Nopalea is derived from the commonly known desert plant called the prickly pear cactus or Nopal. It produces purple flowers in the winter and is pollinated by hummingbirds. The plant thrives in subtropical and tropical regions and can be found in the south-western desert regions of the United States and Mexico. This amazing Nopal Cactus is also known and grown for its beautiful bloom, bright red fruit and paddle-like leaves.

Sonoran Bloom Nopalea

Nopalea is also plentiful in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. The Sonoran Desert is the most fruitful desert in the world and is visited by millions of people yearly. It is one of the least polluted areas on this planet and Nopalea plants that originate from the Sonoran Desert are organic. The Nopal cactus or prickly pear cactus is found in many arid and semi-arid environments around the world. The people from some countries of North Africa call cactus pear “the bridge of life”, because it is the only feeding and watering resource for animals during drought seasons.

Sonoran Desert dwellers have enjoyed the nutritional benefits of the Nopal cactus for centuries. When the spines are removed from the cactus pads they can be used as a vegetable in a salad or as a tasty treat on the barbeque. The fruit of the Nopal cactus is a naturally sweet, succulent fruit that is enjoyed by both desert dwelling people and animals.

The Nopal fruit contains 18 amino acids, all of the B vitamins as well as minerals and bioactive phytonutrients. It is undoubtedly a super food that has been found to have a whole range of health benefits.

The scientific community has been interested in the potential health promoting benefits of the Nopal cactus for decades. Scientific studies have increased interest in cactus-pear cultivation and the number of possible uses and application of cactus-pear fruits. Anecdotal testimonials from people who have enjoyed Nopalea, a health promoting nutritional juice, is mounting.

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The term “super fruits” is basically commercial terminology for a range of the more rare fruits deemed to have a particularly high nutritional value, especially their antioxidant value. Their perceived health benefits would seem to be the main reason for their popularity.

Some of the more popular superfruits include: acai, blueberry, cranberry, gogi, red grape, guarana, mango, mangosteen, noni and pomegranate. Fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are not included here even though they have many of the qualities of superfruits, mainly due to the fact that they are commonly known and have not attracted that novelty value of the other fruits.
One of the main features of the super fruits is the presence of antioxidant phytochemicals. These phytochemicals are thought to have potent antioxidant qualities that are thought to be particularly helpful in many serious diseases such as leukemia, cancer and neurological diseases, as well as conditions such as mental fatigue and inflammation.

The antioxidants that are provided by these superfruits play an important part as free radical scavengers. Free radical damage can occur at cellular level due to pollution, toxins and the stresses of daily life. Free radicals become unstable and attack healthy molecules, this is where the antioxidants provided by the superfruits really come into their own. The more powerful the antioxidant the more protection they offer.

Very often these superfruit antioxidants are taken as a nutritional supplement. It is not unusual to find that they are a combination of superfruits to enable them to offer the best antioxidant activity. These supplements are also often a more concentrated form of the superfruits, to ensure that the highest possible dose is made available.

The capacity of the superfruit supplement is measured in ORACs – Oxygen Radical Absorbence Capacity. This enables the consumer to have an understanding of the potency of the product they are purchasing to ensure that it is offering good value for money. As an example, mangosteen juice has an ORAC value of 15 – 17 thousand whereas cranberry juice has a value of 8 – 10 thousand.

Although it is generally agreed that all fruits are good for our health superfruits do seem to contain more complex substances that help to maintain good health and keep certain diseases and illnesses at bay

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

There has long been a belief that to detox naturally means to allow our bodies to detox as a matter of course. In an ideal world where we are eating a healthy diet and leading a healthy lifestyle as our ancestors did then that might be a true statement. Our bodies do indeed have their own detox mechanisms. The gut is designed to prevent bacteria and many toxins from entering the body. When harmful chemicals do enter the body the liver acts as an extraordinary chemical factory to make a water soluble compound that can be excreted by the kidneys. This the body detoxes naturally. The body should be able to be re-hydrated with ordinary tap water and be refreshed with a good nights sleep.

Unfortunately in our present day and age the health of the gut cannot be taken for granted as a protector. More and more we are seeing health problems caused by increased permeability of the gut wall, which means it is not as capable of preventing toxins from entering the body. It is also unlikely that our liver is working at 100% efficiency as the excesses of our current lifestyles put an increasing burden upon it.

Understanding Fasting as a Method of Allowing the Body to Detox Naturally

Some people are of the opinion that to detox naturally requires a period of fasting and abstinence. Fasting for a short period of time on a regular basis has been a way of allowing the body to recover and replenish for many years, especially where this has been part of a religious practice. However for somebody who leads quite an unhealthy life, who wants to embark on a once or twice a year detox, this would not be the most advisable detox for them.

