Aloe Vera

The Sooth Operator

Aloe is a cactus like plant that produces in both a gel and latex form. Its healing benefits range from being an anti-infammatory to healing your skin (in a range of ways). It has such a calming effect which is why I call it the sooth operator. Through ingestion it works to calm the many issues that can be happening in your body. I started incorporating aloe into my diet for both of the aforementioned as I struggled with inflammation and severe eczema. Although I know the recommendation is to purchase the leaf and scrape the gel out to add to your diet, I actually used it in liquid gel form (which was the best option for me). I use the Realfood Organics brand and it has worked great.

I took aloe consistently for two months by adding about 1/4 of it to 16 oz of water every day. Almost immediately I began to see the eczema clear. This is a big deal considering the severity of it. I have had eczema my whole life, but nothing like what was occurring at this stage. The toxicity of where I was with my thyroid and the various other symptoms was showing how ill I was on the inside. The eczema patches on my body appeared to be more of thick scab and they were all over (my back, my button, and the lower part of my arm) which were not the typical places I am used to getting eczema (i.e., behind the knee and in the bend of my arms). 

After one week I began to notice clearing and by the end of the month the scabs were gone but I still had the marks of where they had been. It has been about four months in total now and the markings are completely gone. I still have a little amount that can slightly be seen on my arm but overall my skin has improved drastically. I was suffering from what I found to be called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) - and the kicker is it is a result of gluten allergy! Who knew! That is a whole other blog that is coming soon.

Overall, aloe has been an amazing addition to my diet. My knee was swollen as a result of inflammation and it went down, my skin started to heal and no longer appeared extremely dry, and my hair started to look healthy as opposed to extremely dry and brittle - all benefits that aloe vera provide. 

Be well!

*As a reminder, I am not a medical or health professional so please make sure you consult with your physician before incorporating new supplements into your diet.*