The Miracle Plant (Aloe Vera)

Member Name: TigerTiger

Product:	Aloe Vera
Date:	18/01/02 (5489 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good supplement for us all to take to maintain general well being and boost the immune system, Many different formats to take, Good for lots of other conditions, including skin problems and digestive disorders

Disadvantages: Too much choice can be confusing

Not another alternative therapies and herbal healing opinion from me you may be saying!!! As you will guess I have got into this all in a big way over the past year whilst trying to heal myself when doctors and traditional medicine failed so badly! My latest discovery is Aloe Vera, sometimes known as the "mircale plant".

~~~Aloe Vera and it's history~~~

Aloe Vera goes by many names and has been around for some 4000 years, which is quite amazing. During this time this medicinal herb has greatly benefited mankind. Research shows that it was used by the ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Indian cultures to great effect and even Alexander the Great used it to help his wounded soldiers. See, so this really is battle material!! Also, just in case you are curious the Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra rated it highly as a beauty therapy for both skin and hair.This is why you will find Aloe vera as an ingredient in so many beauty products today.

The aloe vera plant is in fact a member of the lily family and related to onions, garlic and asparagus. It reaches maturity in four years when the contents of its leaves, a mixture of inner gel and outer sap can be harvested, preserved and bottled to produce a product that is as near to the natural plant juice as we can get.

~~~How doea Aloe Vera actually work??~~~~

The plant provides a mixture of nutritional elements whose combined action and balance produce a more powerful effect together than would be expected from the addition of the individual components. This is because they work as a team, enhancing each other's effect, this being known as synergism.
The key nutritional ingredients include:-

Vitamins - It contains a wide range - but most important are the anti oxidants C and E and Beta Carotene. It also has one of the few plant sources in the world of vitamin B12

Minerals- These include magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, chromium, calci
um, sodium, potassium and iron

Amino Acids- The human body requires 22 amino acids, the building blocks of protein and Aloe Vera Gel provides 20 of them.

Sugars- These include the important long chain polysaccharides which boost the effect of the immune system.

Enzyme- Lipases and proteases which break down food and the aid digestion as well as carboxypepidase that is involved in the inflammatory process.

Plant Sterols - The tree main types act as powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

Lignin- This woody substance bestows on Aloe Vera its penatrative ability to reach deep into the skin.

Saponins- These are soapy substance that exert a powerful anti-microbial effect against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeasts such as candida or thrush.

Anthtraquinones - The most important ones being aloin and emodin, but altogether they are strong pain killers. In their pure form, they are powerful laxatives.

Salycilic Acid - This apsprin-like compound is anti-imflammatory and topically helps to break down dead tissue.

Aloe vera has adaptogenic properties which means it increases resistance of an organism to adverse influences such as infection or stress. It is a natural anti-inflammatry and its nurtritional constituents promote cell growth and therefore healing. However, it is not only helpful for people with problems; most people taking it over a period of time report a greater sense of well-being, with more energy and less anxiety.

Aloe vera also helps to prevent injury to epithilial tissues and, when they are damaged it promotes healing. An epithelium being a layer of cells which cover the body or lines a cavity that connects with it. Our largest epithelium being our skin, but also this includes the lining of the digestive tract, bronchial tubes and the genital tract. Thus, it is no wonder that aloe works just as well on damaged skin as it does, say, on an inflamed bowel or in asthma.
r>~~~Specific Problems that Aloe Vera may aid~~~

*The Immune System*

As previously mentioned, aloe vera has a general affect on the way that we fight off disease and so can be very good at battling colds and the flu. Also, mouth ulcers are a symptom of a low immune system and they are very hard to get rid of. I have been suffering very badly with ulcers and have tried everything. Both echinacea and aloe vera have helped to get rid of them though as they built up my immune system.

*The digestive System (Irritable bowel syndrome)*

The digestive system is a highly complex multi-purpose organ, with an important role in the immunity against disease and allergy control.Aloe vera works on the epithilial cells ie the cells of the skin and inner cavities that include the stomach, digestive tract, colon, bronchial tubes, blood vessels etc.

