I have a few herbs
that I keep coming back to time and time again.
These herbs are useful in most situations, and are typically herbs that
are easy for most people to access. Aloe
is one of these herbs. I recommend it
for everything, to the point of my friends and family making fun of me about
it. Whenever I say they should use
something, they stop me before I finish and say variations of “I know, I know,
Aloe.” If you’ve been reading this blog
for the past several months you’ll also notice that aloe is a key ingredient in
many of my recipes. So today, I’m
writing about aloe.
Aloe vera is in the Liliaceae (Lily) family.
This spiky succulent is native to Africa and was well known by the
ancient physicians of Egypt, it was even called the “plant of immortality” by
them. As such, it was often given as burial
gifts to pharaohs. Hippocrates documented over 14 different remedies using aloe. Alexander the Great even conquered a whole
island just to ensure that his troupes had enough aloe to keep them healthy. Today it is still one of the most popular
medicinal herbs in the world, and scientists have identified over 200
biologically active compounds in the plant.
Pretty awesome for a plant that’s over 99% water.
Most people know
aloe is great for burns. Some people
also know that it is great for wounds in general. This is such common knowledge that there have
been a number of scientific studies done comparing aloe to other common burn
and wound creams. In most of them, aloe
heals the wounds and burns faster by a significant amount of time. Aloe is also used to help treat other skin
conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. But
it doesn’t just work on external wounds.
Aloe is great for internal sores as well, sores like mouth and stomach ulcers.
Aloe is also my
favorite anti-inflammatory. It is so
amazing at this that it can relieve internal inflammations with external
application. This means that if you have
inflammation in your gut, applying the aloe leaf to your abdomen may reduce
that inflammation. Now if it is serious
and reoccurring inflammation, please see your doctor! However, when I have a sore and swollen joint
I always slice an aloe leaf and apply it (wrapping it with a bandage and elevating
the joint for 20 minutes minimum). It
almost always does the trick. I even
worked with aloe when I tore a tendon in my foot, I’m convinced it was the aloe
that helped to heal the tendon 3 months ahead of when I was told it would be
healed.
Aloe is also a
really effective laxative. Especially
the outer parts of the leaf. The gel
will help improve digestion, but the outer leaf will make sure your sluggish
digestion gets a move on. I don’t recommend
the leaf for anything less than serious constipation. The gel and juice, however, can be taken
daily to help keep things more regular, particularly in the case of IBS (irritable
bowel syndrome).
Aloe improves
immune function. It can stimulate the
immune system in people who have immune deficiencies. It can also reduce immune function in the
case of excessive stimulus such as allergies.
Because of this, scientists are currently research its effectiveness in
HIV, AIDS, diabetes, and certain cancers.
But for most of us, this means that a daily dose of aloe is good for
immune health.
When you combine
all the benefits of aloe, it seems like there are limitless possibilities for
how this plant can help. There’s really
only one warning I can give with this herb, if you have a staph infection,
please don’t try aloe. Aloe is the
perfect breeding ground for the bacteria that causes staph infections. But don’t hesitate to use aloe in any other
situation. It’s an antimicrobial (it
fights bacteria, viruses, and fungi), anti-inflammatory, immune boosting,
digestive aiding, and all around amazing powerhouse of wellness. I encourage everyone to have at least one of
these plants in easy access to their home for first aid purposes, but taking a
small amount every day is also of great benefit to almost everyone. And, it tastes pretty good in smoothies!
Resources:
Dr. Weil: http://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/herbs/aloe-vera/
Dr. Whitaker: http://www.drwhitaker.com/the-medicinal-uses-for-aloe-vera/
Happy & Raw: http://happyandraw.com/top-12-benefits-of-aloe-vera/
Healthline: http://www.healthline.com/health/7-amazing-uses-aloe-vera#2
Herb Wisdom: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-aloe-vera.html
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