Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine: Treatments for Diabetes, Cholesterol, and the Immune System

HEALTH"A comprehensive and detailed review of the benefits of this remarkable plant and a compelling argument for its acceptance into modern herbalism."Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council and editor of HerbalGram"An excellent blend of good science and real life applications."David Hoffmann, FNIMH, AHG, author of Medical Herbalism and The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal"Ran Knishinsky has done a masterful job unearthing details on the use of the prickly pear cactus for food and for medicine. This book provides the spark to move the prickly pear from beyond ethnic use to mainstream acceptance."David Winston, AHG, dean of the Herbal Therapeutics School of Botanical MedicineThe prickly pear cactus--a plant that has the distinction of being a vegetable, fruit, and flower all in one--may be destined to be the next big herbal superstar, following in the footsteps of St. John's wort and Echinacea. One of the driving forces behind its popularity is that each part of this plant functions as both food and medicine. It has been a staple in the diets of the people of the southwestern portion of the United States, the Middle East, parts of Europe and Africa, and Central and South America for hundreds of years.Traditionally, the prickly pear cactus has been used as a panacea for over 100 different ailments. Its use in the treatment of diabetes is now gaining attention in scientific circles, and it has been the subject of blood cholesterol research trials sponsored by the American Heart Association. In addition to the results of recent scientific research, Knishinsky also includes ethnobotanical information on the use of prickly pear cactus in treating obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, and skin ailments. A resource section details the natural food companies that supply prickly pear cactus and a chapter of recipes offers twenty-four traditional and modern dishes using the pads and fruit of the cactus.RAN KNISHINSKY is a professional health researcher and writer and is the founder of NutraConsulting, a consulting firm to the natural products industry. He frequently appears on radio and is the author of The Clay Cure and The Prozac Alternative.