Aloe vera (“true aloe”) is the best-known species of the aloe genus, which is native to Africa and certain parts of the Middle East. Renowned for its medicinal properties, aloe vera has been utilized for thousands of years to treat numerous medical conditions ranging from skin irritations and herpes to constipation and diabetes. Indeed, this succulent and mucilaginous plant was one of the most frequently prescribed medicines throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. For the…
It would be difficult to find a household in the United States that does not contain at least one bottle of vinegar. Indeed, this strong-tasting liquid, which comes in many varieties but is primarily made from acetic acid and water, has been considered an essential ingredient in food preparation for centuries. Aside from being a condiment, it was used to pickle vegetables, make vinaigrette and other salad dressings, and flavor sauces such as ketchup, mustard,…
The aromatic and flavorful onion has a long and productive history with mankind. The ancient Indians, Sumerians and Chinese, for instance, valued onions for their ease of growth and hardy constitutions, which made them less perishable (and more transportable) than other vegetables grown at the time. The ancient Egyptians, on the other hand, worshiped onions as symbols of eternity due to their circle-within-a-circle structure. And then there were the ancient Romans, who loved onions for…
Most of us are aware that the natural health world is packed with different and often conflicting beliefs. Take coffee, for example. For every ten researchers who proclaim that coffee is an antioxidant-rich superdrink that can guard us from Alzheimer’s disease, you’ll find another ten who state, with equal conviction, that giving up coffee is a requisite for superior adrenal and mental health. Raw food, red wine, sugar alcohols and fasting seem to be similarly…
The humble garlic, which is closely related to the onion, is one of the earliest documented plants used by humans for treating disease and maintaining health. Egyptian medical texts, for instance, prescribed garlic for parasites, malaise, circulatory problems and abnormal growths. The Greek physician, Hippocrates, recommended garlic for pulmonary conditions, sores and cancer. Garlic was also held in high esteem by the medical practitioners of ancient India, Rome, Assyria and China. Clearly, this is a…
