Individuals who have used aloe vera for diabetes treatment have been pleased to discover that it actually helps lower blood sugar levels. Another benefit of using this substance for diabetes, however, is that it also helps lower cholesterol as well as assists in wound healing. As a common diabetes home remedy, the aloe vera plant has been used for years in parts of Africa, Mexico, Afghanistan, India and Canada. Widely supported by holistic experts promoting natural treatments, multiple scientific studies also support claims that using aloe vera for treating diabetes is effective.
Sometimes referred to as lily of the desert, burn plant or elephant’s gall, the aloe vera plant is known to retain significant amounts of water in its leaves. This succulent plant also contains glycoproteins, which help eliminate inflammation and pain in the skin. Aloe vera also contains polysaccharides, which assist in skin repair. Due to its natural anti-inflammatory properties, the juice or gel of the aloe vera plant is also commonly used in over-the-counter lotions and creams that promote wound healing.
In type 2 diabetic patients, when the gel or juice from the aloe vera plant is consumed, blood glucose levels tend to lower. Some use the gel or juice produced by aloe vera for diabetes treatment without any other medications. Others use it in tandem with other medications prescribed to control blood sugar levels. Although aloe vera has an anti-diabetic effect, most experts agree that individuals under a doctor’s care should only use aloe for diabetes treatment with their doctor’s knowledge.
As one of the most commonly accepted herbs in modern society, aloe vera for diabetes is a natural treatment that has been in use in many parts of the world for multiple generations. Aloe has several other uses, however, which may also be of benefit to those living with diabetes. For example, in studies of individuals with non-insulin dependent diabetes, those who use aloe vera for their diabetes have not only experienced significant drops in blood glucose levels, but have also found that aloe vera often helps lower unhealthy cholesterol levels as well.
People with diabetes sometimes also suffer from slow wound healing. The anti-inflammatory properties contained in the aloe vera plant, however, are also helpful in this area. By applying the gel from the aloe plant directly to a wound, the skin’s healing process is naturally supported.
Available in several different forms, treatments using aloe vera for diabetes are quite simple to make at home or can be purchased over the counter. The gel or juice from the plant can be easily gathered by opening the plant’s leaves and mixed with other fruits and vegetables. Aloe vera products are also sold in the form of tonics, juices, creams, gels, ointments, lotions and tablets at most health food stores, which makes aloe vera treatment quite accessible to most.