Aloe vera is native to Africa and has been used by used by many different cultures including Greeks, Arabs, Egyptians and Spaniards for millennia. In 1500 B.C. Egyptians recorded use of the plant for treating burns, infections and parasites. The earliest record of Aloe vera is on a Sumerian tablet dating from 2100 BC.

Aloe vera extract, juice and gel.
Aloe vera extract is made by pulverizing the whole leaves of the plant, the juice is made from the inner leaf. Gel is the leaf pulp, a clear jelly-like material from the tissue that makes up the inner portion of the leaves.

Aloe vera is one of the most vitamin and mineral packed nutrition drinks around. Aloe vera contains about 96% water, 18 amino acids, vitamins including vitamin B-1, vitamin B-2, vitamin C, niacinamide, vitamin B-6, choline, essential oil, calcium, chlorine, sodium, potassium, manganese, monosaccharides and polysaccharides including uronic acid, mannose and glucose. Aloe vera also contains aloin (barbaloin), ethereal oil, isobarbaloin, emoding lucosides of d-Arabinose, emodin, resitannol, ester of cinnamic acid and cinnamic acid.

Acemannan has antiviral and antitumoral activities through activation of immune responses.

Aloin (barbaloin) is an unwanted, harsh, irritant, bitter tasting, laxative contained in the yellow sap of Aloe, which is removed during processing. Aloin has strong laxative properties.

Cinnamic acid has the formula C6H5CHCHCOOH and is an odorless white crystalline acid. It has a floral aroma, is found in the essential oil of cinnamon and in shea butter. Cinnamic acid is used in flavours, synthetic indigo, pharmaceuticals, and to manufacture esters for the perfume industry.

Emodin is an orange crystalline compound, C14H4O2(OH)3CH3, obtained from rhubarb and other plants and used as a laxative. Emodin belongs to a family of compounds called anthraquinones, which have shown anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.

Mannose is a monosaccharide, C6H12O6. The word mannose is from Manna, the food the Israelites ate in the desert in the book of Exodus. D-mannose, this form is used as a remedy for urinary tract infections.

Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates, glucose C6(H2O)6 is a monosaccharide.

The Health Benefits.
Aloe vera is a rather amazing plant. My great aunt did not know about acemannan but she did know about Aloe's ability to heal. She always said, “If it burns, stings, itches, hurts, or you want it to look like a baby's skin put the magic jelly on it”. She called it, “the magic jelly” because fresh Aloe vera gel heals burns like magic.

The gel has been used topically for thousands of years throughout the world to treat wounds, skin infections, burns, and numerous other dermatologic conditions. There are very few places where it has not been used.

The Benefits to Skin.
Aloe vera is well known as the supreme skin care regimen. It can aid in keeping the skin supple, and is used in the control of acne and eczema. It has a moisturizing effect and is a common remedy for sunburn and skin irritation due to insect bites and allergies. Aloe's healing power comes from increasing the availability of oxygen and strengthen the skin. My advice is to pamper your skin with a little fresh gel everyday. Keep a few plants healthy and you will always have a steady supply. Cut a leaf in half and smooth it on your skin.

Intestinal Health.
Many traditional liquid health treatments are made from a base of Aloe vera juice with other herbs included. Drinking the juice and gel is widely endorsed by herbalists for soothing digestive tract irritations and general gastrointestinal health. It is also used to alkalize the digestive juices to prevent over acidity. It is said to cleanse the digestive tract and exerte a soothing, balancing effect.

The dried latex from the inner lining of the leaf can be taken orally as a laxative. Careful with this one, I tried it, it works. Drink lots of water and do not go far from the house.

Gastrointestinal issues can be serious, not something you want to mess around with. Check with your doctor before you do anything. It is important to get a diagnosis.

Suggestions for Use.
When you are stressed and need a herb bath put a leaf in the freezer for 30 minutes to get it cold. When taking a hot herb steam bath cut it in half and rub it on your face to cool you down. It soothes the skin on contact. Add the juice or jell to orange or grape juice, an organic banana and a little ice and blend in a blender. This is a good drink to cool you down and sooth the plumbing. If your stress is causing you digestive trouble add a spoon of Slippery Elm to the blend. If you have intestinal pain or menstrual troubles make a Yarrow tea and add this to the mixture.

