Everyone loves a Top Ten List so I'm going one better! Here are the Top Eleven Reasons to supplement with Alfalfa: - It lowers cholesterol
There is convincing clinical evidence that alfalfa lowers cholesterol and improves the cholesterol panel (HDL vs. LDL)*. In several studies, alfalfa supplementation reduced blood cholesterol levels, particularly for individuals with a specific kind of high cholesterol known as type II hyperlipoproteinemia. It appears that the fibers and chemicals in alfalfa stick to cholesterol, so that it doesn't stay in the blood so it can't be deposited on blood vessel walls. Even more exciting is that it seems to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) while leaving good cholesterol (HDL) alone.
To lower cholesterol in adults, a typical dose of alfalfa is 5,000 mg to 10,000 mg (5 grams to 10 grams) of dried alfalfa leaves and stems three times a day
- Contains essential enzymes needed to efficiently digest food
Contains 8 essential enzymes to enable foods to be assimilated in the body: - Lipase – fat splitting
- Amylase – acts on starches
- Coagulase – coagulates or clots blood
- Emulsin – acts upon sugar
- Invertase - converts cane sugar to dextrose
- Peroxidate – oxidizing effect of the blood
- Pectinase – forms vegetable jelly
- Protase – digests proteins
- Alfalfa is a great digestive aid
- The chlorophyll, enzymes, minerals, vitamins all aid digestion and help stimulate lagging appetites.
- The 8 essential enzymes assist in digesting all 4 classes of food: proteins, fats, starches and sugars.
- Aids in healing peptic ulcers
- Contains Vitamin U, a vitamin found in green vegetables. It is used in the treatment of peptic ulcers, colitis, and gastritis and has an effect on secretory, acid-forming, and enzymatic functions of the intestinal tract*.
- Vitamin U effectively cured 80% of peptic ulcers of those tested at Stanford
- University, (as stated in “Nature’s Healing Grasses”).
- Aids the kidneys in ridding the body of excess fluid and regulates the bowels
Chemicals in alfalfa have mild diuretic properties, which may promote the loss of water from the body. Therefore, alfalfa may relieve swelling caused by excess water accumulation.
- Helps the body fight off infection
The chlorophyll in alfalfa develops an effective barrier against bacterial invasion by its stimulation effect on the growth of connective tissue and granulation tissue.
- Alfalfa has a long history of health benefits. Some consider it a superfood!
AL-FAL-FA meaning father of all foods. They were so convinced that it was beneficial to the health and strength of the body. The ancient Greeks used alfalfa to treat a variety of diseases including bladder and kidney conditions. Traditional Chinese medicine uses alfalfa to treat kidney stones. Alfalfa has been used as human food and herbal medicine for at least 1500 years.
- Alfalfa is rich in vitamins
- Vitamin A - for night vision and important for eye health. Builds resistance to infections, especially in the respiratory tract; promotes growth ands vitality; promotes healthy skin and is essential in pregnancy.
- Vitamin E - protects cells against damage from sun's radiation and air pollution; promotes heart, cardiovascular and muscle health and improved immune function; promotes muscle tone in the body; helps bring nutrients to cells and helps strengthen blood vessel walls, including capillary walls; helps proper focusing of the eyes.
- Vitamin U - promotes health of body to help overcome peptic ulcers.
- Vitamin B6 - helps food assimilation and protein and fat metabolism; promotes nerve and skin health; helps battle nausea symptoms.
- Vitamin K - essential for blood clotting; important in liver functions; may possibly contribute to vitality and longevity. Alfalfa can increase the ability of blood to clot after an injury. Aspirin delays clotting, so taking alfalfa could interfere with the anticoagulant effects of aspirin. Alfalfa should not be used while aspirin or any anti-clotting medication is being taken on a regular basis unless the doctor knows about your supplementation.
- Vitamin D - regulates the use of calcium and phosphorus in the body and is therefore necessary for the proper formation of strong and healthy teeth and bones.