The body enters into a state of fasting approximately 8 hours after the last meal. During a fast, the body glucose that is stored in the liver and the muscles is used up first to provide energy. The body will then use up fat stores as its source of energy and during that phase, toxins that are stored in the body fat will be removed from the body. Thus allowing the body to detox naturally during the fast

However the problems arise when the period of fasting continues and the body is then required to breakdown muscle as protein as a source of energy. It is therefore probably wise to ensure that you not only concentrate on the foods you won’t be eating during your detox period, but that you also give some serious consideration to foods that you do need to eat.

It is vital, when aiming to detox naturally, to ensure that you drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of filtered water per day, to enable the body to keep the electrolyte balance relatively constant. It is also important to include some gentle exercise to keep the lymph moving during your detox regime and aim for at least 7-8 hours sleep a night.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Embarking on a detox is usually our attempt to make up for the times when we have abused our bodies with fast foods, alcohol, too many chocolates or simply not enough health promoting foods. And so we detox for health!!

Although this is very commendable, many people fall into the trap of believing that their detox for health will automatically result in them feeling fit and healthy and ready to take on the world once again. This is always the case. It is important to be aware that as the body is working hard to detox you may be feeling decidedly unwell and unhealthy. Remember that toxins are being transferred to your various organs of elimination and the presence of them can make you feel very ill indeed.

The type of unpleasant symptoms that you may experience during your detox for health, are:-

• Frequent headaches – often due to dehydration
• Hunger
• Low blood sugar
• Withdrawal symptoms from caffeine or alcohol
• Constipation due to a lack of fluids and fibre

Dehydration is a common occurrence during a detox and care must be taken to ensure that this doesn’t happen as it can lead to very unpleasant symptoms caused by a disturbance of your electrolyte balance.

People who Should not Detox for Health

It is not a foregone conclusion that a detox for health is in everyone’s best interest and certainly there are many categories of people who either shouldn’t embark on a detox or who should only attempt it with the backing and support of their medical practitioner

So who would not be advised to detox?

• Anybody who has any form of acute illness
• Immediately prior to or post surgery
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women, as detoxification will potentially result in the toxins passing through the unborn or newly born child.
• Anybody with an eating disorder – such as anorexia.

People who should seek medical advice before detoxing are those with:-

• Diabetes
• Other chronic illnesses
• On prescription medication

An unsupervised detox for health is essentially for people who are already relatively fit and healthy, but even so, it should not be undertaken lightly. Remember that regular meals are essential to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Suitable snacks such as fruit, raw vegetables, nuts and seeds are ideal to maintain balance and in order to avoid the unpleasant effects of dehydration at least 1.5 to 2 litres of filtered water should be drunk each day

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

We live in a polluted society, where exposure to toxins is inevitable. Our food is sprayed with toxic chemicals and we breathe in toxic fumes as we walk or drive along our busy roads. This is just an example of two of the many ways in which our bodies are dealing with pollution on a daily basis. In addition to this we have mercury fillings, pharmaceutical drugs, tobacco smoke, alcohol and numerous chemicals in our water supplies.

Over the years our bodies have made some adjustments to deal with these pollutants but at a cost to our overall health. We now accept ill health in old age as an inevitability, despite the fact that we know more about health and wellness than ever before.

Every so often it is advisable to give our bodies a helping hand and provide an opportunity for us to get rid of the toxins that are actually making us ill.

The main organs of elimination of toxic substances are the liver, the kidneys, the gut, the skin, the lymphatic system and the lungs

The Liver

It is important to ensure that the liver is well supported as this is the main processing organ. It is the job of the liver to detoxify all potentially harmful substances. Once disarmed, these substances can then be eliminated via the kidneys, lungs and the bowel. This work is carried out by thousands of enzymes that require certain nutrients to help them to do their job.

Foods that can help the liver to detoxify are cruciferous vegetables ( broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower); brightly colored fruit and vegetables (tomatoes, apricots, peppers, berries); sulphur containing foods (onions, garlic) and lemons

The Kidneys

The job of the kidneys is to filter the blood, removing excess water and water soluble toxins that are then passed out in the urine. The kidneys require plenty of water to dilute the toxins and to help them to carry out their job more efficiently.

Foods that help the kidneys to detoxify are water; all fruit and vegetables; parsley leaf; herbal teas

The Gut

Harmful ingredients from the stomach are filtered out here and sent to the liver to be processed. Fibre helps to mop up some of the toxins, stopping them getting absorbed into your body and carrying them to the bowel. The main function of the bowel is to excrete processed toxins in the faeces. If the bowels function is sluggish the faeces linger there and the toxins can actually be reabsorbed into the blood stream

Foods that help the gut to detoxify are all fibre rich foods; fruit (especially apples, prunes, berries, dried fruit); vegetables (especially carrots, broccoli, cabbage) flaxseeds(linseed); beans; lentils; oats; and barley

Skin

The skin is the largest organ of the body and plays a big part in getting rid of toxins. Some toxins are eliminated in your sweat, others in your skin oils and others via the shedding of dead skin cells.

