Aloe Vera and high Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

According to the World Heart Federation there are at least 970 million people worldwide who suffer from high blood pressure. The World Health Organization estimates that this figure will rise to 1.56 billion adults by 2025 !

Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure with which the blood is pumped through the arteries as the heart pumps the blood through the body. If the blood pressure is elevated over a longer period of time, it can damage the body by affecting the heart, kidneys, blood vessels and other parts of the body. Given that there are usually no signs or symptoms, it is advisable to check the blood pressure even when a person feels fine to prevent possible damage to vital organs. Some people experience headaches, dizziness or a feeling like a coffeine surge if their BP is too high. 

Blood pressure is measure in 2 numbers, the systolic (top number) is the pressure when the heart beats whilst pumping blood, whilst the diastolic or bottom number refers to the pressure between beats when the heart is at rest.  

The normal blood pressure for a a healthy adult aged 18 and older should be less than 120/80 for both numbers. Prehypertension, or slightly raised blood pressure is between 120 to 139 for the top number or 80 to 89 for the bottom number.

The next 2 stages of high blood pressure are 140 to 159 for the top number or 90-99 for the bottom number, whilst the 2nd stage refers to a top number of 160 or higher or a bottom number of 100 or higher. 

A person's blood pressure changes all the time. During sleep, the blood pressure drops and it rises again when a person wakes up. Other reasons for rising the blood pressure could be excitement, fear, nervousness or activity. Blood pressure also tends to rise as we get older and a healthy diet and lifestyle is of vital importance to prevent high blood pressure. 

If the BP is elevated above the normal levels over a prolonged period of time, it can cause the heart to enlarge or become weaker. This can lead to possible heart failure as the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to maintain the body's needs, but it can also lead to the formation of aneurysms, i.e. an abnormal widening or dilation (like a balloon) in the wall of an artery due to a weakness in the wall of the blood vessel. As the aneurysm grows, the risk of rupture becomes greater and can lead to severe hemorrhages and even sudden death.

High cholesterol levels mean that there is a build-up of fats (lipids LDL or 'bad cholesterol') on the inside walls of the blood vessels. When the vessels are restricted and the BP is too high, it can lead to kidney failure, stroke, heart attack, amputation or blindness depending on the location and type of ruptured blood vessel. 

The best prevention for high BP is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoiding 'bad cholesterol', reducing stress, exercising and being well balanced emotionally. There is a large variety of BP-reducing medications on the market but always seek a professional medical opinion before purchasing any medications. 

As a prevention for high BP, one of the best natural remedies is Aloe Vera obviously in combination with a healthy lifestyle!  

So why exactly is Aloe Vera beneficial to prevent high BP? 

The synergy of ingredients of Aloe Vera and the way they interact with each other is what makes this plant so unique and gives it its healing effects.  One of the compounds in Aloe Vera is Acemannan, a D-isomer mucopolysaccharide (a major carbohydrate) that has immunostimulant, antiviral, antineoplastic and gastrointestinal properties. Its immunostimulant properties help boost the immune system and  reduces inflammation and free radicals, which improves oxygen supply.  

The body's cells receive oxygen from the arteries in the lungs that branch out into smaller and smaller blood vessels until they turn into tiny capillaries (the smallest blood vessels). It is there where the oxygen passes over into the cells. Poor eating habits, environmental pollution and stress and increased physical effort weaken the immune system so that free radicals make the body more susceptible for micro inflammations to occur throughout the body that can damage blood vessels and lead to a thickening of the fine capillary walls. If the capillary walls are thickened,  the flow of blood slows down, hence limiting the oxygen supply.

Aloe Vera

The latest studies have revealed that taking Aloe Vera in conjunction with other natural substances can improve this effect even further. Silicon, Evening primrose and alkaline minerals together with Aloe Vera can be absorbed much faster into cells than any other known substance.  

Stinging Netlle

Silicon is a base material necessary for cell growth, it stabilizes the tissue, strengthens bones, hair, nails, connective tissues and the walls of the capillaries. With age the walls of the blood vessels have a tendency to lose their form and resilience, i.e. they can collapse and interrupt the blood flow, which in the worst case scenario can lead to stroke or heart attack.

Silicon is a base material necessary for cell growth, it stabilizes the tissue, strengthens bones, hair, nails, connective tissues and the walls of the capillaries. With age the walls of the blood vessels have a tendency to lose their form and resilience, i.e. they can collapse and interrupt the blood flow, which in the worst case scenario can lead to stroke or heart attack.

Evening Primrose

Aloe Vera reduces the swelling on the capillary walls so that the blood cellls can flow normal again and the improve the body's oxygen supply. By doing this it also removes toxins and impurities more quickly.

Silicon strengthens and supports the capillary walls and thereby keeps the blood flow open which results in improving the oxygen supply. Silicon cannot cannot be absorbed by the human body in its original form, however, there are natural alternatives as for example stinging nettle which is rich in silicon.  

To achieve optimum oxygen supply also depends on the condition of the blood itself. Only when the blood is liquid enough can it pass through the narrow capillaries. Evening Primrose has polyunsaturaded fatty acids and basic alkaline minerals which thin the blood and prevent clotting of the blood and therefore improve the blood flow. The Alkaline minerals support the elasticity of the red blood cells by helping them to pass through the tiny capillaries more quickly and therefore improve blood flow. 

