We tend to take aloe vera for granted around the Costa Blanca, because it grows like weeds, but a couple of things happened last week that reminded me just what a treasure trove of healing this plant is. We have a big aloe vera plant which takes pride of place in our courtyard, and it's just come into flower. The timing couldn't have been better, because we're off to the UK next week, and I'd hate to have missed it.
Some friends were over on holiday, and it was their last day, so their teenage son had rather overdone the sunbathing, and you could easily have fried eggs on his back. While they were admiring our plant, I suggested they take a leaf from it and apply the gel directly to the sunburned area, and repeat the process several times until the heat and soreness had gone.
With the first application, he remarked that it felt better already. By the time they left for their flight, he was much more comfortable, and even better, the prompt treatment with aloe vera gel meant he didn't peel afterwards.
A couple of days after that, I developed the biggest spot you've ever seen, right in the corner of my mouth, on my chin. Being me, I couldn't resist squeezing it and generally mucking around with it - it's one of the few pleasures left in life when you turn 60 and you have three types of arthritis. Of course, that meant the already huge zit had spread across half of my face, and we have my niece's wedding to attend next week.
I have Lupus, which means I don't heal very quickly, and short of hiding at the back when the group photos were taken - which my brother wouldn't have liked - I couldn't think of any way to avoid unwelcome exposure. I treated Tony's suggestion that I should buy a pretty paper bag to co-ordinate with my wedding outfit and wear it over my head for the day instead of a hat with the contempt it deserved.
Then I had a lightbulb moment. I picked another leaf from the aloe vera plant, and rubbed the gel on the spot every time I used the bathroom. Four days later, it's practically gone, and my good looks are restored. Tony's looking over my shoulder as I type this and asking 'What good looks are those then?' He's very brave in front of witnesses, but he'd better be very afraid when I finish this post.
I also remember last summer when I had a particularly nasty mosquito bite which made sitting down very uncomfortable. I gave the bite the aloe vera treatment, and the relief was almost instant.
I know you can buy preparations with aloe vera gel as the active ingredient, but for me, nothing beats the real thing, and of course, it's free, once you've paid for the plant. We didn't even do that - we dug one up from the waste ground while we were out walking. It was a baby when we adopted it, but now it's on its third pot, and soon it will need another. I usually only have to look at a plant and it dies, but even I have managed to nurture the aloe vera, so they must be really easy to grow.
If you decide to get an aloe vera plant for yourself, remember it's the one with the yellow flower you want. There are a number of varieties of aloe plant, with various coloured flowers, but only the yellow aloe vera plant has the healing properties you need.
