Aloe Vera Benefits

Why Aloe is Your Best bet for Good Health

Many people see the claims being made on this site and others about the amazing beauty benefits of aloe vera.
Is it really that great for your skin?

Can you prove it?

The simple answer to all your questions is Yes! Aloe contains internal benefits for the body. Aloe vera juice contains leaf pulp that is rich in natural nutrients and fiber.

If you’re tired of hearing that aloe has “all these vitamins,” here’s a definitive list of what you can find in this rich plant.

Aloe Vitamins

Vitamin B-12 (Provides your body with energy.)

Folic Acid (Helps make new cells.)

Choline (Helps sends signals between the cells.)

Vitamins A, C, and E (Serve as antioxidants that help protect cells against damage that can lead to lead to heart disease and cancer.)

Aloe Minerals

Calcium (strong bones)

Zinc (better immune and digestive function)

Selenium (prevent coronary heart disease)

Magnesium (essential for metabolic functions)

Chromium (provides enhanced insulin that gives cells energy)

Copper (helps in the formation of collagen)

Manganese (supports healthy bone metabolism)

Potassium (relief from stroke, blood pressure, heart, anxiety, and stress)

Sodium (Helps enzymes with muscle contraction)

Honorable Mention

On top of all that, aloe vera also contains ingredients that act as anti-inflammatories. These are helpful with any skin irritation. That’s why it’s used in a lot of skin-care products on the market right now. The hype on aloe is very justified.

We highly recommend that you look into growing and making your own aloe products to start getting all these amazing health benefits from one simple plant that’s as durable as a cactus and one that you can buy for under 10 bucks.

Conclusion

The overview is that aloe vera helps boost your immune system and provides your bones, heart, and blood pressure some much need relief. It can also help you prevent cancer development.

All-in-all this is one useful plant.

Uses for Aloe You Probably Didn’t Know About

You’ve probably seen the wonders of aloe work their magic to help with sunburns and other skin irritations but few people know the other health benefits of aloe.

Aloe is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help stave off a number of illnesses and keep your body strong by supporting your immune system.

This plant can accomplish a lot. If you’ve been on the verge of going to the store and buying this plant, let us help you make the final decision by showing you all these other benefits you could be enjoying with an aloe plant of your own!

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Aloe Vera

IBS and Digestion is a problem that plagues many people today. Aloe vera has two different enzymes that encourage healthy digestion (amylase and lipase).

This may actually go hand-in-hand with the IBS. People with IBS often experience discomfort constipation, diarrhea, and really bad gas. After using aloe foods and gels, people with IBS often reported reduced severity in these symptoms.

Keeping a healthy heart is tough to do in the stressful environment we find ourselves sin every day. The compound Phytosterols is found in aloe plants and it helps to balance cholesterol. A recent study found that people who consumed aloe saw healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

Your teeth could also benefit from a dose of aloe. Using mouthwashes and toothpastes that contained aloe help fought off bacteria that caused a common mouth fungus. Ingesting aloe helps with healthy bone development because of the calcium in it.

If you’re worried about aging then we have some good news for you as well. Aloe gel has vitamins and antioxidants that help smooth and replenish skin. Most beauty products that boast anti-aging success use aloe as their key ingredient. Why not go directly to the source?

Immunity is key to staying healthy. To keep a powerful immune system you need to provide your body with the right stuff. What aloe does for your body is support nutrient absorption, allowing your body to take in and keep what it needs to stay healthy.

All has everything you need to stay healthy and keep your skin glowing, all in one very inexpensive plant that you can grow from the comfort of your backyard.

How to Apply an Aloe Vera Face Mask

We’ve talked about using aloe vera gels for your face but many people have been wondering the proper way to apply aloe to the face in general.
There are many solutions you can make at home and we have a few articles pertaining to the subject of making your own already.

Before you start to apply your own aloe gel to your skin, decide which aloe gel or juice. It’s actually a lot simpler than you might think.

