Aloe Vera: More Than Just a First Aid Plant

 

Posted by Healthy Bitch Daily on Mar 27, 2013

In high school, you kept it on hand for those beach sessions where you burned the crap out of your skin. 

Little did you know then, but besides soothing sunburns, aloe vera is one multitasking little fool. Growing up, my mom kept the plants in the kitchen. We used the soothing gel inside the thick, succulent leaves on burns to relieve pain and reduce swelling. The high nutrient content, along with 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids and 200 active enzymes (!) give this superfood super powers when used topically or internally.

Beauty Benefits

Studies have found that the gel from aloe promotes the growth of new cells. That means reducing wrinkles without needing to freeze your face with botox or getting a peel that makes you look like you fell asleep in the sun. (Remember Samantha's beekeeper hat from that episode of SATC?) It works on skin wounds to speed recovery, in sunburn creams to ease the pain and prevent peeling, and even to treat and shrink those nasty little cold sores. If you have a dandruff issue, work some aloe vera gel into your scalp before shampooing to wash those flakes right out of your hair. Use as a daily moisturizer if you hate the greasy feeling of lotion—it keeps acne at bay and tightens pores.

Get Things Moving

Found yourself a little backed up after that weekend of bad food and sitting on your ass? Forget about heading to the pharmacy; head to the health food store instead and grab a bottle of aloe vera juice. You can do a shot of it straight or add it to your smoothie to encourage those bowels to get a move on. About 10 hours later, sweet relief. 

Lower Blood Sugar

Drinking aloe vera has also been shown to stabilize and lower blood sugar. When trying to stick to your “get ready for summer” diet, a swig of aloe vera juice daily can keep you from getting those mid-afternoon crashes that normally send you cruising around the office in search of some shitty pick-me-up food or caffeine. 

Choosing the Best AV
 
Just like any other supplement, quality and purity are super important. If buying the juice, organic is an absolute must. To ensure the enzymes are still alive and fighting off the signs of aging, unpasteurized is also mandatory. Of course, you could always try your hand at gardening and grow your own. (You don’t need a green thumb to grow a succulent, for God's sake. If they can live in the desert, they can certainly grow in your home.) Follow my mom’s example and keep a little plant right in your kitchen. Who says you're not domestic?


Lori Kenyon, Certified Nutrition CoachFormer corporate attorney and master of the loop-hole, in 2010, Lori co-founded the kick-ass raw organic juice company, Ritual Wellness. Lori now spends her time producing a healthy alternative to chemical ridden, nutrient void drinks in the market, and writing  to help educate people about healthy food choices.