Why Does It Matter What We Eat?

Why does it matter, right? I mean we are all going to die someday, right? I hear this every time I visit my grandfather, but then again he always enlightens me on what he learned on that Food Network and what kind of salad he had this week... So, I feel like he knows better... Ha, I love you, Papaw!

I believe that all men are created equal, but all foods are not! Dr. Colbert says, some food should not be labeled "food" but rather "consumable product" or "edible, but void in nourishment." I say, Amen Brotha! There are two types of foods: Living & Dead foods!

LIVING FOODS:

Living foods are fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nute- exist in a raw or close to raw state and packaged in divinely created wrappers called skins and peels. Living food looks in fact alive. Living foods are plucked, harvested, and squeezed- not processed, packaged, and put on a shelf.

DEAD FOODS:

Dead foods are everything that living foods are not. They have been altered and deconstructed in every way imaginable way to make them last as long as possible and be addictive as possible! So, in order to do this manufacturers have to add sugar and salt and man-made fat.

Let's talk about the sugar real quick... Ever had a large party? Do you typically buy filet mignon for your cookouts or hot dogs... That is what I thought! When we are feeding the masses, we buy the cheaper alternative; manufacturers do the same to you and me. They have such a large quota to fill, so they cut corners. When adding to sugar to processed food, they add the cheapest sugar- bleached, refined sugar.

Now, I said, they use salt as well! Well, most of us know that is to preserve our food andenhance the flavor. What's a matter with salt? Well, nothing! In fact, even though it is zero calories it is an electrolyte and brings balance in our bodies. However, if we take in too much, pressure starts building in the body! We take in too much salt, and then required to take in too much water to filter out the increase in salt. Recommended Daily Allowance of sodium is 2400 mg to 3000 mg! Next time you are eating out, check the sodium count on your favorite dishes! Be aware, you cannot afford not to!

What's man-made fat? It is man made by taking natural oils such as vegetable oil for example (again cheapest oils) and heating them to dangerously high temperatures so that the nutrients die and become reborn as something completely different- a deadly, sluggish substance that is toxic to our bodies.

What do we do about these living and dead foods? Life breeds life. Death breeds death. When you eat living foods, the enzymes in their pristine state interact with your digestive enzymes. The other natural ingredients God put in them- vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and more- flow into your system in their natural state. These living foods were created to cause your digestive system, bloodstream, and organs to function at optimum capacity.

Dead foods hit your body like a foreign intruder. Chemicals, including preservatives, foodadditives, and bleaching agents, place a strain on the liver. Toxic man-made fats begin to form in your cell membranes; they become stored as fat in your body and form plaque in your arteries. Your body does its best to harvest the tiny traces of from these dead foods, but in the end you are undernourished, overfed, and overweight.

Time Magazine: Inflammation Part 5 of 8

Cancer: The Wound That Never Heals 

Back in the 1860s, renowned pathologist Rudolf Virchow speculated that cancerous tumors arise at the site of chronic inflammation. A century later, oncologists paid more attention to the role that various genetic mutations play in promoting abnormal growths that eventually become malignant. Now researchers are exploring the possibility that mutation and inflammation are mutually reinforcing processes that, left unchecked, can transform normal cells into potentially deadly tumors.

How might that happen? One of the most potent weapons produced by macrophages and other inflammatory cells are the so-called oxygen free radicals. These highly reactive molecules destroy just about anything that crosses their path — particularly DNA. A glancing blow that damages but doesn't destroy a cell could lead to a genetic mutation that allows it to keep on growing and dividing. The abnormal growth is still not a tumor, says Lisa Coussens, a cancer biologist at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, San Francisco. But to the immune system, it looks very much like a wound that needs to be fixed. "When immune cells get called in, they bring growth factors and a whole slew of proteins that call other inflammatory cells," Coussens explains. "Those things come in and go 'heal, heal, heal.' But instead of healing, you're 'feeding, feeding, feeding.'"

Sometimes the reason for the initial inflammatory cycle is obvious — as with chronic heartburn, which continually bathes the lining of the esophagus with stomach acid, predisposing a person to esophageal cancer. Other times, it's less clear. Scientists are exploring the role of an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) in the development of colon cancer. COX-2 is yet another protein produced by the body during inflammation.

