3 Health Benefits Of Aloe Vera (Not Just For Sunburn)
Every summer millions of pounds of aloe vera gel are sold to help lessen the pain of sunburn.
I understand the feeling all too well, as I’ve accidentally fallen asleep outside and suffered the consequences of a little bit too much sun.
And while I love using aloe vera to help hydrate and soothe a red-hot sunburn I’d be crazy not to let you know about other things aloe can do for you.
It just so happens that aloe vera is one of the few forms of vegetation that doesn’t just look great in a terracotta pot, but also will help you maintain great health.
As I go through a list of possible uses for aloe vera please keep one thing in mind.
There are 2 kinds of aloe vera.
There’s topical aloe vera, or aloe gel. And there’s aloe vera juice.
Both come from the same plant, but they’re different in form and each has different uses. You won’t want to mix the two up either as aloe juice used topically will be a waste of money and ingesting aloe gel isn’t advisable as it could make you sick.
3 Benefits Of Aloe
Before I explain how aloe is useful for health maintenance I’d like to let you know that if you’re interested in a DIY approach to aloe vera use you can certainly grow your own.
Aloe’s an easy-to-grow houseplant.
It’s extremely hardy and doesn’t require much attention.
So, if you want to save some money (you won’t save much to be honest) or you just want to decorate your house with a plant you can use to maintain great health with, then take a look at this video on growing aloe vera at home.
Now, allow me to show you what health uses for aloe are supported by research.
1 - Helps You Maintain a Healthy Gut
If you’re perfectly healthy it means your gut is perfectly healthy too.
There are times where your gut health may be under attack… perhaps you ate too many nachos at your neighbor’s house last night, or maybe you’re dealing with exposure to possibly contaminated drinking water or are dehydrated.
Any of these occasional experiences can generally be alleviated with aloe vera, as aloe has properties that help you maintain normal gut health.
The first note here is when I say aloe, I’m referring to the juice which you’d consume orally.
The way aloe vera juice helps with gut health is simple. For starters, aloe vera juice helps increase the water content in your intestines. And this helps you to move stool through the intestines with greater ease.
Aloe vera juice also contains nutrients that feed healthy gut bacteria (probiotics) so they can colonize and reproduce in your intestines. There’s a lot of research supporting the enhanced health of probiotics and a normal, healthy gut.
By keeping gut flora fed and healthy you can keep your gut healthy, too!
Not to mention the fact that aloe vera contains several enzymes known to help in the breakdown of sugars and fats and to keep your digestion running smoothly.
2 - Use It to Replace Chemically Derived Skin Products
Something most people don’t know about most modern skin products is they’re capable of disrupting your body’s natural hormone function.
If you want to stay healthy, you want your hormone levels to remain in the healthy range. Many modern-day skin products contain ingredients that are known as endocrine disruptors.
Your endocrine system is in control of hormone function so to keep it working properly it’s important to avoid these dangerous chemicals.
Fortunately, you can incorporate aloe vera gel (notice I said gel) into your “beauty routine” (men, don’t be offended at the idea of beautifying your skin) and avoid doing damage to your endocrine system.
“Aloe vera contains salicylic acid and other antiseptic compounds that kill off the bacteria that cause acne, says Francesca Fusco, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
That makes it a great natural remedy for breakouts, and an excellent cleanser for the skin. One caveat: Before you apply aloe vera to inflamed skin, do a patch test elsewhere in your body. In rare cases, it can cause a reaction in highly sensitive people, says Dr. Fusco.
It also moisturizes skin.
Aloe vera is packed with minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins A, C, and E, which all work together to reinforce the skin’s barrier. “
It’s incredibly moisturizing,” says Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and author of Skin Rules. Aloe also contains polyphenols, which appear to protect against skin cancer and free radicals that age the skin, says Dr. Jaliman.”
3 - It Helps With Natural Detoxification Processes
Many people knock the idea of detox because they claim taking additional nutrients to detox isn’t needed because your liver and kidneys detox your body just fine.
What they fail to mention is the effectiveness of your body’s detoxification systems is entirely dependent on what foods you eat.
By including aloe vera juice in your diet you’re giving your body an ample supply of nutrients you’ll use later to maintain healthy detoxification.
Aloe vera juice gives you essential minerals used in detoxification and immune system function like copper, chromium, selenium, magnesium, potassium, manganese and zinc.
In addition to that, aloe vera juice also helps reduce acidity in the body. As I’ve written about before, an alkaline body fosters an environment of good health once the body becomes too acidic it can impede simple processes that are needed to maintain health.
Aloe vera’s rich nutrient supply and hydrating abilities will enhance detoxification so your body can rid itself of elements that could lead to compromised health.
Juice or Gel? You Decide
If you’d like to incorporate aloe into your health routine I suggest juice first and then gel.
Aloe vera juice is a great food to add into regular cold water, smoothies, or to be taken on its own as a healthy “shot.”
I love aloe vera juice not only for its health effects, but also because it doesn’t have an unpleasant taste. It has a neutral taste, and for those who don’t like the taste (it’s not tasteless) you can easily mask it by adding it to a beverage.
You also don’t need much to affect your healthy.
Just a tablespoon a day for starters.
After juice, I’d add gel in. Unless of course you want to replace potentially toxic moisturizers with it, in which case you could get it now.
You can get aloe vera juice anywhere, including in our store, or at our online shop.
And the gel is available almost anywhere - including your home if you so desire.