Acknowledgment: Much of the material in this
article comes from http://hubpages.com.
The presentation has been cleaned up, and material has been added from other
sources. But this article would not exist in its present form without the information
gathered there.
Aloe Vera may be the most healing plant on the planet. Use aloe vera gel
(or sap straight from the plant) for healing cuts and burns externally. Use
aloe vera juice for internal healing--something that is highly recommended
for those recovering from gluten intolerance. (See What's
Wrong with Wheat?)
The juice doesn't taste all that great, at first. To take it, pour an ounce
or two into a shot glass and toss it past your tounge to the back of your throat.
But your body has a habit of coming to like things that are good for it. So
you may very well find that you develop a taste for it.
The remainder of this article summarizes information gleaned from the web.
Aloe's Healing Properties
There are 200 varieties of aloe. Aloe Barbadensis Miller plant
has the most medicinal properties:
- Nutrients: Aloe Vera contains over 75 known active ingredients including
a wide range of vitamins including A, B, C, and E, as well as antioxidants,
minerals, essential amino acids, sugars, digestive enzymes,
anti-inflammatory enzymes, plant sterols, lignin, saponins, anthraquinones
and more.
- It contains 18 of the 23 amino acids, that the body needs to form
cells and tissue.
- It contains minerals like calcium, phosphorus, copper, iron, manganese,
magnesium, potassium, and sodium; essential elements for metabolism and
cellular operation.
- It also contains enzymes necessary in breaking down carbohydrates,
fats and proteins in the stomach and intestine.
- Antihistamine: Aloe contains magnesium lactate, a natrual antihistamine.
Histamines are made by the immune system in response to irritants. Magnesium
lacate acts in a manner similar to steroids like cortisone, but without the
harmful side effects.) That makes aloe helpful for skin abrasions, burns,
and allergies.
- Anti-Microbial and Anti-Viral: So it provides immune support for
the skin when applied externally, as well as for the digestive tract when
taken internally. (Something like 70% of the bodies immune system is devoted
to fighting off foreign invaders in the digestive tract, so that is no small
thing.)
- Keratolic Action: Aloe contains enzymes that proteolitic enzymes
that destroy dead tissue cells, cleansing the wounds and allowing new
cells to replace them.
- Cell Regeneration: Aloe possesses a hormone that accelerates the
growth of new cells, as it eliminates the old ones. It also has high levels
of calcium, potassium, zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. These minerals promote
the formation of net fibers that trap the red corpuscles of the blood, which
speeds the healing process. (And calcium is .a great catalyst in all healing.)
Aloe's Healing Effects
Taken externally:
- Aloe has 2 components: lignin (cellulose) and polysaccharide (carbohydrates),
which penetrate the three layers of skin (epidermis, dermis,
and hypodermis). Together, they clean out bacteria and oil deposits
that block your pores.
- The enzymes, stimulate the reproduction of new cells, replacing
the dead skin cells.
Note:
When the pores are blocked, whether from bacteria, oil deposits, or
dead skind cells, the sweat glands can't function properly. Infection
then begins to form in the skin.
Taken internally:
- Aloe increases bile and aids digestion, improves circulation,
detoxifies the body, and heals it from the inside.
- It promotes healing of the intestinal wall, and stimulates the large intestines,
producing a "purging" effect in about 15 hours.
- Aloe appears to slow down the emptying of the stomach and to inhibit the
release of excess hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin.
- Because of it's effect on digestion, it often has very good results on
skin diseases, which tend to result from a "leaky gut" that absorbs incompletely-digested
proteins.
- An ounce or two before each meal will help to repair
damaged tissue in the gut and stimulate all of the digestive glands to function
properly. Improves the stomach, kidneys, gallbladder and liver.
- Helps to prevent acid reflux. (Take an ounce or two with breakfast,
and another one or two when symptoms occur.)
- A ounce or two a day is
recommended to maintain health.
Note:
The first time you take it, you might experience a mild case
of diarrhea, due to its cleansing action as it removes bacteria and food
stuck in the folds of the intestines or in the diverticulum.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (I.B.S.)
Gluten, a protein in grains is the biggest
offender in I.B.S., and the probable cause. Milk is the second biggest
irritant for many--and it stems directly from gluten sensitivity. (See
What's Wrong with Wheat?)
The wide range of health conditions that can develop from I.B.S. includes:
- Allergies
- Anemia
- Chrones
- Depression
- Diverticulitis
- Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.)
- Obesity
- Rheumatoid
arthritis
- Schizophrenia
- Skin problems
Avoiding gluten and dairy products is key to treating I.B.S. Aloe is very
important, as it can help to heal the intestinal damage.
A milk-free, soy-free acidophilus, grown on carrots and peas (such as that
made by Nature's Way) is
also helpful to promote the
growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines
and colon.
Resources
Articles:
Web resources:
Books:
