Category: Inflammation

Nopal Cactus Juice
Nopal juice is made from figs or fruit of a Nopal Cactus plant. This particular cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) is found in the northern part of Mexico and along the southwest states of the USA known as The Sonoran Desert. The extreme conditions of the Sonoran Desert are due to a high fluctuation of temperatures – from over 120 degrees during the day down to below freezing at night. The nopal cactus has adapted to survive and as a result produces very potent anti-oxidants. Because of these potent anti-oxidants, this cactus fruit has been widely used for centuries for medicinal purposes due to the powerful Bioflavonoids it possesses.

Sonoran Desert Location

There are many species of Nopal that grow around the world, however the region with the most extreme temperature fluctuation have shown to produce more potent nopal fruit. The same can be said of other types of foods that also contain these anti-oxidants. Beets can contain up to 6 of the 24 Bioflavonoids; Rainbow Swiss chard contains up to 12 Bioflavonoids. Nopal fruit from the Sonora Desert when wild-harvested at the peak of ripeness can contain all 24 Bioflavonoid types.

The Power of Bioflavonoids

The word Bioflavonoid is a broad term for the scientific word ‘betalains’ – which are the pigments that give the Nopal cactus fruit its vibrant pink color and were once thought to be only plant pigments with no real health benefits. But recent scientific research has identified 24 different betalains known for their high antioxidant capacity, and each one completes a specific need in human health by supplying structure and function to every human cell. They serve as anti-inflammatory nutrients to help quench the fire of chronic inflammation.

Postharvest Biology and Technology of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/betalain
https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9781845697334/postharvest-biology-and-technology-of-tropical-and-subtropical-fruits

Scientific research shows that the bioflavonoids found in the Nopal cactus fruit may help to detoxify your body, eliminating the poisons we encounter every day. Bioflavonoids may also help the body reduce inflammation, protecting you from a wide variety of disorders. Regardless of where inflammation begins or what process it affects, Bioflavonoids help reduce the activity of the enzymes known to cause all inflammation. This explains why people with very diverse health concerns find benefits from Bioflavonoids: they may help reduce inflammation no matter where it exists!

Medicinal agents in the metabolic syndrome. “According to this study Prickly Pear Cacti. (Opuntia Ficus- Indica Cochlospermum vitifolium (Willd.) Spreng) whose many properties against diabetes and hypercholesterolemia have been empirically known for many years in humans.”
Cardiovasc Hematol Agents Med Chem. 2008 Oct;6(4):237-52.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18855636

Bioflavonoids, the nature-inspired pigments, in health and diseases. “According to this study it seems that treatment with bioflavonoids and bioflavonoid-rich diets is not only nontoxic but could also prove to be a promising alternative to supplement therapies in oxidative stress-, inflammation-, and dyslipidemia-related diseases such as stenosis of the arteries, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cancer, among others.”
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2018 May 30:1-30
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29846082

Important functions of Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids support the structure and function of the cell as mentioned before. They also work to neutralize toxins by supporting your natural detoxification processes as well as draining away accumulations of toxic waste. Bioflavonoids are a protein-bound antioxidant that may do more than help slow aging. Bioflavonoid antioxidants may help the body reduce inflammation, detoxify the cell and restore the balance between the inside and outside of the cell for optimal cellular function. While many antioxidants have been claimed to have different health benefits, the bioflavonoid antioxidant is specifically studied to understand how they may help the body reduce inflammation on a measurable and therapeutic level. Multiple studies show that bioflavonoid antioxidants can help the human cell detoxify and remove unwanted and dangerous toxins which may help reduce inflammation.

How Drinking Nopal Juice can help the body

Inflammation – The Silent Killer

Inflammation is your immune system’s response to damage. This damage can arise from trauma, bacterial, viral or parasitic infection, stress, genetic abnormalities, metabolic disorders and a host of other sources. Certain lifestyle conditions can also contribute to inflammation: poor diet, stress, being overweight, a sedentary lifestyle and smoking. Inflammation can cause redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function.

Inflammation: The Secret Killer | Feb. 23, 2004

As the body is exposed to daily toxins and other harmful stimuli, cells wither, collapse and eventually die. In 2004 Time Magazine published at article title Health: The Fires Within which provides insight on the effects inflammation has on the body, causes, remedies and what happens when chronic inflammation is ignored.

