The Fruit from the Garden of Eden
Written by Brisbane Naturopath: Melanie Alfred
June 2001
If you could return to the Garden of Eden and were offered the choice of any of the wonderful nutrient-packed fruits available, what would you choose? Noni fruit without doubt should be the first choice. In this world of processed and fast foods with an increasing incidence of chronic disease in our own bodies and in those about us, we find ourselves in a quandary as to what foods do actually offer significant nutrient value. We know that if we supply our body with the correct nutrition for our DNA program then we will enjoy our life’s experiences for many happy years to come.
Noni For Well-Being And Energy
Noni fruit juice burst onto the scene in the western world four years ago when two food scientists in the United States, John Wadsworth and Stephen Story released the juice of the Noni fruit onto the market. Phenomenal success in the market place is fueled by the fact that as people drink the juice they feel a significant and measurable increase in well being and energy. At times people report that this upturn in their body’s vitality and ability to heal itself is miraculous. We may be tempted to believe that their "recovery" or improvement arises primarily from wishful thinking or from their suggestibility. However, similar reports of increased health and energy are reported in animals. These animal reports cover many areas of compromised well being but include such things as wound healing, increased performance in competitive animals and overcoming poisoning.
Noni comes from the tree Morinda Citrifolia that grows throughout the pacific region, the Caribbean, Australia, Malaysia and India. All indigenous cultures of these regions report a long standing relationship with Noni and its inclusion as one of the most important healing substances in their fight against disease and injury. The relationship in India goes back at least 4000 years and in Polynesia about half that time. In Australia the Aboriginal have used this plant, which is known here as "Cheese fruit" or "Indian Mulberry" for centuries in the treatment of a wide variety of disease states.
Traditional Uses of The Noni Fruit
Among the cultures that extensively used Noni as part of their medical regimes it was applied to the treatment of, among many other things, flu, colds, constipation, parasitic infection, wound healing and fevers. Considering that the raw Noni tastes bitter and unpleasant it is a testimony to its effectiveness that these people continued its use for many centuries. We are fortunate in these days to have access to the same wonderful substance but with the bitterness masked by the flavouring of natural fruit juices and untainted by preservatives or harmful additives.
At this point in time there has been significant research conducted using Noni fruit juice. Included among these is a doctoral thesis written by Dr.Hirazumi at the University of Hawaii in 1994. Dr. Hirazumi tested the tumor-fighting capacity of Noni juice with mice infected with a special form of lung cancer (Lewis Cell Lung Carcinoma) by feeding them Noni juice in varying doses.
The results of that study are astonishing, demonstrating an increased life span (almost twice as long) in those mice fed the Noni in contrast to those not fed the Noni juice. Further exciting studies have been conducted in regard to cancer and at this time are being completed in the United States with results being published a t the end of the year. These studies already show extremely promising results.
At the University of Metz in France other researchers discovered that the pain-reducing effect of Noni juice was 75% as effective as the same dose of morphine while additional research conducted by the same scientists discovered that Noni juice would also improve the quality of sleep. These studies were conducted on animals and clinical trials with humans in some of these areas are yet to be conducted. However, anecdotal reports from people drinking the juice indicate similar results in humans. What could be more beneficial to a person suffering pain than to be able to take a substance that significantly reduces the pain and at the same time is offering nutritional support to the rest of the body tissues? Other research also reports significant action against parasites including those which cause malaria . Malaria is one of the biggest health problems in the world today and it is interesting to note that Noni grows in regions where malaria is prevalent. Because reports of increased health are so widespread and because the symptoms of a broad range of ailments appear to be improved as people take Noni into their bodies, it is then wise to investigate why this might be so. If we examine the literature written about Morinda Citrifolia we discover that this plant contains at lease 144 individual components, many of which are biologically active. Among these constituents are the anthraquinones, ursolic acid, the sterols, Proxeronine, Scopoletin, all the essential amino acids and most of the non essential ones, important fatty acids, many vitamins and minerals in small amounts and caprylic acid which gives the raw Noni its cheesy smell but also endows it with strong antifungal action. Caprylic acid is commonly used in the natural health professions for the treatment of yeast overgrowth, candidiasis and other fungal disorders and it continues this function as part of the Noni plant.
Researchers in Poland stated that anthraquinones "belong to the most important class of clinical anti-tumor agents" and that the biological activity of these compounds includes not only fighting tumors but also fighting malarial and other tropical parasites. Improved blood levels in leukemia and a slight antagonism to the AIDS virus have also been demonstrated with the application of these substances. Future research will reveal the full potency of these substances in helping the human body achieve its optimum health potential and reveal that the anthraquinones are among Mother Nature’s most important gifts to mankind.