Steps to Applying an Aloe Vera Face Mask

Start by completely washing your face with warm water to get rid of all the dirt and grime from the day.

Next, whichever type of aloe you want to use, gel or juice, you will simply take that solution and rub it gently on your face in tiny circles until you have the entirety of your face covered, like a mask.

The process generally takes about 20 minutes to complete or “dry.”

Once the mask is dry, you’ll peel it off with clean hands then wash your face in warm water.

After you rinse, make sure to dry it with a towel, using the patting method. Aloe vera is very strong and will sink deeply into your pores. You want to be as gentle as possible when apply, washing, and drying the solution on and off your face.

After using any aloe vera face mask over a period of time, you will develop your own system for maximum efficiency.

If you’re wondering “what happens if I leave the mask on for longer than 20 minutes?” Don’t worry. There are no real harms to leaving a small solution of aloe vera on your face. The aloe vera face mask simply dries, making your skin feel stiff (which will help you remember to take it off).

Aloe Vera Salad

There are a lot of people wondering if it’s okay to eat aloe vera, aside from making smoothies. The simple answer is “yes.” You can treat aloe vera almost like tofu. The clear gel inside has a similar consistency to the vegan alternative food too. One of the best ways to prepare your aloe meal is in the form of a salad. There are a ton of recipes online for this but I’ll just give you an example to get you started on a healthy new way to make salads.

First, you’re going to need some prep work if you’re growing your own aloe vera plants. You need to fillet your aloe plant by holding down the flat side of an aloe leaf and cutting down as close to the gel as you can. You’ll eventually end up with thick pieces of translucent aloe jelly. These will be somewhat solid, again like tofu.

Now, cut those huge chunks of jelly into smaller strips, like you would for a chicken salad. Finally, use a strainer to rinse the strips and get off any remaining liquid left on your beautiful aloe vera gel pieces.

The Rest of your Aloe Vera Salad

Wash and dice a small handful of chopped arugula leaves and place them in a bowl with your aloe strips.
Cut up some sliced tomatoes.
Add a spring mix of lettuce and spinach leaves.
Add a dash of garlic powder.
Add a small amount of kelp powder.
Finally, toss and chill the mix in the fridge.
Add a very small amount of raspberry vinaigrette dressing and salad tortilla chips (optional).

Obviously, you can create a salad using any combination of ingredients you like. The general idea is to cut and rinse your aloe into strips to use with your salads.

It should be noted that aloe has a slightly sweeter taste than most salad ingredients. You can either tone this down with saltier ingredients or complement the sweeter taste with mint, tomato, or lemon juice.

Aloe Vera for Diabetes

The aloe vera plant is something that all diabetics should carry in their home at all times. No, it’s not a cure for the disease or any outrageous claim like that but it does have a lot of benefits that help people who suffer from diabetes.

Many people are unaware of the added heart, liver, and kidney risks that come along with diabetes and grow worse as a result.
Adding aloe vera as a staple in your diet can help ease some of the more debilitating symptoms of diabetes.

It should be noted that the below items are even better for those that suffer from hyperglycemia (increased glucose levels in the blood) as well.

Why Should Diabetics Use Aloe Vera

Reducing blood sugar levels is one of the many benefits the aloe vera plant can give you. A study involving mice showed lowered levels in the HbA1c test (a test for diabetics). This could make a considerable improvement to your overall health as well.

Aloe vera also lowers cholesterol. Diabetes is notorious for creating heart disease and heart-related issues, high cholesterol being one of the main culprits. Aloe has proven to lower bad cholesterol levels by protecting the heart.

Another thing that diabetes goes after is the liver and kidneys. Aloe also serves to protect these two organs from oxidation stress and continuous damage to tissues that can be caused by having diabetes.

While aloe vera may not treat diabetes itself, it does help the body from side-affects that come with the disease in a straightforward kind of way.

