Golden recipes of traditional medicine. Creeping wheatgrass. What are the medicinal properties of wheatgrass? What are the benefits of wheatgrass and how to use it?

Latin name Agropyron repens

Another name for Zhitets

Description

m perennial herbaceous plant of the cereal family, 30-150 cm high.

Rhizome long, horizontal, creeping, cord-like, long, elastic, with numerous bundles of adventitious roots.

Stems erect.

Leaves glabrous, alternate, flat, linear, with parallel veins and vagina.

Flowers small, inconspicuous, pale green, forming a complex spike.

Fruit- single-seeded grains.

Blooms in June - July. Ripens in August - September.

Spreading

Distributed throughout Russia.

Grows everywhere in the steppes, forming thickets, in the meadows, grassy slopes, in crops and gardens, as a weed, from lowlands to 2000 m above sea level.

Chemical composition

Active ingredients

Wheatgrass rhizome contains fatty and essential oils (0.05%), protein (7.9-12.9%), and mucous substances (10-11%), carbohydrates - starch, sugar, fructose, mannitol (3%), agropyrene, malic acid salts, fiber (up to 33.1%), carotene (16.6 mg% - in the regrowth phase, 6-9 mg% - in the flowering phase, 4.8-8.5 mg% - in the aftertaste) , and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), trace elements, nitrogen-containing rubber-like substance (1%), as well as little-studied glycosides.

Application

Food

Peeled fresh rhizomes are eaten and added to salads, side dishes for fish, vegetables, meat and other dishes. Dried and crushed rhizomes are processed into flour, from which delicious bread and other baked goods are baked. They are used to make porridge, jelly, wine, and beer. The roasted roots are used to make coffee.

Medicinal use

Wheatgrass has an enveloping, diuretic, hemostatic, expectorant and diaphoretic effect.

Collection and processing of medicinal raw materials

Creeping wheatgrass. Rhizomes serve as medicinal raw materials. They are harvested in the fall or early spring, but they can also be harvested in the summer. After digging, they are shaken off the ground, washed in cold water, dried in the sun in windy weather and dried in the shade or in a dryer at a temperature of 60...70°C. Store in bags or wooden containers for no more than 2 years.

Creeping wheatgrass Medicinal properties

In folk medicine, preparations from wheatgrass are used as an anti-inflammatory, enveloping, expectorant, diaphoretic, diuretic, mild laxative, dermatotonic (improves the functioning of the skin) agent, as well as for removing salts from the body. A decoction of rhizomes is used for gallstones and urolithiasis, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, gout, rheumatism and inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Application in official and folk medicine

For hemorrhoids, chronic inflammation of the colon, inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract, wheatgrass decoction is prescribed at night in the form of a microenema of 30-60 g.
To prepare the decoction, pour 2 tablespoons of raw material into 1 glass of hot water, boil for 5-10 minutes, cool, filter and squeeze. Take 1/3 glass 3 times a day before meals.
Instead of decoction, you can use fresh juice from the above-ground part of the plant. To do this, the stems are washed in running water, scalded with boiling water, passed through a meat grinder, diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio, squeezed through a thick cloth and boiled for 3 minutes. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

In the form of a decoction or infusion, wheatgrass rhizome is used for urinary incontinence and uterine bleeding. They give it to drink and bathe children in it for diathesis, childhood eczema, and take it for chest pain, fever, jaundice, irregular periods, and aches. Prescribed as an enveloping and mild laxative, as an expectorant, diaphoretic, diuretic.

To enhance the expectorant effect, add 1 teaspoon of coltsfoot flowers, scepter mullein and elderberry leaves to the wheatgrass rhizome.

The positive effect of a strong decoction of wheatgrass has been noted for furunculosis. To prepare it, pour 4 tablespoons of crushed rhizome into 1 glass of hot water, boil for 5 minutes and filter. Take 1 glass 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 3-4 weeks. The broth is prepared only for one day, as it quickly spoils.

For various skin diseases, take a bath once a week. To do this, place 100 g of wheatgrass and burdock rhizomes in an enamel bucket, fill 1/2 of the container with hot water and boil for 10 minutes. The duration of the procedure is 30 minutes at a temperature of 36...37°C.

It is recommended to combine such baths with taking a decoction orally. To prepare it, pour 1 tablespoon of raw material into 1 glass of hot water, boil for 10 minutes, cool and filter. Take 1 glass 3-4 times a day before meals.

The rhizome is included in diuretic tea (No. 3), in sedative teas for children, and in chest teas.

