Studies have found that there are 75 ingredients contained in the Aloe leaf. These ingredients have a variety of medical benefits. They are divided into the following categories:
• Ligin – This cellulose substance is found in the gel has no known medical properties except it posses the property of penetrating the human skin.
• Saponins – These form soapy lathers when mixed and agitated with water. They have been used in detergents, foaming agents and contain antiseptic properties.
• Anthraquinones – There are 12 of these contained in the sap of Aloe Vera: Aloin, Isobarbaloin, Anthracene, Emodin, Ester of Cinnamonic acid, Chrysophanic acid, Barbaloin, Anthranol, Aloetic acid, Aloe Emodin, Ethereal oil and Resistannol. These act as natural laxatives, painkillers and analgesics, and they contain powerful antibacterial, antifungal and virucidal properties.
• Minerals – Aloe Vera contains the following minerals:
- Calcium (essential for proper bone and teeth density)
- Manganese (a component of enzymes necessary for the activation of other enzymes)
- Sodium (ensures that the body fluids do not become too acidic or too alkaline)
- Copper (enables iron to work as oxygen carriers in the red blood cells)
- Magnesium (used by nerves and muscle membranes to help conduct electrical
impulses)
- Potassium (regulates the acidic or alkaline levels of body fluid)
- Zinc (contributes to the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats)
- Chromium (necessary for the proper function of insulin, which in turn controls the
sugar levels in the blood)
- Iron (controls the transportation of oxygen around the body via the red blood cells)
• Vitamins – Aloe Vera contains numerous vitamins:
- Vitamins A, C, & E (crucial antioxidants that combat dangerous free radicals in the body)
• Enzymes – Some of the most important enzymes in Aloe Vera are: Peroxidase, Aliiase, Catalase, Lipase, Cellulase, Carboxypeptidase, Amylase and Alkaline Phosphatase. Enzymes help to break down food and assist in digestion. Some enzymes help break down fats while others break down starches and sugars.
• Sugars – Aloe Vera contains both monosaccharides, such as glucose and fructose, and polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are the most important types of sugars. They aid in proper digestion, maintain cholesterol levels, improve liver functions and promote the strengthening of bones.
• Sterols – Sterols are important anti-inflammatory agents. The ones found in Aloe Vera are: Cholesterol, Sitosterol, Campesterol and Lupeol. These sterols contain antiseptic and analgesic properties. They also have pain killing properties similar to aspirin.
As Aloe Vera is comprised of approximately 99% water, all of these chemicals
are contained in the remaining 1% of the plant. Although this may seem like a small percentage to contain so many ingredients, its helpfulness has been proven to be significant. Dr. Atherton claims that this is due to synergistic actions.
He writes;
“Synergism is defined as, ‘the working together of two or more drugs, muscles, etc.,to produce an effect greater then the sum of their individual effects.’”
Monday 19 July 2010
What is Aloe Vera?
I like the fact that aloe isn't some new fad.
For centuries, Aloe Vera has been used by many different cultures. The ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Babylonians, Indians and the Chinese have all used Aloe Vera as a medicinal plant. Throughout the years, Aloe Vera (Aloinae) has been called many things: Potted Physician, Wand of Heaven, Wonder Plant, Heaven’s Blessing, and Plant of Life.
It is now well known that Aloe Vera has been used for thousands of years for it's healing properties. Cleopatra attributed her beauty to it, and Gandhi drank aloe vera juice while he was fasting to maintain his health and energy levels. Alexander the Great used to tow wagons into battle that carried aloe vera plants so that his soldier's wounds could be treated with the gel from inside the aloe leaves!
The aloe family of plants includes over 200 varieties. Out of all these it is the aloe barbadensis miller (aloe vera) that has been of most use to man. It is a succulent plant with thick, fleshy leaves. People usually think that aloe is a cactus but it is actually a member of the onion, lily and garlic family.
It is the clear thick gel inside the aloe leaf which contains all the goodness and is now widely used in everything from drinks to shampoo, toothpaste and even toilet paper!
For centuries, Aloe Vera has been used by many different cultures. The ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Babylonians, Indians and the Chinese have all used Aloe Vera as a medicinal plant. Throughout the years, Aloe Vera (Aloinae) has been called many things: Potted Physician, Wand of Heaven, Wonder Plant, Heaven’s Blessing, and Plant of Life.
It is now well known that Aloe Vera has been used for thousands of years for it's healing properties. Cleopatra attributed her beauty to it, and Gandhi drank aloe vera juice while he was fasting to maintain his health and energy levels. Alexander the Great used to tow wagons into battle that carried aloe vera plants so that his soldier's wounds could be treated with the gel from inside the aloe leaves!