Even better, aloe vera is easy to grow in your home and make your own products at a low cost, unlike other medicines that accomplish the same goal. We, at AloeVera.com have provided you with all the information you need to get started growing and producing your own aloe vera products at home.

If you’re someone that suffers from diabetes, then give this supplement a try (in addition to doctor-recommended medications) today.

Staying Blemish-Free With Aloe Vera Gel for Acne

Of all the inflictions that plague our tender skin, acne may be the most perturbing of all.

According to statistics from the Acne Resource Center, nearly 95 percent of people will experience acne at some point in their lifetime.

While an acne-ridden complexion tends to be a characteristic we associate with hormonal youth, splotchy skin hardly discriminates by age. Roughly 50 percent of adult women are currently burdened with some form of mild to severe acne, compared to 25 percent of men. And just about 2 percent of adult women will continue to battle pesky pimples well into their 40s.

Just as prevalent as the number of Americans inflicted with frustrating acne are the vast amounts of emerging – and expensive – over-the-counter skin clearing products filling drug store aisles. Although those flowery-smelling topical lotions are likely to make your complexion smooth as butter, more often than not, these trendy creams do little to combat acne at the source. Take a look at the ingredients list to a number of over-the-counter acne products, however, and you’re likely to find a key ingredient in a sizable majority: aloe vera.

Although aloe vera gel for acne certainly isn’t a cure-all, it can help substantially in the overall clearing and rejuvenation of acne-ridden skin. Here are some of the primary benefits and key tips associated with using aloe vera gel for acne.

Skin-Clearing Properties Behind Using Aloe Vera Gel for Acne

Although acne is, for the most part, a result of your parent’s genes, another culprit to the problem lies in the kinds of treatments you’re putting on your face (or a lack thereof). Although aloe vera gel for acne doesn’t contain the kinds of necessary topical ingredients you find in prescription acne medication, it can help to start rebuilding and replenishing the skin’s natural oil production and cleanliness.

Here are some of the primary benefits associated with using aloe vera gel for acne:

Aloe vera gel for acne helps to soothe the skin naturally. Aloe vera gel extracted purely from the plant contains a medley of skin-rejuvenating and protein-building amino acids and essential vitamins and minerals. Even if the gel does doesn’t directly remove zits, it can help to establish a clear, clean foundation for your skin.
Aloe vera gel for acne can help to alleviate itchiness associated with clusters of pimples. Although acne is undoubtedly frustrating, the lasting marks scratched zits can leave behind are substantially worse. Aloe vera for acne can help to alleviate any soreness or itching associated with pimples.
Aloe vera gel for acne helps to stabilize pH levels and establish an even tone. Although pimples tend to leave a bump, the reason why they’re most visible is due to the irritation and redness associated with acne. Aloe vera helps to balance pH levels in the skin to help even tone.
Aloe vera gel for acne can help to tighten pores. One of the primary reasons for acne is dirt becoming trapped and festering bacteria in open pores. Aloe vera gel for acne can help to minimize pore openings, helping to combat entering dirt.
Aloe vera gel for acne is a thorough cleansing agent. Along with its tremendous soothing properties, aloe vera gel for acne also helps to clean dirt particles and bacteria remnants off the face – a key culprit for pesky zits.

When applying aloe vera gel for acne to your face, always be sure to cleanse thoroughly with mild soap and water first – this will allow the plant’s juice to penetrate your pores more quickly. Although you can certainly leave aloe vera gel on your face for a substantial period of time, make sure it’s only overnight and is comprised of a very thin coating.

10 Incredibly Simple (and Surprising) Aloe Vera Gel Uses

Although beauty concoctions for age-reversing and tools for holding tightly to signs of youth might seem like a growing trend of the 21st century, the truth is, it’s been a quest for women and men alike for centuries.
Cleopatra (69 BC – 30 BC), the last reigning Pharaoh of Egypt and one of history’s most visually distinct beauty icons, was continually seeking out natural methods for preserving her beauty. Although ancient text describes a number of ways she worked to achieve this, the use of aloe vera for the skin and hair was one of the most common.

