Lately I've been using Aloe Vera for some ailments. I'm sure everyone has heard of it at one time or another. A lot of people use it on cuts, burns, and skin irritations. People swear that when it's applied it feels wonderful. Other people use it as a cosmetic and use it as a make-up remover, to smooth the skin, deal with rashes, and heal cold sores. The benefits that it has on your skin and hair are amazing.
Doing research on acid reflux and stomach issues, I came across that you can drink it. At first I was like, “OK, well, maybe that's not a good idea.” But the more I read, the more I found out about the health benefits of using it in a drink.
Check This List of Health Benefits
It helps with alkalization and reduces acidity in the body.
Helps you out with your stomach and the lining in your belly
Helps you with access acid in your stomach
Helps with digestion
Soothes your esophagus
Helps you with all sorts of digestive issues
Pretty good right? Too good to be true? Maybe!
I decided to give it a try. I mean, why not? I was already was poisoning myself with acid reflux medications. I figure, it is either try this, along with dietary changes, or turn back towards some nasty little pills called PPI's. If you have ever went to the doctors for acid reflux, chances are you were given a prescription to get yourself some of these. No matter what they were, Nexium, prevacid, or others...they all do the same job. Good at the time, but a nightmare to get off of.
Anyways, I started my search for this plant. Where do I get it?
The first time I found it was in a drink that I found at the dollar store. Finding it in a dollar store should of put up all sorts of red flags. I mean, it's a dollar store right? It's great for cheap things, but I don’t' think buying your medication or health items there is very wise. Ah well, I bought it, and I drank it anyway, and man it was great! The gel in the water gave the water a weird gel like texture that I instantly got addicted too. I really enjoyed it until I took a look at what was in it. The list of ingredients was pretty bad, and it had 16 grams of sugar. After all that great taste it turned out to be bad for me. Cross that one off the list.
I didn't give up though.
A couple of days later I found a different brand in the pharmacy. Before I bought it I read the back and it had only four ingredients. The nutrition facts on the back were not bad, but it still had a lot of sugar. I bought a couple of bottle and drank them. It was pretty good stuff, but it was also where I found out my first lesson on what type to ingest.
Warning: If you drink aloe, make sure you drink only the gel and not the leaves. The leaves are used for a laxative. I mean, that's good for some people, but not for all. Trust me, it's a good laxative.
At that point, I did some more research on it to see if I might of got the runs from the drinks. The answer was a solid, yes. I gave up on the drink. For a few weeks.
A few weeks later I met up with a nutritionist, and I asked her about it. She told me that it would do wonders. Told me to get the leaf from the grocery store, cut my own piece, and put it in my water or in a smoothie. She was also nice enough to warn me about the leaf and not drink or eat it. Something I already knew.
Well, what ever, the third times a charm. I found the leaf and put it in my water. Each day I have been taking some each day and let me tell you something. The stuff works wonders for acid reflux. I still get hart burn, but that is because I am still healing from taking PPI's for several years.
What have I noticed so far?
I don't belch up acid anymore
My throat isn't sore and I haven't been coughing
When I bend over to pick something up or tie my shoes acid doesn't leak into my esophagus
Over-all acid reflux symptoms are subsiding more and more each day