Benefits and Uses of the Aloe Plant
The Aloe plant has an abundance of medicinal properties and has been used for centuries for this reason. The Aloe plant is relatively easy to grow once it has been established, it doesn't need watered everyday or even every week for that matter. This makes the Aloe plant a great choice for people who are away often or for those who might forget to water it. Let's take a look at some of the medicinal properties of this herb that I mentioned earlier.
Key Medicinal Uses
- Burns
- Psoriasis
- Diabetes
- Colitis
- Immune Support
- Anti-inflammatory
- Skin toner
- Wound healer
How to Use
The most common uses for Aloe would have to be for treating burns, wounds and skin conditions. This along with the ease of growing an Aloe plant make it an excellent choice to have in your herbal first aid kit. The real magic of the Aloe Vera plant comes from the gel inside the leaves, to extract this all you need to do is take a knife and take off the thick skin on the outside of the leaf. The part you're after is the clear inner gel, sometimes referred to as the inner fillet, because you're sort of filleting the leaf. When used on minor burns you should run the affected area under cool water for about ten minutes before applying the Aloe gel. Continue to apply the gel several times per day for both burns and skin conditions. If you're using the Aloe gel for lowering blood sugar levels take about one tablespoon daily (be sure to use an aloe gel that's free of aloin if taking orally).
Caution
When using Aloe you want to be sure not to apply it to any open wounds. Also be careful when processing the leaves. As I mentioned above you want to make use of the clear gel part, and steer clear of the yellow sap that oozes out. While not a big deal when applying to the skin one should be aware of this yellow sap when taking aloe gel orally. This yellow sap is called aloin and if ingested will act as a laxative, if aloin is used for prolonged periods it can lead to depletion of electrolytes and dependence for normal bowl function.