HOW CAN ALOE VERA JUICE HELP BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?
Living in the twenty first century, our body's immune systems are under ever increasing stress from any number of invasive foreign chemicals, nutrient depleted foods, and immune damaging infectious agents. It has become essential to control and prevent the inevitable progression of destruction of the immune system caused by these stresses, if we wish to maintain optimal health.Therapy must involve all levels of health, diet and lifestyle and encompass these different areas:
- destruction of pathogenic organisms,
- metabolic detoxification,
- intestinal cleansing,
- increasing cellular metabolism,
- antioxidant agents to combat free radicals,
- and direct stimulation of immune system cells.
The most common and striking similarity in those suffering with immune depressive conditions such as Epstein-Barr virus, chronic fatigue syndrome, systemic candidiasis, HIV infection and others, is the high incidence of digestive dysfunction and maldigestion, which produce several effects that all contribute to stress on and weakening of the immune system.
When consumed food is not properly broken down into the elemental building blocks that the body needs to repair itself and to generate the energy necessary for metabolism, maldigestion results. This creates a a kind of starvation at cellular level where all tissues suffer malnourishment, leading to decreased effectiveness of all internal chemical processes. Included in these processes are the breakdown and transport of toxins out of the cells, the movement of nutrients into the cells and energy production for cell functioning.
All the cells in the body are affected, including those of the immune system, such as both the white and red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout the body. So now the body not only lacks enough fuel, but it is also low on oxygen.
Cellular starvation is not the only thing that causes immune depression. Maldigestion also results in food remnants becoming irritants and causing inflammation of the mucosal wall of the intestines. Pathologic reactions release many powerful enzymes and damaging chemicals, injuring the intestinal wall and causing increased intestinal permeability when foreign proteins of digested food can leak across the into the lymphatic channels of the intestinal wall and from there, gain access to the circulatory system.
Cells of the immune system recognize these absorbed proteins as foreign and attack them. The total result is that the immune system is constantly turned on and draining down like a battery. The more these allergic reactions to food breakdown products continue, the faster the cells of the immune system wear out. They run out of fuel and simply aren’t reproduced in sufficient numbers.
It is clear that all these processes work together in weakening the immune system and that many mechanisms are orchestrating them. Unless all these mechanisms are targeted and therapies applied to each component of the immune system, the body is in a downward spiral to death.
Fortunately Aloe Vera has been shown to play a key role in addressing a thoroughly multidimensional treatment protocol that encompasses all these issues, boosting immune functioning on many different levels. Aloe polysaccharides have been shown to act as potent anti-inflammatory agents, while at the same time boosting the immune system functioning.
Fortunately Aloe Vera has been shown to play a key role in addressing a thoroughly multidimensional treatment protocol that encompasses all these issues, boosting immune functioning on many different levels. Aloe polysaccharides have been shown to act as potent anti-inflammatory agents, while at the same time boosting the immune system functioning.
Not only does Aloe Vera help to normalize gastrointestinal wall structure and function and therefore stop the viscous cycle of immune system damage, it also has a direct effect on the cells of the immune system, increases the number of and activates the intensity of macrophages, monocytes, and T-cells and increases the number of antibodies forming B-cells in the spleen. Aloe Vera keys the activation of the macrophages which are active in boosting cell-mediated immunity – found deficient in HIV infection and other immune disorders.Research has proven Aloe Vera’s direct virucidal, bactericidal, and fungicidal properties, helping to control Candida and restore the normal gastrointestinal bacterial flora. It has also been found that aloes polysaccharides improve the elimination process to move allergenic proteins from the small intestine into the colon, help to normalize gastrointestinal wall structure and function and stop the viscous cycle of immune system damage.
Aloe polysaccharides protect the bone marrow from damage by toxic chemicals and drugs.
Aloe Mucopolysaccharides, the long chain sugar, interjects itself into all cell membranes resulting in an increase in the fluidity and permeability of the membranes allowing toxins to flow out of the cell more easily and nutrients to enter the cell. Results are in improved cellular metabolism throughout the body and an overall boost to energy production. The vicious cycle of maldigestion and cellular starvation is finally broken as the Mucopolysaccharides normalize absorption of nutrients and increase tolerance for allergenic foods (from detoxification). The immune system is now stronger, under control, and better prepared for any new threat.
