Aloe Vera Juice: Top Doc Reveals How it Heals a Gut Glitch to Make Weight Loss Effortless
By Allison Nemetz August 13, 2023 Women's World Magazine
You've likely used Aloe Vera to soothe a sunburn. You might even have one growing in your home. Now buzz is growing around the humble houseplant for a whole new reason: More and more people are using aloe vera juice to speed weight loss. And top docs are impressed too, noting it's particularly helpful for those who want to get leaner and healthier but feel too tired for big changes. The powerful little trick to try: "Take a daily shot of aloe vera juice, "suggests integrative medicine specialist Vincent Pedre, MD. Intrigued? Read on to learn how you can use aloe vera juice to help heal GI issues that secretly drive both fatigue and stubborn weight gain.
Why Aloe Vera juice is good for weight loss
Studies on aloe show it may help people double or even triple their weight loss. There are a couple reasons for this, but here's an important one: Aloe Vera is really good at improving blood sugar control. One analysis found that a daily dose of aloe can help lower fasting blood sugar by 46.6 mg/dl and A1c by 1.05% in 14 weeks or less - which is on par with prescription blood sugar medications like metformin.
Aloe Vera works this anti-diabetes magic by helping prevent some of the carbs we eat from becoming blood sugar and reducing the sugar our gut absorbs, according to lead researcher Sachin A. Shah, PharmD. And as blood sugar comes down, so do levels of the hormone insulin. That is important because excess insulin can block stored fat from being burned. Experts say lowering blood sugar also helps kill hunger, lower cravings and more.
How Aloe Vera heals your gut to shrink your waist
The main forcus for Dr. Pedre, author of Happy Gut: The Cleansing Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain, is on gastrointestinal health, and that's why Aloe Vera got his attention. But let's back up a bit first, Turns out, about 80% of us have gut problems that make us prone to getting sick and gaining weight - even though most of us don't realize. Why are so many impacted? Look to all the processed food we eat these days. Dr. Pedre says it's full of cheap oils and other irritating ingredients that gradually damage and cause microscopic tears in our delicate gut lining. "Pesticide residue, antibiotics, stress and hormonal fluctuations are also factors," notes Dr. Pedre.
Once your gut becomes "leaky," food particles, bacteria and toxins can escape into the bloodstream, and that may lead to widespread inflammation and sometimes triggers the body to attack its own healthy tissue. "Leaky gut causes or worsens many issues we don't associate with the gut: fatigue, rashes, headaches, joint aches, mental fog, anxiety, even diabetes and cancer," Dr. Pedre says. "And it's probably the biggest reason for weight gain that people don't know about."
Luckily, Aloe Vera - which has been used as a remedy for thousands of years - is an easy way to begin reversing the problem. "Aloe Vera helps soothe and repair the gut lining," says the doc. Credit to the plant's 75 active compounds, shown to do things like help reduce swelling, repair injured tissue, fight infection and numb pain. It's a barrage of benefits so powerful, tests reveals aloe vera can cut heartburn by 71% in four weeks. And preliminary evidence suggests it may quickly reduce gut 'leaks' by 52%. The result: Aloe helps boost energy as it primes the body to burn fat with ease.
How much Aloe Vera juice to drink daily
Dr. Pedre's advice on how much aloe vera juice to drink: I suggest starting with 1 Tablespoon a day and working up to 2, which is a full shot glass. He adds that you should increase your intake slowly to be sure aloe vera won't overstimulate the gut causing a laxative effect. Larger Aloe Vera leaves sold at grocery stores are easier to prepare, but experts say the gel from most aloe plants is generally safe to consume in moderation. Prefer a no-fuss option? Superstores sell ready to drink aloe juice and supplements for just pennies a dose.
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