Aloe vera – your ultimate winter companion for health
Aloe vera known as ‘the plant of immortality’ is often associated with warm-weather skincare such as sunburn relief and summertime hydration. However, this versatile plant has so much to offer us in the winter that we can add it to our daily health routine.
What is aloe vera?
Aloe Vera, a succulent, resilient perennial plant from the lily family, thrives in the arid regions of Africa, Asia, Europe, and America. Its lineage traces back millennia, revered by ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians. Aloe vera owes its therapeutic power to a rich array of active constituents, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals, anthraquinones, fatty acids, non-essential amino acids, saccharides and more. [i]
Aloe for winter hydration
During the winter, it is common to become chronically dehydrated as we opt for warming cooked meals, less hydrating snacks, less high-water-content raw foods, with longer hours spent indoors in heated homes and/or offices. We are less attracted to drinking water, too, instead having maybe 1 or 2 more teas and coffees than we should. This can all affect our immunity as it can dry out our epithelial tissues in the airways and lungs, and lessen our healthy mucous production which are both critical for protecting us from incoming pathogens.
Opting for herbal teas, veggie broths/soups, and sipping on warmer water infused with lemons/limes will bring much-needed hydration along with minerals. Aloe vera is a perfect hydrating plant as 99% of the gel is water, that can be included as a daily supplement for the winter months.
Winter skin
Our skin is the largest organ in communication with the environment, during the winter, most of it does not see the light of day as we are layered up. This can affect our Vitamin D production, which can influence mood and immunity and our skin’s ability to regulate oil production (sebum). [ii]
Low Vitamin D, warm heated rooms, cold air, humidity changes, warm cars and offices, and hot showers/baths can all affect the skin’s suppleness, which can lead to dry skin. When our skin’s barrier dries, we may experience flaky skin, rough patches, cracks, redness and itching.
Collagen is a vital protein that supports skin structure, elasticity, and moisture retention, helping keep our skin hydrated and plump all year round, especially in the winter. Nutrients such as Vitamin C are essential for collagen production, enjoying a daily drink of Aloe Vera can help boost our collagen Type1 which in turn, improves the appearance of wrinkles and skin elasticity. Sterols found in the Aloe plant have been shown to stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid production in the dermal fibroblasts which are the main cell types present in the skin’s connective tissue. Dubbed the fountain of youth, Aloe Vera can be an excellent way to hydrate and plump up the skin, especially during the winter.
Immunity
Our immune system faces more challenges in the winter, with the colder air, being indoors for longer and huddled more together without fresh air and natural light such as in schools, offices, public transport, shops etc it is no wonder we become more susceptible to colds/flu and other viruses.
In addition to a wholefood diet that excludes refined, processed foods and sugar we also want to support our immune system naturally. Many key nutrients such as Vitamin C, D, and Zinc are known to play a central role in the immune system, Zinc is crucial for normal development and function of cells mediating nonspecific immunity such as neutrophils and natural killer cells.
Aloe vera has remarkable immune supporting compounds from vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, phenolic compounds, polysaccharides, amino acids, carbohydrates and more that have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Acemannan is one of the key polysaccharides found in Aloe vera that directly engages with cells of the innate and adaptive immune system that can influence antigen presentation, T cell activity and antibody production that has been shown effective against several viral infections such as the influenza virus.[iii]
Aloe vera’s combination of immune-boosting, skin-soothing and hydrating properties makes it a perfect supplement for the winter. There are many ways to enjoy this ancient elixir such as –
- Mixing a shot of aloe vera with warm filter water, lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey
- Add to herbal tea with a dash of honey if desired
- Add to your favourite smoothie
- You could consider a winter wellness shot that includes aloe vera, ginger, lemon, honey and cayenne pepper (optional)
- Add to a warming soup
- You could add to your collagen powder to give extra skin nutrients
Whole leaf aloe vera
Many aloe vera juices are made from concentrated or freeze-dried aloe powder reconstituted and diluted with water, sweeteners, and artificial preservatives which we want to avoid. Instead look for organic whole leaf aloe vera where careful de-pulping and cold filtration processes extract the whole-leaf aloe juice and all its bioactive phytonutrients, whilst removing the impurities, fibre and unwanted aloin latex fraction.
References
[i] Darzi S, Paul K, Leitan S, Werkmeister JA, Mukherjee S. Immunobiology and Application of Aloe Vera-Based Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 8;22(4):1708. doi: 10.3390/ijms22041708. PMID: 33567756; PMCID: PMC7915752.
[ii] Russell M. Assessing the relationship between vitamin D3 and stratum corneum hydration for the treatment of xerotic skin. Nutrients. 2012 Sep;4(9):1213-8. doi: 10.3390/nu4091213. Epub 2012 Sep 4. PMID: 23112909; PMCID: PMC3475231.
