Aloe Vera, also known as the ‘plant of immortality’ by the ancient
Egyptians, was used for its healing properties since time immemorial.
Aloe Vera plants are commonly found in the African regions and belong to
the family of Xanthorrhoeaceae, known for its succulent or fleshy
leaves. This nontoxic plant stores water in its leaves and survives in
low rainfall and arid regions. Aloe Vera leaf looks unique; it doesn’t
have any stems and the edges of leaves have tiny spikes.
Aloe
Vera is considered to be a miracle plant. Since, it contains photochemical and other nutrients which are beneficial for hair, health
and skin. Aloe Vera extracts are also used in food and energy drinks. It is a very good habit to drink aloe Vera juice on empty stomach every morning, to get maximum benefits of this plant.
Aloe
Vera is sold as gel, powder and juice. You can also make fresh aloe
juice at home by cutting the leaf and extracting the aloe gel from it.
There are different species of the aloe plant, but Aloe Barbadians Mill
is the most popular and widely used variety of aloe vera. The
scientific epithet ‘vera’ means true and genuine. So aloe vera derived
from the plant will have a tangible impact on the health, hair and skin.
You can see your skin glow after using aloe vera, and a glowing skin
reflects good health.
Nutritional Value:
Aloe
vera consist as much as 75 nutrients, 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18
amino acids and 200 active enzymes. Aloe vera contains Vitamin A, B1,
B2, B6 and B12, Vitamin C and E, folic acid and Niacin. Minerals found
in aloe vera include copper, iron, sodium, calcium, zinc, potassium,
chromium, magnesium and manganese. The nutrients naturally present in
aloe vera makes it a potential herbal product that can be safely used
both internally and externally. This exotic plant contains other
beneficial compounds like polysaccharides, mannans, anthraquinones and
lectins. The presence of these nutrients makes it possible to use aloe
vera for variety of therapeutic purposes. Aloe vera not only cures the
skin, health and hair problems, it so soothing that it also helps you to
relax. Let’s have a look at various aloe vera uses and benefits.
Health Benefits Of Aloe Vera:
Aloe
Vera is highly regarded as a miracle or wonder plant for its healing
properties. You must have seen this ornamental plant in terrace gardens,
but didn’t realize its worth. The various healing properties make aloe
vera a favourite choice among organic and fitness enthusiasts. This
magical plant is used for the treatment of various kinds of diseases and
illness. The health benefits of aloe vera include:
1. Aids Digestion and Treats Intestinal Issues:
Aloe vera
when taken internally aids in digestion and effectively cleanses the
digestive system. Aloe vera works as a laxative which makes it easier
for the food particles to pass through the intestine. Thus aloe vera
helps those who suffer severe constipation problems.Drinking aloe vera juice regularly
helps to detoxify the body which in turns improves daily bowel
movements. It alleviates acidity, inflammation and intestinal ulcers.
Aloe vera has a soothing effect on the stomach walls and relieves
stomach ache.Aloe vera also helps to cure Crohn’s disease and peptic
ulcers.
2. Boosts Immune Power:
Aloe Vera is full of
antioxidants, also known as natural immunity enhancers, which help to
fight free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause several diseases
and ailments which speeds up the ageing process. Consuming aloe vera
juice regularly boosts immune system and helps you to stay young and
fit.
3. Treats Inflammation, Wounds and Burns:
Inflammation
is the body’s first reaction to damage. The damage can be caused by
physical means or due to chemical reactions. Aloe vera has been used in
traditional medicine and general home remedies in the recent times to
cure cuts, wounds, burns, abrasions, inflammations and skin breakage.
Aloe
vera contains plant steroids which help in reducing inflammation
naturally. So aloe vera is used in orthodox or traditional medicine as
steroidal drugs. Aloe vera also contains salicylic acid and its salts
salicylates; it helps to curb inflammation by inhibiting the production
of hormones like prostaglandins. Salicylic acid is like aspirin and has
the potential of reducing inflammation by destroying the bacteria that
cause inflammation.
You can use aloe vera to reduce inflammation
without the fear of side effects. Drinking aloe vera juice regularly
eases swollen and painful joints and reduces the stiffness of bones. It
is excellent for treating scars,
burns and cuts. It also soothes wound or cuts and fights bacteria that
occur due to wounds. The cooling effect of the plant helps to regenerate
new cells and helps in rebuilding the damaged tissue.
4. Good for Female Reproductive System:
Aloe
vera tonic is wonderful for the female reproductive system. It helps to
rejuvenate the uterus. It is very beneficial to drink aloe vera juice
if you are experiencing painful menstrual cycle.
5. Treats Respiratory Disorders:
This
versatile plant is also useful for treating respiratory disorders and
is particularly useful for those who get frequent attacks of cold, flu,
bronchitis herpes, running nose and other respiratory disorders.Aloe
vera contains Vitamin C which helps to prevent colds, cough and flu.
