Aloe Vera for a Wide Range of Health Benefits
Nature's Most Impressive Healing Medicinal Herb
Sep 13, 2008 Harry P. Schlanger
Aloe Vera is a natural herb used for centuries in natural healing healthcare. It is a veritable storehouse of nutritional compounds, rich in enzymes, often missing in today's over-processed foods. Aloe Vera contains a unique mix of minerals, vitamins, and an impressive two hundred active plant compounds.
There are at least 280 varieties of aloe. It is the Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) species which has some of the most researched health promoting properties, giving Aloe Vera its reputation for powerful support in natural healing of both the inner and outer body.
Background
Aloe Vera is an extraordinary plant and is possibly the most widely used beautifying plant. It is a type of aloe native to the Mediterranean region that has the appearance of a cactus, but which actually belongs to the lily family - as do onions and garlic. It grows naturally in the tropical climates of Africa, America, Asia, Australia and parts of Europe, and may also be grown as household plants.
With maturity, Aloe Vera leaves develop spiny margins. The mucilaginous (i.e. viscous) juice obtained from the leaves of this plant is used as a drink and in pharmaceutical preparations for its soothing and healing properties.
Contents of Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera contains 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, and some 200 active plant compounds, including, for example:
- Enzymes - proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts.
- Triterpenes - a nutrient that lowers blood sugar.
- Glycoproteins and Glyconutrients. The former is a compound found ubiquitous in nature in which sugar is covalently linked to protein. The latter describes dietary supplements that contain a blend of eight simple sugars found in glycoproteins.
- Polysaccharides - a class of complex carbohydrates, such as starch and cellulose.
- Phenolic glycosides. Glycosides are a large important class of sugar derivatives in which the sugar is combined with a nonsugar. Phenolic has a urinary antiseptic effect.
Health Benefits
The key philosophy with Aloe Vera is to use only pure substance without sweeteners, additives or flavours in the correct efficacious dose. Aloe Vera is beneficial for the following body health benefits:
- Digestion & Gut. Soothing to the stomach; helps maintain healthy intestinal bacteria
- Skin Health. Soothes the skin, hydrates it, nourishes it and accelerates regeneration of new skin tissue. Used for cuts, burns and eczema.
- Immune System. Supports the immune system.
- Cancer. Has been approved in the USA for treatment of cancer in pets (but not in humans!).
- General. Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory properties; has been effective at treating athlete's foot.
Aloe Vera may be used externally for example, providing a total barrier over a wound, improving the penetration and delivery of moisture through the many layers of the skin, stimulating the manufacture of collagens and rebalancing skin pH.
Internally, Aloe Vera gel can inactivate pepsin (a powerful enzyme in gastric juice that partially digests proteins in food) in a reversible fashion, enhance immunity and block generation of inflammatory mediators, and lead to improved protein digestion and assimilation.
Summary
Aloe Vera is a natural herb that grows in warm, tropical climates and is extensively researched for its health-giving properties. It is well known for its topical applications but has also an impressive list of internal benefits. It is useful for the skin, stomach, digestive tract and immune system.
Many informative research articles about aloe vera are available at the International Aloe Science Council (note: many valuable free scientific articles are available at IASC but the site has been under attack.)
The reader may be interested in finding out more details about alo, or perhaps learn about the so-called "miracle herb", Spirulina. Learn about the remarkable Budwig diet for the relief and cure of most diseases, including as a powerful natural cancer treatment.
Aloe Vera Plant
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