Alfalfa
Medicago Sativa
 Nutritionally some modern herbalists call alfalfa the
"Big Daddy of them all" because alfalfa is so well
rounded in the vitamins and minerals that it can supply
to the body. The vitamin and mineral rich juice that is
extracted from alfalfa is called Chlorophyll;
chlorophyll is almost identical to human hemoglobin and
has been used by Naturopaths and some religious groups
before, during and after operations.
Alfalfa is a legume found at the edges of fields, in low
valleys and is widely cultivated for livestock feed.
Alfalfa has an erect, smooth stem grows from an
elongated taproot to a height of a foot or more. The
flowers are blue-to-purple during the summer months and
later produce spirally coiled seedpods. The seeds
produce an excellent sprout that can be grown at home or
purchased at most grocery and health food stores.
Alfalfa is loaded with beta-carotene, which supports the
immune system, skin and internal mucous membranes.
Alfalfa is so high in calcium that the ashes from its
leaves are 99% calcium. When the calcium content of
alfalfa is compared to milk 1 oz of powdered milk
contained 38% of RDA, while 1 oz of powdered alfalfa
contained 75% RDA. That same 1 oz of alfalfa also has
83% more iron, 36% more magnesium, 12% more potassium,
and 4% less sodium than milk.
Highly nutritional alfalfa contains vitamins A, B-1,
B-6, B-12, C, E and K-1 (a remedy for morning sickness),
niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acids and 15 to
25% proteins.
Alfalfa can be used therapeutically for treating:
Arthritis
Intestinal disorders
Liver problems
Skin disorders
Cancers (use chlorophyll, capsules, and sprouts)
Ulcers (contains U factor found to cure ulcers in test
animals)
Nausea
Kidney cleanser
Jaundice
Rheumatism
Lupus
Pituitary Gland (Cushing"s disease)
Gout
Fatigue (mental and physical)
Tooth decay
(alfalfa contains natural fluoride, unlike the fluoride
that is a by-product of aluminum manufacturing that is
poisonous)
Sources:
Little Herb Encyclopedia, by Jack Ritchason; N.D., Woodland Publishing Incorporated, 1995
Nutritional Herbology, by Mark Pedersen, Wendell W. Whitman Company, 1998
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 1987
The Ultimate Healing System, Course Manual, Copyright 1985, Don Lepore
|
