Aloe vera is a popular plant that most people have in their homes. But it is not only an elegant and ornamental plant. Its succulent green leaves contain a gel that has powerful medicinal properties. Let’s take a look at some of the health benefits of aloe vera and how you can heal yourself naturally with this plant.
CONJUNCTIVITIS
Conjunctivitis or pink eye occurs when the conjunctiva, the transparent membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid, becomes inflamed. Symptoms may include redness, itching, burning or mild stinging, and discharge from the eye. This condition is highly contagious and can also be easily transferred from one eye to the other. It is very important that you treat this infection as soon as possible. Aloe vera has natural antibiotic, astringent and coagulant properties. Making an eye compress out of the juice can provide some much-needed relief. To soothe the pain and redness of conjunctivitis, you can rub a small amount of aloe gel on the upper and lower eyelids.
HEMORRHOIDS
Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are a skin condition that causes swelling and inflammation of the veins in the rectal and anal area. This can be due to a number of factors, including straining during bowel movements, constipation, sitting for long periods of time, and anal infections. Symptoms associated with hemorrhoids can include rectal pain, itching, and bleeding during bowel movements. Aloe can provide a cooling and soothing sensation when applied to hemorrhoidal tissue. And because it is a natural anti-inflammatory, aloe gel will help reduce the pain and inflammation of hemorrhoids.
SUN TANNING
Sunburn occurs when the level of exposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light source exceeds the ability of your body’s protective pigment (melanin) to protect your skin. The redness that is often characterized by sunburn is caused by swollen and clogged capillaries that supply blood to the skin. Aloe Vera is sometimes called “The Burn Plant” as it was traditionally used to treat burns of any kind. For this reason, it is an excellent method of healing sunburned skin. It is a very effective pain reliever because it contains salicylic acid, the same pain-relieving agent found in aspirin. Lignins, another chemical compound found in the plant, increases blood circulation and can help speed up the healing process of sunburn.
CANCER
Perhaps the most significant development for aloe vera research has been its potential to treat cancer. This research has been ongoing for the last 30 years and it has been discovered that aloe contains a number of chemicals that can stimulate your immune system’s response to antigens. Antigens are foreign particles in your body that can cause an infection. The Aloe plant has 23 polysaccharides that serve as stimulators. These stimulators help control a variety of disorders and diseases of the immune system. Aloe also contains lectins and emodins. These are antitumor chemicals that can help destroy malignant cancerous tumors. When there are antigens in your body, the white blood cells are the first to respond by attacking the foreign particles. Studies have found that the use of aloe vera increases the action of white blood cells and this is very important in the fight against cancer.
Aloe vera, can it really benefit the human body or is it just a scam? Humanity has been receiving the benefits of aloe vera for thousands of years. Its healing properties have been known since ancient times and until now, this common houseplant has stood the test of time. Reality or fiction? Myth or medicine? You be the judge.