The aloe family of plants includes over 200 varieties. Out of all these it is the aloe barbadensis miller (aloe vera) that has been of most use to man. It is a succulent plant with thick, fleshy leaves. People usually think that aloe is a cactus but it is actually a member of the onion, lily and garlic family.
It is the clear thick gel inside the aloe leaf which contains all the goodness and is now widely used in everything from drinks to shampoo, toothpaste and even toilet paper!
Sunday 18 July 2010
Top 10 Benefits of Aloe Vera - by Dr Peter Atherton
Imagine slicing open an Aloe leaf and consuming the Gel directly from the plant. Forever’s signature product,
Aloe Vera Gel, is as close to the real thing as you can get. The first of its kind to receive certification by the
International Aloe Science Council, this rich blend of pulp and liquid gives us a product as near to nature as
possible. The proof is in the Aloe -
10. Effect on the gut
Aloe Vera has a wonderfully beneficial action on bowel function which results in a smooth and efficient transit of contents, often eradicating inconvenient, colicky pain.
9. Assists in healthy digestion
A healthy digestive tract ensures that nutrients from the food we eat are absorbed into the bloodstream. There is clear, clinical evidence that by drinking Aloe Vera Gel the bowel is able to absorb these nutrients more efficiently, especially protein. I also suspect that many other substances are much better absorbed under its influence. The next of the benefits of aloe vera is;
8. Effect on gut flora
Aloe Vera is a natural balancer in many areas and nowhere more so than inside the gut where it tends to regulate the proportion of bacteria and yeasts that inhabit it. At various times in life people can develop an imbalance through a variety of causes which can lead to problems and, as with probiotics, Aloe may often help to normalise the situation.
7. Effect on the skin
When they are first produced deep in the epidermis skin cells are rather large and very much alive, but by the time they reach the surface after 21–28 days (in normal skin) they are a shadow of their former selves and are transformed into just thin flakes of keratin which eventually fall off. Aloe Vera Gel provides the essential nutrition to feed the basal cells and therefore the skin remains healthy and is able to perform its vital functions more efficiently -
6. Increases the activity of Fibroblasts
This is the 6th of the benefits of aloe vera. Fibroblasts are specialised cells found in the skin and their job is to
produce fibre such as collagen and elastin. These fibres give the skin its structure and, of course, make it look plump and elastic. This is fine from a cosmetic point of view but they are also extremely important in wound healing, as these fibres create a mesh or network over which the new skin cells advance to close the wound. The effect of Aloe Vera is to stimulate them to reproduce faster and therefore, being more of them, they make
more fibre. The time taken for wounds to heal under the influence of Aloe Vera can be reduced by up to a third.
5. Antiviral activity
Within the mucilage layer of the leaf which surrounds the inner gel there is a long chain sugar or polysaccharide. This has the capability of being able to help defend us against attacks by various viruses from the simple ones causing every day illnesses to the more complex ones. This sugar has actually been extracted from Aloe Vera in the USA and made into a drug but it is actually not necessary to extract the magic bullet.
Drinking the Gel is just as effective. What is aloe vera good for? Read on!
4. Anti-inflammatory and pain killing effect
Among the substances that have been identified in Aloe Vera are several that are anti-inflammatory and pain killing which are very helpful for people experiencing these symptoms.
3. A useful source of minerals
Some of the minerals found in Aloe Vera include calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, chromium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc. This is because the plant tends to grow in areas where soils are rich
in these minerals and its roots are able to absorb them and deliver them to us in a very available form.
2. A useful source of vitamins
Aloe Vera Gel contains a large range of vitamins - even trace elements of vitamin B12 which is rarely found in plants. Apart from vitamin A, it contains B-group vitamins, vitamin C,vitamin E and folic acid.
Many of these vitamins cannot be stored by the body so we need to constantly top them up from the food that we eat. What better way than by drinking a daily amount of Aloe Vera Gel while at the same time
building up the body’s defence system against oxidative stress naturally?
And my number one reason for drinking Aloe Vera Gel is...
1. A general tonic for good health
By drinking the Gel with all its important ingredients (often now deficient in our food) including 19 of the 20 amino acids needed by the human body, and seven of the eight essential ones that just cannot be made, the body is able to get enough to allow complex enzyme systems to work really well. This means the body can function at 100%. The net result to the individual is a wonderful feeling of well-being which tends to go with an improved ability to withstand and even
fight illness.
As you can see from these 10 great reasons about ‘what is aloe vera good for’, taken daily - either alone or mixed with fruit juice or our other wonderful antioxidant Product Pomesteen Power - Aloe Vera Gel is one of the best nutritional supplements available!
Note: An aloe vera drink can only be called a GEL if it has more than 90% aloe content. Hence most aloe drinks are only allowed to be called Juice.