There have been 100’s of studies done by The National Institute of Health proving that Betalain’s/Bioflavonoids may help the body four vital ways:
- Reduce inflammation
- Detoxify the body
- Achieve optimal cellular health
- Protect against premature aging
Research & Science

Over 200 scientific papers have been published on the benefits and attributes of Nopal. These reports are found in the highest quality, peer-reviewed journals and are supported by the National Institutes of Health database to ensure that the conclusions were valid.

The scientific papers chronicle improvements in cell function, immunity, detoxification – and especially a reduction in inflammation. There is a wide array of information found on sites like pubmed.gov that provide comprehensive studies that mention topics like obesity, brain protection, immune support, blood sugar benefits and much more! See what the scientific research community has to say about these incredible nutrients!

Opuntia Ficus Indica
- This study suggests Betanin a betacyanin pigment purified from fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica induces apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia Cell line-K562.
  “Betalains are water-soluble nitrogenous vacuolar pigments present in flowers and fruits of many caryophyllales with potent antioxidant properties. In the present study the antiproliferative effects of betanin, a principle betacyanin pigment, isolated from the fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica, was evaluated on human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line (K562). The results show dose and time dependent decrease in the proliferation of K562 cells treated with betanin with an IC(50) of 40 microM. Further studies involving scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed the apoptotic characteristics such as chromatin condensation, cell shrinkage and membrane blebbing in humans.”
  (Phytomedicine. 2007 Nov;14(11):739-46.)
- Modulation of intracellular calcium concentrations and T cell activation by prickly pear polyphenols.
  “According to this study Opuntia ficus indica (prickly pear) polyphenolic compounds (OFPC) triggered an increase in [Ca2+]i in human Jurkat T-cell lines in humans.”
  (Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 May;260(1-2):103-10.)
- Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover. “According to this study an extract of the Opuntia ficus indica (OFI) has a moderate effect on reducing hangover symptoms, apparently by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators in adult humans.”
  Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jun 28;164(12):1334-40
- Opuntia (Cactaceae) plant compounds, biological activities and prospects – A comprehensive review. “According to this study Opuntia species are utilized as local medicinal interventions for chronic diseases and as food sources mainly because they possess nutritional properties and biological activities in humans.” Food Res Int. 2018 Oct;112:328-344
- According to this study Antioxidant bioflavonoids help protect the cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
  “It has been suggested that some pigments would have antioxidant properties and that their presence in dietary constituents would contribute to reduce the risk of oxidative stress-correlated diseases. Among others, inflammatory response depends on redox status and may implicate oxidative stress. Vascular endothelial cells are a direct target of oxidative stress in inflammation. We have tested the impact of the free radical scavenger and antioxidant properties of bioflavonoids/betalains from the prickle pear in an in vitro model of endothelial cells. Here we show the capacity of bioflavonoids/betalains to protect endothelium from cytokine-induced redox state alteration, through ICAM-1 inhibition in humans.”
  (Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1028:481-6.)
- The comparison of betalain composition and chosen biological activities for differently pigmented prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris) varieties. “This study suggests Bioflavonoid/Betalain composition analysis and antioxidant profiles confirmed that the content and composition of these pigments is strongly correlated with the antioxidant activity of tested plant extracts measured by spectrophotometric methods and CAA test in humans.” Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2019 Jun;70(4):442-452
- Extension of life-span using a RNAi model and in vivo antioxidant effect of Opuntia fruit extracts and pure boiflavonoids/betalains in Caenorhabditis elegans.“This study suggests Bioflavonoids/Betalains are nitrogenous plant pigments known for their high antioxidant capacity via pharmacology.” Food Chem. 2019 Feb 15;274:840-847
- Bioflavonoids/Betalains, the nature-inspired pigments, in health and diseases.
  “It seems that treatment with bioflavonoids/betalains and bioflavonoid/betalain-rich diets is not only nontoxic but could also prove to be a promising alternative to supplement therapies in oxidative stress-, inflammation-, and dyslipidemia-related diseases such as stenosis of the arteries, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cancer, among others.” Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2018 May 30:1-30
- This study suggests Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) protects against oxidative damage induced by the mycotoxin zearalenone in Balb/C mice. “According to this study Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most widely distributed fusarial mycotoxins which is encountered at high incidence in many foodstuffs. ZEN was associated with different reproductive disorders in animals… Oxidative damage seems to be a key determinant of ZEN induced toxicity in both liver and kidney of Balb/c mice… It could be concluded that cactus cladodes extract was effective in the protection against ZEN hazards… This could be relevant, particularly with the emergent demand for natural products which may counteract the detrimental effects of oxidative stress and therefore prevent multiple human diseases.”
  (Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 May;46(5):1817-24.)
- According to this study Opuntia ficus indica extract protects against chlorpyrifos-induced damage on mice liver. “This original study investigates the role of Opuntia ficus indica (cactus) cladodes extract against liver damage induced in male SWISS mice by an organophosphorous insecticide, the chlorpyrifos (CPF)… These results allow us to conclude firstly that CPF is hepatotoxic and secondly that Opuntia ficus indica stem extract protects the liver and decreases the toxicity induced by this organophosphorous pesticide.”
  (Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Feb;46(2):797-802.)
- Per this study Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. fruit juice protects liver from carbon tetrachloride-induced injury. “Opuntia ficus indica fruit juice contains many phenol compounds, ascorbic acid, betalains, betacyanins, and a flavonoid fraction, which consists mainly of rutin and isorhamnetin derivatives. Hepatoprotection may be related to the flavonoid fraction of the juice, but other compounds, such as vitamin C and bioflavonoids/betalains could, synergistically, counteract many degenerative processes by means of their antioxidant activity in rats.”
  (Phytother Res. 2005 Sep;19(9):796-800.)
- According to this study Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase expression in activated microglia and peroxynitrite scavenging activity by Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten. “These results imply that Opuntia ficus indica may have neuroprotective activity through the inhibition of Nitric Oxide production by activated microglial cells and peroxynitrite scavenging activity in mice.” (Phytother Res. 2006 Sep;20(9):742-7.)
- Per this study the Neuroprotective effects of antioxidative flavonoids, quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin and quercetin 3-methyl ether, isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. “These results indicate that quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin, and quercetin 3-methyl ether are the active antioxidant principles in the fruits and stems of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten exhibiting neuroprotective actions against the oxidative injuries induced in cortical cell cultures in rats.” (Brain Res. 2003 Mar 7;965(1-2):130-6.)
- According to this study Opuntia ficus indica (nopal) attenuates hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress in obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats. “This study suggests that nopal consumption attenuates hepatic steatosis by increasing fatty acid oxidation and VLDL synthesis, decreasing oxidative stress, and improving liver insulin signaling in obese Zucker (fa/fa) rats.”
  J Nutr. 2012 Nov;142(11):1956-63
How much Nopal Cactus Juice should I drink?