Over the past few years, researchers have shown that folks who take daily doses of aspirin — which is known to block COX2 — are less likely to develop precancerous growths called polyps. The problem with aspirin, however, is that it can also cause internal bleeding. Then in 2000, researchers showed that Celebrex, another COX-2 inhibitor that is less likely than aspirin to cause bleeding, also reduces the number of polyps in the large intestine.

So, should you be taking Celebrex to prevent colon cancer? It's still too early to say. Clearly COX-2 is one of the factors in colon cancer. "But I don't think it's the exclusive answer," says Ray DuBois, director of cancer prevention at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn. "There are a lot of other components that need to be explored."  

Time Magazine: Inflammation Part 3 of 8

Is Your Heart on Fire?

Not long ago, most doctors thought of heart attacks as primarily a plumbing problem. Over the years, fatty deposits would slowly build up on the insides of major coronary arteries until they grew so big that they cut off the supply of blood to a vital part of the heart. A complex molecule called LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol, provided the raw material for these deposits. Clearly anyone with high LDL levels was at greater risk of developing heart disease.

There's just one problem with that explanation: sometimes it's dead wrong. Indeed, half of all heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Not only that, as imaging techniques improved, doctors found, much to their surprise, that the most dangerous plaques weren't necessarily all that large. Something that hadn't yet been identified was causing those deposits to burst, triggering massive clots that cut off the coronary blood supply. In the 1990s, Ridker became convinced that some sort of inflammatory reaction was responsible for the bursting plaques, and he set about trying to prove it.

To test his hunch, Ridker needed a simple blood test that could serve as a marker for chronic inflammation. He settled on Creactive protein (CRP), a molecule produced by the liver in response to an inflammatory signal. During an acute illness, like a severe bacterial infection, levels of CRP quickly shoot from less than 10 mg/L to 1,000 mg/L or more. But Ridker was more interested in the low levels of CRP — less than 10 mg/L — that he found in otherwise healthy people and that indicated only a slightly elevated inflammation level. Indeed, the difference between normal and elevated is so small that it must be measured by a specially designed assay called a high-sensitivity CRP test.

By 1997, Ridker and his colleagues at Brigham and Women's had shown that healthy middle-aged men with the highest CRP levels were three times as likely to suffer a heart attack in the next six years as were those with the lowest CRP levels. Eventually, inflammation experts determined that having a CRP reading of 3.0 mg/L or higher can triple your risk of heart disease. The danger seems even greater in women than in men. By contrast, folks with extremely low levels of CRP, less than 0.5 mg/L, rarely have heart attacks.

Physicians still don't know for sure how inflammation might cause a plaque to burst. But they have a theory. As the level of LDL cholesterol increases in the blood, they speculate, some of it seeps into the lining of the coronary arteries and gets stuck there. Macrophages, alerted to the presence of something that doesn't belong, come in and try to clean out the cholesterol. If, for whatever reason, the cytokine signals begin ramping up the inflammatory process instead of notching it down, the plaque becomes unstable. "This is not about replacing cholesterol as a risk factor," Ridker says. "Cholesterol deposits, high blood pressure, smoking — all contribute to the development of underlying plaques. What inflammation seems to contribute is the propensity of those plaques to rupture and cause a heart attack. If there is only inflammation but no underlying heart disease, then there is no problem."

At this point, cardiologists are still not ready to recommend that the general population be screened for inflammation levels. But there's a growing consensus that CRP should be measured in those with a moderately elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease. At the very least, a high CRP level might tip the balance in favor of more aggressive therapy with treatments — such as aspirin and statins — that are already known to work.

Earth Day: Do Your Part

     Happy Earth Day to all! I am not a huge Earth Day activist or anything... what I do think is we should keep our Earth clean like we do our rooms (or try to at least)! I found this neat... Gaylord Nelson was the founder of Earth Day. It was initiated from US. The main reason behind earth day was to protect earth by providing protection to its environment. Budget of $124,000 was allocated to this day and it had taken seven months for planning it. Now, I really think we can do "our" part by simple things everyday! Here is how I contribute!

Reasons to Recycle:

• Each of us uses approximately one 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree in paper and wood products per year.

• Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity — enough energy to power the average American home for five months.

Rules to Recycling:

• Paper: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, phone books, junk mail, office paper, paper board, etc.

• Plastic/Metal/ Glass: plastic bottles, green, brown, and clear food and beverage containers (no windows, mirrors, bakeware, or ceramics), aluminum, and steel cans.

• Corrugated Cardboard: please flatten and remove foam or other packaging materials.

