Thursday, June 30, 2011

Three Main Uses for Aloe Vera

at 10:40 PM
Image source: oxfordjasmine.blogspot.com
If you are interested in using Aloe Vera for personal reasons, you may be surprised to find that it has a wide range of applications. This includes being cultivated for its beauty as well as its medicinal properties. In fact, as you learn more about some of the main ways this plant is used, you may well decide to purchase a few plants for your own home and garden.

Skin Conditioning and Healing

When you visit the personal care section of any given store, you are sure to find many products that contain Aloe. For example, a number of skin creams use this gel from this succulent because it moisturizes skin as well as soothe irritations. You will also find that Aloe is also often included in shampoos, body washes, hand soap, tissues, and ointments used for burns.

Even though Aloe Vera gel can be used to treat a wide range of skin conditions, it does not appear to have an effect on injuries caused by radiation. Interestingly enough, this includes sunburns. In addition, Aloe Vera will not prevent sunburn, and therefore cannot be used as a sun blocking agent.

If you want to use Aloe Vera for these purposes, you can simply buy these products and use them as directed. On the other hand, if you would prefer not to be exposed other chemicals found in these items, you can simply buy a few Aloe Vera plants and use the leaves as needed. For the most part, all you will need to do is break open a leaf and use the gel within.

Ornamental Purposes

There is no question that cactus and rock gardens have an immense appeal to them. When you look at Aloe Vera plants, you can easily see why they will fit into these landscapes with ease. Aside from beautiful green leaves, Aloe is also known for its bright yellow flowers. Needless to say, if you tend to have a hard time growing plants, you will not need to worry much with Aloe. As a succulent, this plant will easily remain alive if you forget to water it, or do other things that would kill most other kinds of house or garden plants.

Medicinal Uses

Many people today do not realize that various parts of the Aloe plant can be consumed in order to restore good health. In particular Aloe Vera can be used to treat:

Diabetes
High Cholesterol
High Blood Pressure
Constipation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Ulcerative Colitis
Hepatitis
Stomach Ulcers
Viral and Fungal Infections

Each day, thousands of people around the world awaken to the fact that it is time to take control of their well being. Depending on their situation, they may decide that means gaining some independence from conventional medications. Under these circumstances, these people usually look to ancient herbal remedies. Since Aloe Vera has been used in many cultures for thousands of years, it tends to be something that many people try.

If you have an interest in using natural remedies, you may also want to choose herbs that are easy to grow and use at home. For the most part, you will find that Aloe Vera can be grown in just about any setting. As an added bonus, you will find few other plants that offer such a wide range of easily accessible healing compounds.

Lana Geraghty
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