Aloe Vera is a plant of many surprises and wonders. Whether you use it as vital ingredient in beauty products or it is consumed as dietary supplement.
Aloe Vera is a hot fertile region plant, but now it is cultivated in most part of the world. Aloe is a member of the lily family although it looks more of a cactus. It has been used for its medicinal purposes since the ancient times, but only recently has it enjoyed a rediscovery and subsequent popularity explosion.
There are over 200 varieties of aloes, but it is the Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) plant, which has been of most use to mankind because of the medicinal properties it displays. Aloe Vera contains over 75 known active ingredients including a wide range Vitamins, antioxidant, minerals, calcium, essential Amino Acids, Sugars, Digestive Enzymes, Anti-inflammatory Enzymes, Plant Sterols, Lignin, Saponins, Anthraquinones and more. Aloe Vera contains many components, including vitamins A, B, C, and E. Aloe has a massive amount of minerals and enzymes, however not its entire component has been identified yet.
Nowadays, although medicines and drugs can be very effective in treating ailments, long term use often involves side effects for patients. Consequently more consumers and scientists are turning back to look at more traditional, and often natural therapies which have been neglected for so long. As a result, Aloe Vera is once again attracting attention as it can provide many benefits to our health and lifestyle without any side effects.
BENEFITS OF ALOE VERA
Ancient records show that the benefits of Aloe Vera have been known to mankind for centuries. Its therapeutic advantages and healing properties have survived more than 5000 years.
By using the aloe vera juice a person can get the benefits of aloe vera’s ability to aid in digestion, improve circulation, detoxify and heal from the inside. Aloe Vera juice can be a part of a person’s daily healthy regimen because it is safe to take everyday. If Aloe is taken internally, it increases the actual amount of our bile. It affects the small intestines and stimulates the muscular coat of the large intestine thus causing purging in about fifteen hours. Aloes also help increase the menstrual flow, since it belongs to the group of emmenagogues. Aloes have Aloin present used for therapeutic purposes. This causes less pain. It is a preferable drug for many forms of constipation. Continuous use of it does not lead to enlarging the dose to take.
Aloe’s benefits to our health include, helping to lower the blood sugar levels in diabetes patients. Aloe Vera is a strong laxative that may have some anti-cancer effects to humans. It is now being studied as a treatment for asthma.
USES OF ALOE VERA
Aloe Vera is commonly used externally to treat various skin conditions such as cuts, burns and echzema. It is alleged that sap from Aloe vera eases pain and reduces inflammation. Scientific evidence on the effects of Aloe vera sap on wound healing is contradictory. A study showed that the healing of a moderate to severe burn was sped up by six days when covering the wound on a regular basis with aloe vera gel, compared to the healing of the wound covered in a gauze bandage. In contrast, another study suggested wounds to which Aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal.
Many cosmetic companies add sap or products derived from Aloe Vera to products such as makeup, shampoos, soaps, moisturisers, sunscreens and lotions. Aloe gel is alleged to be useful for dry skin conditions, especially eczema around the eyes and sensitive facial skin and for treating fungal infections.Aloe vera has very good results in skin diseases and it is often taken as health drink. Aloe Vera is also found effective in treating wrinkles, stretch marks and pigmentations. Where as auravedic practitioners are in the favor of use of Aloe Vera. According to them Aloe vera has very good role in diabetic. Aloe vera is found to have smaller molecular structure and cutting properties. This help breaking down fat globules, therefore reducing obesity. Medical properties of Aloe vera are still on debate, but the beauty properties are highly accepted by the world.
Aloe Vera is also known to have certain medical properties. Aloe vera drink is used as a tonic for patient suffering from arthritis, diabetes and high cholesterol. This is because of the dietary supplement properties, which help in healing like anti fungal, anti oxidant, anti bacterial and some other properties. It is found to boost the immune system. The transparent gel that is found inside its leaf is used as a domestic emergency treatment in burns, injuries and solar erithema, also it is applied externally on hemorrhoids and foe a good cicatrisation. Aloe Vera contains at least two active compounds that decrease the levels of sugar in the blood and its extract is also used in patients with hypoglycemia. Its juice is consumed as prevention and treatment of many gastric disorders. The efficiency of Aloe Vera in the treatment of burns is due because it has a similar structure as aspirin, that in combination with magnesium have an anesthetic effect and because of its antimicrobian composition it helps for the hygiene of the burns, avoiding a possible infection.
