Aloe Vera, the miracle plant

 As I walked my toy poodle Laila through the neighborhood, I happened to see my neighbor standing outside in his yard. I had been eyeballing his many Aloe Plants for months. I typically buy Aloe Vera leafs from the grocery store for $3 a piece..It's not unusual in Miami to share fruit or vegetables from your yard with your neighbors. As I approached, I said, "Do you make smoothies with your aloe?" He said, "sometimes, why you want to try one?" I gladly expressed how I would love to have one. He bent down to grab what I thought was one leaf but instead he dug up an entire plant and handed it to me. He told me it was worth about $25. I was so grateful. I thanked him and immediately headed inside to grab a pair of my gardening gloves to plant it. I rub the gel on my skin every time I bathe and also put it in my smoothies.

Aloe Vera contains anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties helping the immune system clean out toxins in the body. It's super rich in natural nutrients and fiber. Everybody may know that it's amazing on the skin but it also has a plethora of other health benefits; like helping to improve blood circulation and decreasing total fat levels in people with high cholesterol. It also helps to reduce fatty deposits and blood clots in the arteries of the heart and body. It decreases irritation in the stomach and intestines, repairing ulcers and healing irritable bowel syndrome by decreasing inflammation. It can also increase healthy gut bacteria, aiding digestion. Patients with diabetes tend to show the most improvement.

There are over 250 known types of Aloe. Make sure to use Aloe Barbadensis Miller if you plan to ingest it. Again, ALL ALOE IS NOT FOR CONSUMPTION.

As with any new healthcare regimen, it is always wise to consult your nutritionist or healthcare provider to make sure this herbal supplement does not interfere with your other prescriptions or over the counter medications.Ingesting Aloe Vera can cause diarrhea so I would start using small amounts at first, until you see how your body reacts and then gradually increase the dosage.

The name 'ALOE' comes from the Arabic word 'Aloeh' which means 'bitter'. And let me tell you, that's an understatement. It's extremely bitter in taste but if you can get past that and mainly focus on the health benefits alone, you'll survive and be on the road to either prevention or recovery.

xoxo, Health Nut Suzy 

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