To make a salve, remove the thin outer skin and blind the leaves in a blender, add 500 units of vitamin C powder to each cup add a tablespoon of honey to help preserve. It is best to use fresh but you can store it in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks. This salve is great for skin. For stess, after the salve has been in the refrigerator and having cooled use it on your face during a hot bath or if you do not feel like a hot bath but want to cool down rub it on your feet. Even better get someone you love to rub it on your feet.

Growing Aloe Vera
Light – Most Aloe species make excellent house plants when they are given enough light. If they are grown outdoors in warm climates, they should be planted in full sun, or light shade. Potted Aloes benefit from spending the summer outdoors. Because Aloe plants consist of mostly water, they are extremely sensitive to frost.

Soil – The soil should be sandy, moderately fertile, and drain well. Aloes have roots that are shallow and spread so when it is time to repot them pick a wide pot, they are better than deep ones. Fertilize yearly, in the spring with a half strength, bloom type fertilizer (10-40-10). Do not over fertilize. New plants may also be grown from seed or propagated from the offsets around the base of mature plants.

Water – Established plants will survive a drought quite well. During the winter months, the plant will become somewhat dormant, and utilize very little moisture. During this period watering should be minimal. During the summer months, the soil should be completely soaked, but then be allowed to dry again before giving the plant a cup or two of water.

Nothing in this essay is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Aloe vera has not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of any disease.

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The topical approach to natural skin care is also an important consideration. Since most antiaging skin care routines start with a clean face let’s start there. While doing my own research I’ve come up with three different types of soap that not only use natural ingredients but have also been proven to help your skin keep that healthy glow. Part of my search revealed information about olive oil soap. Antioxidants are important in protecting the skin from the sun and enviromental elements and can be found in olives. The second soap that got my attention was Black Soap or Anago, named after the Anago language of Nigeria, which is made from pure oils, butters and roasted plants. It has healing emollient properties that make it an unusual product. Have a look at some patented soaps that are produced in Texas. The patented Texas skin care soaps are made from the finest ingredients; many of their ingredients are homegrown.

Another important step in our antiaging skin care routine is to check out skin care lotions and creams. With so many of these products on the market it’s hard to know where to start. One thing we know for sure: It’s important to be able to closely check all the ingredients in a lotion or cream to be sure the product is formulated from truly natural resources. Unfortunately natural skin care products are not regulated in the United States so you have to read the labels carefully to be sure they don’t contain any synthetic ingredients as some can actually be harmful to the skin. The Internet isn’t always the best place to find natural skin care products as they often don’t list all of the ingredients. New Zealand is known for producing some of the best natural skin care products in the world. The testing process they use to determine the purity of their skin care products is one of the best in the world. When they say there are no artificial ingredients in their lotion or creams you can believe it is true.

When looking for the best natural skin care products look for ingredients such as seed oil, Aloe Vera, calendula, soy oil, pomegranate, green or white tea, and chamomile just to name a few. Although collagen plays an important part in how our skin ages don’t be fooled by products that list collagen extracts as an ingredient in their product as it does not work when it is applied directly to the skin as the skin pores cannot absorb it.

Since finding the correct natural skin care product has its challenges, it’s probably wise to talk to a skin care professional and/or check with a highly qualified nutritionist. However, if you feel comfortable doing it on your own, remember this: Don’t rely solely on the products advertisements, and carefully check out all the ingredients. Remember: what you see on the outside is what you are on the inside in terms of skin care.”

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Aloe Vera extract comes from the Aloe Vera plant. Before you even consider how does Aloe Vera plant work on the skin, you have to understand what the extract contains. You will find the Aloe Vera plant has many vitamins you skin and body need. In other words Vitamins A, B, C, E, and Folic Acid can be found in the Aloe Vera. You will also find such compounds as collagen in the Aloe Vera plant. When considering how does Aloe Vera plant work on the skin you also need to know it is a natural solution for detoxifying your skin cells, killing bacteria, and increasing the immune system with the polysaccharides found in the plant extract.

The Aloe Vera plant also helps increase the production of fibroblasts, which are the cells responsible for collagen. The collagen helps revitalize your skin. In other words it gives it the elasticity to reduce the wrinkles and help pull your skin back. When we get older our skin tends to sag, if you increase the collagen applied to the skin or stimulate the cells to release the collagen you will again have the firmer skin.

