Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is an excellent treatment for skin conditions such as burns and eczema, but it can also be taken internally. Some of my smoothie recipes contain one or more teaspoons of fresh raw Aloe Vera.

I have a whole Aloe Vera family on my balcony happily growing at almost 30 stories high, in the middle of Tokyo. No matter what season it is, this powerful plant seems to survive rain, snow, typhoon storms and heat, including direct sunlight. I have been including Aloe Vera in my diet for almost twenty years and there is much more to it than just eating it.

The leftover skin can be perfect for treating little spots or wrinkles on one’s face. It soothes sunburn and helps heal cuts, scratches and little wounds.

Method

  1. To trim an Aloe Vera plant properly use a sharp knife.
  2. Remove one of the outer leaves, which are the oldest and contain the most gel.
  3. Wash your Aloe Vera leaf under running cold water and pat it dry, before cutting off the thorny edges.
  4. Whatever is leftover can be stored in a ziplock bag or airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
  5. I like to prepare Aloe Vera in advance for medical use, so I freeze the Aloe Vera in an ice cube tray.
  6. In this case, I will just cut the leaf into strips first and halve them into cubes, leaving the skin before freezing them.
  7. Whenever there is an emergency they are ready to be used.
  8. Otherwise, remove the skin and cut the raw Aloe Vera into cubes.
  9. Put them in an airtight glass container and just add them to juices or smoothies.
  10. If your leaf is very small you can cut it into halves, and using a teaspoon remove the raw Aloe Vera.
  11. Keeps fresh for up to a week.

 

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