Protecting earth is responsibility of all of us. We should work together to make our earth clean!

Myth Busters!

     So as some may know, I am working on my Personal Trainer certification to better help my clients seeking nutritional help! I have come across a handful of so-called "facts" that I want to clear up for everyone! If you have researched nutritional information through the internet or another source without the proper credentials, you've probably thrown your hands up in the air trying to make out all the contradictions! So, look no further, we are going to clear it all up today!

Myth: Large amounts of protein will increase muscle strength and size.

Reality: There is not evidence to show that consuming excess protein will increase muscle strength. In fact, when you do consume excess protein, what your body cannot use get stored as fat. Excess protein consumption can result in dehydration and place added stress on the kidneys and liver.

Myth: Eating honey, candy bars, soft drinks, or sugar before competing will provide a quick burst of energy.

Reality: Such foods that have a high sugar content a couple hours prior to the competition will raise insulin levels in your blood and consequently leaving you feeling tired and weak. The possible rebound is hypoglycemia. However, high carbohydrate foods consumed a couple hours prior will provide sustainable energy and improve performance!

Myth: Drinking water prior to and during exercise causes upset stomach and cramps.

Reality: Water is the most important nutrient to an exercising individual. Restricting fluids during exercise can cause sever dehydration and limit performance.

Myth: Carbohydrates increase weight gain, while protein promotes weight and fat loss.

Reality: Ok, this is a BIG one! There are so many crash diets out there saying this such as, Sugar Busters!, The Zone Diet, Atkins' New Diet Revolution, etc. The basic claim is that carbohydrates make you fat and insulin causes obesity. These diets focus on blood-sugar levels and blame carbohydrates for causing a sudden rise in blood-sugar levels. Wrong! As blood-sugar levels rise, insulin is released and sends sugar to the brain and to the muscles to be burned for energy, while excess gets stored as fat. These diets also claim by eating a high-fat/high-protein diet, the body will metabolize fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. However, there is no scientific evidence to back these diets' claims. The rapid weight loss people experience is primarily from water and protein loss from muscle, not fat. It also takes quite the toll on your organs that are apart of the GI tract because you are causing them to work in ways they aren't suppose to...

Myth: Muscle cramps are caused by inadequate salt intake.

Reality: Cramps are caused by excess water loss through perspiration. Ingesting salt tablets can aggravate existing dehydration by drawing water out of the body tissues and into the stomach. Water should be consumed before, during, and after exercise to prevent dehydration.

Myth: Taking vitamin and mineral supplements will provide more energy.

Reality: Don't get me wrong, I am ALL for supplementing! Let's face it, our body does not get the daily nutrition it needs no matter how much we try to meet the daily requirements. So, while supplementing is great for making sure we get those nutrients they only aid your body in releasing the energy from the food you consume! They do not provide energy solely.

Myth: Tea and coffee are the best pre-competition beverages.

Reality: Tea and coffee both contain caffeine, which is a stimulant. Some research does show that caffeine can increase endurance by increasing the use of fat as an energy source, thus sparing muscle glycogen, but not all individuals will experience this effect.

Myth: Crash diets are the fastest, most effective way to lose weight.

Reality: Crash diets typically ca provide you immediate results because it strips you of your muscle mass, glycogen stores, and water weight. When you are doing this, your body will be mal-nutritioned much like an eating disorder. It creates stress on your organs, electrolyte imbalances, calcium deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, and vitamin and mineral deficiency. Really unless you are on Biggest Loser and being watched like a hawk, you should shoot to lose no more than 2 pounds a week. Set sensible goals!

Myth: Most low-fat foods are also low in calories.

Reality: Naturally low-fat foods such as vegetables, fruits, and legumes are low in calories as well. Foods that are manufactured to be low in fat are typically not low in calories. Flipping the product over to review the food label is a great idea! I always tell my clients to look at what you are eating. Pay now or pay later.

Myth: All-natural or herbal supplements are safe and effective in enhancing weight loss and improving overall performance.

Reality: I use to be bad about this. Many nutritional supplements are marketed using deceptive, misleading, or fraudulent advertising. I once thought there is no way it could be fraudulent advice, but there is really not enough restrictions on what is on the shelf and considered "edible". I do highly recommend you work with a health educator that is approved by your physician to help you find the best supplements. Doctors have about 3 hours of nutrition classes in schooling, so I think it is best when you work with both a Registered Dietician and your primary care physician.