The elements in the Aloe Vera extract from the plant also help to heal cuts, burns, and other skin irritations, even allergic reactions. The minerals, proteins, and other properties of the Aloe Vera plant help the skin heal faster when it has been damaged. Again it has everything to do with the properties that make up the Aloe Vera extract in products. Aloe Vera has also been found to have an anti- inflammatory property that helps reduce the swelling around cuts, blisters, and other skin irritations. It will also protect against the dry skin you get during the winter season as it re- hydrates your skin. So, how does Aloe Vera plant work on the skin? Well you would need a little knowledge in biology to fully understand the compounds and other nutrients found in the plant, but these are the basics.

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Aloe Vera acne treatment should be used twice a day if not three times, depending on how bad the acne is. Most of us have natural skin where it is either dry or moist. Some of us suffer from more oily skin, which is a haven for acne. You may find three Aloe Vera acne treatments a day is the best resolution. You will want to wash the areas you have acne, especially on the face. Then you can use a topical gel or cream to further help your skin, such as infected areas or areas where the skin is inflamed. You will find that Aloe Vera acne treatments don’t cure acne, but they do reduce the problems as other acne treatments are supposed to do. You will see a lack of redness, flaky skin, and swelling when you use the Aloe Vera acne treatments.

When searching for Aloe Vera acne treatments you can either by the bar soap or use a liquid form. Each will help with your problem. You will also want to use a mild astringent with Aloe Vera acne treatments to help prevent future breakouts. Like most acne treatments you will need to be consistent in the treatment of the acne. You may want to have Aloe Vera acne treatments such as soap or the liquid that you can take with you during the day, especially if you work in a kitchen. The Aloe Vera acne treatments have healing properties for the skin and also kills bacteria, which is why it works so well for acne.

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First let us look at the many external uses of Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera alleviates pain from burns, dry skin, and cuts. You will also find that Aloe Vera will help heal dry skin, eczema, burns, rashes, cuts, outbreaks of Psoriasis, pimples, muscular pain, athlete’s foot, and insect bites. In order to understand the benefits of Aloe Vera you also have to understand the properties of the plants. Aloe Vera plants contain water in the thick, cactus like leaves. This water is used to feed the plant, but it will also create a gel with a chemical process. This gel in the Aloe Vera plant can then be removed by breaking the leaves and squeezing the gel out. When looking at the benefits of Aloe Vera you will find that the gel from the leaves can be used to heal the problem you are having with skin irritations or you can simply by the creams, lotions, soaps, and gels sold in products at the store.

The benefits of Aloe Vera means that you will use the extracts on the irritations by rubbing the cream, gel, or other product on to the affected area at least twice a day, for up to two weeks. You will find that area will heal and the pain will immediately be soothed. Sun burns that you apply Aloe Vera gel to immediately will heal the skin and prevent you from peeling. Keep in mind for the benefits of the Aloe Vera to work you must apply consistently. If you have an outbreak of eczema you will want to apply a bandage to the area of skin after you apply the cream.

The benefits of Aloe Vera juice are something else you should consider. Aloe Vera juice helps the immune cells grow, helps tissue cells grow in the intestinal tract, and helps balance the stomach acid. You will also find the benefits of Aloe Vera juice help regulate your body so that it is balanced without having to figure out what nutrients you are missing. Aloe Vera has many different minerals, proteins, polysaccharides, and other properties to help you.

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The Aloe Vera plant is native to most semi- tropical regions, being based in Africa. It is actually a form of the lily family. I want to caution if you have pets you may want to keep the Aloe Vera plant some where they will not be able to get near it. Like most lilies, cats and other pets can have reactions to eating the leaves of the plants. The Aloe Vera plant is comprised of several thick, prickly green leaves. The leaves all contain the water for the Aloe Vera plant to feed off of. This is also the section you will find the Aloe Vera plant gel most of the juices, gels, creams, and other herbal remedies are made from.

An Aloe Vera plant can be used for many things; however you will mostly find it helping with the digestion and intestinal systems, dry skin, burns, and eczema. Eczema is a form of dry skin caused either by a dry climate or an allergic reaction to something you have come into contact with. In other words eczema is a very serious condition of dry skin. You may just have dry flaky skin that needs a cream, such as a body lotion, but eczema actually needs two things. It needs the Aloe Vera plant extract to help reduce the swelling and dryness, and it also needs hydrocortisone, which also helps with the dry skin. Often times with eczema you will have a very dry patch that starts to peel and becomes painful the further down in the skin it goes. The Aloe Vera plant extract combined with a bandage will help re- hydrate the skin and cure the issue. Burns will produce red, raw, and blistered skin. The Aloe Vera plant extract will help you to alleviate the pain from the burn as well as suck out the liquid in the blister.

