About a week ago, an old acquaintance sent me an article written by someone who claimed to have cured his prostate problems by cooking and eating cassava.
I became concerned immediately after reading the article because some people do not realise that not all cassava species can be cooked and eaten like yam.
I spoke with a friend, who has a farm about this article and also inquired about edible cassava.
He shared a tragic story with me. He told me that his father almost died after eating cassava when he was young.
His father was fortunate to survive, but the scars remain. Those who ate with his father all died.
I previously discussed cyanide when sharing the story of the woman, who made cassava peels into flour to feed her family, which resulted in hospitalization and the loss of one family member.
In humans, the clinical signs of acute cyanide intoxication include rapid respiration, a drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse, dizziness, headache, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, mental confusion, twitching, and convulsions.
You do not have to experience all these symptoms due to cassava consumption.
If you must cook it, ensure it is the variety used like yam.
Last week, I started discussions on aloe vera. Aloe vera is perhaps one of the most widely used herbal remedies for topical skin conditions.
The gel-like components of the plant are known to heal the skin from a variety of minor ailments.
It might improve skin and prevent wrinkles. There is some preliminary evidence suggesting that topical aloe vera gel could slow the ageing of the skin.
In a 2009 study of 30 females over the age of 45, taking oral aloe vera gel increased collagen production and improved skin elasticity over 90 days.
Reviews also suggest that aloe vera could help the skin retain moisture and improve skin integrity, which could benefit dry skin conditions.
Aloe vera is great for burns, sunburn, small abrasions, cuts, dry skin, frostbite, cold sores, eczema, psoriasis, and inflammatory acne.
A team of plastic surgeons compared aloe vera gel to one per cent silver sulfadiazine cream for the treatment of second-degree burn wounds.
They reported in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association that burn wounds among the patients treated with aloe vera healed significantly, and quicker compared with those treated with one per cent silver sulfadiazine.
The researchers added that those in the aloe vera group experienced significantly more and earlier pain relief than those in the SSD group.
The authors wrote, “Thermal burn patients dressed with aloe vera gel showed advantages compared to those dressed with SSD regarding early wound epithelialization, earlier pain relief, and cost-effectiveness.”
Many people experience mouth ulcers or canker sores at some point in their lives. These usually form underneath the lip or inside the mouth and last for about a week.
Studies have shown that aloe vera treatment can accelerate the healing of mouth ulcers.
For example, a 2022 review of nine randomized controlled trials concluded that aloe vera treatment could accelerate the healing of mouth ulcers better than other interventions. It also offers a shorter healing time.
In another study, aloe vera gel not only accelerated the healing of mouth ulcers but also reduced the pain associated with them.
A 2014 study published online by Cambridge University Press looked at tomato plants coated with aloe gel.
The report showed evidence that the coating successfully blocked the growth of many types of harmful bacteria on the vegetables.
Similar results were found in a different study with apples. This suggests that aloe gel could help fruits and vegetables stay fresh and eliminate the need for dangerous chemicals that extend the shelf life of produce.
It alleviates depression and improves learning and memory.
A study published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that aloe vera reduced depression and improved memory in mice.
This was after a study was conducted on mice.
According to the researchers, aloe vera enhances learning and memory and also alleviates depression.
Aloe Vera: More Benefits
It halts the growth of cancer tumours, lowers high cholesterol, and boosts the oxygenation of your blood.
It eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain.
Aloe vera protects the body from oxidative stress and prevents kidney stones.
It has a laxative effect, alkalises the body and cures ulcers.
It is beneficial for digestive disorders and can reduce high blood pressure.
The plant nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and glyconutrients.
It prevents and treats candida infections and functions as nature’s own “sports drink” for electrolyte balance.
Some evidence also suggests that using aloe vera orally could improve symptoms in patients with IBS and constipation, says the MD and Senior Medical Director of Gastroenterology, SOMC Gastroenterology Associates in Portsmouth, Ohio, Jesse P. Houghton.
He added, “It is one of the most well-studied benefits of the aloe plant; it acts as a natural laxative via two mechanisms — it provides hydration with its high water content and contains anthraquinones, which act as a stimulant laxative.”
Thanks to its natural anti-inflammatory properties, “aloe vera also serves as an excellent acne treatment,” explains a licensed Naturopath and the Head of Practice at Acupuncture Jerusalem in Israel, Jamie Bacharach.
She added, “Whether applied to pimples or general areas of redness and irritation, aloe vera has been found to soothe and diminish the appearance and prominence of acne and even acne scars.”
“Aloe is my favourite natural choice for treating sunburns,” says the MD and a Dermatologist with Stony Brook Medicine, Commack, New York, Adrienne Haughton.
She went on to say that “aloe gel is cooling and has anti-inflammatory properties, so it will immediately provide some relief from the discomfort associated with sunburn.”
A study titled, Anti-Cancer Activity of Aloe Vera Ethanolic Leaves Extract against In Vitro Cancer Cells by Karpagam et al., concludes that aloe vera ethanolic leaves extract was effective in the treatment of cancer by inhibiting tumour growth with the highest cytotoxic activity.
Isolation of active compounds responsible for such action is, therefore, essential to treat cancer.
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