The flora that populate our guts are so important to our health. Aloe Vera is a natural ‘balancer’ in many ways and nowhere more than inside the gut, where it tends to regulate the various bacteria and yeast that inhabit it. For example, if a person were to suffer with too much yeast in the gut, such as Candida, regular ingestion of aloe vera gel would tend to reduce this overgrowth via its natural anti-bacterial and gut-balancing actions.

These beneficial bacteria in our gut have the following benefits:

• Digest certain sugars, proteins or fats

• Manufacture B vitamins and vitamin K

• Prevent bloating, gas and yeast overgrowth by controlling pH level (acidity) of the intestines

• Prevent disease by:

     o Depriving invaders of nutrients

     o Secreting acids that less friendly microbes can’t tolerate well

     o Reinforcing the mucosal barrier of the intestines, blocking dangerous pathogens, toxins and allergens and helps the immune system ;learn; which ones aren’t safe

     o Stimulating the immune system by increasing T-cell counts

     o Producing natural anti-biotic and anti-fungal substances

• Metabolise and recycle hormones (including oestrogen, thyroid hormones and phytooestrogens) facilitating proper hormonal balance

• Detoxify drugs and harmful compounds

They can be knocked out of balance by

• Antibiotic use (especially regular use)

• Certain steroid medications

• Yeast overgrowth (due to improper diet)

• Gastro-intestinal infection / food poisoning

All of these issues can worsen or aggravate IBSGut flora imbalance can lead to:

• GI sensitivity: cramps, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, gas, IBS

• Yeast infections

• Urinary tract infections

• Fatigue and irritability

• Chronice bad breath

• Increased ‘hormonal’ symptoms: PMS, perimenopause or menopause

• Compromised immune capabilities

• Compromised digestive capabilities

• IBS

What helps good floral balance?

A balanced diet containing good levels of:

• Vegetables

• Legumes

• Whole grains

• Garlic

• Foods containing natural probiotics: fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin such as bananas, onions, leeks, other fruit, sweet potatoes, asparagus and soybeans.

• Supplements that balance the gut flora such as aloe vera gel.

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The aloe vera plant is a fat water-retaining plant that could survive in places where there is not much water, similar to cacti. It stores water in its leaves, along with many useful chemicals continuously found to be good for the human body, including the skin. Here are some of its benefits:

For the skin

This plant is found to be able to treat wounds faster, since it has gibberellin, a plant hormone in charge of encouraging cell growth. In the same way, it is also useful as an anti-inflammatory agent, frequently used for spots, sunburn and frostbite. It is also often used as a moisturiser.

For the hair

Many types of shampoo have been produced from this plant. It has moisturising properties, due to the fact that the aloe vera plant itself is meant to store as much water as possible. It also encourages hair growth and reduces hair brakeage. Its gel-like composition can also be soothing for the head.

For digestion

Aloe vera can aid bowel movement. Specifically, it is meant to be used for treating a very common digestion disease, IBS or irritable bowel syndrome via its natural healing and detoxifying powers. It works gently within the intestinal tract to help break down impacted food residues and thoroughly cleanse the bowel. This facilitates bowel movement, making it easier and less painful, reducing constipation. It can also prevent continuing diarrhoea, setting a regularity to the bowel. All this helps to reduce discomfort and bloating. Naturally, as these symptoms are eased, so the stress associated with the discomfort is also reduced.

For pets

Just as with humans, animals may experience dry or chapped skin. This can sometimes be painful to watch when you see your beloved dog scratching all the time. This can also be dangerous for you and can cause an allergic reaction especially if your pet leaves skin flakes in your house. Aloe shampoo is commonly produced for pets that have allergies or skin irritations.

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The health of our teeth is important to all of us. And we know what happens if we don’t look after our teeth: more visits to the dentist! The more you look after your teeth the less the reason to go to the dentist other than for checkups!

For many people, it is important to have less visits to the dentist. In fact, approximately 60% of the adult population report being anxious regarding dental treatment. (Adult Dental Health Survey 1998)

Some of the aloe vera benefits for oral care.

The most popular use of aloe is for anti-inflammatory purposes and for healing wounds. The aloe vera plant contains enzymes which encourage the constant regeneration of cells, hence wounds heal faster. For oral care, it has always been used as a great way to treat sores; simply apply the gel directly on your gums.

Being anti-bacterial aloe gel can also protect your teeth from bacteria. Certain bacteria types can cause halitosis and infection. Apart from cell regeneration, aloe plants also have anti-fungal properties. As a succulent plant, its sap is made out of water and pure minerals. Studies have confirmed that constant use of an aloe-based toothpaste helps reduce the occurrence of plaque buildup. Many aloe vera gel toothpastes have also been made with different flavors, making them tastier than normal toothpastes, which can help encourage more people to brush their teeth, especially children.

Lastly, aloe gel is also good for people with clinically sensitive teeth. Instead of buying expensive toothpastes meant for sensitive teeth, you can use aloe gel instead, with the same effects. In its cool and clear gel form, aloe has soothing properties and is free of any potentially abrasive chemical contaminants, making it mild on your teeth.