Rhizomes or herb juice (1/2-1 glass 3-4 times a day 20-40 minutes before meals for 3-4 months) are taken for bronchitis, pneumonia, colds of the upper respiratory tract, stomach catarrh, colitis, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, gout, rheumatism, dropsy, metabolic arthritis and osteochondrosis, as a means of regulating salt metabolism. They are prescribed as enemas for constipation.

Recipes for various diseases

Collection 1. Pour 4 tablespoons of dry, finely chopped wheatgrass rhizomes with 5 glasses of water, boil until the volume is reduced by a quarter. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

Atherosclerosis

Collection 1. Horsetail herb - 1 part, birch leaf - 1 part, dandelion root - 1 part, wheatgrass rhizome - 1 part, soapwort root - 1 part, yarrow herb - 1 part, chokeberry fruit - 1 part, corn silk - 1 part. One tablespoon of the mixture is poured into a glass of boiling water and left for 30 minutes. Strain. Take 1/3-1/2 cup 3 times a day after meals.

Gastritis colitis, metabolic disorder

Collection 1. Take 5 teaspoons of crushed wheatgrass rhizome and pour 1 glass of cold boiled water. Infuse for 12 hours, strain, pour 1 cup of boiling water over the remaining mass of rhizomes, leave in a warm place for 1 hour, strain, mix both infusions. Take 1/2 cup 4 times a day before meals.

Exudative diathesis

Collection 1. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry crushed rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass into 0.5 liters of boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes, leave, covered, for 2 hours, strain. Take 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day before meals.

Dysmenorrhea.

Collection 1. Wheatgrass rhizome - 1 part, viburnum bark - 1 part, buckthorn bark - 1 part. One tablespoon of the mixture is poured into a thermos overnight with 1 glass of boiling water. Strain. A glass of infusion is drunk 1 day in sips for dysmenorrhea.

Collection 1. Pour 5 tablespoons of crushed wheatgrass rhizome into 0.5 liters of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Cool, strain and do enemas for chronic constipation.

Menopause

Collection 1. Walnut leaf - 1 part, steelberry root - 1 part, wheatgrass rhizome - 2 parts, juniper fruits - 2 parts. Two tablespoons of the mixture are poured into a thermos overnight with 2 cups of boiling water. Strain. Take 1 glass of infusion in the morning and evening.

Collection 1. burdock root - 3 parts, wheatgrass rhizome - 2 parts, violet grass - 3 parts, speedwell grass - 2 parts. Pour one tablespoon of the mixture into 1 glass of boiling water, boil in a water bath for 10 minutes, leave for 30 minutes. Strain. Take half a glass 4-5 times a day 30-45 minutes after meals for gout.

Pulmonary tuberculosis

Collection 1. Boil 2 tablespoons of dried wheatgrass roots (fresh - 1 tablespoon) in 1 glass of milk for 5 minutes, cool slightly and drink in one serving. Take up to 3 glasses per day. The same decoction also helps with other intractable diseases.

Collection 2. Wormwood grass - 4 parts, shepherd's purse grass - 3 parts, knotweed grass - 2 parts, watch leaf - 2 parts, snakeweed rhizome - 2 parts, cinquefoil rhizome - 2 parts, wheatgrass rhizome - 3 parts. 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture are poured into a thermos overnight with 0.5 liters of boiling water. Strain. Take during the day in 3-4 doses for hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary tuberculosis.

Cholecystitis

Collection 1. Take 20 g of wheatgrass rhizomes, pour 1.5 cups of boiling water. Leave for several hours, strain. Take 1 glass 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 1 month.

Cystitis, urolithiasis

Collection 1. Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed wheatgrass rhizome with 1 glass of water, boil for 10 minutes in a sealed container, leave for 4 hours, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Collection 2. Preparation of infusion. 25-30 g of crushed rhizomes are poured overnight with 2 cups of boiling water (in a thermos). Strain. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day for kidney, bladder or gallstones

Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum

Collection 1. Fennel fruits - 1 part, marshmallow root - 1 part, wheatgrass rhizome - 1 part, chamomile flowers - 1 part, licorice root - 1 part, yarrow herb - 2 parts. Pour one tablespoon of the mixture into 1 cup of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Strain. Take half a glass 2-3 times a day before meals.

Wheat grass Contraindications

There are no contraindications to the use of creeping wheatgrass.

Creeping wheatgrass According to the book Phytotherapy

Creeping wheatgrass - (Agropyron repens L.), grass family.

Common names: root-grass, dog-grass, worm-grass.

A perennial grass with a widely spreading branched rhizome. It produces numerous underground shoots so quickly that it is very difficult to rid crops of this weed. The stem is erect, smooth, hairless, with small green or bluish-green flat leaves. Wheatgrass reaches more than 1 m in height and forms a spike at the top. Blooms from June to August. It is found as a weed in fields and vegetable gardens, along roadsides, in gravelly areas and wastelands. Wheatgrass rhizomes are dug up in early spring, before young stems grow.