The recommended loading dose for Nopal Cactus Juice is 3 ounces twice a day, on an empty stomach. 1 bottle will last you around 5 days and from there you can continue on a “maintenance” dose of 2 ounces twice per day – which will allow you to make a 4-pack last an entire month – for 1 person. It’s recommended that you listen to your body if you’re craving more – a lot of that will depend on your body’s level of inflammation.

The Bioflavonoids found in Nopal Cactus Juice act as “inflammation seekers” and will usually target the most inflamed tissue first – and begin lifting the toxic waters and flushing them out of your body. Be sure to test your range of motion before you being drinking Nopal Cactus Juice and pay attention to your range of motion and flexibility as you allow the vital nutrients to work.

Nopal juice is made from figs or fruit of a Nopal Cactus plant. This particular cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) is found in the northern part of Mexico and along the southwest states of the USA known as The Sonoran Desert. The extreme conditions of the Sonoran Desert are due to a high fluctuation of temperatures – from over 120 degrees during the day down to below freezing at night. The nopal cactus has adapted to survive and as a result produces very potent anti-oxidants. Because of these potent anti-oxidants, this cactus fruit has been widely used for centuries for medicinal purposes due to the powerful Bioflavonoids it possesses.
December 27, 2022
Signs and triggers of inflammation
The process of inflammation is similar to a domino effect: a single event may trigger a chain of inflammatory reactions. While many of the reactions are fairly predictable, many others are not and involve complicated patterns unique to the individual. Still, all inflammation exhibits five basic signs caused by four basic triggers.