Aloe Vera Gel, is as close to the real thing as you can get. The first of its kind to receive certification by the
International Aloe Science Council, this rich blend of pulp and liquid gives us a product as near to nature as
possible. The proof is in the Aloe -
10. Effect on the gut
Aloe Vera has a wonderfully beneficial action on bowel function which results in a smooth and efficient transit of contents, often eradicating inconvenient, colicky pain.
9. Assists in healthy digestion
A healthy digestive tract ensures that nutrients from the food we eat are absorbed into the bloodstream. There is clear, clinical evidence that by drinking Aloe Vera Gel the bowel is able to absorb these nutrients more efficiently, especially protein. I also suspect that many other substances are much better absorbed under its influence. The next of the benefits of aloe vera is;
8. Effect on gut flora
Aloe Vera is a natural balancer in many areas and nowhere more so than inside the gut where it tends to regulate the proportion of bacteria and yeasts that inhabit it. At various times in life people can develop an imbalance through a variety of causes which can lead to problems and, as with probiotics, Aloe may often help to normalise the situation.
7. Effect on the skin
When they are first produced deep in the epidermis skin cells are rather large and very much alive, but by the time they reach the surface after 21–28 days (in normal skin) they are a shadow of their former selves and are transformed into just thin flakes of keratin which eventually fall off. Aloe Vera Gel provides the essential nutrition to feed the basal cells and therefore the skin remains healthy and is able to perform its vital functions more efficiently -
6. Increases the activity of Fibroblasts
This is the 6th of the benefits of aloe vera. Fibroblasts are specialised cells found in the skin and their job is to
produce fibre such as collagen and elastin. These fibres give the skin its structure and, of course, make it look plump and elastic. This is fine from a cosmetic point of view but they are also extremely important in wound healing, as these fibres create a mesh or network over which the new skin cells advance to close the wound. The effect of Aloe Vera is to stimulate them to reproduce faster and therefore, being more of them, they make
more fibre. The time taken for wounds to heal under the influence of Aloe Vera can be reduced by up to a third.
5. Antiviral activity
Within the mucilage layer of the leaf which surrounds the inner gel there is a long chain sugar or polysaccharide. This has the capability of being able to help defend us against attacks by various viruses from the simple ones causing every day illnesses to the more complex ones. This sugar has actually been extracted from Aloe Vera in the USA and made into a drug but it is actually not necessary to extract the magic bullet.
Drinking the Gel is just as effective. What is aloe vera good for? Read on!
4. Anti-inflammatory and pain killing effect
Among the substances that have been identified in Aloe Vera are several that are anti-inflammatory and pain killing which are very helpful for people experiencing these symptoms.
3. A useful source of minerals
Some of the minerals found in Aloe Vera include calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, chromium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc. This is because the plant tends to grow in areas where soils are rich
in these minerals and its roots are able to absorb them and deliver them to us in a very available form.
2. A useful source of vitamins
Aloe Vera Gel contains a large range of vitamins - even trace elements of vitamin B12 which is rarely found in plants. Apart from vitamin A, it contains B-group vitamins, vitamin C,vitamin E and folic acid.
Many of these vitamins cannot be stored by the body so we need to constantly top them up from the food that we eat. What better way than by drinking a daily amount of Aloe Vera Gel while at the same time
building up the body’s defence system against oxidative stress naturally?
And my number one reason for drinking Aloe Vera Gel is...
1. A general tonic for good health
By drinking the Gel with all its important ingredients (often now deficient in our food) including 19 of the 20 amino acids needed by the human body, and seven of the eight essential ones that just cannot be made, the body is able to get enough to allow complex enzyme systems to work really well. This means the body can function at 100%. The net result to the individual is a wonderful feeling of well-being which tends to go with an improved ability to withstand and even
fight illness.
As you can see from these 10 great reasons about ‘what is aloe vera good for’, taken daily - either alone or mixed with fruit juice or our other wonderful antioxidant Product Pomesteen Power - Aloe Vera Gel is one of the best nutritional supplements available!
Note: An aloe vera drink can only be called a GEL if it has more than 90% aloe content. Hence most aloe drinks are only allowed to be called Juice.
Saturday 17 July 2010
WELCOME TO THE ALOE BENEFITS BLOG!
Aloe Benefits.
Hi! I'm Jo! A very warm welcome to my aloe benefits blog. I will be sharing not only all the benefits of aloe vera, based on my 15+ years experience but also I will tell you all about the aloe vera product I use. Plus find out all my aloe vera tips and tricks. I hope you enjoy my aloe benefits blog!
Hi! I'm Jo! A very warm welcome to my aloe benefits blog. I will be sharing not only all the benefits of aloe vera, based on my 15+ years experience but also I will tell you all about the aloe vera product I use. Plus find out all my aloe vera tips and tricks. I hope you enjoy my aloe benefits blog!
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