MORE on Nopal Cactus and Type 2 Diabetes

I am looking back into my membership with TRIVITA this coming week and getting started on Nopalea which is  Trivita's product offer on nopal cactus juice. I came across an INDEPENDENT article on type 2 diabetes and Nopal cactus juice and thought I would share it with you here. I will keep you posted on the Trivita opportunity and the effects of Nopalea on type 2 diabetes.

http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com/prickly-pear.html

EXCERPT:

Prickly Pear (Nopal Cactus) - Anti-diabetic and heart healthy

Prickly pear has been used in Mexico for over 1000 years to treat diabetes. It has been listed among one of the most commonly used natural products.
In fact, in 2002 a medical journal reported that this cactus "look-alike" plant, also called Nopal Cactus, is still used regularly in Central America.

What is Nopal Cactus?

Nopal¹ Cactus is the most commonly used herbal hypoglycemic among persons of Mexican descent.
--Journal of the American Pharmacists Association

The use of Prickly pear as a natural supplement to help in the treatment of diabetes is not new. There is no reason to doubt it's herbal hypoglycemic effects.
I grew up seeing these things growing wild. We used to pass the plant growing near a house that an old lady used to live. I remember frowning at the news that that the old lady used to eat that stuff. Now I know why.

It is said the the Aztecs used it to control "sweet urine" - the same thing we now know as diabetes.
Prickly pear cactus is reported to have been used for many other conditions as well. Some of these include prostate enlargement, liver disease, shortness of breath, and stomach problems.
²Research has also shown that Nopal "may induce at least part of its beneficial actions on the cardiovascular system via decreasing platelet activity and thereby improving haemostatic balance."
In other words, it is good for your heart and blood vessels.
In studying the effect of prickly pear on glucose metabolism, ³Austrian scientists reported that the fiber in the plant may be responsible for the cholesterol lowering effect but the anti-diabetes effect was still not fully understood.
I use prickly pear as a combination with other herbal nutrition supplements. In fact, my favorite combination was one endorsed by ⁴Dr. Chappell, who wrote a book about his Quest for the Cause and Cure of Diabetes.
The capsules have a combination of ginseng, cinnamon, gymnema sylvestre, and other anti-diabetes supplements. It is one of the fastest-acting natural products that I have used. However, I found those tablets a bit too big to swallow - given my "gag reflex" situation. That's why I kept searching for a liquid dietary supplement until I found milagro de la selva diabetes tea.
Other natural diabetes supplements such as bitter melon, cinnamon, and Gymnema sylvestre - great natural ingredients in the Diametrix™ treatment for diabetes - are also too often overlooked natural remedies. These natural gifts are passed by (overlooked) because they are not as quick acting as drugs; but they are also less damaging to our system.
Nature has a lot of help packaged for managing common illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, and prickly pear cactus is one of them. It's too bad we are made to feel that it is Medieval not to think Pfeizer and Merck. But the use of natural remedies has stood the test of time. There are no "re-calls" on Prickly pear cactus and on the ingredients of Diametrix™, so for the sake of your health choose natural, safe remedies and take back control.

ANOTHER LINK:

http://www.nopaljuice.com/nopal/studies.html

EXCERPT:

In recent years Nopal (scientifically a member of the Opuntia Cactaceae family) been subjected to increasing study by hospital-based medical practitioners, health scientists in private practice and researchers at such institutions as the USDA Agricultural Research Service-Food and Nutrition Laboratory at Beltsville Maryland, and a number of University based Health Science and Nutrition Centers.

Hospital-based clinical studies have consistently found that Nopal has a clear hypoglycemic effect on obese, insulin-resistant Type 2 Diabetic patients. Nopal is rich in pectin (a soluble fiber), but in addition to fiber-related inhibition of glucose absorption, fasting glucose is also significantly lowered; indicating that Nopal also has the effect of increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin. Focused studies corroborate this finding, showing that small amounts of a active fraction isolated from nopal can partially reverse Diabetes. Similar effects on reduced serum levels of low-density cholesterol's and triglycerides not explained by fiber absorption were found, indicating a beneficial effect on hepatic function.
Classified as a vegetable, testing by the USDA has revealed Nopal to be rich in soluble and insoluble dietary fiber and essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other phytochemicals that have been diminished or lost in the modern diet. Conversely, Nopal is low in carbohydrate calories and sodium: and, the carbohydrates found in Nopal have been found to have the lowest 'Glycemic Index' (a relative measure of the rate at which carbohydrates trigger a rise in circulating blood sugar) among all plant foods tested to date.

The body systems reported to be most affected by Nopal are the glandular, circulatory, digestive, urinary and nervous systems. Diabetes, heart conditions and cancer, as well as lesser afflictions (such as anxiety and depression), have been scientifically related to deficiencies in these systems and many scientists now believe that increased consumption of natural vegetable and herbal products that are specially rich in fiber and certain phytocemicals, can significantly aid the human body in defending against and combating these and the other disorders.


My input: I am going to explore the Nopalea situation in detail and will post my findings on this blog, possibly along with a link to joint Trivita if not already a member and receive discounts on the Nopalea product. I do NOT look at this product or any other as a complete cure all or end all. I take a multi-faceted approach to type 2 diabetes, including a number  of supplement's, weight resistance and aerobic exercise and avoiding certain types of foods, cutting way way back on simple carbohydrates etc. However I DO THINK Nopalea along with the exercise, other supplements, and an "Eat this, NOT that" approach can go a long ways in reversing type 2 diabetes.

Dan

Romans 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

Psalms 34:10 "...they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing."

Psalms 103:3 "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;"

Isaiah 53:4 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:"

Isaiah 53:5 "With his stripes we are healed."