The technological or synthetic solution?
Each day, there is a technological or synthetic solution to most human problems. Yes, this is great and we have all enjoyed the benefits of products and machines that make life efficient. However, the need for more natural or organic based products has steadily increased. It turns out these synthetic products do more harm than good in the long run. As more people look towards nature to solve daily problems, plants like Aloe Vera become highly relevant.
Aloe Vera is widely known because it is easy to grow and nurture in any environment. It is identifiable by its green stems with spiky sides. The plant is hard on the outside but soft on the inside and this soft part is the Aloe Vera gel. The gel itself is as famous as the entire plant across industries. It has been discovered to contain most of the significant properties of the Aloe Vera plant.
The plant offers several benefits to almost every industrial sector and to health and living. It is used in skin care, dental care, and much more. In this article, we will discuss some unusual ways this plant can be useful to your life and home.
Hand Sanitizer
You can find a bottle or several bottles of hand sanitizer in homes, hospitals, and even offices. It is generally a trusted method to kill germs and prevent the spread of bacteria. Hand sanitizers are usually in form of a liquid and are used as an alternative to hand washing in certain situations. The hands typically carry between 10,000 and 10 billion germs each day. Most of these germs may not be harmful or strong enough to cause immediate health problems, but health practitioners always advise that these germs be reduced in number. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water is the ideal way to keep the hands clean. Using a hand sanitizer does not replace or eliminate this original method. The use of hand sanitizers only come in when soap and water are not available or to serve as a quick option.
A regular hand sanitizer is made up of the following:
Active ingredient
– which is usually alcohol because of its anti-microbial properties
Humectant
– These are ingredients that can attract moisture to keep the hands moisturized. They include ingredients like glycerin and propylene glycol.
Emollient and moisturizers
– This includes ingredients that help to make the skin smooth, firm, and moisturized while applying hand sanitizers. Aloe Vera and synthetic vitamin E are common options for this.
Other general ingredients are color and fragrance.
Aloe Vera can be used as a natural hand sanitizer because of its anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Most regular and synthetic based hand sanitizers are only able to eliminate bacteria but do almost nothing for virus and fungi. Aloe Vera is more gentle and effective than most commercial hand sanitizers. It does not leave out the fungi and virus population when it cleanses. It is also easy to create a DIY aloe Vera hand sanitizer. Here are a few recipes for aloe Vera hand sanitizer.
Gentle recipe convenient for use by children
You will need:
- Aloe Vera gel- ¼ cup
- Germ Destroyer Essential kids oil- 20 drops
Procedure
- Mix both ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a spray bottle. Use as needed.
Stronger recipe for everyone else
You will need:
- Aloe Vera gel- ¼ cup
- Rubbing alcohol- 1 tablespoon
- Tea tree essential oil- 10 drops
- Cinnamon essential oil- 10 drops
- Distilled water
Procedure
- Mix the aloe Vera gel and rubbing alcohol together in a bowl.
- Add the other ingredients, excluding distilled water.
- When the mixture has been properly stirred, add distilled water.
- Pour the final mixture in a spray bottle.
It is important to know that the fresh aloe Vera gel reduces the shelf life of this hand sanitizer.
As a shaving gel
A shaving cream or gel is a cosmetic cream applied to the body hair. It is mostly used for facial hair by men to facilitate the shaving process. A typical shaving cream froths to lubricate the cutting of hairs and desensitize the skin. There are several commercial shaving creams, but as is expected some are filled with chemicals the skin does not need. Many are also not as advertised and still leave the shaved area with bumps.
The good news is, you can use aloe Vera as a cost-effective, moisturizing, and efficient shaving gel. The gel texture of aloe Vera makes it a smooth lubricant for shaving. This also prevents bumps from developing. The anti-inflammatory properties of aloe Vera protect the skin from redness or any skin problems from shaving. It equally moisturizes the skin and keeps the shaved area healthy. Here is a simple recipe to get a homemade aloe Vera shaving gel.
Aloe Vera shaving gel 1
The ingredients you will need include:
- Aloe Vera – 1 cup of the gel or juice
- Citric acid- 1 teaspoon (optional)
- Vitamin E oil from sunflowers- 1 teaspoon
- Tea tree essential oil- 5 drops
- Lavender essential oil- 3 drops (optional)
Procedure
- If using the Aloe Vera gel, place the gel in a blender to break up the semi-solid parts and make it liquid. It will form a foamy liquid but the foam will settle down. If you have the Aloe Vera juice, you can skip this first part and move to step two.
- Pour the Aloe Vera juice or liquid now into a suitable jar. Mix in the vitamin E and essential oils.
- Don’t hurry to lather this on your face. Store the mixture in the refrigerator for 45 days.
- Use the Aloe Vera shaving gel after this time for all your shaving needs. You do not need to keep the water running during a shaving session with Aloe Vera gel. This shaving gel is emollient and can stay on the face until you are done with shaving.
Aloe Vera Shaving Gel 2 – Instant recipe for sensitive skin
The ingredients you will need:
- Aloe Vera gel– 2 tablespoons
- Tea tree essential oil- 2 drops
- Coconut oil–2 tablespoon
Procedure
- Mix all the ingredients in a small cup with your fingers.
- Use immediately by applying the shaving gel on the area you want to shave. Massage it in and start shaving.
- Wash off as normal.
A health benefits for asthma
Aloe Vera has several health benefits and one of them is a soothing relief for asthma. Asthma is a health condition described as the unusual narrowing of the airways followed by a swelling and the production of mucus. This leads to difficulty in breathing, coughing, wheezing, and more extreme cases of discomfort. Asthma attacks can interfere with daily activities and can also become life-threatening. The common treatments of asthma are medications and a bronchodilator or inhaler. These items always provide relief when an attack occurs and reopen the airways to normalize breathing.
Researchers have discovered Aloe Vera can be used as a home remedy or traditional way of combating asthma. It can be used during an attack or prior to the attack as a preventive treatment. Asthma is recognizable as an allergic reaction. The individual who suffers asthma most times reacts to an allergy or its presence in the environment. The allergy seems like an attack on the body which spurs the immune system to react. Aloe Vera acts as an immune modulator that can bring a provoked immune system back to a normal state. Its anti-inflammatory properties help the plant stop and soothe any inflammation developed from the attack. It is important to note that these benefits of Aloe Vera do not make it an immediate or emergency fix for an attack, it can be taken when other measures to stop the attack has been put in place. It can also be taken daily or regularly to help soothe and heal the body.
Aloe Vera is used as an asthma remedy in various ways.
One quick and convenient method is by drinking Aloe Vera juice. The juice contains different nutrients and helpful substance for all-around health and building the immune system. Aloe Vera can also be ingested as a supplemental pill. However, the pills do not offer the same benefits as the Aloe Vera juice. You can equally take 25ml of pure Aloe Vera gel three times a day for improvement in breathing. A strong remedy for relief quickly after an attack is to mix one tablespoon of pure Aloe Vera gel into boiling water and inhale its steam. The enzymes in the Aloe Vera become activated and have reparative effects on the internal tissue. It also stimulates the immune system.
We can do better…
To enjoy these qualities of Aloe Vera, you can purchase the Aloe Vera juice from the store. It is easy to use and makes all the properties available for your benefit. Stay updated with us to learn more about Aloe Vera.
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