The prickly pear cactus has played an important part of the history of the Americas. It is said that the ancient Aztecs received a spiritual sign telling them that the cactus would help them find their promised land.

The ancient lore has it that one Aztec warrior received a vision in which he was given direction to find where the Aztec nation should be built. The vision informed him that he should look for an eagle. But not just any eagle. The eagle he needed to find would be clutching a snake in its claws or mouth. But that was not all.

He needed to see the eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus. Once he saw this sight, he would know that the Aztec nation had found its home.

It just so happens that one day an Aztec looked up from getting a drink at a lake and saw an island. On that island, he spotted an eagle. And the eagle was not only clutching a snake, but it was perched on a prickly pear cactus.

So this is where the Aztec people settled after numerous years of waiting to see this spiritual sign that would guide them.

To this day, the natives of South and Central America hold the prickly pear cactus in esteem. It has been used for hundreds of years as both a food and medicine, as well as a juice.

In the past few years, peoples across the world are learning about the benefits of the juice made from the prickly pear cactus. It has special health properties, as it is a natural anti-oxidant and natural anti-inflammatory.

In its most primitive form, the juice is slimy and green.

However, we are fortunate that we can get all the benefits of the prickly pear cactus in a more savory form – Nopalea Juice.

While the main ingredient of the juice is still the cactus and water, it also is naturally sweetened with Agave nectar. In addition, its flavor is even more enhanced by the addition of more than a dozen fruit extracts and concentrates. The sunset colored juice is not only drunk for its health benefits, but also for its taste.

People who drink the juice claim it helps them with everything from acne to diabetes symptoms.

The popularity of the juice has skyrocketed over the past few years now that people realize that there might be a connection between serious illness and disease and chronic inflammation.

The prickly pear cactus, as a natural anti-inflammatory, is a great way to fight chronic inflammation.

Scientists are busy researching the connection, but the theory is that when inflammation – the body’s natural response to attack – doesn’t turn off and goes haywire, the body itself suffers. So it’s a good thing gone bad.

The ability to fight inflammation could be the key to preventing all sorts of serious illnesses and diseases. This is very exciting.

Even the renowned doctor and television host, Dr. Mehmet Oz, has spoken about the benefits of the prickly pear cactus on his television show.

Author Bio: Frank Yocanis has been researching and writing about Nopal Juice for the past decade. He has even traveled to the Sonoran desert half a dozen times to study how Nopalea contains amazing properties that help with all kinds of joint pain, including reducing swelling. He is excited to share how this antioxidant-rich drink can change your life.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: swollen knee, nopal cactus, joint pain relief, nopal cactus benefits, reducing swelling