Aloe Vera: Modern Science, Traditional Healing

The green skin and clear gel of the Aloe Vera plant contain a wide range of enzymes, amino acids, and trace elements which provide astringent, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory benefits. In a study from 2004, Aloe gel was taken from plants grown in greenhouses at a university in Mexico, pasteurized, then applied to petri dishes containing three different growths of fungus. In all three cases, the pasteurized Aloe gel significantly inhibited the fungi’s ability to spread. This was the first time Aloe’s anti-fungal abilities had been officially studied.

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Aloe Vera has a wide variety of applications, from soothing burns to improving digestion thanks to its potent inflammation-fighting superpowers. There is no part of the body immune to inflammation. Fortunately Aloe Vera is gentle and effective enough to soothe most of them.

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is the body’s reaction to injury, irritation, or infection. Inflammation usually results in redness, swelling, pain, and warmth and can occur internally or externally. When irritation or injury occurs, the immune system increases blood flow to the area, stimulating regeneration and healing. Inflammation is uncomfortable, but necessary to help heal the body. Aloe Vera can help reduce the need for inflammation, while also soothing and healing the inflammation itself.

Campesterol and Bradykininase

Campesterol, found in the Aloe Vera plant as well as many fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, is known to lower cholesterol and decrease inflammation. It is useful for cartilage repair during joint injuries. Campesterol generates new cells in the body that helps to heal the inflamed area. Bradykinin, also found in Aloe, causes blood vessels to enlarge, permitting increased blood flow. The two together work well to relieve pain and swelling and can complement other anti-inflammatory medications used in treatment for inflammation.

Acne

Acne is an infection in the skin. Pimples are the result of inflammation caused by the bacterial infection. Aloe helps heal acne in several different ways. First, it’s natural antibacterial properties fight the infection caused by clogged pores or ingrown hairs. Its natural anti-inflammatory benefits reduce redness and swelling. Aloe contains salicylic acid, commonly used in acne treatment to dry up and heal breakouts, and is far less irritating to skin than many commonly acne-fighting products, making Aloe a great choice for sensitive users.

Burns

Aloe vera is well known for soothing burns. It can help sunburn as well as first degree burns and sometimes second degree burns. Aloe encourages new skin cells to form in the damaged area and contains essential nutrients that nourish new tissue. When you get a burn, whether it’s a sun burn, steam burn, water burn, fire burn, or a burn from another cause, Aloe calms the skin by boosting blood flow to the area, thanks to bradykinin’s enlarging of the blood vessels. The campesterol proceeds to generate new cells to replace the damaged ones.

Joint Pain

Some people don’t think of joint pain as inflammation, but that is exactly what it is. When you get an injury to your joints, whether it’s a sprain, torn cartilage, or another type of injury, the body tries to fix it by sending more blood flow to the area resulting in redness, swelling, and pain. Bradykininase in Aloe works well as a pain reliever for joint pain. Aloe also has plant sterols which have anti-inflammatory effects. Other types of  sterols can inhibit tissue regeneration, but Aloe Vera’s unique makeup of allows it to do both at once.

Treating Inflammation with Aloe Vera

To maximize Aloe Vera’s benefits it is best to ingest it. Aloe Vera’s salicylic acid is very similar to aspirin in how it works for pain relief, minus the stomach irritation. In fact, it helps your overall digestive system. You get the pain relief benefits of a natural substance without the stomach problems. Pain is part of inflammation and can be relieved with the consumption of aloe.

Digestion Inflammation

It is amazing to learn how much of your body can be affected by poor digestion. If your body is blocked up with foreign matter and toxins, you won’t be able to properly digest your food or absorb nutrients. This can lead to all sorts of inflammation such as IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, and colitis. Aloe helps to detoxify the digestive system, regenerate the walls of the colon and intestine, and heal the intestinal tract so that you can properly digest your food and absorb nutrients. When you have a better digestion system, you can reap the benefits of improvement in inflammation all over your body.

Aloe has been a common burn remedy since the Greek physician Dioscorides discovered its medicinal properties circa six B.C. The plant began originally grew in Eastern and Southern Africa, making its to temperate zones via trade routes. During the 18th and 19th centuries, aloe was one of the most prescribed medicines in the world, and it remains a valuable medicinal commodity used commonly in the treatment of burned skin. Aloe for burns is not just an old wives tale!

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All I wanted was a day out in the sun. My three-day weekend was the perfect opportunity for me and my friends to get some beach time. The minute I saw the blazing white sand and the crystal water, I knew the day was going to be perfect. And it was. I stripped down to my bathing suit and sprinted to the water. It wasn’t until I woke up the next morning that my mistake caught up with me. I had to break out the Aloe.

I was so red, so sun burnt, that I could hardly sit up. I winced as I limped to my bathroom. My mother had always taught me to keep pure Aloe Vera gel just for this occasion. I applied consistently throughout the day. My skin was soothed. Aloe works.

Often I had wondered why my grandmother insisted that we have an Aloe Vera plant in my back yard. It was not necessarily the prettiest plant in the world, in fact I remember being scared of it at first, thinking it was alien fingers or something. But with my love for the beach being so strong, I quickly learned about the intense healing powers of the plant. People have been using the Aloe Vera plant for healing and restoration for ages, and I began to use it for my own skin problems.

Sunburn is caused when skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun for a prolonged period of time. Ultraviolet rays literally burn living skin tissues. Extreme cases of sunburn can be fatal. Smarter people than I take precautions such as wearing hats, shirts, applying sunscreen, and avoiding the sun during peek hours, but sunburn can still find you. For hundreds of years, the gel of the Aloe Vera plant has been used in the treatment of sunburns. The chemical composition of Aloe gel reduces inflammation and the alleviates the stinging and pain that caused by the burning of skin tissue. Aloe gel aids the skin in self repair and acemannan, one of the compounds found in it, is well known for its ability to stimulate the immune system. Acemannan also is able to reduce inflammation and to fight against bacteria and viruses that can further aggravate sunburn symptoms.

If you have sustained a serious wound or the sunburn is extreme, consult a doctor- especially before applying the gel to that open wound or the blistered or pus-filled skin that accompanies a serious burn. Aloe is generally a gentle, safe safe product when used externally. It is even accepted by the United States Food and Drug Administration as safe cosmetic product. Very few Aloe users have reported allergic reactions to Aloe, and those reactions are often mild. Some may also develop skin irritation if Aloe is applied before prolonged and intense sun exposure.

For those of you who desire to grow your own Aloe Vera plant, I strongly advise it. It’s easy to maintain and the convenience of having your own plant makes for quick and easy healing and the alleviation of sunburn pain sooner rather than later. Remember, it is important to protect yourself from the dangers of the sun’s ultraviolet rays with sunscreen. But if, by chance, you still come home red and in pain, make sure to lather on the aloe and rehydrate with lots of water!

Want more? Check out guest author Yulia Berry’s article on treating sunburn here.

The aloe vera plant has long been revered around the world for its healing benefits. It is also known as the “plant of immortality” as well as the “wand of heaven”. [Read more…]