Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

Today I want to tell you about one of the most impressive medicinal foods that nature ever created, aloe vera.  There is lots of scientific research that proves the healing benefits of aloe vera for reducing inflammation in the digestive system and throughout the body. This is why I include drinking it in many of my cleanses.

You probably already know that aloe vera gel can be very beneficial to the skin, helping with sunburn, insect bites, rashes, cuts, and the like. The reason is that aloe vera is an anti-fungal as well as an anti-bacterial. It also helps with the regeneration of cells.

Did you know you have a second skin inside your body? That second skin is the tube that runs from your mouth to your anus ~ it’s your inside skin, your digestive system!

Internally aloe works like a cooling lubricant, healing the intestines and the entire digestive tract. Just as you put aloe gel on a burn, where inflammation occurs, aloe works to cool the inflammation in your digestive tract. The digestive tract protects your body from substances coming in from the outside world. Certain foods like processed oils or substances like pesticides can inflame this inner skin.

This second skin needs your tending loving care.

Aloe vera juice soothes the lining of the intestines just as it soothes burns and wounds on your skin. In the Fall Nourishing Foods Cleanse, we will be using aloe vera and certain foods to heal and support your inner skin.

Aloe actually provides healing benefits for that internal skin

In this cleanse we will be delving into the health of your colon and you will learn how to get rid of acidic toxins to restore your pH balance. It is a good opportunity to clean-up acidic toxins and heal your inner skin before heading into the holiday.

If you decide to join us for the cleansing journey or not, I invite you to think about incorporating the amazing variety of healing benefits granted by aloe vera. 

To get you started, let’s take a quick look at the top benefits of consuming aloe and just how you go about doing so.

Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

Balancing Acid And Alkaline Levels

Most of us consume too many acidic foods.   Aloe vera alkalizes the body helping to balance the excess acids in our system. An alkaline environment helps prevent disease.

Natural Detoxification

Aloe is a gelatinous substance like chia and flax. As the gel moves through the intestinal tract it absorbs toxins along the way, bringing them into the colon to be eliminated. The waste is then removed detoxifying your body.

Aids Digestion

A well functioning digestive system is key to good health. When your digestive tract gets irritated you can’t properly digest your food. When undigested food sits in your system it can lead to constipation, diarrhea or more serious conditions like leaky gut or ulcers. Aloe vera promotes bowel regularity and soothes inflammation. Aloe vera is an adaptogen, which means it helps with either constipation or diarrhea, adapting to whatever you need. It is a great remedy for people with problems such as irritable bowel syndrome as well as acid reflux.

Taking aloe certainly isn’t a magic bullet cure. It won’t reverse your disease after drinking one glass of aloe vera juice. It needs to be used regularly and in conjunction with dietary changes. Most people report positive results in 3 – 30 days, depending on the condition.

Improves Your Intestinal Flora

Promoting the growth of good bacteria in the gut helps crowd out the bad bacteria. The good bacteria digest your food and release B vitamins and amino acids that are great for your immune system. They combat parasites and balance the acid-alkalinity of both intestines. Aloe is also a vermifuge, which means it helps to rid the body of intestinal worms.

Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation can occur from an injury or an auto-immune response. Either way, it causes us to have pain. Aloe vera contains 12 different substances to soothe inflammation. The most predominant one is beta-sitosterol which has been used by runners to reduce swelling after a competition. Of course, if you continue eating a pro-inflammatory diet (gluten, sugar, white flour, fried foods etc.) then you’ll never get rid of all your inflammation with aloe alone, but aloe can help ease your pain while you transition to a healthier lifestyle that eliminates the inflammation!

Good for Your Heart

Studies have shown beta-sitosterol helps lower cholesterol. Cholesterol is often the result of high levels of inflammation that creates small lesions on the arterial walls; the body sends LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) to heal those lesions but ultimately it accumulates and oxidizes, causing blockages. As aloe vera lowers inflammation it is a good approach to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Aloe vera multiplies the oxygen transportation of the red blood cells, regulating blood pressure, improving oxidation and circulation, making the blood less sticky to support your heart.

Stabilizes Blood Sugar

Aloe slows the transit time to allow for optimal protein digestion and nutrient absorption which stabilizes blood sugar.  Numerous clinical studies show diabetic patients who take aloe vera for 3 months experience a significant drop in fasting blood sugar levels.

Enhances Skin Health

Aloe is one of the most widely-used ingredients in high-grade skin care products. There’s a reason for that: It’s great medicine for the skin! Aloe soothes the skin, hydrates it, nourishes it and accelerates the regeneration of new skin tissue. (In fact, simply removing the gel from a living aloe vera leaf and placing the raw gel on your face is far superior to even the most expensive eye cream or skin care product on the market.) And while most people are only familiar with using aloe vera externally, aloe also enhances skin health when used internally. Drink more aloe and your skin glows! Click here for scientific studies and references

What to Use:

I want to be clear here, I am talking about consuming aloe vera juice internally. I want you to drink the juice, not the gel. The brand I like is Lily of the Dessert – PRESERVATIVE FREE. You can find it in most health food stores. Be sure it says preservative free and is in a glass bottle. Even in the health food store they sell some with preservatives and in plastic bottles. Stay away from those.

How to Use Aloe Vera

I recommend starting slowly, with 2 Tb of aloe juice in 8 ounces of water in the morning before eating anything. Some people dislike the taste if so add a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice to your water. You can also add it to your green juice or smoothies. Don’t exceed ¼ cup per day, as this is a potent remedy.

Whether you join us in the cleanse or not, try the aloe to help heal your body, from one end to the other.

Please come to the cleanse so we can work together to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you need to bolster your digestion and elimination in conjunction with the dietary protocols to support your colon and balance your pH.

You will look and feel fabulous this holiday season. And if you wind up indulging a little, your body will be able to handle it because you won’t be clogged up already.

I hope to see you in the cleanse!