Child Obesity is a National Problem

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1/109/32474/sebelius-addressing-obesity-weight-nation-conference.html

This are some of the facts referred by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as she addressed the Weight of the Nation on July 28th.

The average American is 23 pounds overweight. Collectively that sums to 4.6 billion pounds overweight. As of today, two-thirds of adults and one-fifth of American children are either overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes is no longer refer to as "adult onset" because it is being diagnosed more and more in children. This all leads to a direct medical cost for obesity of approximately $147 billion annually, exceeding the cost of cancer care by more than $50 billion.

The worst of it is that most could be prevented. Secretary Sebelius made mentioned of a study that list 24 simple strategies that could be used to prevent obesity in America. From this study:

• increase availability of healthy foods and beverages.
• more grocery stores in under served areas
• promote physical activity
• limit sedentary behavior in our children
• expand school's physical education
• encourage breast feeding

We know we have a big problem. We need to take better care of ourselves by taking control of our eating habits and food choices. Prevention starts in our kitchen. I truly believe that as a nation we are health conscious, however, we are convenience driven. Certain major players in the food industry figured this out long ago and made unhealthy, cheap, processed food very convenient for us. In order to change this trend, we need to make a conscious effort to seek better, healthier foods and ingredients for our meals.

We may actually witness a future in which children end with a shorter lifespan than their parents because of their parents' and their personal choices of nourishment. Don't let this happen. Do that minuet change that you will be able to maintain and which will have a tremendous health benefit in your life and that of your love ones.

Introducing our newest product, cactus wraps

The Healthy Green Cactus Wrap.

Let me introduce you to our new product. Today we made our first cactus wraps.

This morning a had my breakfast in a cactus wrap. It was fantastic. Nopaltilla's cactus wrap has the same nutritional benefits as the cactus tortilla but because it is bigger you will get more nopal per wrap than in the regular tortilla. Now I can be more creative at meal time and still have a decent amount of dietary fiber in my meal.

Since it is just off the oven, we still need to send it to the food lab to have it nutritionally analyzed. I will have the nutritional facts about our wraps as soon as the lab gives them to me. Meanwhile I will be working on the packaging so that you may enjoy them soon.

I added an image comparing the wraps with a regular 6 inch tortilla. The smallest one is the regular 6" tortilla. Next to it, you see both an 8 inch wrap and a 10 inch wrap. For my breakfast, I used the 10" wrap. The wrap is very convenient because I can use it to roll my meal within it which gives me control of the portion size of my meal.

Let your imagination go wild. What can you do with the 8" or 10" wraps? I know what I am having for dinner tonight. I will cook some chicken fajitas with plenty of vegetables along with a broiled fresh nopal and I will create chicken fajitas wraps. I will have two fajita wraps in the 8" size cactus wrap for dinner with a glass of some fine wine.

Why Did I Set Out To Improve The Everyday Tortilla?

Although I see many of the effects of cancer during the course of my typical day as a scientist specialized in cancer treatment using radiation therapy, I am a little more concern about the effects of diabetes. Don't get me wrong, cancer is a vicious disease that requires amazing courage to face and defeat as well as an excellent team of professionals to diagnose, treat and followup the progress of the treatments. However, in my personal life, I know more friends and relatives afflicted with diabetes than with anything else. Thus, I am more vigilant about diabetes. Luckily for all of us, the prevention of all types of diseases including cancer and diabetes have some things in common; mainly proper nutrition and exercise among many others.

So why did I set out to improve the everyday tortilla by creating a Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla made of Prickly Pear Cactus?

I did it because I believe that with proper nutrition I can better take care of my health and proactively do something about maintaining the good health that I now have before it is suddenly taken from me. Now, I know that good health does not leaves us suddenly, it is more of a gradual declination that we choose to ignore until we start to be hurt by the lack of it. But most of the time, we do not see it that way. We see ourselves healthy until a few seconds before we receive that bit of news by our physician that we have a problem.

My interest in maintaining my good health did not start when I decided to create Nopaltilla but many years before. It began at the bedside of my dying father. At the moment of his death, I suddenly became aware of my own mortality. My father was 6'5'' and my figure of physical strength and vitality. He died at the young age of 67 afflicted by both cancer and diabetes. If he was taken from me by ill-health, then this younger version of him, a slightly overweight, junk food eating, couch potato was soon to follow him. Unless, I take the maintenance of my health in my own hands. I knew what to do then but not how to go about it so I did not implement any change until much later.

My first glance at how to better take care of my health came after an encounter with a 96 year old medicine man, a shaman, deep in the Mayan Jungle several hours from Cancun, Mexico in 2006. He was a small, thin and strong man that had outlived my father by several decades. Since I make my living as a scientist in medicine, I had much to discuss with him. I realized that his diet was his medicine. I would mentioned a symptom and he would point to a plant. He would process it by cooking it or by smashing it and he would rub it on the body, eat it or smell it to get the desired effect. I was incredibly amazed by him. At the end of the tour, which I forget what it was since I spend most of my time with the Shaman instead of the activity of the day, I departed with a knowledge of what I had to do to maintain my good health for a lot longer than just 67 years.

