I've never heard of it....what is it supposed to do?

It's bunk. From an expert on Natural Remedies.

http://www.lisabarger.com/is-it-a-scam/nopalea.html


Have you had a chance to try Trivitas new Nopalea drink yet?

Whats that old expression? It it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck Nopalea definitely quacks.

Pronounced NO-pay-lee-uh, this new drink from Trivita promises to reduce inflammation, promote cellular health and stave off aging. And if youre willing to haul it door-to-door in your neighborhood, affiliates like Tina Gonda promise you can build long-term wealth and succeed even in the toughest economic times with it, too.

But what about all this clinical research they promise? Well, we couldnt find any of that. Perhaps itll be released after the product is officially launched.

What we can tell you, though, is a little about Nopaleas main ingredientthe nopal cactus fruit. Known botanically as Opuntia cochenillifera, this plant is also known by a number of common names and synonyms. In fact, the name of the product, Nopalea, comes from the lesser-used name Nopalea cochenillifera.

Essentially, this is a very common prickly pear. It probably originated in Mexico but is grown throughout warmer regions of the U.S. and Mexico as an ornamental. It is also the only plant onto which the prickly pear moth can lay its eggs.

But What About The RESEARCH, Lisa?

We cant find any of the amazing clinical studies that have supposedly been done on this product however the cactus from which its made has been the focus of several dozen. Prickly pears are generally high in antioxidants and a 2009 study of 9 species found them effective against prostate and cancer cells in in vitro tests.

Prickly pear was also singled out in a 2008 report on metabolic syndrome. The authors of this paper pointed out that prickly pear has long been a folk remedy for diabetes and high blood cholesterol. Science may be a little slow to prove this use but at least one very small study, done in 2003, produced promising results.

So whats the bottom line? Well, we simply dont have enough information on Nopalea to say if we would recommend it or not. Were not big fans of the MLM aspect of its marketing and some of the claims weve seen on distributors web sites are troubling. We also cant find any of the studies that have supposedly been done on the actual drink. However, some of the research on the cactus itself are very interesting. Combine that with centuries of use as a medicinal food and, well, were hopeful.

References:

USDA. (2009). Opuntia cochenillifera (L.) Mill.

Gonda, T. (2009). Retrieved from www.sonoranbloom.com on June 3, 2009.

Chavez-Santoscoy R., et al. (2009). Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant Capacity and In Vitro Cancer Cell Cytotoxicity of Nine Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.) Juices. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.

Yes I am sure there are mixed opinions about it, but what I would like to know is has anyone tried it and if so what happened?

thanks.

To answer brunob's question, supposedly it might help some ppl with inflammation. I'm a bit of a skeptic of western medicine (which is 100% focused on what they know, which is how to write scripts for medication) which is only one part of the healing picture imho, so I like to keep my mind open to different things and read as much as I can and talk to people who walk through different experiences.

Mechelle,
Just be very careful about taking any type of non-traditional supplements. Some of them can actually make us sicker and I know this from experience. The problem with these types of things are that they are not FDA regulated or approved and you dont actually know what is in the product (fillers, added supplements, etc.). I think these things are safer to try when a person doesnt have an auto immune type disease. Some antioxidents can work against us and boost our immune system which is the last thing we ever want to do. If you want to try something for inflamation, try CURCUMIN which is a high dose of Turmeric (the spice). There has been alot of MEDICAL research done on this and it has been shown to help with cancer as well as inflamation. Much safer as well as it is a natural spice and that is ALL. There is nothing else added to it. I wouldnt try it, but thats just me. Several people in the group had spent money on similar products and saw no difference in anything except their pocketbooks.

Hi Mechelleb,
I have had SLE since 1984. I had to leave my 22+ year career as a critical care RN for SSD. I take Nopalea and have had great results. Please read my story if you would like to see what it has done for me.
http://trivitayourincomeforlife.blogspot.com/ I was skeptical when starting it but I can only speak for the results I have gotten for myself.
Have a great day :0)

Also keep in mind that some people that claim results if they have lupus maybe in a natural remission. There is no cure or fix for this disease. I always think false hope is worse than no hope. Just ask your rheumy before taking it so it doesn't interfere with any meds, etc. Best wishes.

I have read everyones response and although I am getting ready to take this product, I have other tried some of trivita's other products and they are wonderful. I do not have lupus but have other health conditions like neuropathy from nerve damage. I always hear how it is not FDA approved. Well the FDA does not have strick requirements to begin with so that does not matter to me. The FDA has approved many things that over time were found to be dangerous. On the other hand the Nopal cactus is "natural", just like bananas(which offer potassium) blueberries(which offer great anti-oxidants), carrots that offer beta-carotene...so where do we draw the line? We must decide what is good for us, and us alone. Some rely on medicines, some rely on natural...either way do what works for you. =) If you do decide to try Nopalea, I can help you with that. Everyone has a problem with MLM making money, does it make it any different when you go to Walmart, Rite aid or the grocery store? Someone is always making money by selling. =) Enjoy.

I have tried it and it has helped me tremendously. I will never go without it again. I am on NO fibro drugs now thanks to nopalea and almost all fatigue is gone.

I think that most will agree, that our bodies all respond differently to all things. Conventional or alternative no matter, it is all trial and error in my opinion. Heck I can't even use normal soaps for crying out loud, lol. So what works for one, may not work for someone else. I should think we all would want to try anything and everything to heal ourselves. Just be careful and research it and go slowly, don't expect a miracle, but feel free to hope for one. Good luck.

...Oh and to the MML thing, I hate that concept myself. I currently use Shaklee products and I love them, but they push me so hard to become a MML participant and I just hate that pressure, turns me right off. Been there, done that back in the 80's with Watkins, Amway, Noni, KM you name it, I tried it, lol. heh, To each their own.
Let us know what your experience is on it tho for sure! Best of luck.
:)