Aloe vera

Aloe goes by many positive names which have survived the thousands of years during which this amazing plant has benefitted mankind.

Aloe vera has a long history as a safe, effective medicine and skin care aid. For over 6,000 years, people have benefited from the remarkable relief that the plant can bring to a wide range of ailments. The ancient Egyptians used Aloe to help battle wounds and aid infections. Writings of the early Greeks show how they valued it for relieving blisters, burns and leg ulcers as well as bowel and stomach disorders.

Legend has it that Aristotle persuaded Alexander the Great to conquer the Isle of Socroto, to secure enough Aloe vera to benefit his soldiers’ wounds. Cleopatra relied on it for her unlined, youthful complexion, whilst the Chinese hailed Aloe as an elixir of youth. Aloe is also listed in St. John’s gospel as an anointing ingredient for the body of Christ.

Rediscovered

Doctors rediscovered Aloe vera in the 1930s, when it was found to benefit radiation burns due to X-rays, where other methods had met with little success. It did the same for atomic fallout victims a decade later, following the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings.

The plant’s clear, glassy leaf sap is used today to relieve ailments from insect bites, stings and sunburn to peptic ulcers, diarrhoea and stiff, painful joints.

 It is important to choose an Aloe product which is concentrated, pure, stabilised and preferably grown organically. Some products carry a label bearing an accreditation "Seal of Approval of the International Aloe Science Council". This seal guarantees those desirable necessities outlined above.