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Healing with Whole Foods

Healing with Whole Foods

Extracts from Paul Pitchford's excellent book:North Atlantic Books ISBN 1-55643-220-8

Cereal grasses are another group of high-chlorophyll foods. Commercially, these usually appear as either wheat or barley grass (greens), and are also available in powders and tablets. It is easy to grow wheat grass at home.

The major therapeutic properties of wheat and barley grass are nearly identical, although barley grass may digest a little more easily. People with allergies to wheat or other cereals are almost never allergic to them in their grass stage. In the dried form, these grasses rank just behind the micro-algae in chlorophyll and vitamin A. Their protein levels are 20%, about the same as many meats, but of course their amino acid/protein profile is quite different. Most cereal grasses also contain trace amounts of vitamin B12 and many other nutrients.

"...In addition to high nutrient content, cereal grasses offer unique digestive enzymes not available in such concentration in other foods. The hundreds of enzymes they contain help resolve indigestible and toxic substances in food. Also present is the anti-oxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD)* and the special fraction P4D1.40,4i Both of these substances slow cellular deterioration and mutation and are therefore useful in the treatment of degenerative disease and in the reversal of aginy..."

According to various experiments, P4D1 works by stimulating the renewal of RNA/DNA. In one test it successfully activated the renewal of cellular DNA that was severely damaged by X-rays.41

"...P4D1 also has exceptional anti-inflammatory properties, even more powerful than those of steroids such as cortisone.41 This explains in part the remarkable healing action we have witnessed in cases of arthritis and inflammatory conditions in general..."

Unlike steroids and other "painkiller" drugs, P4D1 exhibits no side effects or toxicity.

SOD is the enzyme in healthy cells which protects them from the highly destructive "free radicals" formed when radiation, bad air, chemical-laden food, and other toxins damage the body. SOD is either greatly lacking or completely absent in cells that are cancerous.

The carbohydrate structure of cereal grass has special value. Like that in certain micro-algae, it contains large quantities of mucopolysaccharides (MPs). These MPs, similar in activity to those discussed earlier in spirulina, also ‘

"…Have the ability to strengthen all body tissues including those of the heart and arteries lower blood fat, and reduce inflammations…."

Thus, the cereal grasses contain anti-inflammatory properties in at least three biologic dimensions: chlorophyll, P4D1, and mucopolysaccharides.

Properties and Uses

Compared with spirulina and chlorella, cereal grass is more cooling and more quickly cleansing of toxins in the body; but it is less cooling and cleansing than wild blue-green. Its strong digestive properties help those with liver excesses, slow digestion, and gastro-intestinal inflammation. Specific medicinal uses of wheat and other cereal grasses have traditionally included the treatment of arthritis, bruises, burns, cancer, constipation, emphysema, gangrene, poison oak rash, rheumatism, and wounds.

Click HERE to read more about Barley Grass, one of our most popular natural supplements.