The most important indications for the use of wheatgrass rhizomes in folk medicine are anemia, rickets, lung diseases, urinary retention, liver and gall bladder diseases, inflammation of the stomach and intestines, rheumatism and gout, skin rashes and complaints associated with menstruation.

Creeping wheatgrass is a common name for “dog’s tooth”, “wheatgrass”, “rylry” or “root-grass”. Grows in Europe, Asia and North America. In Russia, wheatgrass is found on every plot of land.

Flowering areas are plains with well-moistened soil and wetlands. The plant is classified as a “cereal” and is considered a weed. It is distinguished by long, flat, spike-shaped or arrow-shaped stems.

Length – from 15 to 45 cm. Width – 10 mm. Wheatgrass flowering time is June-July. Fruiting time is June-September. Wheatgrass destroys other nearby seedlings and takes away moisture and beneficial elements. That is why garden farms immediately get rid of the plant.

Chemical composition of wheatgrass

The weed that grows in every garden is not as useless as it seems. We talked about how to deal with the plant in. However, take your time - the plant can be beneficial.

Please note that animals, especially with the arrival of summer, periodically feast on wheatgrass. The stems and rhizomes of the plant contain many useful substances.

Macroelements and mineral salts:

  • potassium;
  • carotene;
  • magnesium;
  • iron;
  • manganese.

Vitamins:

  • group B.

It also contains polysaccharides, essential oil, tricitin, mucilage, inulin, inositol, levulose, saponins, dextrose and lactic acid.

Wheatgrass is useful in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal system, as well as for reducing the immune protective functions of the body.

Strengthens blood vessels

Wheatgrass is beneficial for the healthy functioning of the heart and blood vessels. The plant contains:

  • Iron- the main element in the composition of red blood cells. Lack of iron in the body leads to a decrease in hemoglobin, the development of anemia and oxygen starvation in brain cells.
  • Manganese– the main participant in the formation of “good” cholesterol. If manganese enters the body in sufficient quantities, the level of bad cholesterol decreases.
  • Potassium– a necessary element in the transportation of nerve impulses and innervation of muscle fibers. With sodium, it ensures normal functioning of the heart muscle and maintenance of metabolic processes in the blood plasma.
  • Ascorbic acid– strengthens the walls of blood vessels. Necessary for cerebral vessels. Ascorbic acid prevents blood vessels from becoming thinner and makes them elastic. Tones.

Restores the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract

If gastritis, stomach ulcers, duodenitis, colitis, frequent stool disorders, enteritis and inflammation of the large and small intestines are detected, wheatgrass will restore the functioning of the mucous membranes, relieve inflammation and get rid of bacteria.

In the composition of the plant:

  • Magnesium– a necessary element in the prevention of the development of stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and gastritis.
  • B vitamins– regulate acidity, increase immune function, stimulate intestinal function.

Treats arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, radiculitis and gout

Joint diseases in the 21st century are in second place after problems with the cardiovascular system. The peculiarity of wheatgrass is its ability to expel salt accumulations. The rhizome of the plant contains carotene, organic acids, fatty and essential oils, vitamin C. The juice contains elements necessary for the functioning of the ligaments - iron, manganese, calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium and natural mucilages.

Acts as a choleretic, diaphoretic, diuretic and stone remover

The rhizome of the plant contains substances necessary to eliminate inflammation of the bile ducts, bladder, urinary tubules and ureter. If sand is found in the gall and bladder, a decoction of wheatgrass will crush and remove accumulated formations, relieve inflammation of the mucous membrane in acute cystitis.

The plant contains:

  • Vitamin B6– pyridoxine, involved in the formation of blood cells and antibodies. Vitamin B6 promotes the absorption of fat and protein. Is a diuretic.
  • Potassium– prevents salt deposition. Regulates water-salt balance in the body.
  • Magnesium– people diagnosed with urolithiasis are often found to be deficient in this element.

Treats skin diseases

Wheatgrass is effective in the fight against skin ailments. In pharmacology, wheatgrass root juice is added to ointments and herbal preparations for eczema, dermatitis, rashes, allergies and psoriasis. The plant effectively cleanses blood and lymph and has a positive effect on the nervous system.

The plant contains:

  • Glycosides– give antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect
  • Biologically active substances– improve skin condition, regulate metabolism.
  • Carotene– a sufficient amount of keratin in the body protects the skin from UV rays, prevents early aging, and gives the skin a fresh and healthy appearance.

