Aloe Vera – The Miracle Healing Herb by Geoff Lyth Recognised as a significant medicinal herb for over 3,000 years, Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) still remains today a living legend in the botanical world. Scientists continue to research into how this plant produces its amazing healing properties, with absolutely no side effects. Since the times of the ancient Egyptians it has been used to treat burns, cuts, wounds, insect bites, skin ulcers and infections of all types – bacterial, viral and fungal. Today we appear to be discovering even more about its miraculous skin regenerating powers. Highly revered The ancient Egyptians called Aloe vera ‘The Plant of Immortality’, recognising not only its healing qualities but also its valuable skin moisturising and nourishing effects. This highly prized plant was so revered it was often included among the funerary gifts buried along with the pharaohs. It has been suggested by some that queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra used it part of their regular skin care routine to retain their beautiful complexions. As we know, the Egyptians passed much of their knowledge along to the Greeks and Romans, and records show that the Indian and Chinese cultures were also using this plant for cosmetic and medicinal purposes thousands of years ago. Today scientists have clinically proven that Aloe vera stimulates the circulation of the skin, helping to accelerate cellular regeneration as well as softening and hydrating the skin. African origin Believed to have originated in Africa, this succulent, cactus-like plant is actually a member of the Lily family and over time has been introduced to America, Asia and Europe. There are over 240 different species of aloe, but of this large number only 4 offer healing and nutritional properties of any significance, and Aloe barbadensis at the top of this list. Aloe vera gel is extracted from the internal portion of the thick, spiny, tapered leaves which grow in a rosette pattern. The size of this plant varies depending on the conditions under which it is grown, but a mature plant can reach a height of over one metre (3ft). It must be allowed to mature for at least 3 years before being harvested, at which time 3 or 4 leaves can be removed from the plant every 6 to 8 weeks. Healing benefits Taken internally, aloe vera helps to boost the immune system, relieves digestive disorders such as candida, colitis, acid indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers and ulcerative colitis and also relieves arthritis and joint pain. The gel contains the complex carbohydrate molecule mucopolysaccharide, which helps with arteriosclerosis, heart disorders and Parkinson’s disease. When applied externally, aloe vera gel brings quick relief to acne, burns and blisters, chapped lips, eczema, dermatitis, inflammation, insect bites, psoriasis, ringworm, sunburn and varicose veins. After application, the gel produces a protective coating that reduces inflammation, irritation and blisters, and promotes healing at a cellular level. Perfect for skin Aloe vera is the perfect ingredient to care for the skin; it helps to remove dark circles around the eyes by stimulating the micro-circulation and reducing puffiness plus it softens, rehydrates and nourishes the skin which makes it an ideal treatment for reducing wrinkles as well. When we decided to reformulate our skincare range 7 years ago we looked at all of the available botanicals that claimed to revitalize, rehydrate and protect sensitive skin. As you might expect, there are dozens available, so testing them thoroughly was a very time consuming process. Although many plant extracts such as lady’s thistle, ginseng and centella all produced a sigificant benefit to the skin, none of them delivered the range of dramatic improvements our test subjects experienced when aloe vera was tried. In fact, we were are so impressed with its performance that we have included aloe vera in our new haircare range too! Here are just some of the Quinessence products that utilize the wonderful skin enhancing properties of aloe vera;- Aloe Vera and Lavender Gel with Seaweed Age Defying Cream with Shea Butter & Rose Otto Anti-Wrinkle Cream with Frankincense & Lady’s Thistle Vitamin E Cream with Neroli & Safflower Luxury Bath Soaks with Sea Lavender and Seaweed Luxury Shampoos with Olive extract, Seaweed & Pro Vitamin B5 Luxury Conditioners with Marigold & Pro Vitamin B5 Perhaps in the fullness of time, other plants will be discovered that can rival the vast range of medicinal and cosmetic uses that this plant has to offer. We can only live in hope. But right now, Aloe Vera ranks as possibly the most useful botanical extract on the planet for both health and skincare. Copyright © Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd 2009 Article by Geoff Lyth | Natural Health | Tags: anti-aging, rejuvenating, skin moisturising | Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 - 10:05 Like it? Help spread the word:

Aloe vera plant Did you know The word 'aloe' is derived from the Arabic word 'alloeh' meaning 'shiny bitter substance', due to the taste of the extracted juice. Power plant Extracted aloe gel contains over 75 nutrients and 200 active compounds, including 20 amino acids, 11 vitamins, and a wealth of minerals, enzymes, proteins, polysaccharides and biological stimulators. Just a few of these active substances include: • Acids Antimicrobial, anti-helminitic (anti-parasitic worms), wound healing for skin tissue and ulcers. • Amino Acids Required for repair and growth. Aloe Vera contains twenty of the twenty two essential amino acids. • Enzymes Catalysts enabling chemical reactions to take place. • Lipids Principle structural components of living cells. • Lactates/Salicylates Analgesic properties. • Minerals Calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium, and selenium are all present in significant quantities. • Phenolics Mild antiseptics and antimicrobials. • Polysaccharides Long chain sugars broken down to smaller ones via enzymes. • Vitamins Contains 11 of the 13 recognised vitamins.