     This is all the myth busters I have for you today! I hope you learned a few things that can be applied to your peak performance in your exercising sessions! If you have any supplementing questions, e-mail me at kayla@tntgetfit.com! Happy exercising everyone!

Source: ACE

Fats 101

     Contrary to what is out there, there are such things as good fats and bad fats! I want to share with you 4 key points to know about fats! The right fats are brain food, so it is important to make sure you are getting the proper nutrition!

Eat Half The Fat- Change The Type

Energy doesn't just disappear. Whatever you put into your body and don't burn off in your muscles makes a stopover in your fat cells. Consuming about 60 to 70 fat grams per day will keep you lean and fit, provided they don't all come from saturated animal fats. Ani

mal fat should be kept to a minimum; it is not a fat burner. You're better off consuming unsaturated fatty acids. These are substances your body can't produce on its own. Great sources are vegetables, olives, nuts, seeds, and fish. If you are not sure if you consume 60 to 70 fat grams, keep a food journal for a week and count fat grams of everything you consume that has a label. So, if you eat nuts, vegetables, and fruits... don't include those. Just count the foods with labels and see where you are at. My favorite source of fat is the amazing avocado!

Fats That Keep You Thin

Your kitchen should always be stocked with olive oil! Olive oil supplies fatty acids that ad

just the settings of your hormone balance to LEAN, FIT, and HEALTHY! The same can be said of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. They control your body's super-hormones, the eicosanoids. If you eat ocean fish (herring, salmon or mackerel) at least 2x's a week, you will stimulate a good number of these types of eicosanoids that will in turn give you better health, more vitality, a lighter mood, and protection for your heart. Who would like to have all these great self-improvements?

Fats & High Glycemic Index

If you eat your pasta with a cream sauce or your roast beef with mashed potatoes, the potatoes and pasta (both high in the glycemic index) will increase the insulin in your blood, which will then immediately transport the fat in the beef or cream to your hips, and seal away the fat molecules inside the fat cells. This won't happen, however, if you eat your meat with whole-wheat pasta (low-glycemic idex). In this case the insulin is kept a bay, and the fat from the meat can be burned off in the muscle cells. When planning meals, remember this:

• Avoid eating fatty foods with high-glycemic index foods (i.e. steak with french fries, pasta with cream sauce, buttered bread with jam, pizza, chocolate croissants, white bread with cheese that is over 40% in fat)

• Create fat burning combinations: Lamb with whole-grain rice, turkey breast with boiled potatoes, chicken with vegetables, whole-wheat pasta with shrimp, mozzerella, whole-wheat bread with tomatoes. 

Click here for a complete list of high & low glycemic index food list!

The Thin Commandments

• Olive oil instead of animal fats. Use less butter and cream. Please never use margarine.

• Practice "light" cooking : brushing oil onto non-stick pans for sauteing. Choose steaming (not steam bags in the microwave) and braising to preserve vitamins and your figure.

• Eat thing with zero fat: Legumes (beans), fruits, and whole grains (rice, pasta, bread, muesli)

• Reduce your consumption of red meats and processed meats like sausage, bacon, and deli meat. Instead choose ocean fish, game, poultry. Choose lean cuts of meat such as fillets, escalopes, loins, roasts, flank steak, etc.

• Always purchase low-fat dairy products and avoid prepared products, even if they say "light". Remember, nature always does it better!

Recipe: Quick Veggie Pizza

     As a Private Chef, I am always modifying recipes. Its always a challenge, which I love. It is not as simple as adding fish for a superior fat-burner to add to one's diet. They may despise fish! One thing nobody ever turns down is pizza! So, here is a quick and easy recipe that won't add the carbs that usually one trip to dominos will add. This is very light and crispy for the thin-crust lovers!

Ingredients: Serves 2 or 4 (if using it as a snack)
• 1/2 cup of low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of a/p flour
• 1/2 cup of wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tbsp. low-fat/skim milk
• 2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt to taste
• 5 oz. can of tomato pieces, drained
• 3 oz. mushrooms
• 1 sm. bulb of fennel*
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 oz. Gouda cheese, grated
• 6 black olives, pitted
• 6-8 basil leaves

* If you aren't sure about the fennel, leave it off. If you think buying one will go to waste, chop the rest up and throw on salads.

Method of Preparation:

1. For the dough, knead together the yogurt, flour, baking powder, milk, 2 tbsp. oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Wipe mushrooms with damp cloth, slice, and also slice fennel** very thin.

