Aloe Vera – Benefits and Uses in Health and Skin Care
One of the greatest achievements in the field of health and beauty is the use of herbal products and medicines to treat health conditions naturally. Herbs have mystical healing properties that make them suitable for treating diseases. One of the most blessed with healing herbs, is the Aloe Vera.
Aloe vera benefits are being realized today, as has been done by many of our ancestors in the past. For many years it has been used by native cultures of our planet and many others.
No other plant has dramatically shaken the medical world as the Aloe Vera. Cactus like the appearance and the lily family, aloe vera extracts are widely used in almost every form of natural health treatments. There are two extracts from the aloe vera plants are used – the gelatinous inner leaf is extracted and processed in a gel, and the yellowish fluid from the outer skin dries and becomes a powder.
Here are some of the benefits and uses of aloe vera.
- The most commonly used part of the aloe plants are their leaves and, in particular, transparent gel inside. Aloe vera is a plant that has wonderful healing properties and softening. Aloe vera contains numerous vitamins and minerals, enzymes, amino acids, natural sugars and agents which may be anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. The combination and balance of plant ingredients is what supposedly gives it healing properties.
- Aloe vera is an energy source that contains more than 200 nutrients, including 18 amino acids and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Aloe vera gel consists mainly of water and polysaccharides (pectins, hemicelluloses, glucomannan, acemannan, and mannose derivatives). Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate that stimulates the growth and repair of the skin.
- It also contains amino acids, lipids, sterols (lupeol, campesterol, and beta-sitosterol), tannins, enzymes. Mannose 6-phosphate is an important component of sugar.
- Aloe latex contains compounds known as anthraquinones that stimulate the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. The anthraquinones derivatives include hydroxyanthracene, aloins A and B, barbaloin, isobarbaloin, aloectic acid, and emodin.
- Aloe vera is one of the substances used in the world for treating bruises and burns. Aloe Vera has been used medicinally for over 6,000 years. Aloe gel is available commercially in the form of stabilized gel, incorporated into ointments, creams and lotions.
- Aloe gel speeds healing of burns (fire, sunlight or radiation), and insect bites, and relieves itching and dandruff. Aloe vera heals third degree burns up to six times faster than traditional medical treatments. The aloe vera plant is intentionally a natural herb that is used for internal and external problems like ulcers, rashes, burns, etc.
- Aloe Vera has many medicinal and cosmetic properties. It is available as a gel, spray, lotions, juices, and cream in the form of a capsule. Aloe Vera gels and lotions have become very popular in beauty products, herbal products. Aloe Vera Cream is used with beneficial results in skin eruptions and allergies.
- You can have kidney problems or severe diarrhea in case of an overdose of aloe vera. Aloe vera contains burn healing effects, anti-inflammatory properties, reduction of property and the scar woundsOne may experience irregular heartbeats due to the reduction of potassium in the blood.
- Aloe Vera helps in increasing circulation of blood thus facilitating easier oxygen exchange between cells that feed them.
Be advised by a health professional before drinking the juice of aloe vera. Overdose of aloe vera can result in dehydration, stomach cramps or intestinal spasms, so one should follow the dosage instructions, while purchasing the product.