Comments (10)

Comments 10

1. Comment by françoise — March 12, 2009 @ 12:35 am

   I read this article which is very informative. However I am wondering under what form Aloe Vera was used by the Egyptians (if it is known), because one my friend used it on her daughter’s feet as pure aloe directly from the leave and it did not do too much good.

   From what I gather, it needs to be transformed in order to achieve optimum and safe results. And depending on the way it is transformed it has more or less effects.

   Could you expand on this?
2. Comment by Geoff Lyth — March 12, 2009 @ 4:58 pm

   Françoise,

   As I understand it, traditionally aloe vera leaves were cut by hand and the ‘gel’ was pressed out using rollers. The extract was then applied directly to the wound etc, and records indicate that this crude method of extraction proved surprisingly effective.

   However, this method does leave unwanted components such as anthraquinones, and in modern production methods these are removed via a process of rectification which also removes colour and odour. Water is then removed from the exract to make it more concentrated. This processing all helps with the long-term stability of the product.

   As mentioned, there are over 200 different species of aloe vera, and currently I believe only 2 are used for the extraction of commercial aloe vera. The maturity of the plant and the time the gel is harvested all affect the potency of the gel.

   However, in all probability it seems most likely that your friend does not have the correct species, since it is only during the past 100 years that sophisticated processing has been used on the extract. Prior to that, you just squeezed it and used it!

   Geoff Lyth
3. Comment by kalyani — March 13, 2009 @ 4:34 am

   I used alo gel for my under eye darkness and to my suprise it started to reduce and in spite of my lack of sleep, dark circles around my eyes does not get worse

   Its a great medicine for sun burns and rashes

   One more point is, its a good conditioner for your hair
4. Comment by Carol — March 20, 2009 @ 7:09 pm

   I use your Lavender and seaweed gel for my eyes. You mention that Aloe is good for joint pain, I have friend who has arthritis in her hands, would this gel be good for that too? thanks Carol
5. Comment by Geoff Lyth — March 21, 2009 @ 8:40 pm

   Carol,

   Applying aloe vera gel externally for arthritis would probably not show a great deal of improvement in the short term, although maybe over time it might help. It is much better to take aloe vera internally as a drink supplement for this type of condition.

   Regards,

   Geoff Lyth
6. Comment by kelly — March 23, 2009 @ 11:37 am

   i believe that aloe vera really good for skin care, but it is sometimes not easy to use it to reach the best effects.

   For instance, can the aloe vera gel directly be used on the eye surrounding area against dark circles? or better with some essential oil? it is not suitable to dry skin, isnot it?
7. Comment by Geoff Lyth — March 23, 2009 @ 8:45 pm

   Hi Kelly,

   As Kalyani has already mentioned, aloe very is very effective at reducing dark circles, but of course only when it of a very high quality. And by adding essential oils it can be made even more effective.

   However, make sure that the essential oils are used in a very low concentration when you are using them near the eyes, because sometimes the gel can get smudged into the eyes and the essential oils will cause stinging.

   Aloe vera is extremely hydrating and therefore very good for improving dry and flaky skin. As mentioned in the article, this is why we use it so much in our skin and hair care products to provide moisture and conditioning, as well its healing benefits.

   Geoff Lyth
8. Comment by Karen Cook — September 18, 2009 @ 3:55 pm

   Can you please recommend which essential oils I can add to the Aloe Vera to reduce dark circles under my eyes?
9. Comment by Geoff Lyth — October 25, 2009 @ 10:08 am

   Hi Karen.

   First – a word on safety. There is always the risk of getting essential oils into the eyes, so any oils used should be at a very, very low concentration.

   This is why hydrosols are much better for treating dark circles – if you haven’t seen Sue’s article on this you can find it here; http://www.aromatherapylifestyle.com/2008/11/aromatherapy-eye-openers/

   The aloe vera itself seems to be quite helpful at reducing puffiness and some of the darkness, but I can’t honestly say that there are many essential oils that are very effective for this. Chamomile Roman, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rose, and Sandalwood can all help, but instead of using a 2% concentration you need less than 0.5%.

   This works out to 1 drop of essential oil to about 15mls of Aloe Vera Base. I hope this helps

   Regards,

   Geoff
10. Comment by neha — December 11, 2010 @ 6:12 pm

    thanx…. i have used aleo vera as a drink and i ahd great glow in my skin, but i am confused whether darkcircle was removed by aleo vera gel…. but after reading this article my miscnception was cleared.. thanx alot…

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