4. On a lightly floured work surface, rollout the dough to a thin rectangle and transfer it to the baking sheet.

5. Pierce with the fork several times.

6. Distribute the tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, sliced fennel, season, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and cheese. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tbsp. oil over the top.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes on the middle rack. Garnish with olives and basil.

** To properly cut fennel: Trim the fennel because you want just the bulb, Wash, Cut it into 4 quarters, and then into thin slices.

For Added Spice:
Add chiles! Eating spicy foods will flood your brain with endorphins, the messenger chemical that eases pain and lifts your spirit. A good mood translates into a more active and slender you! Spiciness also heats up fat cells, causing them to move.

     If you have some picky eaters then take away add what you like bell peppers, feta, kalamata olives. Get creative! Also, this is a great kid-friendly recipe to create family time around food.

Allergies: How To Fight Back

     Spring is my favorite season, and I want to make it more enjoyable for you by addressing allergies and remedies that do not include a doctor visit! 25% of the world suffers from allergies! 

     

     You may be tempted to take an over-the-counter antihistamine, decongestant or other drug to get rid of allergy symptoms, but there are other more healthy options that will address not only the symptoms but also the underlying cause.

Did you know?

Strengthening your immune system is the first step in fighting off allergens. So how do you build up your immune system? Reducing sugars and grains in your diet, important physical principles to strengthen your immune system. Additionally, you want to exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep.

Sonoran Bloom Nopalea

First, allergies irritate the sinuses... sinus symptoms are due to inflammation... inflammation can be addressed by drinking Sonoran Bloom Nopalea. For more information check out my post on it! Addressing the inflammation is going to fight the allergies at the source!

Local Honey

Also, incorporating local honey in your meals via coffee, sweet potatoes, cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, etc. will be beneficial. Local honey needs to be from your county! The local part is so important because the bees who make it are buzzing all in the very things that cause your inflammation. It works like a natural allergy shot.

Natural Anti-Histamine Foods

Anti-histamine foods are onions, garlic, and citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. Something I like to do is carry around a lemon/lime cut in wedges in a ziploc bag, and squeeze a little in every time I feel up my water bottle. You can also do this with oranges! Get crazy add cucumbers and oranges. Makes for a refreshing water!

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

The essential fatty acids found in fish oil and cod liver oil can reduce both allergic and inflammatory

response. Cod liver oil may be particularly beneficial because it also contains vitamin A, which enhances the immune system and soothes irritated mucous membranes. Take note that it is important that you do not consume too much vitamin A. Call your physician to speak with his nurse about how much vitamin A they recommend for you! Also, if you choose cod liver oil, get your vitamin D levels tested; it is possible to over-dose on vitamin D. If you so choose to try this technique, it is crucial you choose a quality fish oil. I recommend checking out Carlson's Cod Liver Oil.

Spring Cleaning

It is important to keep the pollen count in your house low. Tips in doing this is using a hepa certified vaccum cleaner; this will eliminate the pollen being blown back into the air. Shower at night to avoid transferring pollen to your pillow and sheets. Leave shoes in the garage or by the door. Wash hands regularly. Try using an air purifier for a peaceful rest. Also, keep the pets bathed regularly and don't allow up on the sitting areas!

Hot Liquids

This is going to relieve congestion. Try green tea with a tablespoon of local honey! A great way to get antioxidants as well! Any hot tea is going to be very soothing.

Light Exercise

The last thing you want to do after going through a box of tissues in a day is exercising I am sure of it. However, it is important that you know light exercising can increase your respiratory system during this time of congestion and runny nose. Your immune system is weak, so do not over-work yourself. Try brisk walking in the morning while the grass is still covered in dew.

     Here are my suggestions in aiding those suffering from the spring allergens in the air! Happy Spring and let me know if you find more remedies in relieving your allergy symptoms!

Sources: Trivita, Dr. Mercola

Nopalea Challenge: Day 5

Never in 5 days have I ever wanted to make a commitment to something or even someone! Good things are suppose to take time?... Or so I thought!

I have come to find that Nopalea can be extremely, tremendously helpful to women who suffer from the severest of menstrual symptoms! The discomfort that comes with nature's gift can sometime be enabling. Never would I have thought it would be helpful for this, but it addresses the inflammation in our body! I never put menstrual cycles in the category of inflammation, but it is!

