Personal Care and Healthy Living

The aloe vera plant…

The amazing aloe very plant

Found this juice recipe I wanted to share it with all of you. I have personally tried it but without the aloe pulp; however, adding this miracle plant to the mix wouldn’t only help your skin but also would be very beneficial to your overall wellbeing. If you haven’t learned what aloe can do for you, take a look at the link I provided below or you can do your own research. You will be amazed of the many benefits and uses this plant possess. You can buy the aloe leaf at your local health store or you can grow it at home (like I do) and have it available at your convenience to suit all your home made remedy needs. So next time you go to Home Depot, Lowes or your local nursery, ask for this amazing plant and bring it home with you. You will not regret it!  Have a blessed day my friends! Love and blessings, Ms. Jeannie.
Raw Clear Skin Juice Recipe
2 Carrots
1 Cucumber
3-4 stalks of celery
1 large piece of Aloe (slice open and scrap the inside to put through juicer)
1 inch knob of Ginger root
3-4 leaves of dandelion

Top 12 Benefits of Aloe Vera

Author: Laura Dawn

Source: www.sacredsourcenutrition.com

 

Here is a list of the Top 12 Benefits and Medicinal Uses for Aloe Vera:

1.  Aloe Vera Is High in Vitamins & Minerals:

Aloe Vera contains many vitamins including A, C, E, folic acid, choline, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6. Aloe Vera is also one of the few plants that contains vitamin B12.

Some of the 20 minerals found in Aloe Vera include: calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, manganese.

2. Aloe Vera is High in Amino Acids & Fatty Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are about 22 amino acids that are necessary for the human body and it is said that 8 of these are essential. Estimates of the amino acids found in aloe range from 18-20 amino acids, with all 8 essential amino acids.

Aloe Vera also includes quite an impressive range of fatty acids. Aloe contains three plant sterols, which are important fatty acids- HCL cholesterol (which lowers fats in the blood), campesterol, and B-sitosterol. All are helpful in reducing symptoms of allergies and acid indigestion. Other fatty acids include linoleic, linolenic, myristic, caprylic, oleic, palmitic, and  stearic.

3. Aloe Vera is an Adaptogen

Aloe Vera is a well-known adaptogen. An adaptogen is something that boosts the body’s natural ability to adapt to external changes and resist illness. It is thought that aloe’s power as an adaptogen balances the body’s system, stimulating the defense and adaptive mechanisms of the body. This allows you an increased ability to cope with stress (physical, emotional and environmental stress like pollution)

4. Aloe Helps with Digestion

Poor digestion is related to many diseases. A properly functioning digestive tract is one of the keys and foundations of health. Aloe is known to soothe and cleanse the digestive tract and help improve digestion. The interesting thing about taking aloe internally is that, because it is an adaptogen, it helps with either constipation or diarrhea, helping to regulate your elimination cycles in whatever way you need.  It’s been a great remedy for people with problems such as irritable bowel syndrome as well as acid reflux. Aloe also helps to decrease the amount of unfriendly bacteria and in our gut keeping your healthy intestinal flora in balance. Aloe is also a vermifuge, which means it helps to rid the body of intestinal worms.

5. Aloe Helps in Detoxification

Aloe Vera is a gelatinous plant food, just like seaweeds and chia. The main benefit to consuming gelatinous plant foods in your diet is that these gels move through the intestinal tract absorbing toxins along the way and get eliminated through the colon. This will help the proper elimination of waste from your body and help the detoxification of your body.

6.  Aloe Alkalizes the Body

Disease cannot manifest in an alkaline environment. Most people are living and subsisting on mostly acidic foods. For great health, remember the 80/20 rule – 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic. Aloe vera is an alkaline forming food. It alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits

7. Cardiovascular Health

There hasn’t been a lot of studies conducted in this but there has been some research to show that Aloe Vera extract injected into the blood, greatly multiplies the oxygen transportation and diffusion capabilities of the red blood cells.

According to a study published in the 2000 issue of the British Medical Journal, beta sitosterol helps to lower cholesterol. By regulating blood pressure, improving circulation and oxidation of the blood, lowering cholesterol, and making blood less sticky, Aloe Vera juice may be able to help lower the risk of heart disease.