Treats cough and bronchitis

In case of bronchitis, removing mucus from the bronchi is a necessary condition for recovery. Silicon compounds in the plant root strengthen the walls of blood vessels and give them elasticity. Substances in wheatgrass root help remove mucus and relieve inflammation.

The plant contains:

  • B vitamins– help strengthen the nervous system, which is necessary for diabetes.
  • Vitamin C– strengthens the walls of blood vessels. With diabetes, blood vessels become fragile, thinner and lose elasticity.

Accelerates wound healing and removes inflammation

In case of bladder ulcers, burns, and dermatitis, infusion of wheatgrass will relieve inflammation in the affected areas of the skin and mucous membranes, and will also have a bactericidal effect. It will speed up wound healing for severe burns, ulcerative dermatitis and psoriasis.

The plant contains:

  • Vitamin A– strengthens the immune system and protects against bacteria.
  • Vitamin C– necessary in the construction of new cells.
  • Vitamin B2– riboflavin, accelerates tissue regeneration and the growth of new cells.

Wheatgrass is a unique “weed”. To use at home, it is necessary to properly collect and dry the plant. Infusions and lotions with wheatgrass will relieve many ailments.

Juice for treating heart and cough

  1. Pass freshly collected wheatgrass roots through a meat grinder or blender.
  2. Squeeze.
  3. For further use in treatment, dilute with drinking water in a 1:1 ratio. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes.
  4. Drink 3 tablespoons of the plant's rhizome juice 5 times a day to treat the heart and blood vessels, respiratory system and cold cough.

To cleanse blood and lymph

You will need 2 tbsp:

  • rhizome of a plant;
  • chamomile flowers;
  • hernia;
  • agrimony

Preparation:

  1. Pour in all 500 ml of water and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Let it brew for 60 minutes. Strain.

Take ½ cup 4 times a day for three weeks before meals.

For the treatment and activation of the liver and pancreas

Used after hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and cholecystitis.
You will need:

  • wheatgrass root;
  • licorice;
  • sweet clover;
  • nettle;
  • dog-rose fruit;
  • mint;
  • birch leaves;
  • plantain;
  • immortelle flowers;
  • dill and parsley seeds.

Prepare a decoction according to treatment regimen No. 2 - as in the previous recipe. Take for 4 weeks.

Wheatgrass root infusion for prevention

  1. Separate the stems from the roots. Finely chop the root.
  2. Pour the roots of the plant into a thermos prepared the night before and pour boiling water over it. Insist until the morning.

For the treatment of pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis and prostatitis

Take the pre-prepared infusion before meals, 40 ml 3 times a day.

Thanks to its diuretic and antibacterial properties, wheatgrass root juice will relieve inflammation and cleanse the walls of the ureter, urethra, and bladder from the accumulation of bacteria.

To remove salts from joints

Carry out treatment in courses. Drink wheatgrass root infusion for a week, 2 tablespoons 4 times a day. Take a break for 7 days. Repeat the treatment.

It will take 3-4 alternations to achieve a healing effect.

For the prevention and cleansing of blood vessels from cholesterol plaques

  1. Prepare a double portion of the infusion. In the evening, finely chop 2 tablespoons of the plant’s rhizome and pour 250 ml of boiled water. Insist until the morning.
  2. Drain the liquid into a separate bowl and set aside.
  3. Pour boiling water over the wheatgrass root pulp until it cools completely.
  4. Mix the two infusions together.

Take the medicine you receive 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 3 months.

To relieve symptoms of body intoxication

Wheatgrass infusion is used in cases of poisoning, long-term use of medications and chemotherapy. The infusion removes toxins, increasing sweating and urination, and also reduces temperature.

Infusion: 3 tablespoons of dry crushed roots, pour 300 ml of water. Cook for 20 minutes. Cool. Drink 2-3 tablespoons 2 times a day for acute intoxication.

Treatment with wheatgrass juice

  1. It is not difficult to obtain wheatgrass juice. Scald the leaves and stems of the plant with boiling water. Pass through a blender or meat grinder.
  2. Add an equal amount of water to the resulting mass.
  3. Fold sterile gauze in two layers. Pass the resulting mixture.
  4. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. For longer storage, add 0.5 l. vodka.

Drink wheatgrass juice half an hour before meals.

To restore vision

Wheatgrass juice contains carotene, as well as vitamins C, A, B1 and B2, B12 and zinc. Prepare wheatgrass juice and honey in a 1:1 ratio. Mix. Warm in a water bath for 3 minutes.

Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day daily. The course is six months. Preferably from May to October.

Common names: root-grass, dog-grass, worm-grass, wheatgrass, dog's tooth, zhitets, ponyr, plover, zhitvets, ortanets, dandur.