The combination of Aloe Vera, Silicon, Evening Primrose and the alkaline minerals improves the oxygen supply through Aloe Vera's decongestant effect whilst the Silicon strengthens the capillary walls and leads unrestricted blood flow, whilst the alkaline minerals reinforce both.

Aloe Vera and Hair Growth

Healthy hair is not something to take for granted. Millions of men and women worldwide suffer from hair loss, an itchy scalp, dandruff, hair thinning, dry or greasy hair, etc. 

There is a wide spectrum of reasons for any of the conditions. Some are the result of a bad diet, stress, as a secondary result due to various illnesses, hormones,  eczema, age, etc. 

Its not just a sign of vanity to want healthy hair, its an outward sign that we are healthy and that we take care of ourselves. Of course there is a potion for everything but for those more inclined to go natural and organic, Aloe Vera should be on the list as one of the top natural cures. Some of the best high-quality organic Aloe Vera supplements on the market are Aloe Vera and Aloeride. 

Many commercial hair and beauty products contain Aloe Vera, due to the fact that manufacturers have come to recognize Aloe Vera's beneficial properties, including Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E and over 20 essential minerals and enzymes that are required for hair growth and healthy hair. 

a) healthy hair, b) slightly raised cuticles,
c) severely raised cuticles, d) almost torn cuticle,
e) torn cuticle, f) knotted cuticle, g) damaged hair shaft 

Aloe Vera balances the scalp's ph-level and regulates the hair's sebum (an oily substance secreted by the hair glands). Excessive amounts of sebum easily attracts dirt particles, which together with the sebum will block the pores (seborrhea) and consequently restricts new hair growth and promotes partial baldness. 

Aloe Vera's antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties thoroughly cleanse the scalp, eliminate any dry skin particles, protect the scalp from bacteria and toxic substances and thoroughly moisturize the scalp whilst maintaining a natural balance. 

The result is an improved circulation of the scalp, which in turn leads to healthier hair, less thinning and more rapid growth. 

The results can be even more dramatic by further enhancing the circulation with a scalp massage, for example Indian Head massage. 

Alopecia Areata

The plant's anti-pruritic properties also reduce itching and dryness and have proven to be extremely beneficial for conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema, redness, scaling, itching and inflammation of the scalp. According to the Archives of Dermatology, over 80% of psoriasis patients showed improved skin and scalp when treated with Aloe Vera. 

Using Aloe Vera in hair products is also beneficial for women who use hair colorings, styling aids (hair dryers, curlers, hair irons, etc.). Aloe Vera gives the scalp some protection from harmful substances used in various hair products, such as bleaching agents, extreme heat and it also reduces swelling, redness and burns (applies to extreme heat when blow drying the hair or using hair irons or curlers that irritate the scalp).

Aloe Vera gel also has a similar composition to keratin, a protein that occurs naturally in hair cells, which means that the nutrients of the plant are absorbed evenly from the shaft of the hair to the tip of the hair. Aloe Vera contains lignins, one of the main building blocks of cellulose and is proven to penetrate the skin up to 7 layers deep, more than any other known substance. Given that the scalp is even more absorbent than the skin, it is self-explanatory that minerals and vitamins are absorbed faster and more profoundly and that ammonia-free hair colorings with Aloe Vera are gentler on your scalp and lead to a richer, more evenly distributed hair color. 

Given that beauty also comes from the inside, the best results are achieved when Aloe Vera is used as a topic, i.e. as an organic shampoo, conditioner or gel that can be massaged into the scalp  in combination with taking Aloe Vera Juice, Gel or capsules. 

In India for example many women also take organic silica in conjunction with Aloe Vera as they believe it adds further strengths and thickness to the hair and although there are no existent studies that prove this theory most Indian women seem to have very healthy and thick hair... Of course it goes without saying that a healthy diet also enhances the benefits of using Aloe Vera.

Top 10 Benefits of Aloe Vera for Hair:

• maintains the skin's and scalp's natural ph-level 
• relieves itchy scalps
  
• reduces redness and inflammation of the scalp
• promotes hair growth,
• penetrates 7 times deeper into the scalp and hair,
• it allows vitamins, minerals and other supplements within the Aloe Vera to be absorbed faster and more profoundly
• moisturizes the scalp 
• alleviates dandruff
• strengthens the hair
• adds a lustre shine to the hair 

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia is hair loss or baldness from the head and/or body and can have many causes, such as fungal infection, compulsive pulling, traumatic damage, iron deficiency, as a result of radio or chemotherapy, hormonal imbalances after pregnancy and so on. Androgenic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss and is caused by an underlying susceptibility of hair follices to androgenic miniaturization. It affects around 70% or men and 40% of women at some stage during their lifetime.  

There are various types and severities of Alopecia and although Aloe Vera has been beneficial for all types of Alopecia due to its large spectrum of properties, in severe cases of Alopecia where there the follicles do not contain hair anymore (see below), the only options currently available are hair transplants or using wigs as the hair follicles have been completely destroyed.