How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Commonly known for it's ability to relieve a sunburn, aloe vera's appeal includes many other health benefits as well. The refreshing taste of Aloe vera is a soothing favorite when mixed with other fruit juices like honey dew melon or cucumber. As it decongests your lymphatic system, the cooling drink is an excellent way to help your body cleanse in the spring.

Cleanse & Detoxify

The main cleansing actions of Aloe come from its mild bitter taste, making it a cholagogue. That means it promotes the discharge of bile from the liver and gall bladder. As bile is an important carrier of firey blood toxins, purgation of bile is vital in order to eliminate pitta-aggravating impurities. Aloe vera gel is mildly laxative in nature, cleansing the bowels. It expels parasites. Drink one cup of aloe vera juice every day for two weeks for a cleansing effect on the body.

Lymphatic Congestion & Diabetes

As bile is a fatty substance, release of bile also tends to lower blood fat and cholesterol and improve fat metabolism. That reduces congestion in your lymphatic system. Aloe helps balance blood sugar levels, which is why aloe vera has been traditionally recommended for diabetes.

Skin Tonic

Got a minor kitchen burn? Tear a leaf off your household aloe plant, squeeze the clear gel out, and apply to the burn. Enjoyed a fun day at the beach? Aloe can soothe and cool your sunburn. Aloe is also renowned for its wound healing capabilities.

In Ayurveda, aloe is called 'Kumari,' meaning 'young girl,' a fitting term for this soothing plant that inspires the energy of youth to act on the bodily tissue systems. It balances all body types and especially rejuvenates the skin. Aloe's hydrating properties heal the skin from within, moisturizing topically but without the greasy feel of many lotions. It promotes the growth of collagen, maintaining elasticity of the skin, reducing scarring, stretch marks and signs of aging. Its collagen promoting abilities also help wounds heal faster.

Suffering from acne, scarring and redness of complexion? Aloe is an anti-inflammatory that reduces redness, and itchiness. While it moisturizes, aloe's bitter taste dries up greasiness, perfect for reducing acne in anyone with an oily complexion. The cooling and unctuous nature of aloe relieves the hot, dry symptoms of menopause and promotes healthy menstruation.

Anti-Inflammatory

As a cooling skin tonic, aloe effectively soothes inflammation of "intestinal skin" - the lining of the GI tract. It has been traditionally used to relieve hyperacidity, ulcers, ulcerative colitis and any bleeding from the intestines.

Antiseptic

Aloe acts as an antiseptic and antifungal that has been used to reduce bleeding & inflammation of the gums, gingivitis, cracked/split corners of the mouth, denture stomatitis and apthous ulcers. Aloe's bitter-cool quality effectively treats fevers arising out of congestion and a Kapha-rich diet.

Contraindications

People with a Kapha constitution can benefit greatly from cleansing with aloe. However, for those who belong to the Vata-deficient category, frequent use of aloe can be contraindicative. Aloe powder and its yellow sap are strongly purgative in nature and should be avoided during pregnancy. In cases of emaciation, dehydration, diarrhea, breast cancer, intestinal obstruction, and during menstruation, aloe is best avoided.

About Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe includes more than 250 species of flowering succulents and is native to Africa, Madagascar and Jordan. It is closely related to cactus, yucca and onion. For thousands of years and across many cultures, aloe has been used to heal a variety of health conditions including burns, skin irritations, wounds, etc. Egyptians used to refer to it as "the plant of immortality."

Buying & Preparation

Aloe vera gel and/or juice can be found at most health food stores. As preservatives are mixed into all commercial production aloe vera, check the ingredients to be sure the preservatives are as natural as possible. Aloe vera gel is far more potent than is the juice. Consuming one tablespoon of aloe vera gel is equivalent to drinking one cup of aloe juice. Also, the gel provides sustained action while the juice is short-term in its effect.

It is very simple to harvest fresh gel from your household aloe plant. When the leaves are 3-4 inches in width and roughly a foot in length, it is the perfect time to extract the gel from the plant. First select a leaf. Remove and wash it. Cut off two inches from the bottom of the leaf, so you have a flat surface to work with. Remove the thorns. Cut the green skin off beginning on the flat side of the leaf. Scoop out the gel and rinse it thoroughly. Now you can add it to your recipe. Take care that the yellow sap and the green skin are both removed entirely from the gel since they are highly purgative in nature.