Healthy shot: A wheatgrass Shot

Wheatgrass is one of the most potently healthy substances on earth. Yet for some reason it is still not mainstream.

Wheatgrass is a kind of grass. Wheatgrass is primarily used as a concentrated source of nutrients. It contains vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium, and amino acids.

 Health benefits of Wheatgrass:

• Wheatgrass is used for increasing production of hemoglobin, the chemical in red blood cells that carries oxygen; improving blood sugar disorders, such as diabetes; preventing tooth decay; improving wound healing; and preventing bacterial infections.
• It is also used for removing deposits of drugs, heavy metals, and cancer-causing agents from the body; and for removing toxins from the liver and blood.
• Some people use wheatgrass for preventing gray hair, reducing high blood pressure, improving digestion, and lowering cholesterol by blocking its absorption.
• Wheatgrass is also used to treat various disorders of the urinary tract, including infection of the bladder, urethra, and prostate; benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH); kidney stones; and in “irrigation therapy,” the use of a mild diuretic along with lots of fluids to increase urine flow.
• Other uses include treatment of respiratory tract complaints, including the common cold, cough, bronchitis, fever, and sore throat; tendency toward infection; gout; liver disorders; ulcerative colitis; joint pain; and chronic skin problems.
• Wheatgrass is used for cancer and arthritis in alternative treatment programs. Wheatgrass contains a lot of chlorophyll, the chemical in plants that makes them green and also allows them to make energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. Some people think chlorophyll might fight cancer and arthritis.

Wheatgrass juice is a popular health drink. It is thought to benefit health only when fresh and taken on an empty stomach immediately after extraction.

Side Effects:

Wheatgrass is LIKELY SAFE when taken in food amounts and POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken in medicinal amounts for up to one month. Not enough is known about the safety of long-term use of wheatgrass as medicine.

Wheatgrass might  cause nausea, appetite loss, and constipation in some people.
 Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of wheatgrass during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Stay on the safer side avoid using.

Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages and duration of intake better done after consulting a physician or other healthcare professional.

How to grow wheatgrass at home:

You can grow wheatgrass indoors, in a planting tray, flower pot, cup, etc… without mold no matter where you live in the world.  It is suggested always growing wheatgrass in soil rather than no soil.  Growing indoors or outdoors doesn’t change the actual grass itself.

1. Soak wheat seed overnight or 8-12 hours.better choice.

2. Sprout the seed in a jar for the next 16-24 hours, rinsing the seed well three times a day.

3. Plant the seed after a very short “tail” is visiable, on top of the soil soil. Do not bury the seeds under the soil.  But you will need to cover them up to keep them wet.

4. Water tray, heavily but gently, once in the morning and then cover seed to keep from drying out for the first three days.

5. On the fourth day, water heavily once a day and keep the grass in the shade (never direct sunlight).

6. Harvest grass when a second blade of grass appears or when the grass splits.  A pair of scissors works great to cut the grass.  Harvest really low and right above the seed.  *Remember it is always better to harvest your wheatgrass sooner rather than later!!  The older it gets, the more bitter it tastes.

How to extract wheatgrass juice:

Check your wheatgrass before juicing it to make sure that it is free of any mold, which spreads easily among the sprouts. Chop the leaves before grinding them.Yellow sprouts should be avoided as they will have an altered flavor. Add water gradually as you grind the leaves to make a paste. Strain the juice through cheesecloth or muslin. Continue this process until the leaves become white.

Try to choose the freshest sprouts for the best taste. Keep your wheatgrass juice refrigerated, but it should be consumed within half an hour of juicing. Wheatgrass juice begins to go bad quickly, so don’t prepare it in advance.