Aloe Vera Gel
The health and nutrition benefits of aloe vera gel are well-documented. Aloe vera provides the body with 200 health-promoting compounds, including 20 minerals, 18 amino acids, and 12 vitamins. Its properties help maintain a healthy digestive system and a natural energy level. Aloe vera is also beneficial in maintaining immune system health.
*Supports digestive and gastrointestinal system health, immune system health, mental focus/energy
Top 12 Benefits and Medicinal Uses for Aloe Vera:
1. Aloe Vera Is High in Vitamins & Minerals:
Aloe Vera contains many vitamins including A, C, E, folic acid,
choline, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6. Aloe Vera is also one of the few
plants that contains vitamin B12.
Some of the 20 minerals found in Aloe Vera include: calcium,
magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper,
manganese.
2. Aloe Vera is High in Amino Acids & Fatty Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are about 22
amino acids that are necessary for the human body and it is said that 8
of these are essential. Estimates of the amino acids found in aloe range
from 18-20 amino acids, with all 8 essential amino acids.
Alove Vera also includes quite an impressive range of fatty acids.
Aloe contains three plant sterols, which are important fatty acids- HCL
cholesterol (which lowers fats in the blood), campesterol, and
B-sitosterol. All are helpful in reducing symptoms of allergies and acid
indigestion. Other fatty acids include linoleic, linolenic, myristic,
caprylic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic.
3. Aloe Vera is an Adaptogen
Aloe Vera is a well-known adaptogen. An adaptogen is something that
boosts the body’s natural ability to adapt to external changes and
resist illness. It is thought that aloe’s power as an adaptogen balances
the body’s system, stimulating the defense and adaptive mechanisms of
the body. This allows you an increased ability to cope with stress
(physical, emotional and environmental stress like pollution)
4. Aloe Helps with Digestion
Poor digestion is related to many diseases. A properly functioning
digestive tract is one of the keys and foundations of health. Aloe is
known to soothe and cleanse the digestive tract and help improve
digestion. The interesting thing about taking aloe internally is that,
because it is an adaptogen, it helps with either constipation or
diarrhea, helping to regulate your elimination cycles in whatever way
you need. It’s been a great remedy for people with problems such as
irritable bowel syndrome as well as acid reflux. Aloe also helps to
decrease the amount of unfriendly bacteria and in our gut keeping your
healthy intestinal flora in balance. Aloe is also a vermifuge, which
means it helps to rid the body of intestinal worms.
5. Aloe Helps in Detoxification
Aloe Vera is a gelatinous plant food, just like seaweeds and chia.
The main benefit to consuming gelatinous plant foods in your diet is
that these gels move through the intestinal tract absorbing toxins along
the way and get eliminated through the colon. This will help the proper
elimination of waste from your body and help the detoxification of your
body.
6. Aloe Alkalizes the Body
Disease cannot manifest in an alkaline environment. Most people are
living and subsisting on mostly acidic foods. For great health, remember
the 80/20 rule – 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic. Aloe vera
is an alkaline forming food. It alkalizes the body, helping to balance
overly acidic dietary habits
7. Cardiovascular Health
There hasn’t been a lot of studies conducted in this but there has
been some research to show that Aloe Vera extract injected into the
blood, greatly multiplies the oxygen transportation and diffusion
capabilities of the red blood cells.
According to a study published in the 2000 issue of the British
Medical Journal, beta sitosterol helps to lower cholesterol. By
regulating blood pressure, improving circulation and oxidation of the
blood, lowering cholesterol, and making blood less sticky, Aloe Vera
juice may be able to help lower the risk of heart disease.
8. Aloe Helps Boost the Immune System
I think given the stresses of our daily lives, every one can use a
boost to their immune systems. The polysaccharides in aloe vera juice
stimulate macrophages, which are the white blood cells of your immune
system that fight against viruses.
Aloe is also an immune enhancer because of its high level of
anti-oxidants, which help combat the unstable compounds known as
free-radicals, contributing to the aging process. (Free radicals are a
bi-product of life itself, it is a naturally occurring process but we
can overload ourselves with unnecessary free-radicals by living an
unhealthy lifestyle) Aloe is also an antipyretic
which means it used to reduce or prevent fever.
9. Aloe Vera is Great for the Skin
Because of aloe’s well-known healing properties for the skin, aloe is
one of the primary compounds used in the cosmetic industry. It is a
known vulnerary, (meaning it helps heal wounds) and is great for
applying topically to burns, abrasions, psoriasis and even to bug bites.
