Aloe Vera – Nature’s Super Plant

There are so many benefits and uses for aloe vera that you would think it is some kind of super plant.  Well, if you want the truth, it kind of is. An aloe plant may not wear a cape and tights, but it is definitely capable of near miracles when it comes to healing cuts, burn, and other skin irritations. In addition, there are numerous health benefits of ingesting aloe vera juice (or gel in a capsule formula). It’s nature’s wonder drug and the reason why I have half a dozen aloe plants growing in my home all year long. They are really easy to grow and really beneficial to have on hand so why not??

Healing Uses for Aloe Vera

Aloe is awesome for healing all kinds of minor skin aliments.  Probably one of the most common uses is for sunburn.  Using Aloe gel (98% pure or better) on sunburn will not only soothe the sting of the burn, but will re-hydrate the burned skin and, if used liberally, can prevent your skin from blistering and peeling. It can be applied  fresh from the plant, sprayed on, and you can even use freeze the aloe juice/gel in ice cube trays and then use the cubes to rub on and soothe the skin.

But the uses of Aloe Vera gel are not limited to sunburn.  This wonder plant is also excellent for soothing and promoting the rapid healing of regular minor burns as well as skin rashes, cuts, insect stings, and has even been used to reduce the irritation of acne.

Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera contains not only 12 vitamins and 20 minerals but also 20 amino acids and over 200 other active components which, together, can promote health and vitality for the entire body. The benefits of ingesting so many incredible nutrients can work wonders on the overall health of the body.  Regular consumption can help you to stabilize your body weight, improve your immune system, increase your energy level, as well as help you to maintain healthy skin, teeth, and gums and even regulate your digestive system. I drank it liberally while I was undergoing treatment for colon cancer. Since I was on some pretty horrible pharma drugs at the time I figured my body needed all the TLC it could get. That was seven years ago.

How to Use Aloe Vera

While you can buy aloe vera gel for burns and cuts in most drug stores and can pick up a bottle of gel capsules while you are browsing the aisles, the simplest and best way to get the full use of the aloe vera plant is to grow your own.

Aloe Vera plants are easy to grow and mean that you always have a ready supply should you need it.  Simply break off a piece and squeeze out the gel for minor cuts, burns and scrapes.  Ingesting is fresh can be a little more complicated since you want to avoid the yellowish liquid that lies between the pure inner gel and the outer skin.  In fact, consuming this yellowish liquid can cause stomach upset so you have to be careful if you are preparing gel to drink.  Another downside to the consumption of fresh aloe is that it has to be used immediately or it loses many of its nutrients and healing properties due to oxidization.

No Matter How You Slice It

The uses and benefits of aloe vera are many and varied. While fresh aloe is purer and more potent than over-the-counter varieties, the fact remains that no matter how you use it, it can work wonders for your health and give you relief from so many minor skin irritations, burns and cuts that having some readily available is like having a magic wand in your pocket.