Signs of inflammation
With tissue injury, inflammation is part of the healing process:
1. Redness: An increased blood supply to the injured area turns the tissues red.
2. Swelling: An increase in healing proteins, plasma and other substances causes swelling.
3. Pain: We instinctively guard an injury because we feel or anticipate pain.
4. Heat: The damaged tissue becomes weakened and susceptible to infection. White blood cells rush to the area, which can cause heat or fever.
5. Loss of Function: The injured area experiences a loss of function until it is healed.
Inflammation triggers
The “dominoes” fall in the same predictable pattern if the injury is a sprained ankle or heart attack! No matter what triggers the inflammation, the process is the same.

Trauma
Trauma can be a direct injury that causes pain and distress, but a sedentary lifestyle can also be a serious cause of trauma.

Toxins
Toxicity causes cells to rupture the same way a needle causes a balloon to pop. Between internal and external toxins, we are bathed in inflammation-producing poison every moment of every day.

Deficiency
Deficiencies also cause inflammation. For example, an Omega-3 deficiency leaves the cell walls weak and dysfunctional. The cell can easily pop and trigger inflammation. Similarly, deficiency of other nutrients can have a catastrophic effect on cells within your body.

Stress
When we appraise a situation to be stressful, our brain releases chemicals that trigger the release of many inflammatory processes.

Once runaway inflammation is triggered, it follows an amazingly intricate course leading to catastrophe. Hindering the runaway inflammation should be a top priority. So, no matter what is causing this distress, reducing excess inflammation will always improve the way we feel.
December 20, 2022
Toxins: A Major Source of Inflammation
Every day, we’re exposed to toxins in our air, water and food—and even toxins created by our own bodies. These toxins get trapped in our bodies and in the fluids around our joints and muscles, causing aches and pains which lead to inflammation and if severe enough, leads to degenerative disease.

Have you ever walked down the cleaning aisle at the supermarket? What was your experience? I hate it! In fact, I completely avoid that aisle. If I need something, I hold my breath, quickly get what I need and beat a hasty retreat from that toxic soup.

The soaps, bleaches, softeners and fragrances in the cleaning aisle are all in sealed containers. Yet, they still give off an overwhelming, nauseating stench that may make a person sick for hours. What happens when we bring those containers home? They continue to give off toxins. Only now, the containers are open and the process happens 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our toxic environment
In North America we are inundated with toxins every moment of every day. Pollution in our air, water and food challenges our ability to detoxify and adapt. Worse still, the place we think of as a haven from stress – our home – is likely the most toxic environment we face in our daily routines. Toxins released from household chemicals, fabric, carpet, fragrances and pesticides seep into our body in tiny amounts even as we sleep.

Toxic waste, like barnacles on the hull of a ship, drags us down. It slows the efficiency of our mitochondria (the energy-producing engines inside our cells). Noxious chemicals create fatigue, headaches, digestive disturbances and moodiness. Eventually, toxins become the focus for inflammation.

It can lead to tragic consequences
While “environmental toxins” is a common phrase, what do we mean by this? It’s more than polluted air or water (though both are harmful). It can be as subtle as paint on the office wall (it emits chemicals that have been linked to cancer). And it can be as scary as pesticides used around young children in school (their developing bodies are especially vulnerable to harm).

Sadly, environmental toxins are SO common that the U.S. government offers an introduction to “toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places.” It’s called “ToxNet,” (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/toxnet/index.html), a service of the National Library of Medicine about the poisons that inhabit our lives.

Personal products = personal menace?
Those bottles and jars may contain health hazards

Did you shower and shampoo today with petrochemicals? Did you cleanse your face and style your hair with ingredients known to cause cancer and birth defects? Chances are that the answer is “yes,” whether you know it or not.

The reality is, many of the brand-name products we use contain ingredients known to cause harm. How can this be? Because the manufacturers are policing themselves. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the main U.S. agency involved in personal products, the FDA’s own website states clearly, “Cosmetic firms are responsible for substantiating the safety of their products and ingredients before marketing.”

“Cosmetics” covers a lot of ground
Everyone who bathes, washes their hair or brushes their teeth – including children – is affected by this issue, because “cosmetics” covers a lot of ground. To the FDA, cosmetics include toothpaste, shampoo, deodorants, moisturizers, perfumes, lipsticks, facial make-up and hair dyes.

