Experiment with Aloe for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Experiment with Aloe for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Hippocrates was the first to write about the virtues of aloe vera, a succulent plant
believed to have existed in Africa for thousands of years. Over twenty years ago, N.
V. Gribel and V. G. Pashinski (1986) noted that the juice of the aloe vera plant
reduced tumor mass and metastases in rats. Interestingly enough, it is the special
sugars in the gel of the aloe vera plant that seem to embody the secret of its potency.

These sugars are called glyconutrients, and unlike simple sugars, such as table
sugar, they have no adverse effect on blood sugar. Potent enzymes produced from
these glyconutrients appear to boost lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell)
production, thus powering up the immune system. What’s more, aloe functions as a
first-rate antioxidant while protecting the all-important master antioxidant
glutathione (Norikura et al. 2002). Aloe vera is available commercially as a juice,
gel, or concentrated powder. But why not buy yourself a small aloe plant, scoop a
spoonful of gel from inside its prickly leaf, and add it to your smoothie?