I got food poisoning this weekend from shell fish – ugh! I was so, so sick for almost 24 hours, but the one thing that I feel really got me on the path to recovery, is my trusty Aloe Vera Juice. So much so, that despite still feeling a little weak now, and sitting tucked up in bed with two smelly dogs, I felt compelled to write this little blog.
A few years ago, I got food poisoning from Collard Greens at Atlanta airport. I was trying to pick the only “healthy” veggie option in sight and two hours later got very sick on the plane, which resulted in me having to be taken off in a wheelchair! The next morning I spoke to a good friend, and natural doctor, who advised me to drink 2-ounces of aloe vera juice 3 X that day. The very next day, my system was back to normal and now I’m never without it in my home.
Most people think of aloe vera as a topical medicinal plant for burns and sunburn, but it’s so much more. Let’s start with the internal benefits. First off, if you’re sick like I was, or if you have IBS, aloe vera gel/juice soothes and coats the stomach and intestine, allowing for easy passage of what needs to be eliminated. It can also help with constipation, but shouldn’t be used for more than two weeks. It’s also great for hemorrhoids as when applied topically, it helps to sooth and shrink the inflamed tissue.
Aloe Vera juice/gel can also lower blood sugar, which can obviously be helpful in treating type 2 diabetes, although you should obviously consult a medical professional before going down this route. If you are hypoglycemic, you should probably avoid it. It also can be cleansing for the liver.
Aloe Vera juice is great for mouth and gum heath, which is why I gargle it before swallowing and use it to make my homemade mouthwash. When on the DIY route, you’ll also want to use it as a perfect astringent/toner too.
Aloe Vera gel is also a wonderful addition to skin care products. If I need to get made up with heavy makeup for a shoot, I always use Verabella’s Sunscreen Moisturizer in place of a primer because it keeps my skin soft and hydrated for hours. Actually, I cannot speak more hightly of the Verabella Products period! Once you try their Cucumber Aloe Moisture Screen (SPF 45) you’ll never look back. It goes on unlike any other sunscreen and smells incredible. It’s one of my favorite facial sunscreens. You could actually do worse than to order their “Just The Basics” bundle as it contains all my favorite Aloe Vera products including the Aloe Tea Tree Healing Gel, which is a must-have for every girls bathroom (perfect for shaving rash, breakouts and much, much more).
Just make sure that the Aloe Juice or Gel you buy is organic. Trader Joe’s carries a huge gallon size container of Aloe Juice for under 8 bucks.
Finally, if you live in the right climate, I highly recommend growing a few Aloe Vera plants. They are succulents, so do best in desert-like regions. I have one growing in a huge planter in my back yard, so if anyone gets burned, we just go break off a leaf and squeeze out the cool gel.
Ouch sorry to hear that! I had food poisoning from chicken at a restaurant so I know what you went through. I had no idea so if I had known you were coming down from sickness, I wouldn’t have bugged you to answer my question.