Twenty-year-old my friend Ravi was suffering from a chronic pile problem,despite twice operations.However,within three months of using Aloe Vera Gel and an Aloe Vera health drink ,he found relief.
Aloe Vera Gel worked wonders for 40-year-old Krishna singh,whose skin rash disappear after a few days of applying the gel.
These are just two healing properties of Aloe Vera, a cactus-like plant,which at one time grew in hot fertile regions but is now being cultivated in most parts of the world . It belongs to the onion/garlic family. Though there are over 300 species of Aloe Vera plant ,the most potent is Aloe Barbadensis Miller.
Apart from being a natural moisturizer,the gel of this plant is extremely potent with 200 components and 74 known nutrients. This includes some of the B Vitamins like B-12 and 21 amino acids,iron,manganese,calcium,zinc minerals,enzymes,etc.
According to reports,this plant has a long list of medicinal and cosmetic properties. Today,Aloe Vera products like health drinks,antacids,moisturizers, cleansers,wound healing creams,etc, have flooded the market,says director of a pharmaceutical company manufacturing medicines and cosmetic products.” Aloe Vera is used extensively in beauty products like face creams and washes,anti-acne creams,scalp cleansers,etc.”
Dr. Mistry,a private allopathic practitioner in Mumbai , acknowledges Aloe Vera’s medicinal properties, and says “ I sometimes prescribe an Aloe Vera drink as a tonic to patient suffering from arthritis,diabetes and high cholesterol.
This is because when taken orally, Aloe Vera is like a dietary supplement that helps the body heal itself due to its anti-bacterial,anti-oxidant,anti-fungal and other properties. It boosts the immune system.” However, he emphasizes the that Aloe Vera is not a medicine”
According to Jacqueline Ferreira of Holistic Health Centre ,Mumbai, Aloe Vera health drinks can be bought over the counter and consumed by everyone for overall good health. “ The prescribed dose is 60ml every morning on an empty stomach.
This can be increased to three or four times a day if one is suffering from diabetes,arthritis,gastric problems like colitis,etc. However, one should ensure that the product has the IASC ( International Aloe Science Council ) seal which makes it of international standard regarding its quality,” she warns.
Says Dr. Arun Prasad,a well-known dermatologist of Nova Clinic,Kolkata,” We,as doctors,read many reports in the press about Aloe Vera and its benefits,but these reports are not confirmed in medical journals. Though I often prescribe Allure ( which contains Aloe Vera ) for dry skin, I cannot confirm that it is effective for treating stretch marks,pigmentation, wrinkles,etc .”
On the other hand ,Mumbai –based Dr.Anu Chetia,a naturopathy doctor who is an ayurvedic consultant and therapist,is vociferous ayurvedic preparations: “We have specially seen this Gel work on diabetics. There are patients who,after taking Aloe Vera- base d ayurvedic medicines,go back to the milder hypoglycaemic dosage ((oral drugs ) after having been on the strong insulin ( injections).
Research has shown that this Gel,which has a very small molecular structure,property, which in Ayurveda we call sharan tatw. This helps break down fat globules, so is also effective in reducing obesity.”
The beauty industry swears by the cosmetic properties of Aloe Vera. According to renowned beautician.Shahnaz Husain. the healing properties of Aloe on the skin have been recognized since centuries. “ In the olden days,
soldiers used to carry Aloe plants to the field and apply the Gel on wounds as they recognized its property of increasing cell regeneration,speeding healing and boosting the natural immune system .
Apart from its effects it is a very powerful moisturizer that help the skin to retain its moisture,and has been the base of a lot of our skin creams, especially cleansers and moisturizers for the last 35 years, for maintains the Delhi-based beautician |
Whether it’s used as a vital ingredient in beauty products or is consumed as a dietary supplement,the used of Aloe Vera are manifold .