Aloe Vera: the Ancient Modern Wonder Treatment
When you suffer from sunburn, snap a piece of aloe vera. If you're bothered by acid reflux, take a little aloe vera juice. When it comes to soothing the body inside and out, aloe vera is the new wonder drug; but there's nothing new about this ancient medical secret.
The aloe vera plant has given us many popular herbal remedies. A native African plant, aloe vera plant is known as "lily of the desert", "plant of immortality" and of course, "medicine plant." The name aloe is derived from the Arabic word "alloeh", meaning "bitter taste".
Aloe Vera Herb
Aloe vera is one of about 400 known species grown under the family known as "asphodelaceae". Classified as a succulent plant, aloe is naturally grown in the more arid areas of Africa, as well as in the mountainous zones of tropical Africa. The aloe vera plant, which is considered by many to be an herb, is distinguished by the large, thick, fleshy leaves. These leaves are shaped like lances, have sharp apexes and spines lining their margins.
Early Applications
As early as 1500 BC, Egyptians have noted the use of the aloe vera plant as treatment for burns, infections, and parasites.
Aloe Believed to Aid Healing
Evidently, the juice of the plant leaves yields certain substances, called aloes, which are good purgatives. Some species of the aloe, like Aloe venenosa, may produce poisonous juice and are therefore not recommended. However, most species, such as the A. vera, vulgaris, socotrina, chinensis, and perryi contain aloes that have therapeutic uses.
Thorough research has been done on the aloe vera plant since the 1930s. Studies indicate that the clear gel of the aloe vera herbal plant has a dramatic ability to heal wounds, ulcers, and burns. By coating the affected areas with the gel-like substance, the wound is safeguarded from infection-causing bacteria and other micro bodies, thus speeding up the healing rate.
Juice from Aloe Vera
The aloe vera plant, like most succulents, contains about 96 percent water. The remaining 4 percent of aloe vera is a combination of active ingredients including amino acids, enzymes, essential oils, glycoproteins, minerals and vitamins. Because of the many active constituents present in the aloe vera plant, modern healers often implement it into their liquid health treatments. Juice from the aloe vera is usually combined with other medicinal plants to increase its potency. Those who use aloe vera juice believe that it is able to relieve digestive tract irritations caused by colitis, peptic ulcers and other disorders.
Herbal Supplements
The many naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals make aloe vera the ideal herbal food supplement. It helps aid digestion, and can assist in lymphatic and blood circulation. Aloe vera herbal supplements are also believed to improve liver, kidney and gall bladder functions.
With at least three fatty acids, the aloe vera plant also presents anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, aloe vera herbal supplements can be helpful for those with colon, stomach and small intestine difficulties. By naturally alkalizing digestive juices and preventing excess stomach acids, aloe vera supplements can help to prevent these common causes of indigestion.
Next time you're feeling discomfort, inside or out, reach for a piece of aloe. It's an easy-to-grow plant that looks beautiful in the bathroom, so keep one in a pot and have those remarkable healing properties at hand, any time you need them.
Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles
Writer Varian Sperks pens for a variety of web sites, on health and wellness products and alternative health care topics. You can get a unique content version of this article.
Labels: aloe vera, aloe vera juice, herb
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