Alternative medicine Home

Beauty Info

Massage techniques

Pure Natural Aromatherapy Essential oils



Aloe Vera - No Wonder They Call It The Miracle Plant


Aloe Vera is a member of the Lily family. It is a succulent that looks a lot like a cactus and is known by various names such as the burnt plant, the miracle plant, the natural healer and the medicine plant. Although there are more than two hundred species of Aloe Vera, only a few have medicinal properties, and of these Aloe Vera Barbadensis is the most beneficial.

The Aloe Vera plant reaches maturity at about four years of age. The outer leaf is smooth and rubbery and inside is the gel and sap which is harvested, preserved and bottled to give either a juice or when combined with other ingredients creams, lotions and gels. About 96% of the plant is water. The rest is made up of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, copper, chromium and the antioxidant selenium, vitamins including the antioxidants C, E and beta carotene, 20 of the 22 amino acids required by the body including 7 of the 8 that cannot be manufactured by the body, sugars, enzymes and fatty acids. The combination of these elements has a more powerful effect together than they would individually. This is because each enhances the effect of the other, an occurrence that is known as synergism.

Aloe Vera works in two different areas; by promoting healing or preventing injury to the epithelial tissues (the skin, the lining of the gut, the bronchial tubes, etc) and by balancing the immune system when its antioxidants fight the free radicals produced by our metabolism and pollutants in the environment.

When taken internally, Aloe Vera is soothing to digestive tract irritations, such as colitis and peptic ulcers. The anti-inflammatory fatty acids are also helpful for the stomach, small intestine and colon. It alkalises the digestive juices preventing overacidity - a common cause of indigestion. Amongst many other ailments that have been helped by Aloe Vera are diverticulitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, constipation and haemorrhoids. Conditions that are improved by balancing the immune system are arthritis, asthma, ME (post viral fatigue syndrome) and LE (lupus).

When applied to the skin Aloe Vera improves a large variety of skin complaints such as eczema, psoriasis, ulcers, burns, stings, acne, bites, scrapes, abrasions, scalp care, sore muscles, cold sores, bruises, sprains and frostbite to name but a few!

More recent studies show Aloe Vera can help prolong survival time and stimulate the immune system of cancer patients. This is partly by fighting free radicals with its antioxidant properties and also by stimulating the white blood cells causing the release of immune-activating and anticancer substances such as interferons, interleukins and tumour necrosis factor. These properties of Aloe Vera have also made it an effective part of a nutrition support program for HIV patients; leading to fewer occurrences of infections such as thrush, fatigue and diarrhoea and an increase in the number of white blood cells meaning a boost to their immune system.

About The Author

Kay Blackiston has had an interest in health and nutrition for several years. She is now a personal weight loss coach supporting anybody who wishes to take charge of their lives and lose their excess weight. http://www.from-flab-to-fab.com. Various Aloe products are available from: http://www.healthandbeauty-online.com

kayblackiston@msn.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Geek

'Fracture putty' may quicken the bone-healing process
DVICE
The "fracture putty" is, like many of our medical advancements lately, based around the magic of stem cells. The scientists used adult stem cells producing a protein in bone healing and generation, placed it in a gel, and inserted it into rats.
'Fracture Putty' to Repair Broken Bone in DaysScience Daily (press release)
Georgia researchers create "putty" to help heal bones in weeksKnovel
UGA develops stem cell gel to help bones heal fasterAtlanta Business Chronicle
Online Athens
all 11 news articles »


WND.com

Political views torpedo medical license application
WND.com
By Jack Minor The Kansas State board of Healing Arts apparently is saying political perspectives are more important than medical knowledge for its doctors. That's the result of the board's decision this week to reject a request from Dr. Terrence Lakin ...



American CEOs get an Israeli medical education
Jerusalem Post
Healing gardens, patient rooms, square feet, two beds per room, one bed per room, one window per patient ... I mean these are huge developments,” Mapa told The Media Line. “It's not something we wouldn't do in the States, or in Canada, ...

and more »


American CEOs Get an Israeli Medical Education
The Media Line
Healing gardens, patient rooms, square feet, two beds per room, one bed per room, one window per patient…I mean these are huge developments,” Mapa told The Media Line. “It's not something we wouldn't do in the States, or in Canada, and it's something ...

and more »


PsychCentral.com (blog)

Integrative Medicine to Treat Eating Disorders
PsychCentral.com (blog)
By Carolyn Coker Ross, MD Integrative medicine can be defined as “a healing-oriented discipline that takes into account the whole person — body, mind and spirit — including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and ...

and more »


Marlborough Express

Demand up for natural healing
Marlborough Express
The growing number of people merging herbal healing with traditional medicine was due to busier lifestyles and unhealthy diets, she said. "We don't grow our own vegetables any more and the supermarket products are full of added flavourings and ...



CONMED Corporation Launches New Products at 2012 Annual American Academy of ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Under normal conditions, these platelets release a variety of factors that initiate and subsequently promote healing. New advances in medicine have been developed to harness and concentrate these platelets to be precisely introduced to the injury site ...

and more »


New York Times

HealthWatch: Research Reveals Healing Benefits Of Massage
CBS Local
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) – Having a massage after exercise can significantly reduce muscle soreness, and a new study published Thursday in the journal “Science Transitional Medicine” offers a scientific explanation. The explanation lies in the reason ...
10 Minutes of Massage Reduces Muscle InflammationSkinInc.com

all 14 news articles »


New laser therapies 'could make tattoo removal easier'
Newstrack India
... requiring a few weeks of healing time between procedures. According to dermatologist Arielle NB Kauvar, MD, FAAD, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, the process of tattoo ink removal is ...

and more »


Ease pain with medicine cabinet makeover
WKBT La Crosse
(NewsUSA) - In the current economy, the over 75 million chronic and acute pain sufferers in the US need to take a good look in their medicine cabinets. Americans have been conditioned to buy specific products for different kinds of pain -- something ...

and more »

Google News

Alternative home | site map | Beauty | Massage oils | Essential Oils | Privacy and FAQ | Alternative medicine Courses
Massage oils 365 © 2011 Alternative medicine