The healing properties of aloe (which is translated from Arabic as “bitter”) became known more than three thousand years ago. The use of the agave is confirmed by official medicine - it is listed in the state register of medicines and is actively used in many medical and cosmetic preparations. On the application, properties and recipes for treating aloe vera (agave), read on.
Description
Aloe tree-like plant (photo), growing in African, and now also South American semi-deserts, in the wild state is not much like an indoor flower. In its natural environment, aloe looks like medium-sized (about 3.5 m), a sprawling tree with full juice, fleshy leaves and a scaly trunk. In nature, aloe tree-like unlike a domesticated fellow blooms annually. Large orange-red flowers bloom in May and last until the fall.
At home, the plant rarely extends up to a meter in length, and it is possible to see the flowering of the spiky healer in exceptional cases. To grow a flower, a large wide capacity is required, since the root system of aloe is very developed. Watering the plant is carried out no more than twice a week in the summer and once every two weeks in the winter.
Contrary to popular belief, the use of the healing resources of aloe tree (photo in the article) is not universal. The use of juice from its leaves is limited to external diseases and cosmetic defects of the skin. For the preparation of medicinal drinks and edible pastes, loë shrub pulp is taken.
Chemical composition
Aloe vera leaves contain biologically active compounds, enzyme groups, a unique essential oil and several types of acids, among which there is succinic - a powerful stabilizer of cellular respiration. Four types of vitamin B, ascorbic acid, carotene (vitamin A) and tocopherol (vitamin E), are considered a “beauty complex” and are contained in the pulp of leaves in sufficient quantities so as not to look for these substances in other sources.
Separately, it must be said about the micro and macro elements of a valuable substance - there are more than twenty of them in the tree-like aloe. Among the most important, you can name:
- sodium;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- manganese;
- zinc;
- iron;
- copper.
An interesting fact is that in the fresh juice of tree aloe vera contains exactly the same amount of mineral salts as in the same amount of serum plasma of human blood.
Aloe harvesting
To activate the beneficial properties of all the elements that make up the plant, cut, washed in cold water and dried leaves of the agave must be kept at a temperature of 4-6 ° C for about ten days. To do this, the leaves of a tree-like aloe are placed in separate packages or wrapped in a transparent film and put away in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.
Since the gel substance contained in the leaves is a highly concentrated product and quickly deteriorates, it is not recommended to harvest it more than can be used up in 3 days. Therefore, it is better to use not the entire sheet, but part of it, after which the remainder is again wrapped in film and put in the refrigerator.
The right amount of aloe pulp is crushed and the gel is squeezed out of it, which immediately pours into a brown glass pharmacy bottle. Shelf life of fresh liquid - 72 hours.
If you want to increase the shelf life of the juice, then it is diluted 1: 1 with ethyl alcohol before pouring into the bottle. Then the composition is well mixed and cleaned in the refrigerator door. Alcoholic aloe lotion with tree-like properties lasts 10-12 months.
The use of aloe in gynecology
Aloe juice stimulates blood circulation in the pelvic organs, therefore, mixed with various ingredients, it is often included in therapeutic regimens for ovarian disease, erosion, infertility. The use of the extract is also justified for preventive purposes, when there is a risk of recurrence of a female disease or rehabilitation should be completed after treatment.
For the impregnation of gauze swabs, only freshly squeezed (or stored no more than a day) vegetable gel is taken, which is prepared according to the recipe. Each time, the tampon is rolled up from a new section of a bandage or gauze, then dipped into a mixture and the tissue is allowed to become saturated with liquid, and then squeezed well.
It is better to introduce a tampon into the vagina before going to bed, lying down and relaxing the muscles of the pelvis. In the morning, the tourniquet is removed, and the vagina is well lubricated with a special emollient cream or fatty oil (coconut, sea buckthorn, olive). The duration of the preventive course is 9-10 days, treatment - two weeks.
Composition from ovarian cysts:
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of sea buckthorn oil pour into a container with 80 g of crushed wax;
- in a boiling water bath with constant stirring, the mixture is brought to uniformity;
- a teaspoon of fresh aloe vera juice is poured into a slowly boiling composition and a well-mixed raw yolk is introduced;
- after two minutes, the finished mixture is removed from the stove and filtered hot.
It is necessary to impregnate the swab with a warm medicine and immediately, without waiting for the product to cool completely, introduce a tourniquet into the cervix. After this, it is advisable to immediately go to bed.
Aloe in ophthalmology
The use of aloe vera for the eyes is due to its antibacterial and healing properties, as well as a high moisturizing and nourishing effect. The extract is successfully used for such pathologies as:
- cataract;
- redness of the eyes caused by weak vessels;
- swelling of the eyelids;
- cloudy lens;
- conjunctivitis;
- an allergic reaction to pollen or dust.
For the preparation of medicinal compositions, only the lower leaves of a three-year-old plant are used, which are kept in the refrigerator for two weeks and only then juice is extracted from them. It is impossible to dig in a pure concentrate in the eyes, otherwise there is a risk of getting a mucous burn.
The simplest recipe with tree-like aloe for the eyes is to dilute the squeezed and filtered juice with boiled or purified water at the rate of 5 ml of juice per 50 ml of water. You can apply it up to three times a day, dripping 1-2 drops in each eye.
