July 1, 2009

Aloe Vera

Most people see aloe vera as a plant that helps heal and take the sting out of burns. That's true ~ but it's so much more than that!


Externally, Aloe Vera can be used not only for burns, but cuts, eczema, aging skin and acne. The elements in the aloe vera plant stimulate regeneration of the skin and 'cools' redness or burn from the skin. This is due to the natural phytochemicals within the aloe vera plant itself.

When using aloe vera, choose the lowest leaves to harvest (cut), as they are the oldest and hold the most medicinal value. Once you have the leaf, just cut the sides off and fillet it like a fish to expose the insides. You can use that to rub directly on the desired area. When the leaf seems to have dried up, use a clean knife to slice across, exposing more aloe vera juice to use. Any unused portion can be wrapped and kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Taken internally, the aloe vera juice is said to help digestion. The plant is also being tested for its healing powers for certain cancers and AIDS - although the results are not in yet. But that is pretty exciting research!

So, get yourself an aloe vera plant - they are very easy to grow and maintain and are useful to have around.

No comments: