Aloe Vera Plant Benefits

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant known for its healing, medicinal properties. For topical use, the leaf is sliced open and the pulp from within is used for application. Among the many forms it is used in, aloe vera juice and aloe vera gel are the most popular. Aloe Vera is often considered a wonder plant, and people claim its assistance in curing just about any ailment.

 

Aloe vera plant has the capacity to treat following ailments:

Constipation: Constipation is treated with orally consumed dried latex that is taken from the inner lining of aloe leaves. The laxative properties of a substance called aloin contained in the aloe vera plant, is supported by scientific evidence. A large number of herbal remedies that treat constipation contain aloe vera extracts.

Genital herpes: A few studies have suggested that Aloe vera extracts in a hydrophilic cream may be effective in treating genital herpes in men. This combination is believed to work better than aloe gel or a placebo.

Psoriasis vulgaris: The initial evidence suggests that psoriasis vulgaris may be effectively treated with an extract from aloe in the form of a hydrophilic cream. However, it is strongly recommended against it as additional research is needed in this area.

Seborrheic dermatitis: Seborrheic dermatitis causes stubborn dandruff and the skin on the scalp to become inflamed, scaly and itchy. Aloe vera lotion may be an effective treatment, according to initial studies.

Cancer prevention: Evidence suggests that aloe consumed orally may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer. However, it is unclear if it is the aloe itself or other factors that may provide this benefit.

Dry skin: Aloe vera plant health benefits have been extolled for decades. The moisturizing qualities of aloe, and its consequent capacity to effectively reduce skin dryness are backed by early, low-quality scientific evidence. To be sure of its healing powers, higher quality studies are required.

Lichen planus: This common skin disease results in an itchy, swollen rash on the skin or in the mouth. The scientific evidence suggesting that aloe may be a safe, helpful treatment for lichen planus, is limited. There is need for additional research.

Skin burns: Initial evidence form scientific investigations suggest that aloe may assist the healing of mild to moderate skin burns. Additional proof is required to confirm this fact.

Skin ulcers: Among the aloe vera benefits for skin is the likelihood of its ability to help heal skin ulcers with local application. These conclusions have been arrived at through early studies, which still leaves the need for high-quality studies comparing aloe alone with placebos.

Ulcerative colitis: While research regarding benefits of aloe vera in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) is limited, nonetheless, the results are promising. It is yet to be understood how aloe vera measures up to other treatments used for UC.

Wound healing: The results on aloe vera's wound healing properties are conflicting. While some studies say that it has a positive effect, others report that there are no improvements, and at times potential worsening of the condition. Further study is required to establish its exact effect.

Among the other therapeutic uses of aloe vera, it is said to sooth skin irritation caused by prolonged exposure to the sun's radiation. There is insufficient evidence to support claims of the use of aloe vera to treat mucositis, diabetes and HIV infection. Aloe vera juice benefits are often advertised with regards to treating heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome. It is also common practice for cosmetic companies to include extacts from Aloe vera in their products. While aloe vera plant proves to be extremely beneficial for the hair and the skin, to truly harness its powers, it is important to know how to use the plant. It is the transparent fluid exuded by the inner leaf wherever it is cut or crushed, that must be applied to the hair or skin, for it is this substance that is said to have soothing, moisturizing properties.

Aloe Vera for Cancer Treatment

Introduction

 

Aloe Vera is a soothing and sanative herbal medicine. Indigenous to West Africa, it is cultivated all over the world for its medicinal usefulness where it's used mostly for the treatment of skin diseases.

 

The herb aloe has more than 300 species, but the best known of them all is the 'Aloe Vera'. It is a short, stemless succulent plant with thick and fleshy stems. For the purpose of healing, it's used both internally and externally. Chemical compounds such as lectins, acemannan, polysaccharides and anthraquinones along with vitamin C, amino acids, germanium etc., make aloe vera very useful in the maintaining and toning of dry skin, repairing of blood vessels, liver, stomach, and kidney, and treat various disorders like diverticulitis, ulcers, asthma, and heartburn. It also helps in healing cuts and wounds. Many researchers claim that it has the power to help cure HIV/AIDS. However, recent research shows that it can also be used for the treatment of cancer too.

