.
Teeth and gums
A study published in General Dentistry reported that Aloe vera in tooth gels is as effective as toothpaste in fighting cavities. The researchers compared the germ-fighting ability of an Aloe veratooth gel with two popular toothpastes and found that the gel was just as effective, and in some cases even better than the commercial brand toothpastes at controlling cavity-causing oral bacteria.
The authors explained that Aloe latex contains anthraquinones, compounds that are used in healing and reducing pain because of their natural anti-inflammatory effects.
As Aloe vera gel is less harsh on the teeth than commercial toothpaste because it does not contain abrasive elements, people with sensitive teeth and gums may benefit, the researchers wrote. The scientists warned that not all gels they analyzed contained the proper form of Aloe vera - they must contain the stabilized gel that exists in the center of the plant in order to be effective.
Study co-author, Dilip George, MDS, said "(the gel) must not be treated with excessive heat or filtered during the manufacturing process, as this destroys or reduces the effects of certain essential compounds, such as enzymes and polysaccharides." Dr. George recommends checking with non-profit associations, such as the International Aloe Science Council to determine which products have received its seal of quality.
Constipation
Germany's regulatory agency for herbs - Commission E - approved the use of Aloe vera for the treatment of constipation. Dosages of between 50 to 200 milligrams of Aloe latex are commonly taken in liquid or capsule form once daily for up to ten days.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled in 2002 that as there is not enough data on the safety and efficacy of Aloe products; in the USA they cannot be sold to treat constipation.
Diabetes-induced foot ulcers
According to a study carried out at the Sinhgad College of Pharmacy, India, and published in the International Wound Journal a "gel formed with carbopol 974p (1%) and Aloe vera promotes significant wound healing and closure in diabetic rats compared with the commercial product and provides a promising product to be used in diabetes-induced foot ulcers".
Antioxidants and possibly antimicrobial properties
Researchers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, wrote about a study in the journal Molecules.
The team had set out to determine whether the methanol extract of leaf skins and flowers of Aloe vera might have beneficial effects on human health. The scientists focused on the extract's possible antioxidant and antimycoplasmic activities. Mycoplasma are a type of bacteria that lack a cell wall, they are unaffected by many common antibiotics. Antimycoplasmic substances destroy these bacteria.
They reported that both Aloe vera flower and leaf extracts had antioxidant properties, especially the leaf skin extract. The leaf skin extract also exhibited antimycoplasmic properties.
The authors concluded "A. Vera extracts from leaf skin and flowers can be considered as good natural antioxidant sources."
Protection from ultraviolet (UV) irradiation
Scientists at Kyung Hee University Global Campus, South Korea, wanted to determine whether baby aloe shoot extract and adult aloe shoot extract might have a protective effect on UVB-induced skin photoaging, i.e. whether they might protect the skin from the aging effect when exposed to sunlight.
Baby aloe shoot extract (BAE) comes from 1-month old shoots while adult aloe shoot extract (AE) comes from 4-month old shoots.
The team explained that UV irradiation induces photo-damage of the skin and can permanently change skin structure.
In an article published in Phytotherapy Research, the authors concluded "Our results suggest that BAE may potentially protect the skin from UVB-induced damage more than AE."
Protection from skin damage after radiation therapy
A study carried out at the University of Naples, Italy, tested five different topical creams to see how effective they might be in protecting the skin of breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.
They tested the following hydrating creams - Vitis vinifera A. s-I-M.t-O.dij (Ixoderm®), Alga Atlantica plus Ethylbisiminomethylguaicolo and Manganese Cloruro (Radioskin1®) and Metal Esculetina plus Ginko Biloba and Aloe vera (Radioskin 2®); Natural triglycerides-fitosterols (Xderit®); Selectiose plus thermal water of Avene (Trixera+®); and Betaglucan, sodium hyaluronate (Neoviderm®).
They divided 100 patients into five groups of 20, each one was prescribed a different topical treatment. They applied the creams twice daily, starting 15 days before radiation therapy treatment, and carried on for one month afterwards.
During the whole 6-week period, the participants underwent weekly skin assessments.
In the journal Radiation Oncology, the scientists reported that the preventive use of the topical hydrating creams reduced the incidence of skin side effects in the women treated with radiation therapy for breast cancer. "All moisturizing creams used in this study were equally valid in the treatment of skin damage induced by radiotherapy."
Depression, learning and memory - an animal experiment
A study published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that Aloe vera reduces depression and improves memory in mice. The researchers explained as background information that the plant had been used since ancient times for the treatment of infection, constipation and skin disorders.
The authors wanted to determine what effect Aloe vera might have in learning, memory, depression and locomotion. After carrying out some experiments on laboratory mice, the scientists concluded "Aloe veraenhances learning and memory, and also alleviates depression in mice." Further studies are needed to find out whether humans might also receive the same benefits.
Wounds from second degree burns
A team of plastic surgeons compared Aloe vera gel to 1% silver sulphadiazine cream for the treatment of second degree burn wounds.
They reported in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association that the burn wounds among the patients treated with Aloe vera healed remarkably earlier compared to those treated with with 1% silver sulfadiazine (SSD).
The researchers added that those in the Aloe Vera group experienced significantly more and earlier pain relief than those in the SSD group.
In an Abstract in the same journal, the authors wrote "Thermal burns patients dressed with Aloe veragel showed advantage compared to those dressed with SSD regarding early wound epithelialization, earlier pain relief and cost-effectiveness."
Irritable bowel syndrome - inconclusive
A randomized, double-blind human trial carried out at St Georges Hospital Medical School, London, UK, did not find a significant difference in symptoms of diarrhea after 3 months when patients on Aloe vera were compared to those on placebo.
However, the researchers wrote in the International Journal of Clinical Practice"There was no evidence that AV (aloe vera) benefits patients with IBS. However, we could not rule out the possibility that improvement occurred in patients with diarrhoea or alternating IBS whilst taking AV. Further investigations are warranted in patients with diarrhoea predominant IBS, in a less complex group of patients."
Mom used to have this in our garden. She loves garden. Aloe vera is very easy to plant. You can cut a small stem of it and plant it in a soil. After a week, it will root by itself. I actually used this to thicken my hair when I was a teenager.
I will update this blog of my new adventure. Stay posted peeps!
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