7 Top Aloe Vera Plant Uses

http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/aloe-vera-uses-zbcz1510.aspx

1. Healing wounds. Aloe is an excellent product to apply to wounds to help them heal better. It is a natural antiseptic agent, which helps to keep your wound clean and free of infection; it is anti-inflammatory, which helps aid in the healing process; it stimulates the growth and proliferation of new cells to help rebuild injured tissue; and it can even help reduce pain. Aloe has been an effective treatment for skin wounds ranging from burns (including sunburns) to C-section surgical wounds and more.[2-5] To watch a video on how to use aloe vera for burn treatment, click here.

2. Lower cholesterol and triglycerides. When taken orally, aloe can do wonders for bringing cholesterol and triglyceride levels down. In one study, people took either 100 mg or 200 mg of aloe vera gel powder daily for three months. Significant reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol, along with an increase in healthy HDL-cholesterol, were seen in both groups.[6] In another, 500 mg of aloe vera gel powder significantly improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels after eight weeks.[7]

3. Reduce blood pressure. Aloe may also benefit heart health by lowering blood pressure. When people took 100 mg of aloe vera gel powder for three months, they saw significant drops in blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure decreased from an average of 140.1 mmHg to an average of 129.8 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 88.6 mmHg to 83.6 mmHg.[6]

4. Improve dental health. One of the surprising applications of aloe is in dental health. Aloe has been shown to help conditions like gingivitis, periodontitis, and more. It also may be effective in helping prevent cavities, as it has antibacterial qualities. Studies show that is as effective as popular commercial toothpastes in controlling common bacteria responsible for cavities. Researchers note that as a toothpaste, it is also less harsh and can be good for people with sensitive teeth.[1]

5. Treat ulcerative colitis. Because of its anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties, aloe is also helpful for those with the inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis. It is known to help decrease compounds implicated in the disease called prostaglandins and interleukins.[8] One study found that when patients with ulcerative colitis took 100 mL of aloe vera gel two times a day for four weeks, their symptoms improved significantly. After four weeks, 30% of the patients taking aloe experienced clinical remission of the disease, compared to only 7% of those on placebo.[9] To read more about aloe and other natural treatments for ulcerative colitis, go here.

6. Manage diabetes. Aloe may help lower blood sugar, too.[10] One hundred mg of aloe vera gel powder reduced fasting blood sugar significantly in diabetics after three months of treatment.[6]

7. Relieve symptoms of psoriasis. Aloe is at least effective as a prescription cream (triamcinolone acetonid) in improving psoriasis symptoms.[11] It works well applied directly to psoriasis patches to help find relief from rashes, dryness, itchiness, and more.

How to Keep an Aloe Vera Plant and How to Use It

Growing an aloe vera plant in your home is easy. Find an aloe vera plant at a local nursery and plant it in a small to medium-sized pot. Aloe doesn’t need a lot of water, as it is a desert plant. Water your plant by pouring water slowly through the center of the plant. Water about once a week, letting the soil become dry in between. Keep it in a well-lit place where it will get plenty of sunlight.

When you are ready to use your aloe vera, all you need to do is cut a leaf (or part of a leaf) off of the plant. For topical applications on the skin, cut off the tip of a leaf. Slice it open to reveal the insides. Apply the clear, gel-like insides directly to the affected area on the skin.

For oral intake, you can try making your own aloe vera gel and juice. Cut an entire large leaf  (or a few leaves at once) off of the plant. Peel off the green outer layer from one side with a knife, then use a spoon to scoop out the insides. Blend the gel in a blender until smooth. Store in the refrigerator. When ready to drink, place about 2 tablespoons into a glass of water and stir.

More related links :
http://www.ideadigezt.com/8-health-benefits-of-aloe-vera/

The Benefits of Raw/Living Food Nutrition

http://hippocratesinst.org/the-benefits-of-living-foods-nutrition

Raw and Living Foods help to provide: More Energy

When we eat raw and living foods that are easier for our bodies to digest, assimilate, and eliminate, we have more energy left over. This enables our body to cleanse, heal, and repair itself so we feel healthy, vital, and energized.

(( FIBER ))

• Fiber is the indigestible portion of plant foods. Fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, and seeds contain an abundance of dietary fiber.

• Fiber acts as a pre-biotic agent. This helps to populate beneficial bacteria in the gut for supporting immune and gastro-intestinal function.

• Fiber helps to regulate blood sugar by allowing the carbohydrates in food to be released into the bloodstream more gradually.

• Fiber helps to lower cholesterol.

• Fiber also keeps everything moving through the intestines, which prevents constipation.

Two main categories of fiber -

• ( Soluble )

-This type of fiber actually binds to cholesterol in the intestines and flushes it out of the body

• ( Insoluble )

– Is good for regularity

– Insoluble fiber helps “bulk up” the stool and prevent constipation

(( VITAMINS & MINERALS ))

Raw and living foods are very high in various vitamins and minerals. Sprouted foods have a very high nutrient-per-calorie ratio, which help us feel satisfied on fewer calories. This is in addition to having a high water and fiber content.

We all know many of the other benefits of vitamins and minerals.

• Vitamins and minerals found in raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are in a whole food complex with cofactors.

– They are abundant and absorbable

– They are synergistic in their effects

(( ALKALINES MINERALS ))

• Fruits and vegetables contain beneficial alkaline minerals such as:

– Magnesium

– Calcium

• Most of the byproducts of metabolism in our bodies are acidic.