Wheatgrass (lat. Elytrígia) is a perennial herbaceous plant; a genus of the Cereals family, consisting of approximately 100 species. Wheatgrass blooms in May-June, bears fruit in July-September. This plant is found throughout Europe and Asia, avoiding only deserts and dark forests, although it may well grow in forest clearings and edges, but mostly wheatgrass populates meadows, fields, fallow lands, and gardens. Its modern Latin name is Elytrigia repens.

In medicine, wheatgrass is used for metabolic disorders, as a diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant and laxative, regulating salt metabolism.
The main area of ​​application of wheatgrass is blood cleansing, when toxins are removed from the body with increased outflow of water, which primarily affects the reduction of skin rashes. Fatigue and weakness are relieved. Moreover, all components act together, both vitamins and minerals, saponins and related compounds.

Although scientific medicine has a cool attitude towards wheatgrass, in Switzerland, for example, it is widely used as a medicinal plant. Due to the presence of silicic acid, it is used for bronchial diseases, metabolic problems, rheumatism and gout.
The German National Health Service indicates the following uses of wheatgrass rhizomes: to increase urination during inflammatory processes in the urinary tract; as a supplement in the treatment of upper respiratory tract catarrh.

The most important indications for the use of wheatgrass rhizomes in folk medicine are anemia, rickets, lung diseases, urinary retention, liver and gall bladder diseases, inflammation of the stomach and intestines, rheumatism and gout, skin rashes and complaints associated with menstruation. Tea with wheatgrass and bearberry helps against acne.
In Russia, the most famous species is creeping wheatgrass, which covers gardens, vacant lots, vegetable gardens, forest edges, fields, meadows, etc.


Wheatgrass as a food plant has more than once helped people out in the most difficult times. Wheatgrass rhizome is used for food. It is ground to produce flour, which is not inferior in nutritional value to wheat, and bread, flat cakes, gingerbreads and other flour products are baked. From dried rhizomes you can prepare cereals for porridges, seasonings, casseroles, minced meats and fillings, which will have a pleasant taste and aroma. Soups are made from fresh roots, salads and side dishes are prepared for fish, vegetable and meat dishes. You can make a coffee drink from the roasted rhizomes.

Creeping wheatgrass is a well-known and widespread weed in vegetable gardens. All weeds have incredible vitality and fertility. Wheatgrass has a long rhizome, which, if cut into pieces where there is at least one living bud, instantly takes root and begins to form a new independent plant. Hence its popular names - zhitets, zhitvets, ortanets. This is literally “fire” for fields and vegetable gardens, the fight against which is extremely difficult and sometimes unsuccessful.

Probably, such a vitality of the plant, even if it is a weed, could not but affect its ability to deal not only with the problems of the near, but also the distant circle, including problems of human health.

Wheatgrass seems to be the “veins” of Mother Earth, who poured her miraculous powers into it for the healing and life of her children. Pets, cats and dogs, enjoy eating the young grass of creeping wheatgrass in early spring. This way they replenish their winter-starved blood with fresh vitamins and biologically active substances, of which wheatgrass contains a lot.

The medicinal raw materials of wheatgrass are rhizomes, which are harvested in the fall, immediately after the first frost, or in early spring.
They are thoroughly washed in cold water, cleaned of small roots, remnants of stems and leaves, dried in the shade in the air or in a well-ventilated area, laid out on paper or burlap. Store in canvas bags or wooden containers for up to 2 years.

It is recommended to dry wheatgrass raw materials at 60 degrees in an oven or special dryers, periodically stirring and turning the extract. Ready rhizomes should break with a bang without becoming deformed. Shelf life – no more than 3 years.

The rhizome of creeping wheatgrass contains mineral salts (potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc), silicic acid, organic acids, vitamins A, B, essential oil, which contains agropyrene carbon; mucous substances, polysaccharide substance tricitin, inulin, inositol, fructose, levulose, saponin, vanillin, dextrose, gum, quartz, levulose, mannitol, lactic acid, nitrogen-containing rubber-like substance, tannin.

Wheatgrass is valuable because it cleanses the body of radiation. For this reason alone, this plant has no price. After the Chernobyl disaster there was a real rush for Chinese green tea. It is certainly useful, there is no doubt about it, the tannins included in its chemical composition really “drive out” strontium. But it turns out that there is enough tannin in the wheatgrass growing under our feet. So, in pursuit of someone else’s, we trample on our own.

The real “scourge of man” is osteochondrosis. This disease ranks second after diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is impossible to get rid of it completely, but it is possible to stop its development. And precisely this malicious weed. It perfectly removes salts from the body. Almost indispensable for joint problems, arthritis, radiculitis, rheumatism and gout.

