How I Use Aloe Vera Plant From My Garden

Aloe Vera plants in my garden.

Aloe Vera is one of the plants I have in my tropical garden. It´s a short stemmed succulent plant which is easy to care for. It is one of the most healthy medicinal plants that is used in cosmetics and in alternative medicine. It is widely used in the traditional Chinese medicine.

I came across to this plant in the 90´s when my best friend gave me a pot of aloe vera as a gift for Christmas. My friend was talking highly of this plant. Then she introduced me to the Forever Living Products which came from the U.S.A. I bought some of the FLP products from aloe vera juice to aloe vera gelly for  burns as well as  toothpaste and shampoo. I was satisfied with the products and I became a member of FLP who sold the products to friends and relatives. I was not a good seller. Most of what I have ordered was for my own consumption and I got discounts.

A few years later my hubby was operated in the neck and I adviced him to use the aloe vera gelly for curing his wound. He did and it was successful. I can´t see the scar now of where he was operated.

Aloe Vera plants in my garden.

When we started living in our house in the Philippines, I planted aloe vera. The first aloe vera I have planted was from a friend of a friend who did not know what it was. I only planted 1 stem, then it multiplied to many that I separated them from one another.


How I Use Aloe Vera:

1. Healing the wound or damaged skin by applying the aloe vera gelly on the wound.
2. Healing burned  or sunburned skin.
3. Using the aloe vera gel as hair conditioner.
4. Drinking the juice of the aloe vera.
5. Making smoothie with aloe vera gel with other fruits or vegetables.
6. Using aloe vera gel for a facial mask.

Aloe Vera plants in my garden.

How to get the gel from Aloe Vera:

I just cut one leaf of the aloe vera. Then open the leaf by cutting it horizontally and get off the glassy gel out of it. I can also cut the leaf in small pieces and scratch off the gel from the cut leaf. 

How I make Aloe Vera smoothie:

• 1 leaf of aloe vera
• 1 ripe mango, cut into cubes
• 50 grams of pineapple cubes or other fruits
• some ice cubes

1. Scrape off the aloe vera gel from the leaf and cut it into cubes.
2. I put it in a blender with slices of ripe mango.
3. I add pineapple cubes or some other fruits I have at home.
4. I add some ice cubes and mix the mixture in the blender.
5. No sugar added as I want the natural taste of this healthy smoothie.

How I make Aloe Vera mask:

I scratch a half of aloe vera leaf gel from the leaf (it depends how long the leaf is) and just put the aloe vera gel on my face for 10 minutes and wash my face off after that. Then apply facial moisturizer on my face or native olive oil when I do it before bed time.

Be careful!!! Always check yourself if you are allergic to aloe vera. Thanks for reading. Enjoy your day!

Here´s a link to know more about Aloe Vera: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera

Copyright 2015 © Thelma Alberts, All Rights Reserved

Healthy Water Spinach In My Garden

Kang Kong / Water Spinach

Water spinach is called Kang Kong in my home country. It is a green leafy vegetable with long leaves and hollow stems. It is said to be a “poor mans” vegetable. It taste a bit like a normal spinach and the leaves and stems are soft. It´s a perennial plant which grows  in the water or at least in a moisty soil. It is an affordable vegetable that all Filipino people could buy this in the market. That is, if they know how healthy Kang Kong is.

I am so lucky that my front yard is moisty if not flooded as  water spinach is growing well in this part of the garden. I never bother to put more soil in this part of the garden because I am the one who keeps on eating this vegetable when I am at home. At least I know that this vegetable is clean. I don´t like buying water spinach in the market because I don´t know where it comes from as it is known that one of the funeral homes in the city has plenty of Kang Kong in its yard.

Sometimes, our neighbours or friends asked for some Kang Kong and I was glad that they did. I mostly gave them more than they could eat. Sometimes, I let them harvest for what they needed.

Kang Kong in my garden

Kang Kong or water spinach has a lot of nutritions. It contains Vitamins A, B, C, K and minerals like iron and magnesium. Eating Kang Kong is one of the treatments when  having iron deficiency. Through my research, I have found out that it is not only good in reducing cholesterol, but also a good prevention for cancer as it has more than 10 different anti-oxidant compounds found in this “poor mans” vegetable.

Ways to devour Kang Kong or water spinach:

1. Stir frying
2. Kang Kong salad
3. Adobong Kang Kong
4.  Sinigang (sour soup) with Kang Kong
5.  Meat balls with Kang Kong
6. Kang Kong curry

Tip: 

Clean the water spinach very well especially the inside of the hollow stems just in case there are parasites. Use only the green leaves and the upper tender stems for cooking.

These are only some of how you can make this healthy veggie for your meals. It might be a “poor mans” veggie, but it´s a “poor mans” healthy food.

Adobong Kang Kong / Water Spinach

Thanks for reading. Feel free to like, comment or share this post to your Fb, Twitter or Pinterest account. Have a nice day!

Here are some links for our healthy living:

http://thelmaalberts.hubpages.com/hub/What-Is-Moringa-Tree

http://thelmaalberts.hubpages.com/hub/Tips-On-How-To-Stay-Healthy-At-50


 Copyright 2015 © Thelma Alberts, All Rights Reserved