There is a normal inflammatory response during the cycle: estrogen and progesterone build up during the cycle, arachidonic acid. This is stored with the uterine muscles. This acid is a precursor to a lot of inflammation. So an inflammatory diet including red meats, chicken, egg yolks, and some oils can increase the cramping! Our recommended daily intake of carbohydrates should account for 60% of our daily intake. Limiting the amount of these proteins could help!

And all the women screamed Hallelujah! Nopalea just made our lives easier and allowing us to be productive all the days of the month not just 28 or 29!

Nopalea: World's Only Inflammatory Supplement

To My Readers,

I am all about bringing you the best knowledge I can find that I see can benefit you or has personally helped me be healthier and stronger! I just have one question for YOU! If  there was a cure for every illness or sickness that is caused by inflammation, would you want it? Without further ado, I bring you the world's only inflammatory supplement!

• Antioxidant Betalains

What they are 

Betalains are the pigments that give the Nopal cactus fruit its vibrant pink color. But that’s just the beginning. They’re also natural antioxidants—and they’re only found in a few of the world’s plants.

The Nopal fruit isn’t just included in this small group of special plants, it actually leads the group by containing one of the highest amounts of betalains in all of nature.

How they heal 

When you drink Nopalea, you take these betalains into your system, where they begin to restore your vitality on a cellular level. By helping the body reduce the toxins surrounding your cells and enabling essential nutrients to reach each cell, the betalains in Nopalea can reduce the inflammation in your body that leads to disease.

Scientific research shows that betalains help to:

• Reduces the risk of blood clots—betalains protect the thin lining of your blood vessels; this helps reduce the inflammation that makes your blood sticky and leads to clots.¹
• Reduces bad cholesterol—betalains strongly reduce oxidized LDL cholesterol.²
• Protects cells from toxins—betalains protect many types of cells, especially brain cells, from toxins known to trigger tumors.³
• Protects your liver—betalains provide significant protection from toxins that directly affect your liver.⁴

• Health Benefits

The power of betalains 

Harnessing the power of betalains, a rare and potent class of antioxidants that flourish in the Nopal cactus, Nopalea delivers scientifically proven health benefits.

Detoxify your body 

Every day, we’re exposed to toxins in our air, water and food—and even toxins created by our own bodies. Nopalea combines its betalains with other anti-toxic ingredients to combat these poisons where they strike us first: right inside the trillions of cells in our bodies.

By increasing the activity of CYP-2E1, a special enzyme that neutralizes daily toxins, Nopalea protects your cells and vital organs—especially your liver—against the carcinogens, hormone disruptors, respiratory toxins, developmental toxins and neurotoxins that are responsible for one-quarter of all the world’s diseases.

Reduce inflammation 

When toxins assault your system—or when injury or infection strikes—your body responds with a complex biological process commonly referred to as inflammation. If this inflammation goes unchecked, it can lead to a wide variety of disorders, from stroke to arthritis to heart disease.

Nopalea specifically targets signs of inflammation in your body and reduces them quickly.¹ Its betalains and other anti-inflammatory ingredients work directly on the fluid surrounding your cells. There, they draw off the toxins and excess water to reduce inflammation and rebalance the cellular environment.

Protect against premature aging 

Your skin is a miraculous covering that protects you from harm. Pollution, toxins, radiation and other potentially damaging influences are kept out of your body by your skin; vital organs are protected inside. One of the first signs of aging is thin, sagging, withered skin that is easily damaged.

Nopalea rushes to these damaged areas to shore up your protective layer. The betalains in Nopalea fill in the gaps of your cells (including the cells in your skin) and return them to the firm, robust nature of young cells — at any age. By providing a healthy environment for the cell, betalains keep it from withering.

More health benefits 

Want even more reasons to drink Nopalea? Scientific research shows that Nopalea also helps the body to:

• Increase energy
• Boost the immune system
• Protect against fluid retention
• Neutralize free radicals

Drink it and thrive.

• Sonoran Harvested

Low-impact harvesting 

Using sustainable wildcrafting techniques learned from native Sonoran ancestors, Nopalea takes only what’s needed from the extraordinary Nopal cactus. We leave most of the fruit on the plant to nourish the desert animals and ensure an abundant crop for future harvests. It’s our way of giving back, respecting the cycle of life and celebrating the harvest season.