 

Aloe Vera and Cancer
Corrosion causes damage to the genes. These adducts multiply themselves in a cell (mitosis) and possess the power to damage that cell permanently. They are not initially recognized by the immune system. Hence, they keep on dividing in each cell and the possibility of cancer increases. At the time of mitosis, the cells make the same adducts. This is how cancer cells are produced. Though all the cells, except the nerve cells from the central nervous system, need to get replaced, it becomes impossible for the healthy neighboring cells to grow. Once the cancer turns malignant, it conquers the whole body of the host. This ability makes cancer the most life-threatening disease of them all. However, early detection of the disease combined with proper nourishment of the patient will help the person overcome the condition. This nourishment is done by growing the cells in a controlled body environment. This is termed as 'tissue culture'. Cancer treatment therapy, called 'Chemotherapy', entails a close examination of the cells. If found infected, they are killed immediately.

Aloe vera is proven to be useful in the treatment of cancer patients, for whom chemotherapy doesn't work. As it contains a little amount of the cancer-healing substance, it works its magic when used in conjunction with chemotherapy. Also said to have a good effect on the blood, aloe vera helps the absorption of vitamin-C and antioxidants, that's why it is speculated that it will increase the effectiveness of anti-cancer herbs.

How does it Help During Chemo?
The question frequently asked is does chemo really cure the patient of cancer? The answer often is Yes! However, at what price does the tumor vanish, doesn't the health and spirit of the patient itself also seem to vanish. So are we really treating the patient or are we treating just the tumor? More often than not it's the latter. Chemotherapy can't differentiate between the damaged and the healthy cells. So, healing from cancer as well as the chemotherapy, both become essential. The radiation from chemotherapy are sometimes too toxic for patients to survive. Aloe vera works as a soothing agent in patients undergoing the therapy. That's why alternative therapies always act as support medicines to enable the patient live through the rigorous chemotherapy sessions.

Effects on the Immune System
The presence of cancer according to some people suggests a weak immune system, because it is not able to react to the new growth of cells that it should ideally perceive as a threat due to their un-natural foreign nature. Hence, aloe vera works on the immune system in great degrees making it stronger so that it can eat away the cancerous cells. The unique mixture of aloe vera in aloeride works as the best cancer suppressor. It prevents cancer by suppressing the tumor causing cells. The aloeride is made up of aloe barbarensis miller, that has the same medical characteristics as the Aloe vera plant.

Besides enriching the immune system aloe vera is also a great detoxifier. The acemannan present in it promotes the production of lymphocytes and helper cells which prevent the infection from spreading to the healthy cells. The herb slows down the growth of cancerous tumors, as it contains lectins and emodines, which are two tumor resistant chemicals. It actually checks the growth of malignant tumors and also provides a soothing effect in patients suffering from skin cancer.

Availability
Aloe vera is not always used in its direct form, but also in the various forms available in the market, such as - gels, capsules, creams, and drinks (the most popular being filleting the flesh, removing the skin, and then blending the pulp to make it drinkable). All these products are chemically tested and certainly prove beneficial for the treatment of cancer. Though, aloe vera gels and creams are most popular.

Aloe Vera Juice
A regular intake of aloe vera juice helps to prevent the production of cancer cells in the body. For patients already suffering from cancer, it soothes intoxication caused by radiotherapy. The juice has proved helpful in healing many types of cancers, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and blood cancer (leukemia).

Besides that it also helps the digestive tract function normally, which is a very important part of the human body and is responsible for a major portion of medical conditions that people experience. Basically, aloe vera proves useful in healing the side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Being a great anti-inflammatory it could indirectly help our body experience less stress while the anti-cancer treatment is underway, which as mentioned earlier is one of the greatest ordeals that is faced by a patient with cancer.

Aloe Vera Creams
These creams are odorless and are best used to reduce the itchiness of the skin in psoriasis (a type of skin cancer). It also protects the skin from the damage caused by the exposure of the skin to the ultraviolet rays, that are very harmful for cancer patients.

What we must understand though, is the amount of aloe vera extract that should be used. Aloe vera, though clinically tested, does contain a few substances that do not agree with a few people resulting in a few serious side effects like hepatitis, diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, problems in blood clotting, thyroid problems and so on. You need to remember that the herb acts best as a supporting medicine and not as the sole cure for cancer. In conjunction with the proper treatment of cancer, it helps the body to receive the treatment better and improve on its effectiveness. However, you need to first check with your physician before starting out on an aloe vera supplement.