Aloe

I know I have been missing in action the last two months.  Thank you everyone who emailed me to make sure my health is ok.  I am feel great and just got lost in the beautiful Indian summer we have been having.  Now that it is cold I will be inside more and can share what is cooking here in the house.

Last week I brought my plants in to save them from the cold and it has been interesting.  10 years ago my mom gave me a start of aloe and now that one little plant has turned into two humungous planters full of happy aloe.  The problem is my daughter can't decide where they go.  She is an Angel with autism and having everything in the right place is very important to her.  I never see her move the planters, but they have been making the rounds through every room in the house.  In all the moving there have been a few casualties and that has gotten me thinking about all the ways to use aloe around the house.

Here are a few of my favorites.
How To Treat A Wound With Aloe

• Clean wound thoroughly
• Apply Aloe Vera pulp in the wound
• Wrap tightly with a bandage
• Keep bandage soaked in Aloe Vera juice

The wound should quickly heal with little or no scarring, bandages will remove easily. There is also a much reduced risk of infection when using Aloe.
For minor scar removal, keep applying Aloe Vera juice morning and night (daily). This may take several months to see great results (six months or so).
For painful scrapes and abrasions, gently slide a split leaf over the area and reapply several times during the next 24 hours.

Burns & Sunburns
Good for soothing and healing burns and sunburns, simply apply juice from an aloe leaf directly to burned area.
Home Remedy For Digestive Problems

• Three times daily take 1 to 2 TBS of aloe juice/gel. This will act like a general tonic and mild regulator of the bowels.

Sap Extraction For Bowel Regulation
The sap is a yellow bitter fluid that flows between the skin and the pulp of the Aloe and acts as a laxative.

• Place green peelings of an aloe leaf in a jar of water and refrigerate. The more leaves in the jar, the stronger the tonic will be.
• Take a few sips once or twice a week to help regulate your bowels. Top up the jar with fresh aloe leaves as needed.

Scalp & Hair Treatments
Aloe juice can add luster, richness and manageability to hair as well as heal some scalp abrasions and diseases:

• Before bedtime wet hair thoroughly with aloe vera juice and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly in the morning (may suds up a bit).

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak & AllergiesUse Aloe Vera as a pain inhibitor and reduce itchiness, also enhances healing of rashes and sores:

• For relief apply aloe vera juice directly to area that is irritated.

Pregnancy Stretch Marks

• Apply Aloe Vera juice directly to skin while pregnant, after birth keep applying to encourage healing.

• As soon as the bite or sting occurs, split open a leaf and apply it directly to the bite area.

Arthritis Treatments

• Dice up Aloe Vera leaves and place pieces in a jar of water, refrigerate. Drink 4 Tablespoons per day and top up water in the jar as consumed. The drink can be bitter but it does go away over time. Some may find relief right away, many don’t find relief until a couple months later. Make a fresh jar of leaves as needed.
• For aching joints and muscles, rub Aloe Vera on the skin, relief should be felt within a few minutes and can be repeated as necessary.

Age Skin Spots

• Apply Aloe Vera juice to the spots twice a day, spots will be reduced or completely removed after several months of treatment. 

Acne Treatments

• Give your skin a good cleansing morning and night. Apply juice directly from the leaf. Can also apply to pimples and other sores.
• For removing old acne scars, apply a little Aloe Vera juice morning and night until the scars are gone. This can take several months. If skin is dry, apply with a moisturizing cream.

Asthma

• Boil Aloe Vera leaves in a pan of water and breathe in the vapor.

How To Tell If You’re Allergic To Aloe Vera
Before applying any first aid treatments, find out if you have an allergy to it first. If you’re allergic to aloe vera, you may experience the results opposite to what you were hoping for. Here’s how you can quickly find out if you’re allergic to aloe vera:

• Apply a small amount of aloe vera juice on the inside of your arm or behind your ears. If a rash appears or you experience a stinging sensation within a few minutes, do not use aloe vera for first aid.

Did You Know:

• After removing an aloe leaf to treat a burn or cut, you can refrigerate it and it will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.
• Aloe Vera is an astringent and may cause skin to dry. You can apply baby oil or other lubricant along with the aloe to help prevent dryness.
• What leaf is best to use in first aid treatments? The lowest leaves (closest to the ground) should be used first. These leaves are older and larger so they have more juice and greater potency.

Caution For Diabetics:
Drinking Aloe Vera juice might enable the pancreas to produce more of its own insulin. Before taking aloe vera internally, diabetics should have their physician monitor their need for extra insulin since too much is dangerous.

If you don't have one of these wonder plants in your house go and get one!  they are really low maintenance and almost imposable to kill.