6. Treats Diabetes:
The dried gel of aloe vera is used to treat diabetes as it helps to lower blood sugar level by
decreasing insulin resistance and also lowers the triglyceride levels
in the liver and plasma. Aloe vera helps to improve the blood quality
naturally by decreasing the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride.
Since, aloe vera helps to control cholesterol,
triglycerides and blood sugar; it directly helps to prevent
cardiovascular disease. Aloe vera keeps the blood fresh and rich in
oxygen.
7. Stimulates Metabolism:
Aloe vera juice also increases energy level and helps to maintain a healthy body weight.
Drinking aloe vera juice regularly stimulates the metabolism and helps
the body to burn calories more quickly. So aloe vera keeps you slim
naturally.
8. Oral and Dental Health:
Aloe
vera juice also helps in maintaining healthy gums and oral hygiene. Its
natural anti-bacterial and anti-microbial actions promote cell growth
and healing. Aloe vera gels are
also used in a variety of tooth gels which prevent bleeding gums and
mouth ulcers. It also provides quick relief to people who experience
burning mouth symptoms. Its antifungal properties help greatly in the
problem of denture stomatitis, apthous ulcers, cracked and split corners
of the mouth.
Skin Benefits Of Aloe Vera:
Getting
an aloe vera plant proves to be helpful in more than one way. It is
worth a try as a natural approach to ageless skin. Aloe vera has
several properties that are effective in treating a variety of skin
conditions like flaky or dry skin, cosmetic ailments, and hair and scalp
problems.
Due to its many uses and benefits to the skin and hair,
aloe vera has now gained more popularity and has become a staple
ingredient in many beauty and skin care products. In order to achieve
proper skin restoration, aloe vera needs to be applied every day.
Applying aloe vera gel soon after taking a shower is advisable as the
skin is clean. Aloe vera benefits are surplus and given below are its
skin benefits:
9. Heals Skin Issues:
The anti-allergic
property of aloe vera is useful in the treatment of various skin
diseases like eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin and so on. They are helpful
in curing blisters, insect bites and other allergic reactions as well. Aloe Vera face packs are a boon for people who have a sensitive skin type.
10. Offers Healthy Glow:
Drinking aloe vera juice supplies body with essential nutrients which help to produce and maintain healthy skin. Aloe vera helps to remove dead cells and replenishes it with new ones, giving the skin a radiant glow.
11. Treats Acne:
Aloe
Vera’s anti-inflammatory property helps to reduce acne greatly. It does
not completely cure the acne; however, it reduces inflammation and
redness of the skin to a great extent. It also prevents the outburst of acne and pimples.
Its juice or gel can be applied directly on the skin to cure acne. Aloe
vera face pack can be prepared by boiling aloe vera leaves in water.
Make a paste and add a few drops of honey. Apply it on the face. Leave
it for 15 minutes and then rinse off with tap water.
12. Treats Sunburns & Reduces Stretch Marks:
Aloe
vera gel contains two hormones, Axim and Gibberellins which have wound
healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe vera with its powerful
healing capability helps to treat sun burn at the epithelial level of the skin.
It acts as a protective shield for the skin and heals the skin quickly.
It can also be used as an after shave treatment for its healing
properties can treat small cuts caused by shaving. Aloe vera also helps
to reduce stretch marks by healing the wounds. This is one of the best benefits of aloe vera for skin.
13. Improves Skin Firmness:
Aloe
vera contains a plethora of anti-oxidants like beta carotene, vitamins C
and E that improve the natural firmness of skin. Aloe vera helps to
keep the skin hydrated and italso improves the skin’s elasticity,
therefore minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Thus it
refreshes the skin and makes it vibrant and young looking. So for a young and healthy skin, start using aloe vera gel today.
14. Lightens Skin:
Smooth and glowing skin can be achieved easily by rubbing aloe vera gel on the face. Aloe vera lightens the skin and helps to alleviate sun tanning and hyper pigmentation.
15. Beneficial for Dry Skin:
Aloe
vera gel is extremely beneficial for dry skin. Aloe vera is a natural
moisturizer because of the moisture content locked in it. This gel keeps
the skin hydrated and increases its elasticity. It also provides oxygen
to the skin which strengthens the skin tissue and keeps the skin healthy.
Moreover, it moisturizes the skin without making the skin greasy so it
is perfect for oily skin. Once applied, it releases natural vitamins and
enzymes on the skin to produce a deep moisturizing effect that helps to
treat and restore its pH balance.
16. Lip Care:
Don’t
need to go for store bought lip balms all the time. You can prepare your
own lip balm at home with aloe vera gel in seconds. This is a super
easy process that can be even done by the kids. All you need to do is to
heat a heaped teaspoon of petroleum jelly in a double boiler. After it
melts, add half a teaspoon of fresh aloe vera gel and two drops of
Vitamin E oil extracted from the capsule. Switch off the stove and blend
this mixture well. Pour it in a tube or an old lip balm container when
it is in the liquid state. Allow this lip balm to cool and thicken in
refrigerator and start using it on your lips. This will cure dry and
chapped lips very effectively than any other store bought lip balms.
