Aloe vera is a natural medicinal supplement used as an herbal medicine for skin infections and burn healing. In North America, aloe vera is widely available in various forms. In Africa, India, and Asia, the aloe vera plant is widely used, so processed versions of an aloe vera supplement are tougher to find in stores. There are four basic ways to use an aloe vera supplement: in gel, pill, juice, or unprocessed forms.
Aloe vera gel is a main form of the supplement used in North America to treat the skin. It provides immediate cooling relief to burns. It comes in a tube similar to a sunscreen container. This is the easiest form of aloe vera supplement to find. It’s widely available in pharmacies, convenience stores, and grocery stores.
The aloe vera plant is also available as a pure plant, completely unprocessed. This is the freshest form of aloe vera but requires some preparation before it can be used. You must strip away the outer layer of hard skin to reveal the usable part of the plant. The inside of the plant is moist, extremely slippery, and neutral in taste.
Anyone can apply unprocessed aloe vera directly to the skin. It works for burns, gashes, and cuts, cooling to relieve pain. You can also consume it orally to treat throat and stomach irritation, acid reflux, and indigestion. Be sure to peel all of the outer skin off of the plant as it is extremely bitter to the taste.
People use unprocessed aloe vera widely in African and southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. As the aloe vera plant is so easily available in Southeast Asia, it is actually difficult to find in stores, especially in juice form. Most residents grow it on their own.
You can use an aloe vera supplement in pill form as a digestive aid. Most herbal medicine shops or organic food stores carry it. You can also use it to help strengthen immunity. Many frequent users of the pill form take it after a meal.
Aloe vera juice is much harder to find in major stores outside of the Western world. In North America, the supplement aloe vera juice is available in organic food stores, health food stores, and some major grocery retailers. You can use this form of aloe vera supplement soothe your throat and esophagus. It can relieve inflammation and irritation.
