There are numerous health benefits of Aloe Vera, both for humans and animals. I began learning about the benefits when, as an absolute sceptic, I was given a tub of Aloe drinking gel and told it might help my dog’s arthritis.

While I didn’t see how it could help Sam, when his vet had been unable to help him, I was by then willing to try anything. So I poured the gel over his food as directed and awaited developments. Not that I expected any!

But as it was my daughter who had given me the Aloe Vera I felt obliged to open my mind at least to some degree.

When, after just over two weeks, Sam – a Beardie – had a spurt of energy and began bounding over the moors opposite our home on legs that appeared far less stiff than recently, I decided it must be a coincidence. This could have nothing to do with the Aloe drink … could it? Or perhaps all along I had imagined the stiffness.

But I hadn’t – and deep down I knew that. Besides, there were plenty of people (including my daughter, of course!) on hand to exclaim over the changes in Sam. His vet was one such person who was totally bemused at first.

Over time, though, when the improvements in Sam continued, the vet and I both decided this was worth looking in to. So look in to it we did, discovering en route that the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has the Aloe Vera plant depicted in its coat of arms!

Apparently, back in 1844 when veterinary schools were granted a royal charter, Aloe Vera played a large part in animal treatment.

This discovery, along with his own findings while researching Aloe, led the vet to start distributing these products himself, so that all his patients could benefit. I meanwhile was discovering that humans benefited too. How had I found this out? Why, by drinking some of Sam’s Aloe!

To be strictly accurate, I had known all along that the daughter who introduced Sam and me to the drink had found it helpful for her IBS. However, back then I was not at all open to it actually having helped. My mind was so closed that I tended to dismiss ‘alternative medicine’ as a load of ‘mumbo jumbo’.

Now, though, like Sam I had boundless energy and felt fitter than I had felt for years. I was finding out too that drinking Aloe Vera Gel helps the digestive process and absorption of nutrients, while also adding vitamins, minerals and amino acids to the system.

It seems to be generally accepted that Aloe Vera is a natural healer that balances the immune system and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. So it makes a great nutritional tonic for better health and wellbeing.

Of course it can be applied topically as well as taken internally and has become a popular ingredient in a wide variety of skin creams, as well as soaps, shampoos, deodorants, tooth gels, detergents, heat lotions, sunscreens and so on. But Aloe needs to be the main ingredient if real benefits are to be achieved.

I’ve seen some wonderful results with psoriasis, eczema, acne and other skin conditions when ‘Sam’s Brand’ of Aloe is taken internally and also applied topically. It is considered important to tackle such problems from within as well as from without – thoroughly cleansing the system.

Since our skin is our largest epithelium, which includes our gut lining, bronchial tubes and genital tract, it is not surprising that Aloe Vera works just as well on damaged skin as, for example, on asthma or an inflamed bowel.

So what’s in Aloe Vera Gel to make it so invaluable? At least 75 known ingredients that can be divided into these groups:

Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Sugars, Enzymes, Plant Sterols, Saponins, Lignin, Anthraquinones and Salycylic Acid.

This rich cocktail of nutritional elements work together as a team – synergistically. With its nutritional qualities plus antioxidant properties, Aloe Vera can help prevent injury to epithelial tissues as well as help promote healing if they are damaged.

Antioxidants battle against the destructive \’free radicals\’ that our metabolism produces and that are also found in environmental pollutants. On top of contributing toward the aging process these are thought to cause a number of ailments including some cancers.

Distinguished Doctor Peter Atherton, MB, ChB, Dobst RCOG, FRCGP, gives his TOP 10 Reasons to drink Aloe Vera Gel in this order:

1. A general tonic for good health
2. A useful source of vitamins
3. A useful source of minerals
4. Anti-inflammatory and painkilling effect
5. Antiviral activity
6. Increases the activity of fibroblasts
7. Effect on the skin
8. Effect on gut flora
9. Assists in healthy digestion
10. Effect on the gut

To obtain the best health benefits of Aloe Vera, it is important when buying drinks to remember that the label \’Aloe Vera juice\’ can be quite misleading – and that the product may contain only a small proportion of actual inner leaf gel.

Much has been said and written about \’whole leaf Aloe\’ and many people believe that this is better than just the inner Gel. They are helped in their belief by labelling that strongly suggests \’whole leaf\’ is best.

But is it more effective? Not necessarily! Consider the evidence:

Essentially, the Aloe leaf has four layers:

Rind (a hard layer 15 cells thick)
Sap (high in anthraquinones – powerful laxatives)
Mucilage (acts as barrier, keeping the inner gel very sterile)
Gel (where the leaf stores all its 75 nutrients)

So, if the area is at all polluted, or if chemicals (herbicides, pesticides etc) have been used on the Aloe plants during the four years they took to mature, which part of the leaf will these have reached?

The rind, for sure – and maybe the sap to a lesser degree. Well, it is in the rind that the synthesis of all the plant\’s nutrients occurs, while the sap is Aloe\’s circulation system where materials move up to the leaves and down to the roots. The mucilage, holding the plant together, is high in polysaccharides – including the immunomodulator, acemannan.

\’Whole leaf Aloe\’ uses all four layers, which are then filtered and often concentrated via a heat process.

I leave you to judge for yourself whether this is better than just using the inner Gel!

Which brings me to the next relevant question regarding health benefits of Aloe Vera – Gel or Juice? My personal choice is always a Gel in preference. And if it has been naturally stabilized, without heat treatment, filtering or diluting, I prefer it all the more!

Here\’s a test for you to try: shake a bottle of Aloe Juice and then shake a bottle of Aloe Vera Gel. Better still – shake them simultaneously! That will tell you whether the Juice has been diluted, which is usually the case.

It\’s worth bearing in mind that under some countries\’ packaging laws there can be as little as 15% Aloe Vera content and manufacturers are still allowed to call it 100% Aloe Vera Juice, after the addition of water. A Gel must contain more than 90% Aloe Vera!

It certainly pays to check the quantity and quality of aloe in the product before purchasing.

A good way to do this is look for an Aloe Vera that has the International Aloe Science Council\’s Seal of Approval stamped on its bottle or tub, and preferably one that also has Kosher Rating and the Islamic and Halal Society\’s approval.

If PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) approve too, then you\’ve truly found an Aloe that could be right for you. Better still if it comes with a 60-day Money Back Guarantee, so that you can have a refund if it doesn’t deliver health benefits of Aloe Vera!

Author Bio: Pamela Glynn is the owner of My Aloe Vera, a website offering you a wealth of information about Aloe Vera as well as about an outstanding work from home opportunity. To be kept updated with the latest Aloe news you’re invited to subscribe to her Aloe Vera Blog. FREE Aloe Brochure. FREE online videos. Plenty of Special Aloe Offers

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: health benefits of aloe vera, healing benefits of aloe, health benefits of aloe