Alfalfa - hope for the Heart
Alfalfa
Family:Leguminosae; other members include beans, and peas.
Genus and species: Medicago sativa
Also known as : Chilean clover, buffalo grass, and Lucerne (in Britain)
Part used: Leaves
Therapeutic uses of most alfalfa’s traditional therapeutic uses have long been disproved. Modern scientists may have discovered a potential healing benefit that our ancestors never dreamed of, however : 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 alfalfa leaves help reduce blood cholesterol levels and plaque deposits on artery walls. High cholesterol levels and plaque deposits lead to heart disease and most strokes. Alfalfa sprouts produce a similar, but less significant, effect.
Of course , result in animals don’t necessarily apply to people, but one case study published in the British medical journal Lancet documented substantial cholesterol reduction in a man who ate large amounts of alfalfa.
Cancer: One study suggests that alfalfa helps neutralize cancer-causing sunstances in the intestine. Another , published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, shows that the herb binds carcinogens in the colon and helps speed their elimination.
Women’s health concerns: Alfalfa seeds contain two chemicals, stachydrine and homostarchydrine, that promote menstruation. They can also cause miscarriage, which is why pregnant women should not eat alfalfa seeds.nor should women consider the herbs a reliable contraceptive.
Bad breath. Alfalfa is a source of chlorophyll, the active ingredients 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. One day, it may be used to treat fungal infection.
Recommendations
Save alfalfa sprouts to dress up your salads; it’s the leaves that are used in herbal healing. Alfalfa leaf tablets and capsules are available in health food stores or whenever herbal supplements are sold. Take them according to package directions.
When using the bulk herb, prepare medicinal infusions with 1-2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water and steep for 10 to 20 minutes. Enjoy up to 3 cups a day to take advantage of alfalfa’s cholesterol-reducing potential. The infusion has a haylike aroma and tastes like chamomile, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Do not give medicinal infusions of the leaves to children under age 2. for older children and people over 65, start with low strength preparatios and increase the strength if necessary.
Safety and precautions
No one should ever eat alfalfa seeds. They contain relatively high levels of toxic amino acid canavanine. Over time, eating large quantities of seeds may introduce enough canavanine into body to cause the reversible blood disorder pancytopenia, according to a report in Lancet. This condition impairs blood platelets, which are necessary for cotting, and white blood cells which fight infection.
The canavanine in alfalfa seeds has also been linked to systematic lupus erythematosus, a serious inflammatory disease that can attack many organs, particularly the kidneys. Alfalfa seeds have reactivated the disease in some people who were in remission , according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine . Another study shows that the seeds actually induce lupus in monkeys.
Alfalfa also contains saponins, chemicals that may destroy red blood cells and – at least theoretically-cause anemia. Because of this , some herb critics warn against ingesting alfalfa (and the many other healing herbs that contain saponins) in any form. Such dire warnings seem unjustified. For adults who are not pregnant or nursing and do not have disorders, alfalfa is considered safe in the amounts typically reccomened. There have been no reports of healing people developing anaemia from using recommended amounts of healing herbs containing saponins, but if you have anemia, check with your doctor before using alfalfa.
Use Guidelines
Alfalfa leaf is on the FDA list of herbs generally regarded as safe. Still, you should use it in medicinal amounts only in consultation with doctor. If it causes minor discomfort, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, reduce the dosage or stop using it altogether. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which you are using the herb do not improve significantly within 2 weeks.
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