Wheatgrass is good for healing the gastrointestinal tract. A decoction of the roots cleanses the gallbladder and kidneys from stones and sand. It is also used for inflammation of the bile ducts, liver, bladder and urinary tubules. Wheatgrass heals the kidneys and stimulates filtration in them.

A decoction of the root is also very effective for swelling of any origin.

Wheatgrass is a good blood purifier. Its use is indicated for body rashes and allergies. It is included in formulations for eczema, psoriasis, boils and any other human scab.

Wheatgrass roots also have expectorant properties.

The silicon compounds found in the plant have a beneficial effect on all external and internal organs. Blood vessels are strengthened and the elasticity of capillary walls increases. Therefore, wheatgrass preparations are highly recommended for older people.

The white root helps against diabetes.

If, God forbid, you have been prescribed a large number of antibiotics, then after completing treatment, be sure to take a healing course with wheatgrass, as it neutralizes chemical compounds, removes excess antibiotics, and practically re-regulates the functioning of the entire body.

Wheatgrass perfectly relieves fatigue, restores vigor, excites, stimulates the activity of the heart, slightly increases blood pressure, and relieves headaches. So, our cats and dogs are not stupid...

Wheatgrass perfectly regulates metabolism in the body.

There are no CONTRAINDICATIONS to the use of creeping wheatgrass. However, use should be discontinued if diarrhea occurs or depression that affects performance develops.

DEcoction of rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass

Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed raw material into 1 glass of hot water, boil for 5-10 minutes, cool, strain and squeeze. Take 1 glass 3 times a day before meals. The decoction can be flavored with blackcurrant twigs or leaves.

For hemorrhoids, chronic inflammation of the large intestine, inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract, wheatgrass decoction is prescribed at night in the form of a microenema with a volume of 30-60 ml.

Instead of decoction, you can use fresh juice from the above-ground part of the plant and roots.

The stems with pieces of root are washed in running water, scalded, passed through a meat grinder, diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio, squeezed through a thick cloth and boiled for 3 minutes. Take 1-2 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

BATH

Place 100 g of wheatgrass and burdock rhizomes in a large enamel pan or bucket, add 5 liters of hot water and boil for 10 minutes. The resulting broth is poured into a bath of water. It is recommended to take this bath for various skin diseases at least once a week. The duration of the procedure is 30 minutes, the water temperature is 36-37 C. It is recommended to combine baths with taking the decoction orally.

THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Fresh wheatgrass rhizomes are used to prepare soups, salads, and side dishes for fatty, meat, fish, and vegetable dishes.

This plant received the name “wheat grass” from the very ancient root “pyro”, which meant bread or rye. And creeping wheatgrass can indeed live up to its name - it can be used as a substitute for bread, which is of great importance in times of famine. Sometimes for baking bread, the dough was made from 2/3 rye flour and 1/3 wheatgrass root flour. To make wheatgrass root flour, the roots were boiled, dried, chopped and ground or pounded into flour.

Porridges and jelly are also cooked from this flour; it is added to wheat and rye flour when baking flatbreads and pancakes. Roasted rhizomes make good surrogate coffee. published

If you have any questions about this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness, we are changing the world together! © econet

Hello, dear readers! Today we're talking about wheatgrass. Each of you knows this plant; it can be seen everywhere, in water meadows, in vegetable gardens, and in wastelands. It is considered a malicious weed, which is very difficult to remove: its rhizome can grow up to 3 meters in diameter. To remove a weed from gardens, it must be dug up with its roots, but it is the rhizomes of the plant that are especially valued in folk medicine. What is creeping wheatgrass, its medicinal properties and contraindications - I think you will be interested to know.

Wheatgrass creeping chemical composition and medicinal properties

In folk medicine, the weed is valued for its medicinal properties. The stem of the plant does not contain as many useful substances as its rhizome. Many people do not know all the beneficial qualities of this malicious weed. And they fight it in every possible way, since it deprives garden beds of moisture, absorbs enough nutrients and minerals, such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, thereby depleting soil fertility.

But why do traditional healers love this herb? Even in his time, Avicenna used the healing properties of wheatgrass in his practice and used its juice mixed with honey and wine to treat eye diseases. And in Rus', colds, stomach and liver diseases were treated with the help of wheatgrass.

In folk medicine, the juice and rhizomes of the plant are often used to prepare medicinal potions. Vitamins C, E, group B, carotene, pectins, mucus, essential oils, fructose, starch, organic acids, glycosides, inulin, inositol, mineral salts of calcium and iron were found in wheatgrass rhizomes.

