Turmeric is a popular spice for a variety of reasons. It is not only good for flavoring Indian dishes, but also for medicinal purposes. Turmeric is well renowned for its ability to fight infections and reduce inflammations as well as for treating neurological problems, stomach problems, skin problems, and even cancer. Today, turmeric is recognized as one of the most powerful healing herbs on the planet and you can buy it everywhere – it comes as a paste, a tablet, an ointment, and a powder.
Aloe Vera is also recognized as one of the most powerful healing plants on the planet. Aloe is an herb (yes, it is an herb) that is well known for its anti-aging, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe Vera is native to Africa and it is often used for anti-aging and skin brightening as well as to fight acne, burns, dry skin, and skin inflammation. Aloe Vera can be found as a gel, capsule, paste, lotion, or liquid. Aloe Vera is composed of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and salicylic acids, all of which combine to make Aloe Vera the powerful skin-healing agent that it is.
The beneficial effects of turmeric and aloe vera are well documented and can be explained by the various physical properties that each of these ancient herbs bring to the table. The use of these two super stars of healing is not new, but their use for wound healing are now becoming more and more common and more available, not to mention more popular, for use in many mainstream over-the-counter medications. This proves not only the effectiveness of these herbs but also demonstrates that major companies will listen when the public demands natural healing products. They may be slow to react, but where there is a demand in the market, there will be some company out there ready to fill that demand – we just have to make our demands heard.
Aloe vera and other plants and their extracts have real potential to heal and regenerate lost skin tissue. Turmeric contains curcumin (diferuloyl methane), which is effective for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. A 2003 study titled “The Efficacy of Indigenous Medicines in Wound Healing”, which was published it the Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, showed that curcumin was able to effectively treat wounds in laboratory rats very efficiently. Furthermore, in Africa, aloe vera is very often referred to as the “lily of the desert,” which essentially shows that it was considered the plant of immortality. Aloe Vera also has a deep history. Since 1500 B.C. in Egypt, it has been used to treat burns, wounds, and ulcers. How exactly does Aloe Vera work? A big part of its effectiveness stems from the fact that it forms a protective coat on the skin that speed up the healing process beneath. However, the real proof is in its long history of use in so many parts of the world.
Aloe vera and other plants and their extracts have real potential to heal and regenerate lost skin tissue. Turmeric contains curcumin (diferuloyl methane), which is effective for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. A 2003 study titled “The Efficacy of Indigenous Medicines in Wound Healing”, which was published it the Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, showed that curcumin was able to effectively treat wounds in laboratory rats very efficiently. Furthermore, in Africa, aloe vera is very often referred to as the “lily of the desert,” which essentially shows that it was considered the plant of immortality. Aloe Vera also has a deep history. Since 1500 B.C. in Egypt, it has been used to treat burns, wounds, and ulcers. How exactly does Aloe Vera work? A big part of its effectiveness stems from the fact that it forms a protective coat on the skin that speed up the healing process beneath. However, the real proof is in its long history of use in so many parts of the world.
One recent and amazing study published in 2015 in the Horizon Journal of Medicinal Plant Research showed just how remarkable the effectiveness of aloe working synergistically with turmeric can really be. The research study sought out workers suffering burns caused by corrosive chemicals that they had been exposed to by their employers, and sought to find how best to treat these individuals using many traditional, homeopathic, and modern pharmaceutical medications.
Corrosive chemical agents added to our water, diet and environment can lead to irreversible skin damage including ulcers, scabs, skin pigmentations and bleeding to an unsuspecting public. The problem is most serious with those forced to handle the dangerous substances regularly. Some such pollutants such as SO2 (sulfur dioxide), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), CO2 (Carbon dioxide) and others, can burn skin and actually kill living tissues on contact. Luckily, aloe vera and turmeric have many amino acids and carboxylic functional groups that can work to neutralize skin and act as anticorrosive protectants. The study, conducted by Rajesh Kumar Singh, showed that Aloe Vera-turmeric gel relieved swelling and healed corrosive skin faster and more effectively than any other compounds tried. In the study, the Aloe Vera-Turmeric gel was applied at different concentration levels and on different time intervals to try to find the optimal use of the gel. The results showed that Aloe Vera acted to protect the skin surface while the turmeric acted as both filler and a form of pigmentation that effectively treated skin that had been corroded by flue gas, sewage, and waste. The study also showed that turmeric obstructs the porosities of the Aloe Vera gel by controlling the aggression of corrosive pollutants and by slowing down the skin corrosion reaction. Ultimately, the study concluded that application of the Turmeric and Aloe Vera gel minimizes the corrosion rate of skin. Yet, while Aloe Vera and Turmeric are effective healers, it would still be best if human beings were not forced to be exposed to these harsh, corrosive, chemicals. But that is another article!