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How safe is aloe vera for children?

The aloe vera plant is made up of a yellow sticky substance that protects the clear white aloe gel. The yellow substance contains anthraquinones which are strongly purgative and laxative, and hence is not meant to be ingested. Therefore it is important to buy a good quality aloe vera product, since an inefficient manufacturing process could lead to aloe products with trace amounts of this yellow substance. Many people do not know the difference between the yellow and clear parts of aloe vera, and simply club them together to say it is generally discouraged for infants.

However, when using a product that carefully separates the yellow part from the clear gel, aloe can be good for children, 2 years old and above, in a lot of ways. Children generally have weaker and still developing immune systems, hence they tend to get sick easier than adults do. Aloe gel has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, which is why it has often been recommended for regular intake.

Also, aloe can help regulate bowel movement and acts as a gentle laxative (unlike forceful herbs like Senna), making it easier and less painful for children to go to the toilet. This is particularly significant for children with constipation or those just learning to be potty trained.

A child, 2-12 years of age, can take a safe dosage of aloe supplements, at 2-3 tablespoons for aloe liquids such as medicine or digestion aids. Aloe juices, meanwhile, could be mixed with water, sugar and even other fruit juices such as guava, to dissipate the taste and lower the concentration.

In any case, however, if you are uncertain, consult your pediatrician. They will know your child’s history and will be able to recommend if it is the right time to take natural herbal supplements.

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In times of global financial crisis, you may find that the best solution for your medicinal needs lies in home remedies. Most home remedies use natural ingredients, doing away with additives, making them overall healthier than you would expect. The aloe vera plant is one such home remedy, and can be used to treat a variety of ailments. You can buy pre-made aloe for your convenience or you can even grow aloe vera plants yourself.

1. Sore gums

Use aloe vera gel on your gums. Either use Aloe Gel bought from a reputable supplier or if you have your own plants cut off a leaf and squeeze it until its gel-like substance comes out. From here you can apply this on your gums. Note that there is a big difference between the yellow sap and the clear gel that comes out – the yellow gel is not to be ingested, make sure to separate this from the clear gel.

2. Tired muscles

If you have a supply of tea tree oil, you can mix this with aloe vera gel and use it as a bath wash. It can be very soothing and fragrant.

3. Dry lips

Similar to sores on the gums, you can apply the aloe gel directly onto your lips. It will act as a moisturizer.

4. Dry hair

Mash the leaves as you would with a mortar and pestle, making it into a paste-like material. Apply this directly on your hair before taking a bath. Make sure you rinse it well afterwards!

5. Constipation

Ideally drink aloe vera juice bought from a reputable supplier. If you would prefer to grow your own, you can use aloe vera juice out of the plant to aid the digestion ensuring that you just use the clear gel and not the yellow sap.

If you are uncertain about any of these procedures, always consult a doctor or herbalist. Some of these solutions may not be fit for nursing mothers or young children.

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Aloe vera can bring you not only good skin but also heal your wounds and act as a moisturiser. Here we describe the many benefits of aloe for the skin.

Wound Healing

First, it can treat wounds. In particular, aloe gel is used for this, since it is cool and its sticky composition allows the wound to heal faster. It is commonly used by patients who have undergone surgery. Studies have shown that for wounds it helps reduce inflammation, encourages cell regeneration and decreases the possibility of infections.

Acne

Secondly, it can be good for acne. Although not widely known this plant’s cooling and anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce swelling in pimples, especially for teens. Its leaves are rich with gibberellin, an aloe vera plant hormone that regulates the development of cells and enzymes. Just as with wounds its chemicals properties help encourage cell growth.

Moisturising

Third, it can be used as a moisturiser. Many soaps, lotions and gels have been produced using aloe vera. In fact, many of today’s biggest personal care brands, even makeup, have some aloe vera in them. What’s best is that it is an all-natural ingredient – you will not need to fear for skin allergies commonly caused by more commercialized skin care products.

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You might have heard of the healing and anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera. It has always been reported as an effective herbal solution meant for various types of diseases. However, how does this all work? Here we’ll describe to you just what kinds of chemicals are at play in bringing you the many benefits behind the aloe vera plant.

Polysaccharides

These are carbohydrate structures. A sample of polysaccharide is glycogen, which is stored in the muscles and is meant for energy storage for long periods of time. It acts as an extra source of energy. This same structure also controls blood sugar levels during digestion. Hence, diabetes prevention is a suspected benefit of aloe vera.

Lectins

Lectins are specific types of proteins that regulate cell adhesion. As the name implies, this helps bind cells together. Aloe vera is effective for healing wounds faster because of this. Lectins are also important for the immune system since they act as filters, taking any foreign substance away from the body.

Mannans and Polymannans

Mannan is another variety of polysaccharides and is also meant for energy storage. This is the same kind of structure found in yeast. A diet rich in this can help prevent infections, especially for younger people.

Anthraquinone

This is a compound used as a laxative when taken orally. Laxatives aid digestion and encourage more manageable and less painful bowel movement. This is the same reason why the aloe vera plant can aid those with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). This same compound can be found in other types of plant and fungi.

