Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Healing with Alfalfa
Most of alfalfa’s ancient healing uses have long been disproved, but modern scientists may have discovered a potential healing benefit our ancestors never dreamed of: Alfalfa as an agent in the war against heart disease, stroke, and cancer, the nation’s top three killers.
Heart Disease and Stroke - Animal studies show that alfalfa leaves help reduce blood cholesterol levels and plaque deposits on artery walls. High cholesterol levels and plaque deposits lead to heart disease and stroke. Alfalfa sprouts produce a similar, but less significant, effect. Animal results don’t necessarily apply to people, but one case report in the British medical journal Lancet documented a major cholesterol reduction in a man who ate large amounts of alfalfa.
Cancer - One study suggests that alfalfa helps neutralize carcinogens in the intestine. Another, published in the lournal of the National Cancer Institute, shows it binds carcinogens in the colon and helps speed their elimination from the body.
Alfalfa seeds also contain two chemicals (stachydrine and homostachydrine) that promote menstruation and can cause miscarriage. Pregnant women should not eat alfalfa seed (see “The Safety Factor” on page 56).
Bad Breath - Alfalfa is a source of chlorophyll, the active ingredient in most commercial breath fresheners. Sip an alfalfa infusion if you’re concerned about bad breath.
Intriguing Possibility - In laboratory studies, alfalfa helps fight disease-causing fungi. It might one day be used to treat fungal infections.
Myth - While contemporary herbalists generally endorse the age-old view that alfalfa treats ulcers, they may have to eat their words. Scientific research has found no support for this traditional use of the herb.
Herbalists also recommend alfalfa for bowel problems and as a diuretic to treat fluid retention. Unfortunately, these traditional uses have not held up under scientific scrutiny, either.
Some supplement manufacturers promote alfalfa tablets as a treatment for asthma and hay fever. But a study published in the Journal of tfle American Medical Association shows these claims have no merit. Alfalfa contains neither bronchodilators for treatment of asthma nor antihistamines, which relieve hay fever.
Despite its traditional use as a menstruation promoter, scientists have found no uterine stimulants in alfalfa leaves.
Rx for Alfalfa
Save the sprouts to dress up your salads; its leaves are the part used in herbal healing. Alfalfa leaf tablets and capsules are available at herb outlets, natural food stores, or wherever supplements are sold-follow package directions.
When using the bulk herb, prepare medicinal infusions from I to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Enjoy up to 3 cups a day to take advantage of its cholesterol-reducing potential. The infusion has a haylike aroma and tastes like chamomile, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Medicinal infusions of the leaves should not be given to ldren under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.