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Aloe Vera: the Ancient Modern Wonder Treatment

By: Varian Sperks

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.

Ancient History

The use of aloe vera as an herbal or medical treatment is evident as early as 1500 BC. It's believed that Egyptians used the plant to treat burns, parasites and infections.

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.

Aloe Vera Supplements

With its many vitamins and minerals, aloe vera is perfect as an herbal food supplement. It helps aid digestion and assists in blood and lymphatic circulation. Aloe vera herbal supplement is also thought to improve kidney, liver, and gall bladder functions.

The plant has at least three fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties. These fatty acids make the aloe vera herbal supplement beneficial for the stomach, small intestine, and colon. It naturally alkalizes digestive juices to prevent an excess of acidity, which is a common cause 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: Main Articles

Author Varian Sperks enjoys writing for some of today's popular web zines, on family health and health product issues.
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