All of these compounds are present in the aloe plant, giving us overall many benefits: anti-inflammatory application, aid for digestion, aid for bowel movement and healing wounds.

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Type ‘aloe vera juice’ in any search engine and you will see many websites trying to sell it, claiming it as the solution for all health problems. However, not everything you read about this plant may be true. Here are some myths.

1. It can cure cancer.

Many doctors have tried to test this over past few decades, with no success. In fact, there have been recorded deaths of cancer patients injected with aloe. Many doctors have also lost their licenses when found to be using the aloe vera plant as an injection into the body.

2. It is can cure HIV.

There have been recorded cases of deaths caused by injecting aloe extracts into HIV patients. Similar to cancer, this is an unproven and very dangerous case.

3. It is good for pregnant women.

Pregnant women take care of two people, and taking different foods without the advice of a doctor can be dangerous. Aloe vera has two components – the actual fresh aloe which is the good ingredient, and also a yellow substance that protects the aloe – this substance is not meant for consumption and can lead to diarrhea when ingested. Hence, you will need to be careful about this when you buy aloe vera and you will need to take medical advice before drinking aloe vera juice whilst pregnant.

4. It can reduce cholesterol levels.

Although this plant does contain many lipids very similar to good cholesterol, it has never been proven to reduce cholesterol. It can be a good alternative as a drink compared to other cholesterol-rich beverages, however, such as milkshakes or creamed coffee.

5. It can make you thinner.

This statement is very grey but has been used by companies to convince people to buy their products. This doesn’t stop it from being partially true, however – you can get into better shape if you eat more natural food sources such as aloe vera, but not directly because of aloe vera itself.

While it is clearly not meant to cure cancer or HIV, still, aloe vera does wonders in treating many skin conditions, inflammatory disorders and in boosting the immune system. That, we can be sure of.

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Aloe vera has been proclaimed as one of the greatest herbal medicinal solutions that has been used for the last few centuries. It has a long list of proven and widely used benefits for different bodily ailments. For those of you who are still uncertain, here is a quick list of the many benefits of aloe vera:

1. Dandruff

All of us, at some point in our lives, must have experienced dandruff, whether due to stress or a bad shampoo. For the most part, dandruff, with the flaking of the skin on your scalp, is usually caused by an imbalance of your bodily oils – you may have oily skin, such as with seborrhea, or have dry skin. Aloe vera gel responds to this problem by acting as a moisturiser for your head. It is usually more effective when it is mixed with tea tree oil.

2. Blood Sugar Balance

The aloe vera plant, as a succulent water-bearing plant similar to cacti, contains the same kind of chemical compounds that regulate the blood sugar levels in your body.

3. Eczema

Eczema refers to a family of different skin conditions, all with one similarity – dry and itchy skin. This is common among not just teenagers but also adults. Aloe acts as a moisturizer and hydrates your skin back to its proper pH and suppleness, either as a cream or gel.

4. Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Aloe vera juice is usually considered as a good solution to help ease the pain and discomfort felt with IBS. Aloe vera is an adaptogen, which means that it acts appropriately on a specific problem. This means that it can be helpful as a mild laxative, helping to reduce constipation but can also help in cases of excessive diarrohoea, both common symptoms of IBS.

5. Stomach Ulcers

Aloe is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, often used for treating wounds and swollen skin. Stomach ulcers, where there are erosions lining the digestive system that are highly acidic and painful can be helped by drinking aloe vera. Studies have confirmed that aloe releases substances which can help to heal these erosions.

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The aloe vera plant is a water-containing plant, meant to store as much in the way of nutrients and water as possible in an arid and dry climate, much like cacti. It has a thick, clear sap mostly used in cosmetics and herbal medicine. This sap contains polysaccharides, a chemical structure that is both useful to man and environmentally friendly. This same chemical binds muscles and skin together.

Aloe Vera Benefits

As a drink, aloe vera juice can have many benefits compared to a normal fruit or plant juice:

Detoxifying and Metabolism-regulating

First, it is rich with amino acids, containing up to 18 varieties of amino acids. These are essential to any living being since they encourage and regulate metabolism; this is also why aloe gel drinks have always been associated with preventing constipation and helping with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Drinking this is similar to detoxifying your body.

It is also rich with lectins, which are a specific type of protein, which controls protein levels in the blood. This is also the same kind of protein used when drawing blood for classifying blood types. This same protein can be found in seeds, cereals and nuts.

Anti-inflammatory Aloe Vera Juice

Also, aloe vera juice is known for its anti-inflammatory characteristics. It is commonly used for preventing allergies or infections in the body.

Skin Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice

Another one of the many benefits of aloe vera is that it is also good for the skin. It contains the same kind of chemicals that encourage cell regeneration. This is the reason it is often cited as for use with wounds and burns – it encourages cell growth, leaving you with new, supple skin.

Lastly, it is delicious (not sure about that one – it’s an acquired taste!) and refreshing. It is typically mixed with tropical fruits such as guava or watermelon, giving it its distinct tangy taste.

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