Health Benefits of Aloe Vera | Healthy Living slideshows | Well Being center

Incredible plant called Aloe Vera

The aloe vera plant originated in Africa and is well known for its medicinal purposes. It is a short stemmed plant but grows up to 90cms tall and the lower leaves can be as big as seven to 10cms across. The lower leaf is the part which has the medicinal use as when sliced open the aloe vera gel can be removed and it can rubbed onto wounds or burns to relieve pain and promote healing without the need to prepare it first. The plant itself needs to be grown indoors as it cannot tolerate frost but it can be bought at most garden centres to grow at home.

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Photo courtesy of Mathias Isenberg by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/skudex/6166325573/
www.naturalnews.com/021858_aloe_vera_gel.html
http://sacredsourcenutrition.com/top-12-benefits-of-aloe-vera/

Aloe vera boosts immune system

Pure aloe vera can be used to boost the immune system as it is packed full of vitamins, enzymes, nutrients and amino acids to keep the body and mind functioning at its best. When ingested for a period of time, a month for example, it can be a power house of protection allowing the body to fight off colds, flu's and horrible infections. Natural aloe vera is antibacterial so it fights the bacteria that cause common colds and digestive infections, and it is often used when people are detoxing or cleansing the body as it can help flush out bad bacteria that is unwanted in the urinary system.

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Photo courtesy of Matthew Kenwrick by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/58847482@N03/5461276006/
www.sunfood.com/blog/articles-and-information/superfood-articles/aloe-vera-superfood-articles/supercharge-your-immune-system-with-aloe-vera/

High in vitamins and minerals

Aloe vera is abundant in vitamins and minerals. The vitamins that are found in aloe are vitamins A, C and E which are antioxidants which help fight free radicals in the body that are known to cause cancer and disease. It also contains vitamin B12 which improves the nervous system and building muscle tissue. There are a range of minerals also found in aloe such as calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc to mention a few. These are essential for enzyme activity and metabolic function and without them we would be unable to fully synthesis chemical reactions essential for life.

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Photo courtesy of ER and Jenny by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/rikajenzhomekitchen/1215044484/
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/

Helps with digestion and stomach disorders

Aloe vera has been shown to help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by increasing the water content and protein absorption in the intestinal tract. Taking aloe vera supplements along side your regular diet will help to stop abdominal pain caused by IBS and can even help to regulate bowel movements by helping remove unnecessary bacteria found in the intestines. It also helps to restore the natural function of the digestive system to increase the nutrient absorption during digestion. If all the nutrients are fully absorbed into the bloodstream it stops harmful toxins getting into the blood, and stops bloating and the uncomfortable feeling many IBS sufferers feel.

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Photo courtesy of Waag Society by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/waagsociety/9073675361/
drinkaloevera.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/aloe-vera-and-digestive-problems/

Reduces inflammation

The anti inflammatory effects of aloe vera are one of the best known uses for the gel from this plant. It can be applied straight from the plant or when combined with other products and used as oils or treatments. Aloe vera contains plant steroids which are used as an anti inflammatory in many medicines so using aloe straight from the plant provides fast relief. The nutrients found in aloe speed up the repair process so combining that with its anti inflammatory and pain relief effects make it an excellent product to keep in your cupboard to be used in the treatment of burns and cuts, it is also used heavily in after sun treatments for sun burn.

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Photo courtesy of shira gal by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/miss_pupik/683550081/
www.familyhealthnews.com/articles-aloe-eases.html

It's great for the skin

Aloe vera is a great treatment for the pain of sunburn as it provides a protective layer when applied to the burns and replenishes the skins moisture to promote repair at the skins level. Because of this it makes a great moisturiser as it can hydrate the skin without leaving it feeling greasy. Aloe is often used in skin products that prevent and treat acne as it contains hormones such as auxin which promote healing and it helps to decrease inflammation around the acne area. The other main benefit of using aloe vera gel on your skin is to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and wrinkles to help fight the signs of ageing.

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Photo courtesy of Florena_Presse by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/53766310@N02/5263394644/
www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7654/the-benefits-of-using-aloe-vera-for-skin-care-and-more.html

Aloe vera stabilizes blood sugar

Aloe vera has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels and is particularly useful for diabetics. People suffering with diabetes cannot control their glucose levels and often have to inject insulin to stop the glucose causing adverse effects. Having a natural supplement such as aloe vera can be a great addition for people who are over weight or at a high risk of diabetes to control their sugar levels before developing the disease. Their are some conflicting views about the usefulness versus the side effects of oral ingestion but the short term benefits definitely show that it helps to stabilize the sugar content in the blood naturally.

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Photo courtesy of Katie Munoz by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/katherinemunoz/4816069027/
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/731244

Protects the heart, by lowering cholesterol

Taking aloe vera supplements has been shown to help keep the heart healthy and prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol. It does this by reducing triglycerides in the blood which are bad for the heart as it can cause fatty deposits to be left in the arteries leading to heart attacks. Supplements help to increase the metabolic rate which can be beneficial for weight loss which will lead to a lower risk of coronary heart disease in later life. It helps by lowering the lipid profile of the blood and supporting the good cholesterol and breaking down LDL which is bad cholesterol.

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Photo courtesy of Campbelltown City Council by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/campbelltowncitycouncil/7246533246/
articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-09/diet/36993969_1_aloe-vera-blood-sugar-levels-inflammation

Helps with weight loss

Drinking aloe vera juice is not a new habit and dates back thousands of years when the Egyptians used to drink it straight from the plant. It has significant benefits to promoting weight loss and many celebrities are starting to endorse the drink. Firstly it works by speeding up your metabolism which allows the body to digest food quicker and burns more calories as it works thus in turn burning fat. Secondly it works as a laxative and promotes a healthy large intestine, it helps to avoid constipation and improves the regularity of your bowel movements which will in turn increase weight loss.

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Photo courtesy of Daniel Oines by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/dno1967b/8528860032/
www.stylecraze.com/articles/aloe-vera-juice-help-in-weight-loss/

Aloe vera dosage and intake precautions

When taking additional supplements it is important to think carefully about the dosage. Scientific research has shown that taking 100-200mg of aloe vera per day as optimum and will limit any possible side effects but prolonged use orally is not advised. There are limited side effects to applying aloe to the skin but ingesting it orally can cause stomach pain and cramps, diarrhoea, kidney problems, weakness and weight loss. Children and pregnant women should seek medical advice before taking aloe vera supplements to avoid any long term problems. Also diabetics should monitor their blood glucose closely when using aloe vera as it can lower it significantly.