Corrosive chemical agents added to our water, diet and environment can lead to irreversible skin damage including ulcers, scabs, skin pigmentations and bleeding to an unsuspecting public. The problem is most serious with those forced to handle the dangerous substances regularly. Some such pollutants such as SO2 (sulfur dioxide), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), CO2 (Carbon dioxide) and others, can burn skin and actually kill living tissues on contact. Luckily, aloe vera and turmeric have many amino acids and carboxylic functional groups that can work to neutralize skin and act as anticorrosive protectants. The study, conducted by Rajesh Kumar Singh, showed that Aloe Vera-turmeric gel relieved swelling and healed corrosive skin faster and more effectively than any other compounds tried. In the study, the Aloe Vera-Turmeric gel was applied at different concentration levels and on different time intervals to try to find the optimal use of the gel. The results showed that Aloe Vera acted to protect the skin surface while the turmeric acted as both filler and a form of pigmentation that effectively treated skin that had been corroded by flue gas, sewage, and waste. The study also showed that turmeric obstructs the porosities of the Aloe Vera gel by controlling the aggression of corrosive pollutants and by slowing down the skin corrosion reaction. Ultimately, the study concluded that application of the Turmeric and Aloe Vera gel minimizes the corrosion rate of skin. Yet, while Aloe Vera and Turmeric are effective healers, it would still be best if human beings were not forced to be exposed to these harsh, corrosive, chemicals. But that is another article!
Turmeric and aloe vera has proven to be natural herbs that cure many skin illnesses in repeated tests. It has been known for ages that the minerals, vitamins and amino acids in these herbs help to cure inflamed skin, lessen swelling, heal wounds, and even relieve corroded skin. But what new research is discovering is that when two amazing herbs like turmeric and aloe vera are combined, the results are nothing short of astonishing! Even corroded skin can be revitalized by this dynamic duo. The studies not only show that these herbs are effective, but they also give insight into how to optimize these herbs for the best benefits. Even more incredibly, there are few, if any, side effects associated with the usage of turmeric or aloe vera in any of these studies.
Turmeric has repeatedly proven to be powerful when applied to the skin, but has also been tremendous as an anti-inflammatory when consumed internally, be it in supplement form, or better yet, in the more natural “as a part of a meal” form. Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that Bioperine, which is an extract found in black pepper (the pepper is used in many meals where turmeric is present), increases the absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has significant effects on inflammatory markers in the body, thereby assisting the body in reducing inflammation overall.
Turmeric has repeatedly proven to be powerful when applied to the skin, but has also been tremendous as an anti-inflammatory when consumed internally, be it in supplement form, or better yet, in the more natural “as a part of a meal” form. Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that Bioperine, which is an extract found in black pepper (the pepper is used in many meals where turmeric is present), increases the absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has significant effects on inflammatory markers in the body, thereby assisting the body in reducing inflammation overall.
Over the next couple of Phytonutrient Friday posts, I will be looking more in depth at this dynamic duo of the herbal medicinal world. The simple fact is that turmeric and aloe turn the entire drug-based medical model on its head. Instead of causing far more side effects than therapeutic ones, as is the case for most patented pharmaceutical medications, turmeric and aloe offer hundreds of potential side benefits, having been empirically demonstrated to positively modify over 160 different physiological pathways in the human body. I hope you will check back with me to discover just how amazing these two gifts of nature truly are!
By the way, you may want to grow your own Aloe, it is simple and easy to grow. Not to mention that it is a wonderful thing to have on hand!
Happy Gardening!!
By the way, you may want to grow your own Aloe, it is simple and easy to grow. Not to mention that it is a wonderful thing to have on hand!
Happy Gardening!!
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