• Consuming alkaline foods helps counteract this acidity.

• Without minerals, vitamins have no function.

• Research indicates that calcium from our bones is often used to counteract this acidity, so eating foods that have an alkalizing effect may contribute to the maintenance of bone health.

(( PHYTONUTRIENTS ))

• Raw and living foods are very high in phytonutrients. Phytonutrients contain protective, disease-preventing compounds that interact with other plant nutrients to produce a synergy that can help fight many diseases. Some phytonutrients are lycopene, beta-carotene, and chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll is the green coloring in plants

– Helps to build blood

– Has antioxidant properties

– Has antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory benefits.

• Carotenoids

– A group of phytonutrients that have yellow, orange, and red pigments

– Act as antioxidants in the body

– Yellow pigments – lutein and zeaxanthin

* They help to support optimal vision.

* The body utilizes these pigments to protect the back of the eyeball from the damaging rays of the sun (the macula).

* These two pigments work together synergistically to confer this protection.

* Are best obtained from yellow and green vegetables like summer squash and leafy greens.

(( ANTIOXIDANTS ))

Raw and living foods contain antioxidants which reduce free radical damage and help us age gracefully. Many phytonutrients also act as antioxidants. Antioxidants counteract the damaging effects of “free radicals.”

(( ALKALINITY ))

Raw and living foods help to maintain the proper alkaline pH in the bloodstream, which is very beneficial to the body in a number of ways, such as supporting energy.

(( CALORIE DENSITY )) 

• Calorie density is defined as the amount of calories in a given weight or volume of food.

• Filling our stomach helps activate stretch receptors which is one of the primary mechanisms that helps us feel satisfied.

• Three primary factors that determine calorie density

– Water content

– Fat content

– Fiber content

• Water is by far the most significant determinant of calorie density, and raw and living foods have excellent water content.

• It is interesting to note that despite the high fat content, rich and creamy avocadoes still have less than half of the calorie density of brown rice cakes, indicating how water content plays a bigger role in calorie density than fat content does.

• The fiber content of a food contributes to the calorie density as well, but not as much as fat and not nearly as much as water.

– Including lots of water and fiber rich raw and living foods in one’s diet makes it easy to feel full and satisfied without eating excess calories.

(( PLANT FATS )) 

• Higher fat raw plant foods, such as avocadoes and nuts and seeds, contain relatively healthy, unsaturated fats.

• These high fat plant foods contain plenty of their own fiber, which binds to excess cholesterol.

• Essential fatty acids:

– Two types of fats that the body cannot make, so they need to be obtained from diet. These are called essential fatty acids (EFAs).

* Alpha linolenic acid – Omega 3. Omega 3 fats reduce inflammation.

* Linoleic acid – Omega 6.  Omega 6 fats generally promote inflammation.

– Ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats is between 1 to 1 and 4 to 1.

– When we consume in excess of four times the amount of omega 6 fats compared to omega 3 fats, we tend to create excess inflammation.

– Omega 6 fats

* The average American consumes 20 times more omega 6 fats than omega 3 fats.

* Omega 6 fats are largely found in animal products and processed foods.

– Omega 3 fats

* Omega 3 fats are abundant in leafy green vegetables, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and certain types of algae.

* Smaller amounts of omega 3 fats can be found in fruits and non-green vegetables.

• The standard American diet (SAD) diet contains an over-abundance of omega 6 fats from:

– Processed foods.

– Commercially produced animal products.

– Not enough fruits, vegetables.

* They contain the omega 3 fats that reduce inflammation.

• A diet based on raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and especially a diet that has an abundance of greens and includes some flax or chia seeds, supplies adequate amounts of omega 3 fats. This is without the excess of omega 6 fats, which is seen in typical modern human diets.

• Healthy fats and blood sugar regulation:

– Glucose – blood sugar

– Insulin escorts glucose out of blood and into cells

– Insulin resistance – insulin is unable to do its job properly and blood sugar remains too high

– Insulin resistance – is the hallmark of type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes.

An excess of saturated fats, trans fats, and omega 6 fats, along with decreased amounts of omega 3 fats, make major contributions to insulin resistance.

Numerous studies have shown that diets that include more whole natural plant foods, instead of processed foods, can have a significant impact on insulin resistance and blood sugar levels.

Cholesterol comes from two places: animal foods and your body.

– Low fat and high fiber whole natural plant foods, such as raw and living foods, cause the liver to produce less cholesterol to make bile that emulsifies fat in the foods.

• Fresh raw and living foods also contain an abundance of fiber to bind to any excess cholesterol, thus keeping cholesterol at an appropriate level.

(( ENZYMES )) 

Raw and living foods are high in food-based enzymes.

• Enzymes are protein molecules that initiate biochemical reactions in all living things, plants and animals alike.

• Research indicates that plant enzymes are found within plant cells and are released when plant cell walls are broken down either by chewing, juicing, or blending.

• If plants are heated above 115°F the enzymes may denature or break down.

• Chewing raw plant foods well is important for releasing enzymes from plant cells.

• This gives the body a “head start” in digestion, creating less work and taking less energy, so you may feel lighter and more energetic than you would if you ate heated foods without active enzymes.

Increasing raw and living foods in your diet helps to provide:

• More energy

• Feeling lighter

• Greater overall well-being

• An abundance of nutrients

• Weight normalization over time

• Avoidance of hunger and deprivation

– It’s not just another diet, but a healthful, delicious, and – most importantly – sustainable way of changing your eating habits that you can happily maintain for a lifetime!