I would especially like to say about silicic acid, which is very abundant in the rhizomes of the plant. The microelement silicon is extremely important in the life of the body; thanks to it, 74 chemical elements are absorbed. The only source of silicon in the body is products of plant origin. So in this regard, wheatgrass will simply not be replaced.

In terms of chemical composition, the grass of the plant itself is not as rich in useful substances as its underground part, but it also contains enough ascorbic acid and carotene.

How to properly prepare wheatgrass rhizomes

As I have already noted, the greatest amount of useful substances is found in the rhizome of the plant. The maximum amount of useful substances in the rhizome occurs in early spring, when the plant stems have not yet sprouted, and in the fall, when the grass has already withered. You can harvest the roots in the summer, but then the therapeutic effect will be much less pronounced.

To collect raw materials, carefully shake the dug roots off the ground, remove the remaining ground shoots, debris, small shoots, and then thoroughly wash the rhizomes.

The rhizomes prepared in this way must be spread out in a thin layer on paper in a ventilated area or in the sun. The rhizomes should be turned over periodically so that they dry evenly. The roots can also be dried in dryers, which are used to dry mushrooms or fruits, at a temperature of 50-55ºС.

The readiness of the raw material can be determined if the roots become brittle and break when bent. Some people grind dried raw materials in a coffee grinder, but you can also store them in their natural form, cutting them into small pieces. Store dried raw materials in a dry glass jar under a tight lid.

Shelf life is no more than 2 years; with longer storage, the amount of useful substances decreases significantly.

Wheatgrass medicinal properties and contraindications

Traditional medicine, over many years of using wheatgrass, has noted the following beneficial properties of this plant.

  • Expectorant, anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic. It is used for inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, accompanied by a wet cough and fever, which occurs in chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis.
  • Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of decoctions and infusions for rheumatism, gout, arthritis, pinched sciatic nerve.
  • Has a mild laxative effect for intestinal disorders.
  • The choleretic property helps with biliary dyskinesia.
  • The enveloping properties of wheatgrass will help with catarrhal gastritis.
  • Inositol is a hexahydric alcohol substance that helps reduce blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus and improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
  • The diuretic effect allows you to relieve swelling of various etiologies; it is used for inflammation of the urinary tract, urolithiasis, and dropsy.
  • Baths prepared with an infusion of wheatgrass help with various diathesis, skin lesions, furunculosis, chronic eczema, hemorrhoids, and rickets. In addition to the anti-inflammatory and vascular-strengthening effect, the herb has a wound-healing and antihistamine effect.
  • Enemas with a warm infusion of wheatgrass will help with constipation, paraproctitis, and chronic colitis.
  • Decoctions and fresh juice of the plant help with partial loss of vision, and generally improve appetite and sleep, and tones the body well.
  • Teas and decoctions help to restore strength after serious and long-term illnesses, increase immunity, and restore strength.
  • Infusions and herbs help cleanse the body of toxins and waste, cleanse blood vessels, bile ducts, and urinary tract.

Like any medicinal herb, wheatgrass must have contraindications for use. However, there are practically none; I haven’t even found individual intolerance in the literature. But it should be noted that taking infusions and decoctions should be stopped if loose stools appear or a depressed mood develops.

The use of decoctions, infusions and juice from creeping wheatgrass

Juicing

To prepare the juice, rinse the rhizomes along with the stem under running water, then scald with boiling water and pass through a meat grinder. Dilute the resulting mixture with the same amount of warm boiled water and squeeze the juice through cheesecloth and boil the resulting juice for another 3 minutes. Store the finished juice in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days, otherwise the beneficial properties will disappear. Take a large spoonful of juice on an empty stomach half an hour before each meal.

Preparing the infusion

  • Wheatgrass roots are used as part of an infusion in cold water. To do this, pour 50 g of raw material into a glass of cold water and leave in the refrigerator for 12 hours, filter and pour boiling water over the squeezed herb again (1 glass), leave for 10 minutes. Both infusions are mixed and drunk for diabetes, joint and gastrointestinal diseases, as well as for bronchitis and colds.

  • The plant in its pure form is also used for bathing, that is, externally. Rhizomes (50 g) are placed in 5 liters of water, boiled for 20 minutes, infused, cooled, filtered and poured into the bath. Treatment can be carried out daily. Course from 15 to 20 baths. In this form, treatment with the roots of creeping wheatgrass is used for diathesis, hemorrhoids, boils, polyarthritis and rheumatism. The decoction can be used to wash wounds and ulcers.

Preparing the decoction

  • Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed raw material into 1 glass of hot water, boil for 5-10 minutes, cool, strain and squeeze. Take 1 glass 3 times a day before meals. The decoction can be flavored with blackcurrant twigs or leaves. For hemorrhoids, chronic inflammation of the large intestine, inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract, wheatgrass decoction is prescribed at night in the form of a microenema with a volume of 30-60 ml. Instead of decoction, you can use fresh juice from the above-ground part of the plant and roots.

