THE FACTS by Dr. Peter Atherton
What is Aloe Vera?
Aloe Vera,
often called The Miracle Plant, the Natural Healer, the
Burn Plant, goes by many names which have survived the
4000 or so years during which this amazing medicinal
herb has benefited mankind.
George
Elbers in 1862 first discovered its antiquity in an
ancient Egyptian Papyrus, dated 3500 BC., which was in
fact a collection of herbal remedies. Other researchers
have since found that it was used by both the ancient
Chinese and Indian Cultures.
Greek and Roman physicians such as Dioscorides and Pliny
the Elder used it to great effect and legend suggests
that Aristotle persuaded Alexander The Great to capture
the island of Socotra in the Indian ocean to get its
rich supply of aloe to heal its wounded soldiers. The
Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra rated it as a
beauty therapy, for in those days, health and beauty
were linked far more than they ever are today.
Although there are over 20 species of aloe, there are
probably only three or four with medicinal purposes. Of
these Aloe Vera Barbadensis (Miller), which is also
known as Aloe Vera (Limne), is the most potent.
Aloe Vera
Barbadensis is a succulent, looking rather like cactus,
but is in fact a member of the Lilly family related to
onions, garlic and asparagus. It reaches maturity in
four years when the content of its leaves, a mixture of
inner gel and outer sap can be harvested, preserved and
bottled to produce a product as near to the natural
plant juice as we can get.
To benefit from Aloe Vera, the gel can be taken
internally for its nutritional effect, or it can be
combined with other ingredients to produce tropical
creams and lotions to nourish and improve the quality of
the skin.
Why Does It Work
It works by
providing a rich cocktail of nutritional elements whose
combined action and balance produce a more powerful
effect than would be expected from the addition of the
individual components. This is because they work as a
team, enhancing each other's effect - known as
synergism. It also has adaptogenic properties which
means it is a substance which increases non-specific
resistance of an organism to adverse influences such as
infection or stress.
Where Does It Work?
Aloe Vera,
because of its nutritional qualities and antioxidant
properties, helps firstly to prevent injury to
epithelial tissues, and where they are damaged, it
promotes healing.
Antioxidants fight the destructive "free radicals", the
unstable compounds produced by our metabolism and found
in environmental pollutants. They are thought to cause
various ailments including some cancers as well as
contributing towards the ageing process.
An epithelium is an anatomical term defined as follows:
"An epithelium is a layer of cells that covers the body
or lines a cavity that connects it."
Our largest epithelium is our skin, but also included
are the lining of the gut, the bronchial tubes and the
genital tract. No wonder that aloe works just as well on
damaged skin as it does, say, on an inflamed bowel or in
asthma.
How Does It Work?
Its natural
anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action combined
within its nutritional constituents promote cell growth
and therefore healing. However, it is not only helpful
for people with problems; most people taking it report a
greater sense of well being - they just feel better or
they report feeling calmer and less anxious.
I believe this last comment is due to aloe's second
effect on the immune system which you may say becomes
balanced or fine tuned and therefore more efficient at
defending the body from attack.
In Conclusion
Aloe Vera is
not a panacea for all ills and there is no magic about
it. I believe it works primarily in the two areas
mentioned previously - epithelial tissue and the immune
system. This is largely backed up by anecdotal evidence,
as many thousands of people over the centuries have
reported benefit for various skin complaints such as
eczema, psoriasis, ulcers, burns, acne, even stings and
bites. They have found relief for bowl disorders such as
colitis, diverticulitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Other conditions resulting from a disordered immune
system such as arthritis, asthma and ME (post viral
fatigue syndrome) and LE (lupus) have improved after a
regular ingestion of Aloe Vera gel.
Aloe Vera therefore has a complimentary role to play in
the management of various conditions. It is very
important however that people should always seek the
advice of their doctor when the diagnosis is in doubt or
where a condition does not improve. Self diagnosis can
be extremely dangerous as many serious conditions can
mimic more simple ones.
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