Thanks to a growing consumer safety movement, it’s possible to identify safer products. The Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) runs an Internet-based directory that rates thousands of products at cosmeticsdatabase.com.

We apply an average of 126 unique ingredients to our skin every day, according to EWG. Here are some of the most common dangers:

Phthalates. Industrial chemicals used in shampoos and hairsprays. They disrupt the hormone system, and are classed as water and air pollutants.

Oxybenzone. Widely used in sunscreens (plus lip balms, lipsticks and moisturizers), this chemical has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption and cell damage.

Triclosan. This is a pesticide that disrupts hormones. It’s in liquid hand soap and toothpaste, as well as children’s toys.

Ethylene glycol/propylene glycol. Favorites in shampoo, sunscreen and moisturizer, plus motor vehicle antifreeze and airplane wing de-icer. They’ve been linked with skin irritation, birth defects and organ damage.

Parabens. Members of this chemical family are widely used as preservatives in thousands of cosmetics. They can disrupt the hormone system.

“Drinking” drugs by accident
Now, the growing use of prescription medicines (see previous page) is even contributing to accidental drug-taking. Trace amounts of pharmaceuticals lurk in the water supply of millions of Americans. Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs that are flushed or poured away can end up in groundwater and waste-water treatment plants.

Drugs in the drinking water have become such a problem that communities around the country stage “drug take-back” events to collect unused medicines for safe disposal. If your area doesn’t offer such collections, you can create your own. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that you take unused medicines out of their original containers, and mix with something that won’t appeal to children or animals (such as used coffee grounds or cat litter). Then put the mixture into a sealable container or bag and put in the trash. Be sure to cover up or destroy any personal information on empty container labels and throw away.

Clearly, there are poisons almost everywhere. From home to office to school, environmental toxins are part of modern life, and they can contribute to (if not cause) health issues like allergies, disease and even death. We may not be able to eliminate them, but we can offset their effects with healthy living, and quality nutritional supplements. While it’s impractical to avoid contact with all toxins, we can choose products that are safer.

Inflammation
Your body uses acute inflammation to try to neutralize toxicity. Think of your reaction to a bee sting: redness, swelling, heat and pain. This is not caused by the toxins in the bee venom. It is the reaction of your body as it tries to eliminate the toxicity:
- Redness is the increase in blood supply to bring in immune system antibodies and remove the neutralized venom.
- Swelling is the lymphatic fluid that dilutes the concentrated poison while providing proteins for repair of the tissue damaged by the toxins.
- Heat comes from immune system activity as it battles the invading contaminant.
- Pain causes us to guard that area from further damage.
Chronic inflammation occurs when the toxins are not completely removed from an area. A good example of this may be found in simple lawn chemicals, like fertilizers and pesticides. Certain fertilizers are potassium-based. Potassium is important for human health. When we are exposed to these fertilizers, our cells may accept the potassium along with the toxic “attachments.” Your immune system will constantly attack these contaminated cells until it destroys them. Clusters of diseases like Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis have been linked to these fertilizers.

Home sweet home – isolate and insulate
Neutralizing toxins in the body begins with isolating ourselves from chemical exposure. We must be diligent if we are to protect our family from toxic overload. Chemicals should be stored out of the living area in a place that is well-ventilated. This is especially true if there are children in the home, as developing brains are up to 10 times more likely to suffer damage from toxins than an adult nervous system.

Insulating ourselves against toxic exposure is equally important. Two nutrient classes shine when it comes to protection from pollution:
- Essential fatty acids – Many of the toxins we face are fat-soluble. We need “clean” fats in abundance to displace toxic fats in our brain, liver and other regions of our body.
- Antioxidants – Antioxidants neutralize toxins and Betalain antioxidants found in Nopal figs have two added benefits over standard antioxidants:
  - Betalains drain away the toxin from an affected area
  - Betalains shore up the cell membrane to help promote healing
Betalains turn out to be our best tool in combating the causes of inflammation: toxins, stress, injury and nutrient deficiency. Use this excellent tool liberally to help you resist the increasing onslaught of toxins both inside and outside of your home sweet home.
December 20, 2022