It is no secret that arthritis is linked to inflammation. Although a Time magazine article about seven years ago made a link between chronic inflammation and several other serious diseases, it is not shocking that arthritis is one of them.
The connection just makes sense, unlike the connection say between heart disease and inflammation. The magazine article spoke about how inflammation can go bad. What happens is that inflammation is the body's first immunological response to any type of bad invader, such as microbes or bacteria. It fights off the invader and then, under normal circumstances, should stop. However, the body's inflammation response doesn't always turn off when it should and this leads to chronic inflammation.
When this happens, the body is essentially attacking itself instead of some outsider. This is what scientists and researchers think leads to diseases and ailments ranging from asthma to diabetes to colon cancer. Along the same time we started learning the dangers of chronic inflammation, we also discovered that the prickly pear cactus is actually a natural antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory food and drink. It is believed to aid in inflammation.
This is why it is a natural aid to help combat arthritis. In addition, because it is not a prescription, there are no dangerous side effects to drinking juice made from the cactus.
The all-natural juice made from this cactus is known as Nopalea. This is, in part, because another name for the cactus is the Nopal or Nopales Cactus. (It also has been called the Opuntia Cactus.) This wonder plant has grown rampant in the Sonoran desert for centuries. Native North Americans have used it as a food and medicine possibly dating back to the time of the Aztecs.
The flesh of the cactus is eaten as a vegetable and even treated like a meat sometimes when it is grilled and eaten with eggs or inside taco shells. It tastes a tad bit like asparagus or green beans. It is used to make everything from jelly to salsa to candy.
The flowers of the plant contain a natural pigment that only a few other plants in the world have, such as beets. The pigment contains a special property called betalains, which are considered natural antioxidants. These betalains are what is believed to help with so many diseases. There are even little birds in Mexico that are known because their little faces turn bright pink from eating the blossoms, which also can bloom yellow or red, as well as purple.
When the Spaniards came to North America, they quickly took to the prickly pear cactus, seeing its potential and brought seeds and plants back to Europe. Now the plant grows all around the United States and all around the world. It is grown and harvested as a food and also for its medicinal qualities.
The plant has recently regained popularity as a natural health aid, prompting even more growth of this multi-purpose plant. In addition, the plant itself is gorgeous to look at and is photographed and painted frequently.