- Alfalfa is rich in minerals
- Calcium - builds and maintains bones and teeth; helps clot blood, aids in vitality and endurance; regulates heart rhythm, soothes nerves.
- Iron - required in manufacturing hemoglobin; helps carry oxygen in the blood.
- Manganese is a trace element that is thought to be involved with the body's use of carbohydrates from food. This helps alfalfa lower blood sugar levels. Because alfalfa may have a lowering effect on blood sugar, alfalfa may increase the effectiveness of medications used for the treatment of diabetes. Contact your doctor before beginning supplementation with alfalfa if you are being treated with medication for diabetes.
- Potassium - necessary for normal muscle tone, nerves, heart action and enzyme reactions; digests fats.
- Phosphorus - needed for normal bone and tooth structure. Interrelated with action of calcium and Vitamin D. Improves nourishment of nerve tissue.
- Chlorine (chloride) - an essential electrolyte which cleans and purifies the body; regulates fat, sugar and starch metabolism.
- Sodium - regulates fluid balance throughout body; neutralizes acids, prevents clotting of blood; activates spleen, bowels and stomach functions.
- Silicon Magnesium - helps body to deal with constipation; steadies the nerves; has protective effect on skin and body; stimulates brain function.
- Alfalfa's deep roots seek out minerals in the subsoil, which are inaccessible to other plants. The average alfalfa plant has roots 10 to 20 feet long or more.
- Alfalfa is high in protein
Alfalfa has 18.9% as compared to beef at 16.5%, milk at 3.3% and eggs at 13.1%. (Muscles are composed of protein and the lack of it results in fatigue and weakness.)
- Pregnancy and Lactation Remedies
Excerpted from "The Amazing Alfalfa," by Lisa Goldstein, CPM, CNM; in Birth Wisdom: Tricks of the Trade Vol III (a Midwifery Today book)
Many of pregnancy's discomforts are alleviated by the use of alfalfa tablets, including morning sickness, heartburn, constipation and anemia. Alfalfa tablets raise the vitamin K level of pregnant women, reducing postpartum bleeding in both quantity and duration, and they increase the vitamin K stores in newborns, reducing bleeding problems for them as well. They support success in lactation because they help increase and sustain milk supply. They frequently help alleviate nausea, almost always relieve constipation, and they bring up red blood counts in a beneficial way. They also seem to help reduce swelling and improve erratic blood sugar levels. Because alfalfa tablets are very high in vitamin K, they could be dangerous to take for anyone who needs to be on blood thinners such as Heparin. Their use should be stopped temporarily if one gets a urinary tract infection and cut back, at least temporarily, if one gets diarrhea. People who have very poor bowel flora may have temporary bouts of gas the first week or so when they start taking them, so they should start at a more gradual pace. I have postpartum moms take a few right after the birth to help with blood loss and bowel movements, then not take any more until the fourth or fifth postpartum day, gradually building back up to about four to eight a day depending on diet and need. They can use oat bran tablets if they need to for bowel function in the meantime. The reason for this course is twofold: the degree to which alfalfa promotes lactation can be too much for comfort until engorgement subsides, and newborn jaundice takes longer to go away if the mom is taking alfalfa tablets.
Special Notes: - Alfalfa can increase the ability of blood to clot after an injury. Aspirin delays clotting, so taking alfalfa could interfere with the anticoagulant effects of aspirin. Alfalfa should not be used while aspirin or anti-clotting medication is being taken on a regular basis.
- In animal studies, alfalfa caused the muscles in the uterus to tighten. Potentially, this tightening could cause a miscarriage, so alfalfa products should not be taken by women who are pregnant.
- Strictly not for SLE patient to consume. Please consult your physician before you consume any supplement with Alfalfa.
Sources:
- Nature's Medicines, by Richard Lucas
- Nature's Healing Grasses by H.E. Kirschner, M.D.
- Vitamin/Mineral Chart by the Redwood City Health Food Center
- Diet and Health, by Dr. B.L. Corley
- Manganese
- DrugDigest - Alfalfa
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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
* These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
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