I knew Aloe Vera when I was in Europe only in cream bottles or in juices but I never really bought or own a plant. On the cover picture you can see our plant in Jamaica that we use for the last 5 years. Each time we move we take our Aloe Vera plant and find the right place!
We usually use the Aloe Vera leaves after we come back from the beach and put it on our skin to avoid sunburn. The next day the skin is back to our normal color as if we didn’t get any reaction from the sun. Also I use it as a facial mask sometimes. I like to do my concoctions 🙂
The plant by itself can grow up to two feet with prickly and bitter leaves which act as a defense to keep animals and insects away. Inside the plant, you find this gooey translucent gel which contains 96% of water, protein with 18 amino acids, Vitamin A,B, B12, C and E. It contains proteolytic enzymes which repairs dead skin cell and has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
- Ayurveda medicine is a great advocate of Aloe Vera. The holistic healing system believe that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body and spirit.
- The Chinese herbal medicine also use Aloe Vera to heal people
Aloe Vera is used to help people with dry skin, minor cuts, severe burns and to treat wounds. Healing properties can help acne prone skin, remove tan and also reduce stretch marks.
You can use it directly on your skin and you’ll get a feeling of having a smoother skin and a coolness on your skin. Or you can also mix it with other ingredients and get an exfoliating gel, or a gel to treat your skin and provide nutrients. You can do so many homemade recipes using aloe vera! It has an anti-aging quality because of the vitamin E, C and betacarotene. You can use it on all skin types.
It is also used in hair products to rejuvenate the hair and give more elasticity while preventing breakage. It helps also with dry and itchy scalp because of its anti viral and anti inflammatory properties.
The FDA in 1959 approved the use of Aloe Vera ointment for healing burn.
As a beautician and not a doctor I can’t really talk about the health improvement you’ll get with the Aloe Vera but it has been proven to help digestion, stomach troubles but also is used in some weight loss programs.
If you take care of your body from the inside, you will be healthy but also you’ll be glowing from the outside.
Little history: The Ancient Egyptians named Aloe Vera Plant the “plant of immortality”. The Egyptian queens associated its use with their physical beauty.
Kathy
Riviera Wellness 