High-impact wellness 

Immediately after harvesting, we transport the Nopal fruits to our state-of-the-art processing plant, where they’re juiced to a puree and blended with other all-natural ingredients to create a deliciously unique concentrated wellness drink. Using aseptic, sterile bottling techniques, we preserve the fruits’ purity and freshness—and we ensure the potency of its powerful antioxidant betalains.

• Research & Science

The Nopal cactus has been called a superfruit. That’s because its powerfulantioxidant betalains have been known to boost the health and well-being of all who drink in its powers.

But don’t just take our word for it. See what the scientific research community has to say.

Anti-Toxin activity

• “Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) protects against oxidative damage induced by the mycotoxin zearalenone in Balb/C mice.” (Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 May;46(5):1817-24.)
• “Opuntia ficus indica extract protects against chlorpyrifos-induced damage on mice liver.” (Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Feb;46(2):797-802.)
• “Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. fruit juice protects liver from carbon tetrachloride-induced injury.” (Phytother Res. 2005 Sep;19(9):796-800.)

Anti-Inflammatory

• “An anti-inflammatory principle from cactus.” (Fitoterapia. 2001 Mar;72(3):288-90)
• “Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibit endothelial ICAM-1 expression.” (Gentile C, Tesoriere L, Allegra M, Livrea MA, D’Alessio P. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1028:481-6.)
• “Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover.” (Wiese J, McPherson S, Odden MC, Shlipak MG. Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jun 28;164(12):1334-40.)

Immune System Boost

• “Betalains a betacyanin pigment purified from fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica induces apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia Cell line-K562.” (Phytomedicine. 2007 Nov;14(11):739-46.)
• “Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibit endothelial ICAM-1 expression.” (Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1028:481-6.)
• “Modulation of intracellular calcium concentrations and T cell activation by prickly pear polyphenols.” (Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 May;260(1-2):103-10.)

Brain Protection

• “Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase expression in activated microglia and peroxynitrite scavenging activity by Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten.” (Phytother Res. 2006 Sep;20(9):742-7.)
• “Interventions for protecting against or treating alcohol hangover: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.” BMJ. 2005 Dec 24;331(7531):1515-8.)
• “Opuntia ficus-indica attenuates neuronal injury in in-vitro and in vivo models of cerebral ischemia.” (J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Mar 8;104(1-2):257-62.)
• “Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover.” (Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jun 28;164(12):1334-40.)
• “Neuroprotective effects of antioxidative flavonoids, quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin and quercetin 3-methyl ether, isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten.” (Brain Res. 2003 Mar 7;965(1-2):130-6.)

• Ingredients

SUPPLEMENTAL FACTS 

Serving Size 2 tbsp (1 fl oz) (30 mL) 
Servings per Container 32

Amount per Serving

%Daily Value*

Calories	11	0%
Calories from Fat	0	0%
Total Fat	<1>	0%
Cholesterol	0 g	0%
Sodium	.76 mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate	2.84 g	1%
Dietary Fiber	.32 g	0%
Sugars	2 g	0%
Protein	88 mg	0%
Vitamin C	2.5 mg	4%
Calcium	5.6 mg	0%
Iron	.1 mg	1%
Proprietary blend (Nopalea)	Total 907.15 g	†

Water (filtered), Opuntia concentrate (nopal concentrate), Agave Nectar, Grape Seed extract (vitis vinifera), Raspberry extract (rubus idaeus), Strawberry extract (fragaria chiloensis), Cranberry extract (vaccinium macrocarpon), Apple extract (malus omestica), Apricot extract (prunus armeniaca), Mango extract (mangifera indica) fruit, Orange concentrate (citrus aurantium) juice, Papaya concentrate (carica papaya fruit with papain), Tomato concentrate (lycopersicon esculentum) fruit, Kiwi concentrate (actinidia chinensis), Guava (psidium guajava powder), Lemon concentrate (citrus lionum juice), Opuntia concentrate (nopal concentrate) powder, Peach concentrate (prunus persica) juice, Pomegranate extract (punica granatum with ellagic acid and punocaligans), Green Tea extract (camellia sinensis), Beet (beta vulgaris) juice, Bilberry concentrate (vaccinium myrtillus), Acerola cherry extract (malphigia glabra), Amylase, Cellulase, Hemicellulase, Proteases [bromelain from pineapple (ananas comosus) and papain (carica papaya) from papaya, lipase, phytase], Stevia extract (stevia rebaudiana) leaf, Guar gum, Maltodextrin, Natural flavor, Cherry powder, Xanthum gum.

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. 

† Daily Value not establised.

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