17. Foot Care:
A
homemade nourishing aloe vera foot scrub can give you a peacock feather
soft foot. Add two teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of coarsely
powdered rice powder with a scoop of aloe vera gel to make an instant foot scrub.
After soaking your feet in warm water for 15 minutes, gently work this
scrub out on your feet for 10 minutes to remove the dead skin cells
without stripping off moisture. The sugar and rice powder exfoliates the
skin to remove dead cells while the aloe vera gels helps in rejuvenating your foot with its calming properties. Follow this every week to achieve soft and beautiful feet!
Hair Benefits Of Aloe Vera:
18. Treats Hair Loss:
Aloe vera for hair loss
treatment can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian times. Aloe vera
contains enzymes that promote hair growth. The proteolitic enzymes found
in aloe vera help to eradicate dead skin cells on the scalp. Aloe
Vera’s keratolic action breaks down the sebum and dead scalp cells. Aloe
Vera’s alkalizing properties balances the pH level of the scalp and
hair which results in further hair growth and retains moisture in the
scalp.
19. Treats Itchy and Inflamed Skin:
Aloe vera also helps to eliminate itchy scalp
and scalp dryness by its anti-pruritic properties. It also alleviates
pruritic ailments like psoriasis and eczema of scalp. Aloe Vera’s
enzymatic properties enable it to destroy excessive dead skin cells of
the scalp. It helps to reduce the redness, scaling, itching and
inflammation of scalp which directly benefits the hair.
20. Treats Dandruff:
Aloe
vera is also used in dandruff treatment. The natural enzymes found in
aloe vera soothe and moisturize the scalp that helps to eliminate the scalp dryness that causes dandruff.
Thus its anti-fungal properties alleviate dandruff problem. It
alleviates the dry and itchy feeling that accompanies dandruff and
oiliness. Aloe vera brings a refreshing and cooling sensation to the
scalp.
21. Good Conditioner:
Aloe vera is a great
conditioning agent that restores the hair’s shine and luster, and leaves
the hair silky and smooth. The gel like substance found in aloe vera
leaves is similar to keratin in chemical composition. This enables it to
penetrate easily along the scalp. The scalp absorbs the benefits of
aloe vera up to 7 layers deep and provides deep conditioning to the
scalp. The amino acids present in aloe vera add strength and luster to
the hair. It also enhances the beauty and suppleness of the hair. It
control frizzy hair and does not leave behind any greasy build up.
22. Restores Hair’s Strength and Beauty:
The
essential nutrients and vitamins found in aloe vera makes it an
indispensible material for shampoos and conditioner. These vitamins and
minerals aid in restoring hair’s strength and beauty. When combined with
oils like coconut and jojoba oil, aloe vera can make a revitalizing
shampoo.
23. Perfect Hair Rinse:
Aloe
vera gel is a perfect rinse for oily hair without making the hair
brittle. Mix one part of aloe vera juice with two parts of lemon juice
and apply the mixture to the shaft of hair. The acid from lemon strips
away excess oil without any adverse effect of chemicals and aloe vera juice prevents dryness of the hair.
24. Repairs Dry and Damaged Hair:
Aloe
vera gel also repairs dry and damaged hair in a short span of time.
Aloe vera contains a good amount of protein which is necessary for
maintaining the good health of the hair. By going through the hair
shaft, aloe gel cures each strand restoring the natural beauty of the
hair. In addition, it reinforces the outer layer of the hair which gives
you a more manageable crown of glory. It softens, fortifies and
rejuvenates by flushing out the dirt particles and bacteria from the
scalp. A clean scalp helps to promote hair growth.
25. Treats Alopecia:
Alopecia or male pattern baldness is a common hair problem
faced by men. This is a kind of hair loss that occurs at a particular
part of the head or leads to full hair loss. This scalp condition can be
reduced by regular usage of aloe vera. This is mainly because it
rejuvenates the hair follicles and helps to reduce hair fall.
Aloe
Vera is respected for its potential healing properties by those who
believe in naturopathy. Aloe vera helps to prevent cancer by destroying
any free radicals in the body that can lead to abnormal growth of cells
or tumors in the body. Those who undergo regular radiopathy treatments
can protect their body from the side effects of radiation by drinking
aloe juice and applying aloe gel to the affected area to cure radiation
burns. Aloe gel has a very soothing effect on the skin. It cures skin
dermatitis, gives you voluminous hair and a fit body. So make aloe vera
your daily companion to get a holistic health care at the comfort of
your home. You don’t need to rely on harsh chemicals when you have a
natural option to stay fit and look glamorous always.
Hope now you
are going to make aloe vera a part of your daily life. Get hold of an
aloe vera plant today! And don’t forget to leave your feedback in the
comments below.
