The Miracle Plant: Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is one of the most revered medicinal plants in the world, with people raving about its uses in everything from beauty and skin care to treating serious burns. It is a natural antiseptic. Aloe Vera has been used for years in mainstream medicine as a trusted antibacterial agent. The Aloe Vera plant has been used for centuries by several cultures, most notably the ancient Egyptians.

The different types of aloe are Aloe Ferox (the bitter one), Aloe Perfoliata (rubble aloe), Aloe Arborescens (krantz aloe) and Aloe Perryi. Each one of these has a different use and treats different ailments.
Amazingly, the plant doesn’t need any special condition or climate to thrive and grow.

How is the Aloe Vera administered?
The Aloe Vera medicine plant can be used in different forms: Aloe Vera gel, Aloe leaves, Aloe Vera extract, Aloe juice, Aloe latex, Aloe Vera essential oil, oral Aloe Vera medicines and more, explains Best Plants.

What are some of its diverse uses and benefits?

Oral hygiene
A lesser known benefit of the Aloe Vera is that it helps fight gum disease. If you want a natural, chemical free solution to bleeding and tender gums, Aloe is a natural anti-inflammatory. Aloe has had positive results in treating ulcerative colitis.
Be warned, the taste leaves a lot to be desired. Many people have described the gel that comes from certain strains of the plant as bitter and nauseating, but the benefits outweigh the sacrifice of having the taste linger in your mouth for some time. If the taste is too much to bear, you also have the choice of using a sweetened Aloe Vera-based toothpaste.

Stomach ailments
According to numerous studies, Aloe Vera has been hugely beneficial in treating inflammation. Therefore, it makes sense that it has the same effect on the cells of the digestive tract, says Oxford Vitality. Aloe Vera has been shown to be beneficial for disorders such as indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation and diverticulitis.

Aloe Vera juice is also used to clean out the digestive system as part of a juice cleanse. It may cause diarrhoea if used in excess.

A healthy digestive system translates into the proper metabolism of food and an optimal expulsion of waste from the body that helps in losing weight, says NDTV.

Weight Loss
Aloe Vera has most recently been used in trendy juice cleanses and juice fast, and studies have shown that certain properties of the plant can promote weight loss.
The detoxifying effect can clean out the colon and can also increase your metabolic rate. Bear in mind that healthy weight loss is only possible in conjunction with a healthy diet and a regular exercise schedule.
You may also lose weight if you use Aloe Vera, as it will stop your body from retaining too much water, which causes bloating.