One of the many root imbalances when it comes to digestive issues is excessive heat in the body. Heat is produced from a number of causes such as chronic anger, irritability, and even tot warming of foods like coffee and cooked foods.

Looking at the body from a Chinese Medicine perspective, heat is really a sign of inflammation. Excessive heat can cause a number of inflammatory issues like IBS, IBD and even a number of skin disorders.

According to Chinese herbal medicine, aloe has a cold and bitter nature, allowing it to drain fire and unblock stool. Because of its cold nature, aloe addresses constipation associated with heat.

Signs of heat include:

  • Irritability
  • Restlessness
  • Insomnia
  • Red eyes
  • Headache or dizziness
  • Bleeding gums
  • Excessive sweating
  • Heart burn

If you notice any of these signs heat imbalance then one of the simplest things you can do is to make some easy dietary adjustments. Over all, I would recommend consuming more cooling foods such as raw vegetables, green smoothies, fresh berries while also cutting back on hot foods like peppers, coffee, chocolate, and over all cooked food (some light cooking is fine).

Amongst the many cooling foods, Aloe vera is King. It is a succulent plant. It grows all over the globe and is actually quite famous for its powerful medicinal benefits. I have a blog HERE where you can read more about Aloe.

Extracts of aloe have shown to have incredible benefits on improving signs of Alzheimer’s disease and some forms of dementia.. Additionally, it does numbers for repairing the body. It contains essential amino acids, natural steroidal compounds, and all the building blocks for tissue such as MSM, sulfur, silicon, and a variety of minerals.

One of the most common ways to use aloe is straight from the plant. Slice open a leaf, and you’ll find a slimy, clear ‘filet’ that can be eaten as is or blended into smoothies. I use this stuff on my skin and it does magic for reducing fine lines and smoothing the skin. It makes a great over all natural beauty care product. However, my favorite way to use this is to throw it into a green smoothie. You won’t even taste it, yet your body will thank you immensely.

3 AMAZING ALOE VERA HEALTH BENEFITS

Here are my 3 favorite reasons I love aloe:

  1. Aloe Manages Blood Sugar. Aloe vera in a smoothie will quench and cool in the hot summer season. Aloe vera can balance blood sugar, regulate a leaky gut, and ease constipation. Type 2 diabetes is marked by inflammation, obesity, and insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that allows sugar molecules to enter the cell. When cells are insulin resistant, they no longer respond to insulin—this means that these cells starve and even die.
  2. Aloe Can Repair a Leaky Gut. Aloe has renowned benefits for reducing markers of inflammation in the colon, or large intestine. It sends signals to the immune system that regulate inflammation and kick-start inflammatory pain or hypersensitivity. Inflammation is what ultimately makes gut tissue permeable or leaky. The inflammation is often a byproduct of poorly digested food, stress or bacterial overgrowth. In all cases, Aloe can help. It can balance gut flora, improve digestion and sooth inflamed digestive tissues.
  1. Aloe Improves Elimination. Aloe has a long history as very medicinal plant including use in traditional Chinese herbal medicine and Egyptian Medicine – so it’s been well used for over 5,000 years! In Chinese herbal medicine, aloe is an herb used to address constipation and parasitic infection, which are major root issues of digestive problems.  Aloe has a natural and subtle purging nature which relieves constipation. Additionally, aloe feeds healthy gut bacteria that then metabolize plant chemicals found specifically in aloe vera to improve elimination. Poor elimination is the major cause of toxic build up as the digestive tract is the number 2 detoxification pathway next to the lungs.

ALOE DREAMS GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Aloe vera’s cooling and cleansing nature makes it a refreshing addition to any diet. Aside from the benefits mentioned, aloe is a supreme anti-aging and immune enhancing food, making is appealing to everyone. In this recipe, I throw in the addition of coconut water kefir and Vitality SuperGreen, two of my favorite “super foods” that profoundly upgrade the nutritional and healing qualities of your regular green smoothie.

I enjoy Vitality SuperGreens as my go-to greens formula because of the medicinal aloe extract, patented glutamine, probiotics, enzymes, adaptogens and the taste is hands down the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve had A LOT of greens powders before. This recipe will surely energize you while cleanse and cool the body.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Here’s how you make it:

  1. First, filet your aloe leaf by cutting in half and scooping meat out with a spoon. Be sure to scrape the sides clean.
  2. Simply add your liquids into a Blendtec, add your other ingredients, blend until smooth and enjoy!

Categories: Nutrition, Recipes