Julia Lawless - Aloe Vera - Natural wonder cure

While the authors of this work have made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this book is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publication, medical and pharmaceutical knowledge is constantly changing and the application of it to particular circumstances depends on many factors. Therefore it is recommended that readers always consult a qualified medical specialist for individual advice. This book should not be used as an alternative to seeking specialist medical advice, which should be sought before any action is taken. The authors and publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors and omissions that may be found in the text, or any actions that may be taken by a reader as a result of any reliance on the information contained in the text, which is taken entirely at the reader’s own risk.

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Published by Thorsons 2000

© Julia Lawless and Judith Allan 2000

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Source ISBN 9780722538241

Ebook Edition © AUGUST 2014 ISBN: 9780008105778

Version: 2014-09-16

To DR HAMISH ALLAN MBE

for his infinite kindness to all living beings

ALOE VERA

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Preface

Introduction

Part One: Botanical, Historical and Cultural Origins

The Aloe Vera Family Tree

Myth, Legend and Folklore

Traditional Uses

The Age of Discovery

Part Two: Modern Times: Aloe Vera’s Medical Uses

20th-century Advances

Aloe Vera as a Wound-healing Agent

Skin and Hair Care

Anti-inflammatory Properties

Aloe Vera and the Immune System

Part Three: Aloe Vera in the Home

Safety Data

Dosage and Quality Control

Growing Your Own Aloe Vera Plant

A—Z of Natural First Aid and Home Treatments

Part Four: Further Information

The Chemical Composition of Aloe Vera

References

Bibliography

Useful Addresses

Acknowledgements

Other Books By

About the Publisher

ALOE VERA

I have always had a great love of plants, especially aromatic herbs and those species which have medicinal qualities. Aloe vera is not only an easy and extremely decorative plant to grow at home, it is also one of the most versatile and potent natural remedies available.

Aloe vera’s freshly cut leaves have enormous value as a home treatment for a wide range of common complaints, and this adaptability is reflected in the ever-expanding range of Aloe vera products which can be found on the market today.

I myself have experienced the dramatic healing potential of aloe in relation to skin care. Having suffered from an allergic skin rash for several months and trying a number of different natural treatments without success, the condition cleared up in less than a week after daily application with Aloe vera gel! I have come across numerous personal accounts of a similar and even more startling nature, where Aloe vera was able to bring about a seemingly miraculous recovery when all other medicines had failed. It is no wonder that one of the folk names for this remarkable plant is ‘Miracle Worker’!

In writing this book I have been extremely fortunate to have been working with Judith Allan as co-author. Having grown up in southern Africa, one of her earliest recollections was of her grandfather’s sub-tropical garden. He was a collector of cycads as well as rare and giant aloes. On his death the collection was presented to the Durban Botanic Gardens. A crane was even employed to lift and transport them to their new home!

Judith says:

My grandfather’s garden was like a jungle: an everlasting source of wonder to me as a child. My mother inherited his love of plants and was a very gifted gardener. I grew up in a household where plants and medicine held sway. My father was a Scots GP, who despised the drug companies and their representatives and always talked of the importance of Nature in healing. In his day holistic medicine was still suspect. Were he alive today, he would have shown considerable interest in healing plants.

My first personal encounter with the marvellous healing properties of Aloe vera was in 1989. Bob Geldof had relaunched himself as a singer, following years of association with Live Aid. I was working for his manager at the time. One of his first London concerts was at the Town and Country Club. The day of the concert saw him huddled in a corner, suffering from a heavy cold and a croaking voice. At 2 o’clock that afternoon I gave him a strong dose of Aloe vera , plus some bee propolis. He shouted his familiar expletive at the bitterness of the juice! That evening he was able to perform with only the very slightest hint of huskiness in his voice.

My second encounter with the healing properties of Aloe vera was later that year with an outstanding Englishwoman who stayed with me as my guest. She had lived for 18 years in a cave in India, meditating high in the Himalayas, and had now returned to Britain. Years of living in a cold cave and enduring snowy winters at 13,200 feet had taken their toll and she suffered seriously from arthritis, to the point where it was extremely painful for her to walk even a few hundred yards. Her English name was Diane Perry; her adopted Tibetan name on becoming a mendicant nun was Tenzin Palmo.

As she was in so much pain, I gave her Aloe vera juice regularly. After a couple of months her condition had considerably improved. I continued to send her bottles of Aloe vera at her request once she returned to Italy. Combined with a careful diet, she is now free from arthritic suffering. Where she was once hardly able to walk up the street, she now travels and lectures worldwide, leading a very active life.

A strange and synchronous event occurred while writing this book. Dr Maikov had sent me a book from Moscow in Russian on Aloe vera . I asked a Russian friend, Natasha Hull (née Vassilieva) to translate the book orally for me. When I mentioned Professor Filatow and his pioneering work on Aloe therapy in Russia, she leapt up in amazement. ‘You don’t mean the great Filatow. My grandmother was his favourite student!’ I am very grateful to Natasha for her invaluable help.

It is our wish that this book will prove useful and inspirational, and that people everywhere will be able to benefit from this truly remarkable plant.