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The Aloe Vera plant is in the species of Aloe plants, and the family of lilies. You will find that Aloe Vera plant is actually very cactus like. The leaves are extremely thick and fibrous. They are most usually green and some of the Aloe Vera plants can flower. A few of the plants actually have little spines on the leaves. The plant is also about 95% water. It takes the water it doesn’t need to grow to create a gel inside the leaves. This gel is what contains the properties placed in Aloe Vera supplements.

You see the gel contains many different vitamins from Vitamin A, B, C, E, and Folic acid. You will find amino acids, proteins, enzymes, polysaccharides, and minerals in the plant extract. The plant also contains a natural laxative called Alotin. When companies manufacture the Aloe Vera supplements they are extracting the Alotin to make it useful for everyone and not cause issues of diarrhea. The Aloe Vera supplements come in capsules or tablets to help you gain the nutrients you body needs to function on a balanced and healthy level. The recommended dosage for Aloe Vera supplements is generally to take it at bed time with a full glass of water. You will only want to take one tablet in a twenty four hour period. Keep in mind that prolonged use can cause certain side effects.

If you are going to be using Aloe Vera supplements you will want to consult a doctor about the side effects and if it is the right thing for you. You should never take any thing that could affect your body without consulting a doctor. The elements in Aloe Vera supplements can cause cells such as collagen cells to grow, help grow cells for your intestinal and digestive tracts, and help with IBS; however they can also interact with other medications or supplements you may be taking.

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To understand the process of making the juice you need to know a little about the plant. The Aloe Vera plant has leaves that contain a gel. Once you break open the leaves you will find the gel will be reduced to a liquid within a half hour. You will need to understand the process of making juice in order to have the right amount of aloin, which is the Aloe Vera agent in the Aloe Vera juice. Since it undergoes a chemical reaction when exposed to air you need to have the proper amount of aloin in the juice to avoid harmful effects.

You may be asking yourself the question- why do people drink Aloe Vera juice? What are the benefits? Our bodies rely on nutrients from food as well as liquids to keep them balanced. You will find that the many different ingredients found in this one plant to make the Aloe Vera juice contain properties to keep our bodies in balance, especially with out stomachs. You will also find that through the medicinal properties of Aloe Vera juice most tissues in the intestinal tract can be repaired by having the stimulants, amino acids, and enzymes in the juice. Aloe Vera juice also has polysaccharides in the chemical makeup, which helps to improve the immune system. Overall you will find your intestinal and digestive systems are healthier when provided with the minerals in the Aloe Vera juice. The production of tissue, balancing the digestive system, and the components of Aloe Vera juice help you to maintain balance throughout your body.

Rarely will you find just one thing in your diet that can help establish such balance. When you drink the Aloe Vera juice you will find your system is on a balance throughout a month, rather than constantly trying to change your diet to atone for the missing elements.

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If you are interested in the results of the Aloe Vera clinical trials all you have to do is spending a little time on the Internet to research all of the clinical trials Aloe Vera has undergone. Here are a few of the Aloe Vera clinical trials that have been done: radiation dermatitis, use of mild soap would decrease skin reactions, do burns heal faster, and does it help with IBS symptoms. Most commonly you will find the results of the Aloe Vera clinical trials will show a significant aptitude for helping with medical issues; however they found that radiation dermatitis test was inconclusive, and most patients were inconclusive when testing if they healed faster using Aloe Vera.

When you are considering using an Aloe Vera product you will want to read the ingredients and see if the product has undergone Aloe Vera clinical trials. The best way to know if something will be effective is doing a little research. The product can always say it has undergone clinical trials, but how else will you know if they were indeed effective.

When products undergo Aloe Vera clinical trials they are testing with a process called a double blind study. In other words they are going to have a placebo, and two or more conditions to test during the Aloe Vera clinical trials. While we know that Aloe Vera contains properties to help generate the growth of collagen cells we still have to test the beauty products on the market to make sure you will see the results they are advertising. Therefore Aloe Vera clinical trials are very important for the consumer as well as the manufacturer. In the case of the Aloe Vera clinical trials for collagen properties and its effectiveness, the manufacturers have seen an increase in cell growth. It is a slow process and should be used as a preventative agent as well. Most Aloe Vera clinical trials have been positive and you will find these items for sale in many stores or online.

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