According to ancient text, Cleopatra applied aloe vera gel to her body as a daily beauty regimen to avoid the onset of unsightly wrinkles and creases.

Although aloe vera gel is one of the more ancient beauty tools, the benefits associated with the spiky green leaf’s inner liquid substance transcends the course of thousands of years. Packed to the brim with a bounty of essential vitamins and nutrients, aloe vera provides the building blocks for hair moisturizing, skin strengthening and overall improved health.

While most of us were commonly taught to use the substance as a sunburn-soother, there are more than a few ways to incorporate aloe vera’s 20 amino acids and over 100 minerals and nutrients into your beauty and health regimen. Here are 10 of the more surprising uses for aloe vera gel.

10 Ways of Incorporating Aloe’s Regenerating Qualities Into Your Beauty & Health Regimen

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #1

Apply aloe vera gel to the legs and face prior to, and after shaving. Aloe vera is a natural anti-inflammatory substance, nipping annoying razor bumps in the bud.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses #2:

Use aloe vera gel to alleviate razor burn. The plant is packed with a number of cooling properties, making it a smoothing aftershave.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #3

Apply aloe vera gel to mild infections to speed up healing. Although you should save major wounds for a physician or serious antibiotic, a few minor scrapes and cuts can be alleviated with aloe gel.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #4

Use aloe vera gel to soothe mild cooking or scalding burns.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #5

Take the bite out of a mosquito bump or bee sting. Apply aloe vera to a recently-bitten body part.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #6

Apply aloe vera gel to blisters (popped ones, especially) to soothe the sting.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #7

Like the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra once did, apply aloe vera gel to face, hands and neck to induce protein-building and skin regenerating.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #8

Induce hair growth by applying aloe vera gel directly to scalp. Massage well, and rinse.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: #9

Ease a mild skin allergic reaction with a dab of aloe vera gel.

Aloe Vera Gel Uses: 10

Swap a small amount of aloe vera gel over eyes and face as a natural alternative to store bought makeup remover. Refrigerate aloe vel and soak in cotton balls to alleviate puffy eyes, as well.

Nourish Lifeless Locks with Aloe Vera Oil for Hair

Our poor tresses take quite the beating. Between moisture-sucking shampoos, scorching styling tools, and braving whipping winds or extreme dryness on a daily basis, there are no shortages of adverse factors abusing our hair and scalp.

But according to a study by Dove Hair Care, it’s those searing ceramic styling tools that are causing the most palpable damage. Up to 60 percent of women apply heat styling products – including blow-dryers, straighteners and curling irons – to their hair more than once a week, causing up to 33 percent more damage.

Although it’s difficult to strip away years of styling abuse on your locks, some of the negative effects associated with drying, damaged hair can be alleviated or reversed with the proper care. While drug store beauty isles and countless infomercials will advertise the latest hair-rejuvenating craze, there’s one kitchen remedy that’s been proven effective for infusing hydration for thousands of years: aloe vera oil for hair.

The Skinny Behind Aloe Vera Oil for Hair

First used by ancient Egyptian women to smooth damaged or coarse tresses, aloe vera oil for hair has been used as a naturally replenishing form of conditioner for thousands of years.

Obtained by the maceration of the starchy, thick aloe vera leaves, aloe vera oil for hair is jam-packed with over 100 essential vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins A, D, and B12. The gel-like substance contained within the crevices of the waxy leaf has similar qualities to the composition of keratin, in that the goo contributes to protein creation in hair cells.

While the gel’s unique consistency contributes to an overall conditioning effect, it’s aloe vera’s concoction of over 20 amino acids– the building blocks for hair and scalp strengthening – that pack the plant’s biggest punch.

