Dragon fruit

Dragon Fruit Scientific Names:
Ceraus, Acanthocereus, Echinocereus, Hylocereus, Selenicereus, Stenocereus, Escontria, Myrthillocactus.
Dragon fruit is also knows as:
Pitaya, Dragon Fruit, Red Pitahaya, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, conderella plant

Other common names: 
 
French: cierge-lezard, poire de chardon
German: distelbirn, echte stachelbirn, drachenfrucht
Hawaiian: Pa-nani-o-ka
Portoguese: cato-barse, cardo-ananaz
Spanish: pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
Swedish: skogskaktus, röd pitahaya

Dragon fruit or red pitaya belongs to the Cactaceae family from the subfamily Cactoidea of the tribe Cactea . Dragon Fruit also known as Pitaya is a magnificent plant with stunning and beautiful fruit that exhibits vivirant colors and shape. Dragon fruit is not only attractive but is also flavourful that is slightly similar to kiwi and melon.
The Dragon plant is a vine, epiphytic cacti of the genus Hylocereus that is believed to be native in Central and Southern America and has been brought to Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Dragon plant has fleshy stems that grow up to 20ft long when matured. Dragon plant may grow from the ground or climb onto trees using aerial roots. Dragon plant bears flowers that only bloom at night. The flowers are ornate and beautiful with fragrant scent. Pitahaya plants can have up to 4-6 fruiting cycles per year. The dragon fruit has spines that grows up to 1 kilogram in weight. Dragon fruit skin may be yellowish to dark red in color with edible flesh that maybe white or red depending on the variety. It has a lot of black small seeds that is also edible.
Pitaya or Dragon fruit is also known to have some health benefits that includes preventing memory loss, anti cancer activity, control of blood glucose level in diabeetes, anti-xidant properties, aids in healing of wounds and others.

Dragon fruit Contitutional contents

The typical nutritional values per 100 g of raw pitaya (of which 55 g are edible) are as follows:

• Water 80-90 g
• Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 4–25 mg
• Ash 0.4-0.7 g
• Calcium 6–10 mg
• Calories: 35-50
• Carbohydrates 9-14 g
• Carotene (Vitamin A) traces
• Fat 0.1-0.6 g
• Fiber 0.3-0.9 g
• Iron 0.3-0.7 mg Niacin (Vitamin B3) 0.2-0.45 mg
• Phosphorus 16 – 36 mg
• Protein 0.15-0.5 g
• Thiamine (Vitamin B1) traces
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) traces

The aforentioned figures are subject to change as per cultivation conditions.

Dragon fruit health Benefits

• Dragon fruit boosts immune system. Dragon fruit is rich in vitamin C and fibers that help provide an overall healthy body.
• Dragon fruit helps in digestion. Because of the richness in fibers, Dragon fruit aids in the digestion of food, Studies also suggest that Dragon fruit promotes the growth of probiotics.
• Dragon fruit help to lower blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes. Studies also suggest that the the glucose found in Dragon fruit aids in controlling the blood sugar level for diabetes patients.
• Dragon fruit prevent formation of cancer causing free radicals. Dragon fruit is rich in minerals and fibers that aids in digestion, cleans toxic ingredients thus preventing the occurrence of colon cancer.
• Dragon fruit as anti-oxidant. The presence of high level of vitamin C, minerals and pytoalbumin is regarded as relevant in fighting free radicals and possess anti-oxidant properties.
• Dragon fruit helps to control cholesterol level. Dragon fruit is also rich in flavonoids that are known to have favorable effects against cardio related disease.

Folkloric health Benefits from Dragon fruit.

• Dragon fruit promotes healing of wounds and cuts.
• Dragon fruit improves appetite.
• Dragon fruit improves eye sight
• Dragon fruit can aid in weight reduction
• Dragon fruit improves memory.

Tips for Treating Cracked Heels and Dry Skin on the Feet

 

Cracked Heels

Cracked heels are a common foot problem, particularly in the summer months and in warmer climates. Essentially it is caused by dry skin. For most people cracked heels are a nuisance and a cosmetic problem, but when the cracks are deep, they can be painful to stand on and the skin can bleed. In severe cases this can cause infection.

Applying a moisturising heel formulation twice a day is a crucial step in addressing cracked heels. Eulactol Heel Balm Gold and Ellgy Plus Cracked Heel Cream are unique formulations for the treatment of rough, dry, cracked feet and heels. Both formulations are suitable for people with diabetes. Ask our trained staff which of these formulations is best for you.

A regular foot care regime is essential if you want your feet to look and feel good. The Scholl Dual Action Foot File removes hard or rough skin and then buffs it smooth, leaving feet feeling beautifully soft. The coarse side of the file safely removes the rough or hard skin, whilst the finer side smoothes the skin.

Thompson’s Skin, Hair and Nails Capsules support healthy and nourished skin. With Horsetail herb and marine proteins, Thompson’s Skin, Hair and Nails is far more than just a ‘cosmetic’ supplement. A combination of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C and Zinc, are also included to condition the skin from within.

3 steps

1. Wash feet with a moisturizing soap. Use a high-quality moisturizing soap to wash your feet thoroughly every day. Just make sure you use warm water and not hot water or you may end up doing more damage than good. The goal here is to soften the skin so that you can exfoliate and buff away any dead skin on the surface easily. Hot water can dry out your feet even further and make the problem worse. Use a good moisturizing soap like Olay Body Ultra Moisturizing Soap on your feet during a light foot bath.  
2. Massage warm olive oil on your heels. Olive oil can be very nourishing to the skin and will absorb quickly when it's warm. Heat up some olive oil in the microwave for about 20 seconds, let it cool until it's at a comfortable temperature, and then massage it into the heels and damaged patches of skin. You can do this every night to rehydrate and moisturize that tough skin on the feet and treat cracked heels.
3.  Wear moisturizing socks at night. A pair of aloe-infused moisturizing socks can be a great addition to your foot treatment plan. These socks will help trap in moisture and can promote the skin's natural repair process.