Saturday, January 17, 2015

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT MALADIES WITH WHEATGRASS


FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT with WHEATGRASS
Although wheatgrass (also known as Agropyron and Couchgrass) is as old as 5000 years. It was not until the 1930’s that it became popular through experimentation by Charles F. Schnabel, which increased its usage during the 1940’s. It became even more popular during the 1970’s through the works of Anne Wigmore the popular Raw Food Advocate of Hippocrates fame.

Wheatgrass has been in use for these many years as a healing substance protocol in many different health challenges from high blood pressure and diabetes, high cholesterol and arthritis and the big C used as a treatment for cancer sufferers as well as strengthening and building the immune system with its high volume of enzymes. It is beneficial to those struggling with Aids and chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive challenges and ulcerative colitis.  It detoxifies the body and is quite energizing when challenged with fatigue. It is also consumed to prevent colds, cough and flu especially during the cold winter months.  

Although wheatgrass is available in many different forms, such as powder, frozen liquid, tablets or spray I am an advocate of the fresh pressed liquid gold. In that moment of pressing the juice from the grass, the smell of the high chlorophyll content permeating the air reminds me of the smell of the sweetness of the first cut of lawn in springtime and helps me enjoy even more of its nutrient wealth.  

Since science has not yet caught up with the wonders of wheatgrass, holistic practitioners in the field of well-care have forged ahead sharing its goodness and increasing its popularity.  It is used to support enhancing one’s energy, with its high oxygen levels deposited into the blood stream. This green gold is a good source of protein beneficial to those on a vegan diet, but should be added to other proteins to obtain the complete amounts of amino acids. It has more vitamin E than spinach, is a good source of minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium.

Wheatgrass is a good source of dietary fiber and has adequate amounts of vitamin A and C as well as vitamin E. It is also an adequate source of vitamin B6 and complex, vitamin K, copper, choline, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, gallic acid, pantothenic acid, a good source for minerals of calcium, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc.  Mr. Schnabel has proclaimed in his research that 15lbs of wheatgrass is equivalent in nutritional values to 350lbs of vegetables.

The high chlorophyll levels in wheatgrass juice can make it intolerable to a toxic body environment. If drinking wheatgrass for the first time or if you are an animal or heavy starch and sugar consumer you would more easily tolerate its nutrient compounds when drinking fresh pressed wheatgrass by reducing its intensity by adding it to another vegetable or fruit juice.

Wheatgrass can be grown at home in trays during the winter months or in a garden or window box during the spring and summer months.

Jacinta “Jazz” Fenton is an Integrative Health and Wellness Coach and a Cordon Bleu Graduate Chef



Twitter: twitter.com/JazzFenton1  


N.B. Information in this article is not intended to replace the advice of your health professional.

References:
American Cancer Society November 2008 “Wheatgrass”
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center “Wheat grass”
SELF Nutrition Data Nutrition Facts “Wheat Grass”

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