Guest guest Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Comments? Misty L. Trepke http://health. Living Foods Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients | 10/1/2001 | Author: Bradley, Ronald http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-78900840.html Since 1960, hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world have improved their health by following the wheatgrass and living foods programme developed by Dr. Ann Wigmore of Boston, Massachusetts. People with health problems such as overweight, stress, tobacco and caffeine addiction, high blood pressure, low energy; Candida albicans, high serum cholesterol and blood triglycerides, hypoglycaemia, diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer and many others have seen remarkable improvements. Dr. Wigmore's programme, as taught at Hippocrates Health Centre of Australia, on the Gold Coast, includes 10 major components: positive thinking, affirmations, meditation, visualisation, rest, gentle physical exercise, brushing the skin, raw foods, drinking wheatgrass juice, and water enemas followed by wheatgrass juice implants. We'll focus on the last three components in this article. Raw Foods Why are raw foods important for our health? There's a one-word answer: enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts in the body-- protein-like substances which help maintain the tissues and general body functions, and digest food. How important are enzymes? Totally. Life and enzyme activity are one and the same. Life can't exist without enzymes. Raw foods are brimming with enzymes. Cooking food destroys enzymes. Heating food above 42[degrees]C begins to kill enzymes and heating food to 48[degrees]C for more than 30 minutes destroys all enzymes. When we eat raw foods, we consume the enzymes in the foods. The foods are then digested easily by the body. When we eat cooked foods, the body (the pancreas, specifically) must create the enzymes necessary to digest the cooked foods. This constant need for enzymes depletes our store of enzymes, strains the body and causes the pancreas to enlarge. Without enzymes, we're dead. In fact, Dr Edward Howell, the distinguished American physician who has devoted his life to the study of enzymes, has stated in his classic work, Food Enzymes for Health and Longevity, " After we have attained full mature growth, there is a slow and gradual decrease in the enzyme content of our bodies. When the enzyme content becomes so low that metabolism can't proceed at a proper level, death overtakes us. " Imagine yourself at age 18-- healthy, vibrant, energetic, bursting with enzymes. If you were to eat an all raw or predominantly raw diet from that point on, your body's enzyme content would remain remarkably high, diminishing very slowly. You'd probably live longer, feel younger, maintain proper weight easily and handle stress better. On the other hand, if you were to eat a diet of predominantly cooked food, your body's enzyme content would deplete rapidly. You'd probably live a shorter life, gain weight, and feel stressed and worse in general. Which do you choose? Along, healthful life? Or a short, unhealthful life? Remember: You don't make this choice just once. Nature allows you to choose again and again -- for the rest of your life, every time you put anything in your mouth. Your body is creating countless numbers of new cells every day. What would you like them to be made from? Which do you choose? Sprouts and Greens Sprouts and greens are also important in Dr, Wigmore's programme. Any seed or grain can be sprouted and the sprouting process creates more enzymes and vitamins in the seeds and grains. The seeds and grains then become digestible. In fact, all seeds, grains and nuts must be sprouted or soaked before eating, in order to release the enzyme inhibitors. Buckwheat and sunflower greens may be grown in planting trays, similar to wheatgrass (see 'How to Grow Wheatgrass'). Remember, though: You must use dark unhulled buckwheat and sunflower seeds -- not the pale hulled buckwheat you may have cooked for porridge in the past, or the pale sunflower kernels you've eaten. Fermented Foods Fermented foods -- rejuvelac (see the Australian Rejuvelac recipe below), seed cheese, sauerkraut and fermented beetroot are very important for optimum health. Why? Once again -- enzymes. The fermentation process creates more enzymes and the fermented foods thus digest more easily. Long-lived peoples throughout the world -- the Hunzas, the Georgians, the Vilcabambans and many others -- have been noted for their continual consumption of home-made fermented foods. In fact, the Eskimos have even found that their working Huskies can work harder and longer after eating fermented flesh -- left putrefying in the semi-frozen slush for weeks or months -- than after eating freshly killed meat. In recent years, fermented foods have become misunderstood by some. Because cooked yeast in bread and other foods has stimulated growth of the Candida albicans bacteria, some have concluded that all fermented foods have the same effect in the body. Wrong! How do we know? Because most people have Candida to at least a small degree. Everyone who has attended our centre has consumed yeasty foods: rejuvelac, sauerkraut, fermented beetroot, seed cheese. And everyone has reported lessened Candida symptoms and experienced better health. We've concluded that yeast bacteria in raw foods don't aggravate Candida. Cooked yeast in bread -- and drugs, steroids, antibiotics, birth-control pills, alcohol and refined sugar all aggravate Candida. Australian Rejuvelac 1 cup wheat (or millet, rice, rye, corn or other grain) 1 litre-sized jar Soak grain for 12 hours (summer) or 24 hours (winter). Drain off water and allow to sprout for 12-24 hours, until shoots show. Blend with 1 cup water for 15 seconds. Pour into jar, adding enough purified water to fill jar. Let sit at room temperature for two days. Pour liquid through strainer. You may store liquid in refrigerator for several days. You may flavour by adding 2 tablespoons pickling spices or 2 tablespoons mixture of equal parts of dill, peppermint, ginger and hops. You may colour by adding 60 mL of beetroot juice. Overcoming Addictions Raw foods can help. you control your addictions to tobacco, caffeine and other destructive substances. How? First, some background. There are two kinds of foods: alkali-producing foods (fruits, vegetables, sprouts and greens) and acid-producing foods (bread, milk, sugar, coffee and tea, flesh and all of the other 'bad' foods). Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that when smokers (and other addicts) consume a diet high in alkali-producing foods, they simply experience less craving for their addictive substances. They've quit their addictions much more easily, often without the usual withdrawal symptoms of irritability, restlessness, anxiety, drowsiness, headache, difficulty in concentrating and gastrointestinal disturbances. Dozens of students at our centre have quit their addictions with unexpected ease during the past two and a half years. Protein Spokespersons for the meat and dairy industries would have us believe that our bodies require milk and flesh for protein. Wrong! The average Australian (eating flesh and dairy foods) is consuming approximately 100 grams of protein every day. That's far too much and it's helping make them sick. Most nutritionists have concluded that we need only approximately 30 grams of protein per day. Yet seeds, nuts, grains and legumes are all high in protein. We get abundant protein on a 100% raw food diet. Admittedly, raw foods can become boring -- if you restrict yourself to carrot sticks and celery stalks. There are a number of good raw food recipe books available, though -- books which will help make your raw food diet much more enjoyable. We recommend Dr. Ann Wigmore's The Hippocrates Diet and Health Programme and Recipes for Longer Life, Marcia Acciardo's Light Eating for Survival and Eydie Mae's Natural Recipes (all available from Hippocrates). Wheatgrass Juice Wheatgrass (baby wheat) juice is an extremely important food. Since Dr. Ann Wigmore discovered the nutritional qualities of wheatgrass juice in 1960, the juice has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world overcome serious health problems. However, wheatgrass juice is not a panacea. If you intend to continue consuming the processed foods, drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other toxic substances which have made you unwell, a few millilitres of wheatgrass juice each day won't make much difference. Instead, try consuming a predominantly or entirely raw food diet and wheatgrass juice. Then you, too, may experience a world of improvement. What's in wheatgrass juice? Over 100 elements have been isolated from wheatgrass juice and scientists have concluded that it's a complete food. Only 7 kg of fresh wheatgrass has the nutritional value of 159 kg of the choicest vegetables. The solid content of wheatgrass is approximately 70% chlorophyll. The chlorophyll molecule in wheatgrass closely resembles the haemoglobin molecule in human blood. The major difference is in the central element: iron in blood, magnesium in wheatgrass juice. Scientists believe chlorophyll to be the natural blood-building substance of all plant-eaters and humans. In animals with severe induced anaemia, chlorophyll has been found to have the same fast blood-building effects as iron. Why is wheatgrass juice good for people? Chlorophyll in wheatgrass juice has been found to increase the functions of the heart, vascular system, intestines, uterus and lungs. Wheatgrass juice also disinfects and it can reduce the effects of radiation. Wheatgrass juice (and sprouts, fermented foods and seaweed) supply abundant amounts of vitamin B12. Wheatgrass juice contains liquid oxygen, which promotes clearer thinking and acts as a natural antioxidant. The ascorbic acid in wheatgrass juice helps halt cancer cell growth hormones. Wheatgrass juice helps eliminate toxins stored in the body - such as hardened mucus, crystallised fatty acids, fat deposits, calcification and solidified decaying faecal matter. Wheatgrass juice helps heal ulcers and respiratory infections. It increases resistance to X-rays and helps restore our natural blood alkalinity Wheatgrass juice removes bad breath and other body odors (try chewing a bit after eating garlic or onion), reduces itching, soothes sunburn, disinfects, tightens loose and sagging skin, and alleviates dandruff. Wheatgrass juice doesn't cause the usual allergic reactions which eaters of bread and cooked wheat experience. Although many - perhaps most - people are allergic to bread and cooked wheat, we've never seen anyone allergic to wheatgrass juice. You don't need to drink a lot of wheatgrass juice, since it's an extremely powerful food. Start by drinking just 30 mL per day, juiced in a proper wheatgrass juicer. Drink it on an empty stomach, and fresh. Oxidation destroys much of the value within 30 minutes. Always dilute the wheatgrass juice with water, at least 1:1. (The juice, taken neat, can stress the kidneys.) Wait at least 30 minutes before eating other foods, or drinking other liquids. If you find that you can drink 30 mL comfortably, begin to consume 60 mL per day. If you find, though, that even a small amount causes you discomfort, don't drink it - just do enemas and implants (see below). Dr. Ann