Facts and Important Uses for Aloe Vera Plant
Most household burns and scalds, and many other minor mishaps, occur in the kitchen. With an aloe plant close by, it's easy to snip off one the thick, fleshy leaves, slit it open and squeeze the clear gel onto the injury. "Aloe gel dries into a natural bandage, It also promotes healing and helps keep burns from becoming infected."
Aloe has a long history as a healer. Around 1500 BC, the ancient Egyptians began using aloe as a powerful laxative and a treatment for skin problems. When Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, he learned that an island off Somalia teemed with aloes. He immediately seized it to guarantee a supply of the wound treatment for his troops, while keeping the herb from his enemies. Arab traders carried aloe from Spain to Asia around the sixth century. Traditional Indian Ayurvedic doctors and Chinese physicians quickly adopted it as a laxative and skin treatment. American pioneers used aloe gel to treat wounds, burns, hemorrhoids and rashes.
Scientific validation of aloe's wound-healing power dates from the 1930s, when radiologists noticed that aloe gel scooped straight from the cut leaves of the plant hastened the healing of x-ray burns. Since then, many studies have confirmed the herb's ability to promote healing of cuts, frostbite and first- and second-degree burns. "Aloe contains allantoin, a substance that speeds wound healing," says Alan R. Gaby, M.D., a Baltimore physician who practices nutritional and natural medicine and is president of the American Holistic Medical Association. One chemical in this herb - aloe-emodin - "has anti-tumor activity," according to James A. Duke, Ph.D., a botanist retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and author of The CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Aloe is not currently used to treat cancer, but one day it might be. And some derivatives of aloe are also being studies for both anti-AIDS and anti-cancer potential.
How To Use Aloe Vera Before applying aloe to burns of cuts, wash thoroughly with soap and water. For minor burns, scalds, sunburns or cuts, select a lower (older) leaf, cut off several inches and slice it lengthwise. Scoop out the gel, apply it liberally to the affected area and allow it to dry. (The injured aloe leaf quickly closes its own wound. Periodic leaf-snipping does not harm the plant.) Aloe gel is safe for external use by anyone who does not develop an allergic reaction. If your skin shows signs of redness or irritation after using aloe, discontinue use. Even if you have a brown thumb, you can grow aloes. They need little water and no care other than good drainage and a temperature above 40 degrees F. They prefer sun but tolerate shade, and they don't mind poor soil. Aloes produce offshoots, which may be removed and replanted when they are a few inches tall. Simply uproot or un pot the plant, work the soil gently to separate the offshoot and return the parent plant to its bed or pot.
Related Tags: aloe vera, alternative natural health, natural healing
Hello,
My name is Jody Kelly. I live in the state of Illinois & have been a certified natural health professional since Dec. 2001. I have studied alternative health for 25+ years. I'm very interested in Nature & herbs. Through my herblogy classes, I have learned to formulate my own products such as herbal skin care for those stubborn rashes, natural body butters, bath salts, cough syrup, upper respitory oils, massage oils & many more helpful items for natural health.
I have a web site with many healthy products for you, your home, children & babies that are non toxic & safe to use. Look for my articles & free bath salt recipes that you can make yourself for gift for that special some one on your list. Thank you & here is my website http://www.purehealthchoices.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Prrevent Alzheimer's Disease With Natural Lifestyle
No other disease stirs more fear than Alzheimer's disease. This mind robbing affliction is presently - Stop Heartburn -heartburn Home Remedies
Heartburn consists in a burning sensation that starts in the lower part of the chest and can extend - Biomagnetic Therapy - The History Of Healing With Magnets
At first glance, it may seem that using magnets for healing is a recent phenomenon, but using magnet - Salvia Divinorum Ingestion And Possible Side Effects
Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive mint which is used in traditional spiritual practices. This drug - Upper Back Pain - Natural And Alternative Treatments For Backache Relief
Upper back pain is not normally the result of a spinal disorder, but it is more likely to be caused - Aromatherapy Massage Activates Your Emotional Memory
Aromatherapy is body and skin care treatments use essential oils to make you feel calm, relaxed, or - Muscle Joint Pain Treatment And Herbal Remedies That Work Effectively
Muscle and joint pain is not at all a rare medical condition. It can be the result of certain diseas - Lower Back Pain - 7 Useful Herbs And Herbal Remedies For Treating Lower Backache
Lower back pain is a common medical condition that affects almost everybody at some point or another - Hip Joint Pain Causes And Effective Natural Ways To Get Relief
The pain in hip joint is also very painful. There are many causes of hip joint pain. Some of the mos - Complementary Alternative Medicine For Cfs- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Have you or someone you are acquainted with been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? This condi
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Natural Remedy for Yeast Infection - Candida Albicans Symptom Help
For many people the cycle of yeast infection is complicated often by the use of antibiotics leads t - Why Use Beeswax Candles? Beeswax Candles vs Paraffin
When you compare beeswax candles vs paraffin, pure beeswax candles are:More economicalBetter for you - The Eyes Are the Soul of the Body - Iridology is Not a New Science
Iridology is by no means a new science. It is often said that "The eyes are the key to a person's s - Aromatherapy: Your Guide to Essential Oils for Healing (A-B) from Aches to Burns
ACHES & PAINS - Chamomile, Juniper, Lavender, Rosemary, Marjoram, Birch, Clary Sage, Clove, Geranium - The Healing Benefits of Vegetable Oils and How you Can Use Them in Home Remedies
The healthiest oils are made of olives, flax seeds, walnuts and cedar nuts. Peanut oil and corn oil - Boost your Immune System
The main function of the immune system is to protect the body against various infections. It is the - Whipworm Infestation A Possible Crohns Disease Treatment?
There are many alternative treatments for Crohn's disease; aloe vera isn't the only remedy out there - Natural Herbs - Power of Herbal Medicine
Natural herbs can be used to cure many health problems. Here are a few ways in which you too can imp - Miracle Healer, John of God of Brazil
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE from around the world diagnosed as terminal or incurable by modern medicine trav - What is Nutritional Healing
Nutritional Healing is an established scientific approach aimed at balancing the needs of the human