This plant has become extremely popular in American homes and many people around the world have aloe vera plant in their homes. But, the real truth is that most of them don’t even know that their decorative plant actually has amazing healing properties. This plant is also known by the name Aloe Barbadensis and it has been used for thousands of years throughout the world. It was reported to have an almost sacred place in ancient Egyptian, Greek and roman society. It also has a long history of medical use in South Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. A group of experts, from the University of Maryland Medical Center, claim that Aloe was a popularly prescribed medicine in the United States throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. We can easily say that aloe vera is one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs in the country.
Benefits of Aloe
You should know that this super healthy plant remains a popular home remedy for mouth, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis, fever, asthma and simply to be used as a general tonic. It’s even considered a natural beauty product. The aloe vera gel is also often applied to the skin to treat sunburns, burns, cuts, infections and other wounds. It acts as an analgesic and fights inflammation and itching. The medical experts claim that this is probably due to its two powerful immune-boosting compounds: lycoproteins and polysaccharides. Glycoproteins work to block pain and reduce inflammation while polysaccharides promote skin repair and keeps it moisturized.
Many different studies have found that aloe vera gel also treats burns, much better than conventional medication in terms of shortening healing time and pain. You can also use this super healthy plant to treat many different ailments, such as: constipation, genital herpes, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, cancer, canker sores, upper respiratory tract infection, dental conditions, high cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease and lowers blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
How to Prepare And Use Aloe Gel
You will need:
- An aloe plant
- Fresh lemon juice
- A clean cotton towel
- A sharp filleting knife
- A sterile glass jar
- A clean cutting board
- A clean plate
- A food processor (optional)
Procedure:
- Wash your hands well in order to prevent contamination of the sterile gel.
- Choose a thick and juicy leaf of the plant, at least 4-6 inches long, preferably from its bottom. Make sure you cut it off properly in order not to harm the other leaves.
- Wipe the knife you will use.
- Wash the leaf well, dry it, and leave it on a plate at a 45° angle for 15 minutes in order to allow it to drain the yellow juice. In some cases, this juice may lead to digestive distress as it acts as a laxative.
- Put the leaf on a cutting board and cut the edges from the sides.
- You should fillet it in order to eliminate the green outer shell. Try not to lose too much gel in this process.
- Then, cut the get in cubes and put it in a jar.
- In order to get all the gel you can, run the knife along the green scraps once more. Run your knife along the green scraps to harvest any remaining gel
- In order to make it last longer, squeeze some lemon juice over the gel, and shake it a bit to coat evenly.
- In the end, you can pour the gel into a food processor and make a smoother gel.
- Keep the aloe Vera gel in a sealed jar in the fridge, where it can stay up to a week.
For topical use, you should clean and cut the leaf lengthwise. Then, rub the gel on the wound few times a day, until it is completely healed.
For medicinal use, you should take 30 ml of the gel, 3 times during the day. However, you should consult your naturopath before using aloe Vera internally.
Source: yourhealthypage.org