Foods that help the skin to detoxify are water; fruit and vegetables; flaxseeds; essential oils (flax, walnut, pumpkin seed) or pumpkinseeds

The Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is like the drainage system. It is a series of tiny vessels that run into all areas of the body and transport nutrients in a fluid known as lymph. The lymphatic system also helps to detoxify by removing waste products from the body. toxins that are too large to enter the bloodstream are processed in the in the lymph nodes and then passed back into the blood stream where they are taken to the liver to be detoxified

The main food that helps the lymphatic system to detoxify is water. Lymphatic drainage, dry skin brushing and Epsom salt baths are also know to help

Lungs

The lungs remove carbon dioxide from the body as well as other toxic gases that you breathe in.

Foods that help the lungs detoxify are fruit and vegetables (especially apples, onions, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)

Detoxification is a complex process and needs to utilise its natural detox system to avoid being poisoned not only by the chemical toxins mentioned above, but also the natural toxins, including waste products from food, dead bacteria and debris from the millions of new cells produced each day.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

What we can Understand from the Inflammatory Response

According to Wikipedia, the word inflammation comes from the Latin word inflammation meaning to set on fire, (anti-inflammatory meaning to put out the fire) Inflammation is a necessary part of the healing process without which wounds and infections would never heal. It is, in simple terms, a response of the bodily tissues to a pathogen, damaged cells or an irritant.

However, although that is a “simple” definition, the word simple can rarely be applied to any process within the human body. The sign that an acute inflammatory response is taking place on the surface of the skin is normally characterized by a reddening of the skin, heat, swelling, pain and even loss of function. These signs are less obvious when the internal organs are inflamed during an acute phase.

The majority of the inflammatory responses of an acute nature are usually short lived. The tissues are gradually repaired by the body itself and normal cellular function is resumed.

However this is not the so straight forward in the chronic inflammatory condition. Chronic inflammation is generally an immune response that can last for weeks, maybe even years if the cause of the inflammation isn’t treated and dealt with. Chronic inflammatory conditions are usually systemic rather than localized and result in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or hypersensitivities caused by an inappropriate immune response resulting in inflammation. Because the body’s response to chronic inflammation is to release toxins to attack the invading agent, it then inadvertently attacks its own tissues causing permanent destruction. Thus we get the term autoimmune disease which is basically describing the fact that the body is attacking its own cells.

In most cases of chronic inflammation the person is treated with non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However as with all prescription drugs there are some unpleasant long term side effects, including stomach ulcers and kidney problems. There are in fact several natural alternatives to prescription drugs which should be explored first and preferably early in the condition.

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Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Fats and Oils – Omega 3 essential fatty acids are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents. They are converted into hormone like substances called prostaglandins. They are found in cold water oily fish such as salmon, mackerel or herring, flaxseed (sometimes called linseed) and their oil. Omega 6 fats are also responsible for reducing inflammation and pain and they can be found in pumpkin, sunflower, safflower and sesame seed oils.

Fruit and Vegetables – Green and brightly coloured vegetables and fruits can help the inflammatory process. The pigment in brightly coloured fruit, vegetables and in particular berries, contain many phytochemicals and anti-oxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties. For example quercetin which can be found in the skins of red apples and re onions is a natural anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory.

Pro-inflammatory Foods

If you are suffering from an inflammatory disease, it would also be wise to avoid pro-inflammatory foods that might increase your pain and inflammation.

Foods to avoid include any junk food and fast food, especially trans-fats and saturated fats. Too much saturated fat means too much arachidonic acid which although essential in the right amounts can be responsible for making your inflammation worse if you consume too much.

Diets high in sugar have also been associated with inflammation and so should be avoided. Another possible cause for concern is foods that come from the deadly nightshade family. Foods such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant have been known to aggravate the pain of inflammation.

Adjusting your diet in this way is the first line of defense for any anti-inflammatory regime. Such dietary changes ideally, need to be initiated early on in the disease if they are to have any noticeable effect.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Healthy choices have taken on a new life as wellness campaigns and prevention strategies are promoted in a variety of ways. It is not uncommon to see or hear television and radio commentaries on the benefits of making healthy choices in all areas of your life.

Ongoing research proves and then expands on the health benefits of natural products. Our ancestors knew from experience that certain foods and habits were beneficial for staying healthy. They did not know why, just that they were good practices to follow. Science is now unearthing the explanations and proof for the extensive practical knowledge that was handed down generation after generation.

Breakthroughs and new information is so abundant, it is sometimes difficult to keep up. The Internet has helped to keep people informed of up to date information from the latest scientific studies and research that can improve your health and wellness. Readily available information at your fingertips has more and more people making healthy choices.