Altogether this increases the effectiveness of the entire immune and repair system of the body.
Aloe Vera Juice Stimulates Immune Response Against Cancer: Aloe juice may help prolong survival time and stimulate the immune system of cancer patients. An experiment on human cancer cells (outside the body) found that high doses significantly suppressed the growth of these cancer cells. Researchers writing in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy found that a compound (lectin) from aloe, when injected directly into tumors, activated the immune system to attack the cancer. Killer T cells, white blood cells that bind to invading cells and destroy them, began to attack the tumor cells injected with lectin. Aloe switches on the immune system by activating macrophages (white blood cells which "swallow" antigens), causing the release of immune-activating (and anticancer) substances such as interferons, interleukines, and tumor necrosis factor. In addition, aloe promotes the growth of normal (non-cancerous) cells, researchers said.
- Aloe and Cancer
Dr. Lawrence G. Plaskett, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry among many other academic distinctions, states "The action of substances in Aloe vera does activate and intensify the immune response, and this constitutes one of the fundamental scientifically established actions of Aloe upon the body."It is in the boosting of the immune system's response to antigens (foreign elements in the body) that Aloe Vera has shown the most promise in treating cancer. Although no one is yet proposing that Aloe Vera is a cure for cancer, it is clear from research conducted throughout the world over the past thirty years that Aloe Vera and, in particular, certain specific substances in the plant - have very dramatic and impressive anti-cancer effects. Aloe Vera has been demonstrated to enhance the immune system's response to cancer, promote the growth of new and healthy cells, and reduce the overall viral load within the body thereby revitalizing the body in its fight against the cancer. http://www.cancer-coverup.com/fighters/aloe-cancer.htm - Reduces Blood Sugar in Diabetes
Aloe reduced the blood sugar levels in diabetics, as reported in Hormone Research. Five patients with adult (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes were given 1/2 teaspoon of aloe extract daily for up to 14 weeks. Blood sugar levels were reduced in all patients by an average of 45%, with no change in their total weight. - Curtails HIV Infection
In a study in MolecularBiotherapy, HIV-1 cells were treated in vitro with a mannose extract - one of the sugars in aloe. The Aloe slowed virus reproduction by as much as 30%, reduced viral load (the total amount of the virus), suppressed the spread of the virus from infected cells and increased the viability of infected cells. - Alternative Medicine, The Voice of Alternative Medicine® (issue 28, March 1999). - Supports surgical recovery, decreasing recovery time, according to a report in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology.
- Helps heal wounds faster, relieving itching, swelling and pain. It is anti-bacterial and anti fungal, increases blood flow to wounded areas and stimulates fibroblasts (the skin cells responsible for for wound healing http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/06/020627005856.htm
- Improved bowel function
Relieves irritable bowel, reduces diarrhea, increases energy. - Improved blood sugar regulation in non-insulin dependent diabetics
Reduces non-insulin dependent diabetic’s blood sugar levels an average of 45%. - Reduces pain and swelling in arthritis sufferers
Reduces auto-immune response often present in some forms of arthritis and reduces inflammation, which in turn reduces pain. - Improved immune system function
For all illnesses that compromise the immune system, including cancer and HIV, ingestion of aloe appears to assist with bolstering and improving the immune system. It also improves the immune system function in healthy individuals. - Anti-oxidant properties
There is evidence that Aloe Vera has anti-oxidant properties that assist in protecting the body from free radicals, thus reducing the risk of developing a variety of health problem. - Heals Psoriasis Lesions
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in Tropical Medicine and International Health, 60 patients with chronic psoriasis were given a 0.5% Aloe Vera extract in a mineral oil creme. The ointment was applied three times daily for five consecutive days (15 applications total per week) for four weeks. When patients were checked after eight months, far more psoriasis skin lesions had healed in the aloe group (82.8%) than in the placebo group (7.7%). Further, 83.3% of the aloe group were considered cured of their psoriasis compared to only 6.6% of the placebo group.Aloe Vera appears to have healing properties on a number of internal systems as well as those in animals. Studies have proven the effectiveness in using Aloe Vera (both externally and internally) for helping to heal animals.