Wigmore advises an occasional hiatus from wheatgrass juice, to avoid dependence. Abstain one day per week and one week per month. Wheatgrass juice may be used throughout your body. Try it as a conditioner after shampooing your hair (no, it won't turn your hair green!). If you have moles, warts or other skin growths, place wet wheatgrass pulp on them and cover with bandages. Change the pulp and the bandages every few hours. You'll probably notice improvement within a few days. If you have sinus or bronchial problems, try snorting a spoonful of juice up each nostril daily for a few weeks. It won't feel great, but you'll probably find that you can breathe easier. Place wheatgrass juice (diluted) in an eye-cup and bathe your eyes. Your eyes will probably become much shinier. How to Grow Wheatgrass 1. Start with organic wheat (available at your health food shop). 2. Soak for 12 hours (summer) or 24 hours (winter). 3. Drain off water. Allow to sprout for 12 hours (summer) or 24 hours (winter). 4. Place paper (such as newspaper) in bottom of wheatgrass planting tray (available at some nurseries, or from Hippocrates). Planting trays must have holes in bottom, for drainage. 5. Place top-quality soil (available from your nursery) in tray to even depth of approximately 50 mm. 6. (Optional.) If you'd like to add minerals to the soil, get rock dust from any quarry. Mix two handfuls with the soil in each tray. 7. Distribute sprouted seeds evenly over soil. Make sure that seeds aren't smothering one another. 8. Soak seeds and soil thoroughly with water. 9. Place tray in a dark place (20-30[degrees]C temperature) for 3-4 days. A shady spot is sufficient, if tray is covered with two hessian bags. Don't use plastic! The humidity created can cause excessive mould to form. Expect a few mice - they love sprouted wheat! 10. Uncover. Water thoroughly again. Leave in shade (not complete darkness) until mature. Water every few days, when soil feels dry. 11. During the winter months, you can place tray in sun during this period. In summer, though, the direct sun will burn the baby wheat. 12. Don't worry if some mould forms on the soil - it's inevitable in Australia's damp coastal climate. When you harvest, harvest above the level of the mould. 13. Harvest with scissors when mature. Chew, swallow juice and spit out pulp. Or get a proper wheatgrass juicer (available from Hippocrates). Blenders and other home juicers don't work-they simply chop and oxidise the grass. The body can't digest chopped grass. 14. The grass will regrow and it can be harvested again. However, second growth is much weaker. 15. Recycle mat of soil and grass and start again! Enemas and Implants We strongly recommend water enemas, followed by wheatgrass juice implants. We know, of course, that enemas aren't natural. You certainly don't see koalas in nature doing enemas! Likewise, you don't see koalas in nature eating sugar and white bread, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and taking drugs. All of these poisons gradually build up in our colons, creating a thick, hard, toxic scum which adds dead weight to our bodies, causes us to feel stressed and unwell and prevents the proper absorption of nutritious foods. So, we do water enemas and wheatgrass juice implants until we feel well. Then we don't have to do them any more! Start with an enema bag or bucket (available from some chemists, or from Hippocrates). Do enemas with bodytemperature water repeatedly until the water runs clear - until all of the loose faecal matter is removed. Rest for 20 minutes. Then empty any remaining water from the enema bag or bucket and place 90 mL of undiluled wheatgrass juice in it. Allow the wheatgrass juice to enter your colon. Gently massage your abdomen, moving the wheatgrass juice through your colon. Most of the wheatgrass juice will be absorbed within 20 minutes. Usually two implants per day (spaced at least an hour apart) are sufficient. If you're in pain, though, you can relieve the pain by doing implants as often as every hour until the pain dissipates. Wheatgrass juice implants purge the colon and liver, and nourish the body by being absorbed into the bloodstream through the colon. Just inside the rectum (where the juice is inserted) lies the haemorrhoidal vein, which enters into the portal circulation. The portal vein receives liquids, minerals, nutrients and toxins from the colon and transports all of these directly to the liver, where they are either used or eliminated from the body. Since a portion of the wheatgrass juice is thus absorbed into the system, it works on the entire length of the colon and small intestine, and not only on the lower bowel. So what does all of this about wheatgrass juice and raw foods mean to you? Simply this: If you'd like to feel better - younger - less stressed - more energetic - lighter - try a diet high in raw foods and wheatgrass juice, for at least a month. Remember, though, that you may experience some discomfort as a result of toxins being released into your bloodstream, then out of your body. Persist! You, too, can enjoy superior health, like so many hundreds of thousands of others throughout the world. And if you have queries about Dr. Ann Wigmore's Wheatgrass and Living Foods Programme, or health in general, please write or phone us. Good health to you! Ronald Bradley is the Director of Hippocrates Health Centre of Australia, Mudgeeraba 4213, Gold, Coast, Queensland. COPYRIGHT 2001 The Townsend Letter Group Copyright 2001, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company. For permission to reuse this article, contact Copyright Clearance Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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