Tips for Using Aloe Vera Oil for Hair

Although the benefits associated with applying aloe vera – whether it’s in gel, juice or oil form – to the hair are plentiful, there are a few key bonuses associated with using aloe vera oil for hair to take note of.

When condensed to a liquefied, heated oil form, aloe vera has the biggest potential to moisturize hair follicles and promote circulation. Although gel and juice forms of aloe vera will provide the same kind of nutrient value, it’s the unique consistency and heat associated with aloe vera oil for hair that allows for the deepest hydration penetration.

One of the most effective ways that aloe vera oil for hair can be used is when the liquid is combined with various other soothing oils, including soybean, almond, or jajoba. Although aloe vera will provide the bulk of nourishing and protein-building benefits, various other oils will help to contribute to overall texture and smell enhancement.

Here are a few short tips to keep in mind when applying aloe vera oil for hair to your tresses:

Always massage the oil into the scalp. Although the dense, heavy liquid might seem a bit too intense to penetrate your roots, aloe vera oil for help will help to regulate sebum production in the scalp, contributing to long-term hair health.
Always add warmth to your oil. Although aloe vera oil for hair provides a breadth of nutrients on its own, adding heat to the mixture is essential for allowing the nutrients to help penetrate your hair follicles.
Understand your hair type. If you’re hair leans on the oilier side, consider using a weekly aloe vera oil for hair treatment. Textured and coarse strands, on the other hand, should consider a bi-weekly application.

Combat a Frustrating Itch with Aloe Vera for Dry Skin

Although flaky, brittle patches of dry skin tend to be synonymous with the cold winter months, parched legs, arms and hands are prevalently frustrating issues faced by men and women alike year round. And according to RightDiagnosis.com, an estimated 9 million Americans are so plagued by the chronic condition that they’re forced to seek professional medical help each year.

While the causes for parched skin are plentiful (ranging from indoor heating and cooling to improper nutrition), there several ways to combat the itchy condition with ingredients concocted in your own kitchen. Though you’re likely to find a slew of home remedies for dry skin, one plant in particular is making serious headway in the skin treatment and cosmetic realms: aloe vera for dry skin.

Discover the secrets behind – and recipes for – concocting a homemade remedy of aloe vera for dry skin.

Why Use Aloe Vera for Dry Skin?

Although aloe vera as a healing and beautifying agent has gained much of its traction in recent decades, the green plant’s mineral-enriched juices were said to have first been used in ancient Egypt in 3500 BC. Reportedly, ancient Egyptian women used the green plant’s gel to inject moisture to their skin and help preserve a luminous, youthful glow.

Fast forward thousands of years later to 2013, and civilizations across the globe continue to seek the vast replenishing and skin-nourishing benefits behind the aloe vera plant – especially when concerning aloe vera for dry skin.

And there’s really no wondering why – aloe vera is comprised of nearly 18 amino acids and is filled to the brim with essential beautifying minerals, enzymes and potent anti-oxidants, including several vitamins like A and B12.
While there’s still merit for applying the plant’s virgin juices to hands, legs and arms to replenish moisture, there are a few hybrid recipes of the straight juice that tend to stimulate a more enhanced glow.

Aloe Vera for Dry Skin Recipe #1:

Begin by heating half a cup of water and half a teaspoon of borax on a stove top until it’s boiling. Remove the lid and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Next, heat up one cup of organic coconut oil in a separate pan until the oil turns to liquid. Remove the lid and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Pour the cooled mixtures from both pans into a single mixing bowl, and combine with ¾ cup aloe vera gel and 5 drops of essential lavender oil.

Apply directly to face, and leave on for roughly 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water and then splash with cool to lock in moisture.

Aloe Vera for Dry Skin Recipe #2:

Combine aloe vera gel, almond oil, avocado oil and rose-hip seed oil (or olive oil) in a mixing bowl. Apply the concoction after taking a long, warm bath to penetrate your pores with moisture.