Processed and chemically altered food became popular in the 1970s when the era of the housewife ended and families were looking for fast and easy ways to put dinner on the table every night after both parents spent grueling days in the work force.

When there is a need, the marketplace responds. The development of television dinners was one answer to this. IT was a way to have frozen meals appear fresh on the table in a matter of minutes instead of hours.

As this movement grew, more companies began figuring out how to make food with preservatives and more processing. The days of making meals from scratch began to dwindle.

Coinciding with this trend, came the introduction of low fat. Somebody somewhere said that fat was bad and the consumer responded. The marketplace began focusing its efforts on giving people what they wanted – in this case foods that were no or low fat.

This movement continues to this day. In fact, it is often ironic to see something, such as a pack of licorice (really just sugar and red dye) that blares across the front that it has “No fat.”

Somewhere along the line, fat in foods became the enemy. Foods with fat were said to not only make people fat, but to endanger their health. Real butter was replaced with margarine and butter substitutes that had not even one minor ingredient that hadn’t been made up in a laboratory somewhere.

Fat was bad and people were shunning it left and right. In fact, everyone began to believe it. (At least in America.) Following this line of thinking and noting the popularity of low fat and no fat foods being purchased, brought home, and consumed, you would think that the American obesity rate would have plummeted in correlation. Not so.

In fact, the opposite happened.

The more people sought out and ate low and no fat items, the fatter they got.

This left nutritionists scratching their heads. It didn’t make sense. Or did it? It appears that the body that stays slim and healthy eats foods that are as natural as possible. When researchers look at the areas in the world where people are healthiest and have the longest life spans, it appears that these populations aren’t eating low and no fat foods. They are eating olive oil, avocados, and nuts (which are known to be high fat items).

This made people start questioning the low fat movement. In addition, it made people start to realize once again that sometimes the healthiest diet has zero to do with fat and everything to do with eating foods that are all-natural.

As a result of this realization, foods and drinks, such as all-natural Nopalea Juice, are becoming increasingly popular. The juice, made from the Prickly Pear cactus, is not only a healthy alternative to chemical-laden sodas, but it also is said to actually help improve health. Not a lot of products out there can make this claim.

The root of this claim is one of the main ingredients, the Prickly Pear cactus, said to be an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant.

Finally, after more than thirty years, people are going back to what their grandparents did to stay healthy.

Frank Yocanis has been researching and writing about Anti Inflammatory Diet 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 joint inflammation. He is excited to share how this antioxidant-rich drink can change your life.

Frank Yocanis has been studying the health benefits of the prickly pear cactus, known as Nopalea for the past decade. He has even traveled to the Sonoran desert to try the plant in its native state with the people who have been growing them for centuries. Find out more at: http://www.nopalea.com.

Author Bio: Frank Yocanis has been researching and writing about Anti Inflammatory Diet 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 joint inflammation. He is excited to share how this antioxidant-rich drink can change your life.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Antioxidant supplements, swollen legs, anti inflammatory diet, joint inflammation, TriVita