Your health depends greatly on what you put in your body either by eating it, smelling it, or through your skin or on your skin. Sure, our genes may predisponse us for some illnesses and our family history may make us more probable for others. However, we do not control the probabilities of our afflictions. On the other hand, we do have control of what we put in our bodies. THE KEY TO GOOD HEALTH IS PREVENTION AND PREVENTION STARTS IN OUR OWN KITCHENS.

So I am asked, why did you set out to improve the everyday tortilla? Well, I hope I have answered your question. I want to outlive my father.

The Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla available at more Farmers Markets

Nopaltilla, makers of the number #1 selling cactus tortilla, is proud to bring our Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla to more Farmers Markets in California's Southland. Available soon at Long Beach, CA and La Mirada, CA Farmers' Market in the next few weeks. Starting Saturday, May 30 our tortilla made with Prickly Pear Cactus will be available at Simi-Valley, CA Farmers Market.

Simi-Valley Farmers Market
Saturdays 8am to 12 noon
1325 Royal avenue
Simi-Valley, CA 93065


Will have details on Long Beach and La Mirada, CA Farmers Markets soon.

Nopaltilla coming to Encino Farmers Market

We are excited about the positive reaction the cactus tortilla has had at the different Farmers Markets in the Los Angeles area. We are now going to be bringing The Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla to Encino and its surrounding communities every Sunday at the Encino Farmers Market.

Encino Farmers Market
Sundays 8am to 1pm
17400 Victory blvd
Van Nuys, CA 91406

Remember: "a key to good health is prevention and prevention starts in your own kitchen", Alonso R. Arellano, founder of Nopaltilla.

Nopaltilla coming to Reseda Farmers' Market

Nopaltilla is bringing their acclaimed Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla to Reseda Farmers' Market this Tuesday. Come by and see why Nopaltilla Tortilla de Nopal is quickly becoming a favorite among healthy conscious consumers that are seeking for better natural, healthy products.

Reseda Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 4pm to 8pm
7855 Lindley ave
Reseda, CA 91335

Once again, if you are the person in charge of a Farmers' Market in California's Southland Region and you would like Nopaltilla to bring The Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla to your shoppers, you may call Espie Miranda at (310) 925 - 4894 or you may call me at Nopaltilla's number (877) mi - nopal. Any message left on this line will come directly to me.

Nopaltilla and its cactus tortilla scored another hit at another California's Southland Farmers' Market.

The Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla has been well received at another Farmers' Market in California's Southland Region. Chatsworth/PotterRanch Farmers' Market shoppers had the opportunity to sample and see why everyone is talking about Nopaltilla Tortilla de Nopal. Shoppers were amazed at the novelty of a cactus tortilla. This tortilla is not only low in calories but is also a good source of calcium and a good source of dietary fiber besides being an all natural product with no additives nor preservatives. It is no wonder why Nopaltilla Tortilla de Nopal is The Original #1 Selling Cactus Tortilla in the United States. Another Farmer's Market where Nopaltilla will be offered will be announce Monday. Come and check where Nopaltilla will be next. It could be your Farmers' Market or one near you. Once again if you are the person in charge of a Farmers' Market in California's Southland you may contact Espie Miranda at (310) 925 - 4894 to make arrangements to have Nopaltilla's Cactus Tortilla at your Farmers' Market next. You may also call Nopaltilla directly and leave me a message at (877)mi-nopal.

Nopaltilla(TM) sold at its first Farmers Market

Nopaltilla(TM) sold at its first Farmers' Market on Thursday, April 30th, 2009. The Healthy Green Cactus Tortilla was well received by the the Van Nuys Farmers Market shoppers. The products available that day were the one(1) dozen and three(3) dozen Tortillas de Nopal packages as well as the 18 count Tostadas de Nopal packs. This is the first of many Farmers Markets where Nopaltilla will offer its All Natural, Low Calorie Tortilla, that is a Good Source of Calcium and a Good Source of Dietary Fiber. The next Farmers Market where Nopaltilla will be offer to its shoppers is at:

Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Farmers Market
Saturdays 4pm to 8pm
St. Stephen Presbyterian Church
20121 Devonshire St @ Winnetka ave
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Van Nuys Farmers Market
Thursdays 9am to 2pm
Van Nuys Civic Center & Courtyard Mall
14410 Sylvan St @ Sylmar ave
Van Nuys, CA 91401

If you have any questions about the Farmers Markets where Nopaltilla will be sold or would like to suggest a Farmers Market, please call our Farmers Market Distributor Espie Miranda (310) 925 - 4894.

World Autism Awareness Day

Last night, Thursday, April 2nd, I spend the evening with the good people of What's In Your Lunch Box, Inc. a non-profit organization that helps families know and teaches them about proper nutrition for their children. I learned so much this evening about some of the problems afflicting these children. Please lend your support to this or other organization that helps parents of children suffering from Autism. They deserve and need volunteers and monies to carry their mission. I am very happy that our cactus tortilla has given some of them another option in their limited availability of nutritious foods.