The Benefits of Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has been called the 'Wonder Plant', the 'Natural Healer', the 'Burn
Plant', and the 'Miracle Plant'. You have probably heard
of its use as
an ingredient in skincare preparations, and this is one of its uses. But there
are many more.
Aloe Vera has many medicinal properties. These days it is not possible for a company to claim that a product will cure XYZ disease without undergoing trials costing millions, and then it is only worth it if the company can protect the product with a patent. Aloe Vera has been used for centuries for both its medicinal qualities and to enhance beauty, so it is not possible to patent what is after all a natural product, so no company is going to spend a ton of money on medical trials. However, people using Aloe Vera have reported experiencing benefits to the digestive system, particularly irritable bowel syndrome; arthritis and asthma (including childhood asthma), and skin complaints like psoriasis and eczema.
Aloe Vera is most commonly taken as a gel drink. Aloe Vera gel contains an abundance of minerals and vitamins, and is a natural source of folic acid, necessary for all women planning a pregnancy.
The benefits to the skin are well known. My favourite account of the benefits of Aloe Vera are from a British doctor studying Aloe Vera at Oxford University. He met an American physician who had been testing aloe products in the cosmetics industry for 30 years. When testing new creams and lotions, being right-handed, he would apply the products with the tips of his right hand onto the back of his left hand. He now says he has one old hand and one young one: the back of his right hand is typical of a seventy year old, while the back of his left hand looks 30 years younger!
I mentioned that one of the descriptions applied to Aloe Vera is the 'Burn Plant'. Many hospitals use Aloe Vera cream to treat burns. If you keep a first aid kit, you would be wise to add Aloe Vera.
The world's largest producer of Aloe Vera does not sell its products in shops, but through a sales force of mums who sell by recommendation. Many people who try the products like them so much they then start a part-time business selling to their friends.