Aloe vera—medicine plant recognized for healing properties
by KC Jones, reporter

    Aloe vera, known as the medicine plant, has been used for centuries as a natural healing aid.

    As far back as 1750 B.C., aloe vera was depicted on Mesopotamian clay tablets for medicinal use.

    The ancient Egyptians referred to aloe as the plant of immortality and included it among the gifts buried with the pharaohs.

    The Chinese have used aloe for at least 2,000 years. It was brought from Africa to North America in the 16th century, and many people have the cactus-like plant growing in their homes today.

    Aloe vera is a member of the lily family, which includes asparagus, garlic, onion and turnip. The plant has green dagger shaped leaves filled with a viscous gel.

    The name aloe means “shining bitter substance.” Some manufacturers have been able to remove the bitter taste from their products making it easier to consume the beneficial substance.

    The aloe leaf is 96 percent water with more than 200 different constituents including enzymes, sterols, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and much more.

    Some scientists believe the polysaccharides found in aloe create the many different biochemical activities.

    Aloes are used widely for their moisturizing and softening properties and are often found in skin care products.

    The aloe has the unique ability to penetrate as deep as seven layers of skin.

    Applied to wounds, aloe gel is a mild anesthetic, relieving itching and pain.

    The fresh leaves of the aloe can be split to expose the gelatinous juice and then rubbed on the skin to treat all skin disorders including sunburns, burns in general, wrinkles, insect bites, poison ivy, chapped and dry skin, psoriasis, eczema, leg ulcers and minor cuts.

    To prevent hair loss, rub the scalp with aloe.

    The fresh juice helps heal wounds by preventing or drawing out infection.

    Aloe has six antiseptic agents, including sulfur and phenol, that kill bacteria, viruses and fungus. It can be used to treat athlete’s foot, acne, gangrene, cradle cap, candida and genital herpes.

    Aloe is a natural oxygenator and increases blood flow to wounded areas while stimulating fibroblasts, the skin cells responsible for wound healing.

    Physicians have had dramatic results when using aloe to treat frostbite. Athletes receive relief from sports injury swelling.

    Many of the properties that make aloe vera successful in treating external conditions also help with internal illness.

    Aloe is an effective antioxidant, mopping up the free radicals caused by radiation, environmental toxins, food additives, etc.

    Antioxidants have been shown to prevent diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

    Aloe can rebalance the intestines by regulating gastrointestinal pH and reduces populations of certain fecal microorganisms, including yeast.

    Therefore, aloe juice is recommended for colon cleansing and all colon problems, to help heal disorders of the stomach, liver and spleen and to expel worms.

    It has a normalizing effect on diarrhea and constipation, neutralizes stomach acidity and aids the healing of hemorrhoids and gastric ulcers.

    Aloe reduces blood sugar levels and may help fight diabetes.

    Several compounds from aloe have anti-arthritic activity.

    Aloe can help prevent arthritis and reduce the inflammation in joints already affected by arthritis. Aloe can also inhibit the autoimmune reaction associated with certain forms of arthritis, in which the body attacks its own tissues.

    Aloe boosts the immune system by activating white blood cells, which devour antigens, causing the release of immune activating and anticancer substances such as interferons, interleukines and tumor necrosis factor.

    In addition, aloe promotes the growth of normal healthy cells.

    Dr. H.R. McDaniels, head pathologist at the DFW Medical Center, has made great advances in AIDS treatment using aloe.

    The patients’ symptoms and infections improved or were eliminated while being treated with 1000 mg of aloe vera concentrate.

    McDaniels’ research found breast and liver cancer went into remission and cells became resistant to HIV virus with aloe.

“The use of aloe vera concentrate will be the most important step forward in the treatment of disease in the history of mankind,” he said.