How would you like the use of a compound that is five times more effective as an anti-inflammatory than aspirin, lowers high blood pressure, protects the liver and acts as an antibiotic against at least eight of the more dangerous bacteria including those that cause Golden Staph and dysentery.
Independent research around the world has indicated that Scopoletin, another component of Noni carries out all of these functions within the body. Interestingly enough, those who drink Noni juice and who report a reduction in high blood pressure find that the pressure stops at normal levels rather than continuing to plummet. Similarly those with low blood pressure do not report any further lowering of pressure after drinking Noni juice even after a significant length of time. It appears that there is a synergistic action within Noni that prevents the Scopoletin from pushing blood pressure below normal.
Nature is truly wonderful in its packaging of the nutrients we require. There is a balancing effect in Noni fruit that allows its component substances to carry out their work in the body tissues while others prevent those actions going to extremes. The major benefit in taking in nutrients as they are found in nature, in fruits, vegetables and herbs rather than separating them out and using them individually, is the synergistic effect that occurs in their functioning within the human tissues. It is well known that vitamins and minerals require each other’s presence in order to function fully and correctly and so it is with many of the other nutrients whose benefits we are only starting to fully appreciate. Noni fruit contains many of our nutritional requirements in just the right proportions and there are probably many more substances in Noni that as yet have not been discovered or perhaps their role in our nutrition is not known at this time but they are endowing us with their beneficial effects all the same.
In Japan, another of Noni’s more prominent components, ursolic acid is well known for its anti-inflammatory effects as well as preventing alopecia (a severe hair-loss disorder) and even dandruff. This substance is also antibacterial and anti-fungal. As we go through the list of Noni "ingredients" the research piles higher and higher. Everywhere we look there is notable positive action on the body endowed by the constituents of the Noni fruit. We begin to catch only a glimpse of the capacity that first class nutrition can bestow on the body’s healing powers.
The crowning nutrient of the Noni fruit however, is the substance isolated first by Dr.Ralph Heinicke at the University of Hawaii some years ago and which he named "Proxeronine". The Noni fruit contains Proxeronine which is an alkaloid and it contains an enzyme that Dr.Heinicke named proxeronase. When the fruit or juice is consumed (Proxeronine does not survive drying) then these two substances are combined within the small intestine to produce xeronine. Dr.Heinicke’s research indicates that this alkaloid regulates the shape and rigidity of proteins throughout the body and this important fuction allows the body’s correct metabolic processes to proceed. Considering that protein is found throughout the body in our enzymes that drive our metabolism, our hormones, antibodies, connective tissue and neurotransmitters, we then realize that xeronine will have a considerable effect of the well-being of the tissues of the human body. Dr.Heinicke believes that the daily intake of this substance is vital to optimum health and the many foods we commonly eat have become depleted in Proxeronine. Study has indicated that Noni fruit contains 800 times more Proxeronine than its nearest Proxeronine competitor paw-paw. Xeronine performs many more functions within the tissues than can be reported here and Dr.Heinicke has indicated its efficacy in reducing addictions, improving the symptoms of depression and improving immunity.
One of Noni’s significant and unusual properties is its complete lack of toxicity. This fruit and its juice can be consumed by infants, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly and anyone in any state of health without fear of toxic side effects. This differs significantly from the orthodox pharmaceuticals. Most herbs do not have the significant toxic side effects of pharmaceuticals but still should only be taken in certain doses for certain periods of time for optimum benefit. Noni, however, appears to offer increasing benefit as we drink increasing amounts.
There are many Noni products on the market: juices, capsules, jams, teas, tinctures and powders. Very few of these products are pure Noni made without preservatives or additives of some kind therefore care should be taken in choosing Noni products. The original and most successful form of Noni is juice made in the native style, preserving the Proxeronine and all the important active ingredients, with only the addition of natural fruit juices to make it palatable. Care must be taken in reading labels to ensure that there are no additives such as sugars, preservatives or any other artificial additive. Artificial additives are unnecessary if the product is pure.
Drying of the Noni does not allow the Proxeronine to survive and so one of the more valuable nutrients will be missing from dried Noni product. Be prepared to pay extra for the best being available through network marketing companies. Many people are confused as to how much Noni to consume and recommendations given by the distributor are usually reliable, as they have had experience with their product.
If we cannot live in the Garden of Eden then perhaps we can at least drink the juice of the fruit that surely must have grown there in the pristine environment, the fertile soil and ideal climate. The best Noni comes from environments such as this, as anyone visiting the Pacific islands will testify. For many the Noni is considered a God-given gift as they express gratitude for the increase in well being and energy they have experienced. For some it has been a long, hard road of discovery and who knows what the future holds for mankind in its relationship to this wonderful plant?
Written by Melanie Alfred, a Brisbane naturopath and fibromyalgic
We thank Melanie Alred for her kind permission to reprint this article.
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Copyright June 2001 Melanie Alfred