~ Ancient, but Well-known Medicinal Plant that belongs in everyone’s kitchen today.
🌷Reposting one of my very first posts. This miracle plant has been a staple of my morning routine and this article serves as a gentle reminder to continue on the healing plant-based life path.
Native to Africa, Aloe Vera is a hardy succulent that’s easy to grow inside or outside of your own home. It thrives in poor soil and requires very little water. Spiny-edged light green Aloe plants can grow to two feet and eventually produce a snowy, reddish inflorescence. Keeping an aloe plant in your kitchen could come in handy for the following health benefits.
- Heals Burns -Hormones: Auxins and gibberellins that help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory action. According to one clinical trial, Aloe could reduce 1st and 2nd-degree burns by 9 days.
- Digestive Aid: It provides 12 anthraquinones, which are phenolic compounds traditionally known as a laxative. Latex is a sticky yellow residue found just under the skin of the leaf. This key compound responsible for this effect is called aloin and emodin.
- Aloin and Emodin compounds also act as analgesics, antibacterial and antiviral agents. Effect of Aloin in medical studies suggests inactivation of Herpes simplex, varicella zoster, and influenza.
- Fatty acids: It yields 4 plant steroids; cholesterol, campesterol, β-sisosterol and lupeol. All these have anti-inflammatory action and lupeol also possesses antiseptic and analgesic properties.
- High in vitamins: such as A, C, E, Folic acid, Choline, B1, B2, B3, B6 and even B12.
- Minerals – It provides calcium, chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc. They are essential for the proper functioning of various enzyme systems in different metabolic pathways and few are antioxidants.
- Enzymes – Aloe contains 8 enzymes: allinase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, bradykinase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, cellulose, lipase, and peroxidase. Bradykinase helps to reduce excessive inflammation when applied to the skin topically, while others help in the breakdown of sugars and fats.
- 20 of the 22 humans required amino acids and 7 of the 8 essential amino acids. It also contains salicylic acid that possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Lignin, an inert substance, when included in topical preparations, enhances the penetrative effect of the other ingredients into the skin. Saponins that are the soapy substances form about 3% of the gel and have cleansing and antiseptic properties. The amino acids also soften hardened skin cells and zinc acts as an astringent to tighten pores. Thus, it improves skin integrity, decreases the appearance of fine wrinkles, soothes eczema and has an anti-acne effect.
- Antiseptic effect –Aloe Vera contains 6 antiseptic agents: Lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols, and sulfur. They all have an inhibitory action on fungi, bacteria, and viruses.-Wow!’’Lowers Blood sugar – 1996 Clinical trial reports 72 diabetic women without drug therapy were administered one tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel or placebo for 6 weeks. Blood glucose and serum triglyceride levels were significantly decreased with Aloe Vera.
- Lowers Blood sugar – 1996 Clinical trial reports 72 diabetic women without drug therapy were administered one tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel or placebo for 6 weeks. Blood glucose and serum triglyceride levels were significantly decreased with Aloe Treatment.
Yet, there are more home remedies:
- Shaving cream – use it instead of the store bought for dual action of moisturizer.
- Aftershave – apply right after shaving to soothe and condition the skin.
- Dandruff and itchy scalp shampoo. Aloe has a pH of 4.3, making it excellent for skin and hair preparations.
- Mouthwash – reduces dental plaque and treats mouth ulcers as effective as a steroid medication.
- Reduces dental plaque and as effective as chlorhexidine oral solution.
- Aloin again, a natural sunscreen that blocks as much as 30 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
- Eye makeup remover – enough said.
Conclusion: Grow this herb and use it! For external use, cut the leaf from the plant at its base. A clear gel will ooze from the fresh wound, but it will quickly heal. Stored in the refrigerator, the leaf will keep for several weeks, always ready when needed. Apply gel from the leaf or the leaf itself to affected skin.
For internal use, find freshly preserved aloe juice-available at most natural foods stores. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended dosage.
My simple daily intake: Mix gel with juice to make it taste better. Add whole leaves to smoothies. Why not? I do so.
Until next time,
Luda, at PlantsandBeyond.com🌿
©PlantsandBeyond.com
Disclosure: The images used in this post (including the Header Image) do not belong to Plantsandbeyond.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92765/#ch3_sec6
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006208/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24603910/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17499928
https://books.google.com/books/about/Aloe_Vera.html?id=qZchGWDw264C
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23240939
http://www.aloelf.com/wp-content/uploads/aloe-vera/aloebook.pdf
http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/aloe-vera.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/
https://www.ncbi.nlmhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23195077.nih.gov/books/NBK92765/
Really informative and such a humble plant with great uses. Thanks for the share.
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💕💕💕thank you so much , Garfield Hug🌱🌱🌱🌱
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Truly aloe vera is a miracle plant. Thank you for sharing all its amazing properties!
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Peter, means a lot to have your reflection – thank you 🌱
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Excellent Post Luda 🙂
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😘🌱thank you very much 🌱😘
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Your welcome…I had some issues with my site and lost a few blogs and one of them was yours… 😦 Finally figured it out and all good now 🙂
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Very informative but still an easy read. Thank you.
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Stacy , thank you 🌱🌱🌱
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A great post. I have used mine a lot. It helped me enormously when I had shingles. 🌼
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Thank you sooooo much for your comment . Glad to hear it helps 🌱
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Great post, am bookmarking this page ! Seems to be a wonder herb !!
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Aww, thank you , Megala ;)) I 😍 it;)
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It’s amazing how versatile this plant is.badically a miracle of nature
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I think so too ! Thank you, Ortensia 😉
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Although I know some things about this plant, I enjoyed this informative post. I’ll have to grow some now. 😉
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Happy to be of imformative help, Diana
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So informative. Great post! I really like Aloe vera.
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Thank you, Jen!
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Our home in Tucson is surrounded by huge Aloe Vera plants-I considered it lucky until I got a shin full of jabs! They are prickly! 💕
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Oh, so sorry you got hurt. Wow, I guess the plant has a self – protecting mechanism 🙂
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Pretty much every critter and plant in the desert has vicious defense mechanisms 💕
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Amazing
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Thank you so much Luda for sharing this super informative post.
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So happy you found it helpful 🌱🌹🌹🌹🌱
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Yes I do and I need to take care of my aloe vera plant.
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Excellent information! I will try your smoothie idea. My aloe is growing crazy and though I know it’s good for my skin, I never think to use it. Thanks for the tips!
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That’s wonderful ! So happy this article came in handy . Have a great smoothie day;)🌿🌿🌿🌿
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Reblogged this on The Meditating Blonde.
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Very grateful, thank you and nice meeting you!
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Thank you! 💫
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