The intestine is a highly complex organ and not simply a tube along which food travels. It has an important role to play in immunity against disease and allergy control. It is therefore important to keep it in tip top condition by a healthy diet and reduction of pollutants. But if the gut has become damaged and a chronic problem has developed it may be necessary to take further steps to improve conditions. This is where Aloe Vera comes in, as it reduces inflammation, helps to repair damaged cells and creates favourable conditions for new cell growth.
The cells of the intestine are the fastest growing cells in the body (replaced every 4 days or so) so they have to be continually replenished to keep the barrier established. The main fuel they need is the amino acid I-glutamine; we do not get much of this in our diet. Aloe Vera contains this substance thereby enhancing the ability of cell regeneration. Also long chain polysaccarides contained in Aloe Vera, line the gut and repair tiny "holes" that inevitably occur through bad eating habits, alcohol consumption, long-term use of antib
iotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or just wear and tear. This can lead to "leaking gut syndrome", where unwanted substances and toxins are absorbed through the gut walls and into the blood stream causing havoc in the immune system. This condition is also suspected as being a major factor in a wide range of food and chemical sensitivities, arthritis, asthma, candida, headaches, digestive problems and chronic fatigue.

A friend of mine was suffering with candida and she took aloe vera juice every day for a long period of time and although it wasn't that pleasant she found the benefits outweighed the horrible taste. I have also heard people saying it is good for irritable problems like thrush and cystitis.

*Aloe vera and the skin*

The skin is a reflection of the digestive system and so conditions such as eczema or psoriasis may develop as a result of an underlying problem in the digestive tract. Again Aloe Vera can help with this.

Additionally, doctors have found that aloe vera gel is particularly effective on burns where it soothes, relieves pain, reduces inflammation and promotes healing with minimal scar formation. It also stimulates the replication of fibroblast cells in wounds, which results in more collagen and elastin fibre being laid down.

Many people with chronic itching, eczema, psoriasis chronic leg ulcers and acne also benefit from the treatment, which can sometimes be used as a safe alternative to steroid creams. This is important because the prolonged use of steroids has several undesirable side effects.

Aloe vera gel can also have an anti-aging effect on the skin because of its ability to moisturise, reduce wrinkling through increase collagen and elastin formation, and to reduce pigment formation.

It is also formulated as a sunscreen, where it not only blocks ultraviolet light, but also enhances the skin's immune reaction to these damaging rays.

~~
~Where do you get aloe vera and how do you take it???~~~

I wandered into my local Holland and Barrett one lunch how to quickly buy some Aloe Vera after being recommended it. I thought it would be a quick decision. Instead I was confronted with a whole display and about 100 aloe vera products. I had no idea what to buy. There are a number of options I discover and there is little if any difference in there effectiveness, so it comes down to personal choice and the reasons for taking the product.

*Aloe Vera Juice*

This is a very common way to take aloe vera and was my first choice having been recommended it. There are different size bottles of the juice, with the smallest costing around £4.99 and the large one £12.99. I have to confess this juice does not taste great, it is very bitter and will linger in your mouth for sure. I tried necking cap fulls of the juice every morning, but it was not a good start to the day. You can mix it with your favourite fruit juice and drink it like that.

In addition Holland and Barrett do a Aloe vera and cranberry juice mixture. This worries me as they appear to have used cranberry to sweeten up the juice. All of those who have drank cranberry will know it is not sweet at all and so the aloe vera must be really bitter!

This way of taking aloe vera didn't work for me, as I really couldn't stand the taste and it was a pain to keep taking it.

*Aloe Vera Tablets*

I currently take aloe vera in tablet form. It cost me £8.99 for 100 tablets. You need to take 1 tablet a day, so they do last quite a while. These are tasteless and quick to take.

*Aloe Vera Gel*

Aloe Vera gel contains 75 natural nutrients including vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids. The gel can be taken internally for its nutritional effect, or it can be combined with other ingredients to produce topical creams and lotions to nourish and improve the quality of the skin.
r>In my experience the people working in Holland and Barrett seem to be able to offer advice on which product would be the best alternative for you. If you don't want the hassle then I advise taking the tablets.

I may have been taking this product because I was unwell, but there is no reason why the majority of people can take it to improve their health and well being. I believe this to be an essential supplement for everyone to take. Definitely a plant with great healing abilities.