With cataracts, the action of aloe juice enhances the mummy. To prepare the composition, 3 g of a resinous substance is dissolved in 80 ml of freshly extracted agave juice, the whole mixture is diluted with boiled water to obtain 700 ml of liquid. Bury the medicine in the eyes for a month, 3 times a day.
Aloe in Dentistry
Vitamin deficiency negatively affects the health of the gums - they become loose, which leads to bleeding of soft tissues and loosening of the teeth. To get rid of this problem, complex therapy is required - rinsing the oral cavity with medicinal compounds with aloe and regular intake of increased doses of multivitamins.
In order to restore the normal structure of the gum tissue, plant juice diluted with water 1: 1 is used. The same concentration of the substance can be resorted to with stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease. The low sensitivity of the oral cavity allows the use of undiluted agave juice or even chew whole leaves with the skin (after cutting the thorns).
In some cases of high complexity of the disease, periodontal disease or scurvy suggest compressing from finely chopped leaves of the plant. The course of treatment will depend on the degree of neglect of the pathology, but the procedure should be carried out every day, with an increase in time by an hour (in the absence of irritation). The maximum allowable time for a compress to be in the mouth is ten hours.
Aloe for youthful skin
By acting on the deeper layers of the epidermis, the biologically active elements of the agave extract increase blood microcirculation, improve intercellular communication, and accelerate tissue regeneration. The last property of aloe is especially relevant for people over 35 years old, because the natural functions of the skin at this age weaken and the first signs of aging are manifested.
Smoothing mask based on agave extract:
- fresh aloe juice - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- grated apple and avocado - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
- homemade sour cream - 1 tbsp. a spoon.
All mask components are mixed until smooth. The mass is distributed with a brush over the entire surface of the face and lasts 25 minutes, after which it is washed off with acidified water.
Mask from "crow's feet" at the outer corners of the eyes:
- aloe juice - 25 ml;
- unrefined olive oil - 10 ml;
- wheat germ oil or almond - 1/3 teaspoon.
Before mixing, the oil needs to be slightly warmed up, then quickly prepare the composition until it has completely cooled. Dip into the mixture of the fingertips and carefully, without stretching the skin around the eyes, apply a mask to the problem area. After 25 minutes, the substance is washed off.
Aloe Acne
The antiseptic healing properties of aloe vera have been used in the elimination of acne and comedones, as well as in the healing of acne scars and tissue regeneration after mechanical cleansing. You can use whole juice, applying it locally or on the entire surface of the face, and for a complex effect on problem skin, you can try multicomponent formulations.
For oily skin with large pores, a lemon-acne mask is suitable:
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped aloe pulp;
- egg white;
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
All components mix well and the mask is applied with a brush for 15 minutes, after which it is washed off with cool water.
Honey mask for roughened, tired facial skin with clogged pores:
- 2 teaspoons aloe juice;
- 1 teaspoon of liquid honey.
To enhance the softening effect in the mask, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of fatty fresh cream. The finished product is applied with a brush and held on the face until a crust forms, then washed off with warm water.
Aloe Against Hair Loss
Masks and rinses for hair with the addition of aloe juice stop seasonal alopecia and brittle hair rods, give the hair a healthy look, and activate dormant hair follicles. There are recipes for mild effects on the scalp, used as a prophylaxis aimed at treating severe problems.
Mask to stop natural hair loss:
- 20 ml of aloe juice or pulp;
- 1 tbsp. a spoon of honey;
- 2 raw yolks;
- juice from 5 cloves of garlic.
For long hair, the amount of all components doubles. After the ingredients are mixed until smooth, the mixture is distributed through the hair from the roots and along the entire length. Hair is picked up under a plastic cap and insulated with a turban from a thick towel. If there is no burning sensation, then the mask is aged 35 minutes, after which it is washed off with plenty of warm water with soap or shampoo.
Scalp Treatment
A mask that heals the scalp and stimulates onion activity:
- 0.5 tbsp. tablespoons of dry mustard;
- 1 tbsp. spoon - chopped aloe pulp, onion juice and liquid honey;
- 2 egg yolks;
- ampoule of vitamin B6.
All other ingredients are added to the honey heated to 30 ° C and, at the very end, mustard diluted with water to a pasty state. The mixture is intensively rubbed into the scalp and applied to the entire surface of the hair. The head is insulated with a plastic cap and a towel. It is recommended to keep the mask on your hair for half an hour, then rinse thoroughly in a large volume of water.
Top best aloe vera recipes
In oncology of any origin before radiation sessions:
- take 1 part of linden honey and 5 parts of agave juice, mix until smooth;
- means lubricate the desired area of the skin;
- the resulting medicine is stored at a temperature of 4 to 7 ° C for no more than five days.
In acute and chronic hemorrhoids:
- crush the flesh of an agave leaf without skin with honey and cow oil until a plastic mass is obtained;
- form candles from the resulting mixture and put them in the freezer for an hour;
- insert candles into the rectum twice a day.
When dropping hemorrhoid cones from a thick mixture form cakes and apply them in the form of a compress.
Contraindications
Aloe is not prescribed in any form during pregnancy and lactation, as well as with bleeding of any etiology (including monthly in women). Other contraindications to aloe vera are:
- renal failure;
- cholecystitis;
- any diseases of the acute phase of the course;
- the presence of polyps;
- chronic or acute cystitis.
It is undesirable to use preparations containing agave extract for children under 12 years of age and people over 65 years of age.