Aloe Vera – Almost a Miracle Plant
Posted: Sunday, March 20, 2011
by Joel Kontinen
http://joelkontinen.blogspot.com/
Like many others, I have been quite skeptical of so-called health products. They often promise much but deliver little, at least for the customer. And I still think that one of the best weight loss products is an exercise bike, provided you use it regularly.
There are products that are beneficial, though. For instance, several scientific studies have shown that omega 3 fish oils do promote health and do help to keep the doctor away.
Aloe vera grows in temperate and tropical regions on most continents and thrives in areas with little rainfall. The ancient Egyptians already knew about it and used it as a medicinal plant.
I had heard of anecdotal evidence of the plant’s benefits but remained unconvinced until last December, when on a short holiday in Spain, I visited an Aloe vera farm. For several years I had suffered from a minor skin disease in the shin that especially during the winter months easily caused itching and could eventually degenerate into psoriasis, if nothing was done. While sunshine usually provided some relief from the itching, the fine sand blowing in the wind had actually made things worse.
As the guide who was showing us round the Aloe farm illustrated how she gets the gel from inside the plant, several visitors tried it on their skin. Deciding to give it a try, I found that the gel did actually sooth the itching, and surprisingly fast, also.
Since then I have learnt that Aloe vera gel also keeps foot fungus in check and the plant’s drinkable juice is a sort of vitamin pill, containing small amounts of several necessary vitamins and minerals such as copper and zinc. Aloe barbadensis miller is probably the most common form of the commercially used species of A. vera. Obviously, the cold-pressed Aloe is much more effective than other products.
It is now three months after my initial encounter with A. vera and my shin is still much better than it was before I began using it.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I'll have to check it out, thanks to your article Joel.Thanks, Linda.
Thanks for sharing this information Joel.Thanks for reading, David.
Oh yes, Joel. You are definitely right this time about aloe vera effects. I have some plants in the pots and the soil as well because they grow easily. For sun-burn, cut or insect bite, this fresh a.vera works wonder. Can stop bleeding if you cut your finger or skin itch. Besides external use, you can cook it with some rock sugar , served as a refreshing drink, definitely delicious !Thanks Hilda. I hadn't heard about Aloe's effect on insect bites, but good to know that.
Hi Joel.
My mom always had aloe vera growing in the yard somewhere. She would bust off a piece and rub it on a burn or a scrape. It always seemed to help. So why don' I have some growing in a pot? I don't know.
Great article!
Hugs,
DianneHi Dianne, thanks for reading.
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