Health Remedies: Aloe Vera and Gastrointestinal Problems

Aloe vera plants

The book of Sirach of the Old Testament writes, "God makes the earth yield healing herbs which the prudent man should not neglect" (Sirach 38:4).  God created everything for our good. Even though His Divine Majesty made us "little less than God" and yet He has "crowned man and woman with glory and honor" says very beautifully Psalm №. 8. Therefore, God has provided us life tools to stay healthy, vibrant and realise our full human potential. You become what you eat! When food is consumed according to our personal physiological needs acts like a medicine balancing our metabolism and promoting vitality. Unfortunately, our bodies grow weaker and vulnerable as years are added to our age or age is added to our years! Our human machine gets old without much to our notice. Therefore time to time we need to do the servicing. In this context, I would like to share something I have been experimenting with myself.

In my previous post, I wrote on Kashaya in Times of Corona. One idea leads the other. Readiness to the new horizon opens up to fresh possibilities and brings us vital knowledge. Many suggested to me that the juice of Aloe vera is beneficial to fix the gastro-intestinal problems and helps in treating cancer. Many thought that I am suffering from cancer even though I was not. Often people don't ask the patient what s/he is suffering from. The genuine concern and interest of people should be appreciated but not always. People visit the patient with presumptions and advice a number of medicines or names of doctors and hospitals without ever having taken those medicines or seen that doctor or hospital. I have a blogpost that I wrote quite a while ago on A Few Titbits While Dealing With a UC or Cancer Patient.


Working with Aloe Vera

Whatever I write here are my personal experiences with Aloe vera. I can not give you a clinical guarantee about what I write here. Ony you, your composition and God are the guaranteers of your life. 

No doubt, Aloe Vera has a lot to offer in fixing a number of health issues. While recovering from Ulcerative Colitis (UC) a lay friend of mine in Rome suggested prepared Aloe vera juice from the Forever company. I took it on an empty stomach in the morning. It did very little to alleviate the symptoms of my UC. Only back in Bangalore in 2017, I tried with Aloe vera juice in order to help myself as I was left with very few options in front of my aggravating conditions with UC. What I did was I took out the pulp of the Aloe vera leaf, put it in a mixture grinder, added a teaspoon of turmeric powder and drank on an empty stomach. I thought that taking even the skin of the Aloe vera leaf along with pulp would help in treating the intestinal bleeding with a hope that either it should heal or kill. Only relief that I noticed was it gave some kind of soothing effect to my gastrointestinal tract. So I felt quite good until the lunch time. However, Aloe vera would not heal my illness.

Benefits of Aloe Vera

However, I have been taking the Aloe vera juice since my operation in 2018 with a view that Aloe vera has anti-cancerous ingredients. Due to excessive and prolong infection, body can develop cancer. Secondly, I take Aloe vera juice 2-3 times a week on an empty stomach. The day I take this juice I feel very energetic and fresh. The juice has the capacity for improving the general well being and self enhancement. I am also of the opinion that Aloe vera juice can help in fixing the problems caused by Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The common symptoms of this disorder affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, burning sensation, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. Such a disorder in your gut leads to mood disorders like depression or anxiety. This in reverse could make IBS worse. The nerves of the gut and the mind are interconnected very strongly. IBS is a chronic condition that will affect the well being of the person in the long run.

Here are my suggestions to help you in case you have the symptoms of IBS, body heat, ulcers in your stomach or mouth, gastritis, gastrointestinal inflammation, mood disorders, etc. A healthy tommy gives you a happy time as well. I believe in experimenting even though getting and preparing Aloe vera takes time, energy and even the willingness to drink as this is not a  pleasant juice to your taste buds.

Method and preparing juice

Prepared Aloe vera juice with honey

Please remember that the older the plant is better the result. Plants over 4-5 years have better therapeutic ingredients in their leaves. 

Take a mature Aloe vera leap, remove the thorns from the side, slice the leap and placing it on a plate scoop the pulp using a spoon. Put the pulp in a mixture and two spoons of natural honey and grind it for some time. Pour it in a glass and drink early morning on an empty stomach. Give at least one hour before you go for breakfast or morning coffee.  If you like add half a tea spoon of turmeric powder  to the Aloe Vera juice during its preparation as it contains the antiseptic properties. Try this at least thrice a week, either continuous three days or giving a gap of one day.

Other helps

Aloe vera pulp also helps in easing the burns caused by the hot water, surface, or fire. The pulp of the Aloe vera takes away the scars of wounds, or patches caused by the pimples on your face. This also helps in hair dressing. There are other uses of Aloe vera for many other issues like, jaundice, diabetes, liver, arthritis, eyes and ear infections, wounds and cuts, in acne and removing your makeup, improve your hair, get rid of dandruff, enhance your complexion, etc. However  many tend to warn you that taking Aloe vera causes cold. But my experience has shown that this is absolutely a wrong conclusion given by the lazy folk who don't take Aloe vera.

Please note that Aloe vera does not function instantly. It takes time, your patience and perseverance. In order for the treatment to be effective, you ought to continue for at least a few weeks. Homemade remedies work differently in comparison to conventional medicine. The alternative medicines do not present side effects on your health as the allopathic does.

Let me conclude once again with the words of Sirach:
"By them [doctors] he [God]  heals and takes away pain;
the pharmacist makes of them a compound.
His works will never be finished;
and from him health is upon the face of the earth" (Sirach 38:7-8).

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

11 September 2020