Nature’s Wonder Plant

I consider this the mama plant of the Burnam St. Aloe Veras.

At the '89 Telluride Bluegrass Festival I received a horrible sunburn--a  scalding that only can be acquired in the mountains at 70 degrees while listening to bluegrass music with no sunscreen.  I returned home sporting a wicked, blistering, infected sunburn. At work, another waitress asked if I had used Aloe. Thinking she would bring a bottle of light green gel, she rather broke off a stick of an Aloe Vera plant. As she rubbed it in my wounds, I honestly could see my skin repair itself in motion. I became an Aloe Vera loyalist.

Fast-forward 20 years. I always keep live, fresh Aloes around my house and re-pot babies to give to Aloe-less friends. It’s my go-to treatment for a burn, cut, or an insect bite. Since last fall I gave a passing thought some experimentation. The results could make Aloe life-changing for me . . . Aloe Vera appears to be a very effective treatment for psoriasis! I’ve suffered from this auto-immune disease since third grade. The medical establishment told me then and consistently since that there is no cure. I’ve bought ridiculously expensive prescription steroid creams, bathed in pounds of salt water, taken medication and shots, stood on my head (kidding, are you still reading?) and stayed up-to-date with pharmacology relating to psoriasis treatment. One month of experimentation with Aloe has yielded improved skin, money in the pocket, less itching, and a question if I missed my calling as a plant scientist (says the woman who always wants to reinvent herself). Regardless, I'll be ready for Spring fashion and skin when that sacred time of year rolls around.

These are NOT my legs but it provides a good visual of what my elbows looked like before and after my Aloe Vera experiment. My psoriasis has always been the worst on my scalp and then my elbows. I've had bloody elbows resulting from a good game of tennis more than a few times. The search for this picture actually made me feel like a lucky lady! Google  Image Psoriasis and you will know what i mean. I could have it much worse but that really isn't a comfort!