Aloe acts as an analgesic, acting to help relieve pain of wounds. It’s
feels especially good to cut a stem of aloe, place it in the fridge and
rub it on sun burnt skin – the immediate soothing effect feels like an
absolute lifesaver. Aloe is also an antipruritic: A substance that
relieves or prevents itching. Aloe Vera is an astringent: which causes
the contraction of body tissues, typically used to reduce bleeding from
minor abrasions.
Due to aloe’s high water content (over 99% water) it is a great way
to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin and fits within my
general guideline: “Don’t put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t
eat!” Aloe increases the elasticity of the skin making it more flexible
through collagen and elastin repair. Aloe is an emollient, helping to
soften and soothe the skin. It helps supply oxygen to the skin cells,
increasing the strength and synthesis of skin tissue and induces
improved blood flow to the skin through capillary dilation.
10. Disinfectant, Anti-biotic, Anti-microbial, Germicidal, Anti-bacterial, Anti-septic, Anti-fungal & Anti-viral:
Wow, I think that covers all anti- bases. Okay, I admit, that was
just a sneaky way to add in another 8 good reasons why you should keep
Aloe Vera handy and incorporate it into your lifestyle. Aloe Vera’s
active ingredients are sulphur, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid,
urea nitrogen and phenol which are substances that prevent the growth of
disease-causing microorganisms and act as a team to provide
antimicrobial activity thus eliminating many internal and external
infections, also active against bacteria. It also helps to treat fungal
and viral infections.
11. Aloe Helps Reduce Inflammation
Aloe Vera contains 12 substances, including B-sisterole, which can
help to slow down or inhibit inflammation. This may be able to help
with painful joints due to stiffness and help improve joint flexibility.
12. Weight Loss – A Secondary effect
Improving your digestion, and detoxifying your will have a secondary
effect in promoting weight loss because when we start to improve our
digestion we naturally eliminate more efficiently, which is a primary
way they we detoxify – through our bowels. This will lighten our toxic
load on the body and will give us more energy.
Aloe Vera Intake Precautions
This plant is incredibly medicinal, yet there are some cautions
against long-term use. Just because a little is beneficial, doesn’t mean
that a lot is more beneficial. This is an incredibly potent herb and
should be used with a level of respect for its potency. Long-term use
can lead to loss of electrolytes, especially potassium.
Avoid taking aloe internally during pregnancy, menstruation, if you
have hemorrhoids or degeneration of the liver and gall bladder.
Aloe Vera Dosage
Many people are trying to sell their aloe vera juice products. Like I
always say “fresh is best”. Aloe plants can grow pretty much anywhere.
When I was living in Canada, I used to have several indoor aloe plants
and they did really well. Now that I live in Hawaii, aloe grows
everywhere, so I don’t need to buy the juice, I just make it myself.
Some companies selling Aloe juice recommend that we should take it
‘regularly’ but I don’t necessarily agree. We need to treat this plant
as the medicine that it is and by tuning into our bodies we can really
start to notice if we’re pulled to this plant for some level of healing.
Would we take medicine unnecessarily without our bodies really needing
it?
Probably not, and that’s the same with plant medicines. If you’re
experiencing one of these digestive ailments use it for a short period
of time for it’s course in treatment (1-2 weeks) and then stop and wait
at least a month before starting again.
When I was living in Vancouver, I bought a big jug of the aloe juice
and was taking shots of it in the morning. One of the ways that we can
tune into our bodies is to simply notice immediate reactions. When I
first started taking it, my body was totally fine with it, the taste
didn’t bother me, and I could tell it was ok for my body. After a couple
of weeks, I would take a shot and I would get a bit of a gag reflex.
Our bodies are incredible at communicating with us. This was my sign
that the Aloe medicine had run its course in treatment and didn’t start
taking it again for at least another month or two.
We see something that says weight-loss on it and we just go to town
on taking it without considering the potential toxic effects of
over-doing a potent plant medicine like Aloe. I don’t think in any
culture, aloe was used internally every single day – most traditional
cultures understand that more isn’t always necessarily better and use it
when it is actually needed. This way, it ensures the use of the
effectiveness of the constituents of the plant when we are in need of
it.
One last note about Aloe Vera juice; it does have a strong pungent taste, so if you can’t cope with taking it straight, mix it in your smoothie or add it to a green juice.
Enjoy the many benefits that Aloe Vera has to offer in Trevo.
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