8. Aloe Helps Boost the Immune System

I think given the stresses of our daily lives, everyone can use a boost to their immune systems. The polysaccharides in aloe vera juice stimulate macrophages, which are the white blood cells of your immune system that fight against viruses.

Aloe is also an immune enhancer because of its high level of anti-oxidants, which help combat the unstable compounds known as free-radicals, contributing to the aging process. (Free radicals are a bi-product of life itself, it is a naturally occurring process but we can overload ourselves with unnecessary free-radicals by living an unhealthy lifestyle) Aloe is also an antipyreticwhich means it used to reduce or prevent fever.

9. Aloe Vera is Great for the Skin

Because of aloe’s well-known healing properties for the skin, aloe is one of the primary compounds used in the cosmetic industry. It is a known vulnerary, (meaning it helps heal wounds) and is great for applying topically to burns, abrasions, psoriasis and even to bug bites. Aloe acts as an analgesic, acting to help relieve pain of wounds. It’s feels especially good to cut a stem of aloe, place it in the fridge and rub it on sun burnt skin – the immediate soothing effect feels like an absolute lifesaver. Aloe is also an antipruritic: A substance that relieves or prevents itching. Aloe Vera is an astringent: which causes the contraction of body tissues, typically used to reduce bleeding from minor abrasions.

Due to aloe’s high water content (over 99% water) it is a great way to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin and fits within my general guideline: “Don’t put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t eat!” Aloe increases the elasticity of the skin making it more flexible through collagen and elastin repair. Aloe is an emollient, helping to soften and soothe the skin. It helps supply oxygen to the skin cells, increasing the strength and synthesis of skin tissue and induces improved blood flow to the skin through capillary dilation.

10. Disinfectant, Anti-biotic, Anti-microbial, Germicidal, Anti-bacterial, Anti-septic, Anti-fungal & Anti-viral:

Wow, I think that covers all anti- bases. Okay, I admit, that was just a sneaky way to add in another 8 good reasons why you should keep Aloe Vera handy and incorporate it into your lifestyle. Aloe Vera’s active ingredients are sulphur, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, urea nitrogen and phenol which are substances that prevent the growth of disease-causing microorganisms and act as a team to provide antimicrobial activity thus eliminating many internal and external infections, also active against bacteria. It also helps to treat fungal and viral infections.

11. Aloe Helps Reduce Inflammation

Aloe Vera contains 12 substances, including B-sisterole, which can help to slow down or inhibit inflammation.  This may be able to help with painful joints due to stiffness and help improve joint flexibility.

12. Weight Loss – A Secondary effect

Improving your digestion, and detoxifying your will have a secondary effect in promoting weight loss because when we start to improve our digestion we naturally eliminate more efficiently, which is a primary way they we detoxify – through our bowels. This will lighten our toxic load on the body and will give us more energy.

To learn more about the Aloe Very health and topical benefits please visit Laura Dawn at www.sacredsourcenutrition.com.  I have read a lot of her articles and always enjoy them very much:-)

The healthy and “kids friendly” juice recipe…

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ENGLISH/ESPAÑOL

The healthy and “Kid-Friendly” juice recipe

I decided to call this juice recipe “Kid-friendly” because my daughters don’t hesitate or give me any trouble when it’s their time to drink a full glass of it.  They actually love it.  Not only is it packed with a significant amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but it also taste really good.  Try it yourself and you will see!  Here is a picture of my loving daughters Alexandra and Andrea ready to drink their healthy juice:-)

2 apples

2 large celery stalks

1 lemon

4  to 5 kale leaves

2 handfuls of spinach


La saludable y “kid-friendly” receta de jugo

Decidí llamar esta receta de jugo “kids-friendly” porque mis niñas no vacilan o me dan ningún problema cuando les toca tener que beberse su vaso lleno de este jugo.  A ellas de por cierto les encanta.  No solamente está repleto de una cantidad significativa de vitaminas, minerales y anti-oxidantes pero también sabe muy rico.  ¡Trátalo por ti mismo y ya veráz! Aquí les dejo con una foto de mis dos adoradas niñas ya listas para beberse su jugo saludable:-)

2 manzanas

2 tallas largas de apio

1 limón

4 ó 5 hojas de col rizada

2 manos llenas de espinica