To prepare a decoction for a bath, wheatgrass is best used in combination with burdock roots. Take 100 grams of burdock and wheatgrass roots and brew them with 5 liters of boiling water and boil for another 10 minutes. Before taking a bath, mix the resulting decoction with bath water and take a bath at least once a week for various skin diseases for half an hour. The temperature of the water in the bath should be comfortable for your body. For greater effect, take infusions or decoctions internally.

Cooking napara

To prepare napar, you need 100 g of crushed raw materials, pour 1 liter of water and boil until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

Used for osteochondrosis, 50 ml before each meal, half an hour.

Wheatgrass tincture with honey and vodka

This tincture will help cope with stomach diseases. Take 50 g of crushed raw materials from the rhizomes, add the same amount of honey and 100 grams of vodka, mix all the ingredients and leave to infuse in a dark place for 3 days. After this period, the tincture should settle, carefully pour off the transparent part of the tincture or strain. Take a teaspoon a few minutes before meals.

Wheatgrass baths to remove calluses

For 5 liters of hot water (temperature no more than 80º), add 200 g of crushed wheatgrass, cover tightly with a lid and let it brew until the water becomes warm (at least 30º), then add 2 tablespoons of sea salt, stir the solution and lower your feet for 30 minutes. After the bath, rub the calluses with pumice and lubricate with cream. Do at least 5 procedures.

Dear readers, today you also learned about one unique medicinal plant. Spring will come soon, and this means that in the spring it will be possible to prepare creeping wheatgrass, because it has so many medicinal properties and almost no contraindications. And after a long and cold winter, this is just what we need. So why don't we take advantage of the gifts of our nature?

Creeping wheatgrass is an unpretentious weed that grows along roadsides, in fields and meadows. It can settle both in the mountains and on flat terrain. Able to survive, making its way through cracks in asphalt, stones and in the most seemingly uninhabitable corners of nature.

And who among us has not fought against this malicious “invader” of gardens, vegetable gardens and personal plots? This wheatgrass causes us a lot of trouble, mercilessly braiding the weak sprouts of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and other crops.

It noticeably depletes the soil, drawing from it three times more nutrients and water than its cultivated relatives. It is almost impossible to get rid of it if after weeding a few fragments of the rhizome remain. In this place the grass grows twice as strong and lush.

Wheatgrass, benefits and harm

However, the wheat grass weed turns out to be very useful for humans and is successfully used in folk medicine. It is not for nothing that our smaller, non-herbivorous brothers are treated with it, removing toxins from the body and normalizing the functioning of their intestines. You have often seen your favorite cat or shaggy poodle happily chewing this grass on the lawn.

Due to its appearance, unpretentiousness and direct relationship with cereal crops, it is popularly called worm-grass, dandur, wolf's tooth, root-grass, grain grass, dog grass, plover. What is this simple plant and what does it look like? Why do we know it only as a “horror” for vegetable gardens and practically nothing as a home healer? Let's figure it out.

The Latin name of the plant is Elytrígia répens, Agropyron repens. The last name clearly reflects the attitude of business executives towards it, which translated means “fire of the fields”. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Monocot class from the most widespread genus Wheatgrass, the progenitor of modern crops of the cereal family.

It has more than 50 species, 20 of which grow in Russia. Some of them are listed in the Red Book.

Wheatgrass is distributed throughout the world, but is native to northern Africa, Europe and Asia. It is incredibly hardy, prolific and tenacious. Able to tolerate drought and heat, resistant to getting wet and rotting. He is not afraid of winter cold and repeated digging of the soil. Only in the complete absence of soil does the plant die.

Wheatgrass owes its excellent winter hardiness to the agroperine contained in its rhizomes. Thanks to the presence of this substance using genetic engineering methods, scientists at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the USSR managed to create frost-resistant wheat varieties.

Due to the rapid growth of above-ground mass, wheatgrass is successfully used for economic purposes. Animals love this grass; it is actively harvested as hay for the winter. Some birds like to feast on wheatgrass seeds.

Botanical characteristics

Wheatgrass is a herbaceous perennial. With the first rays of the spring sun, its root system begins to actively grow, and the first bright green shoots appear from under the barely melted snow. Under the influence of the sun and heat, they can acquire a greenish-gray tint. The height of wheatgrass can reach from 40 to 130 cm.

The plant has rigid, straight stems and narrow, linear, rough leaves arranged alternately. The leaf width usually does not exceed 4-8 millimeters; it is attached to the stem by a long vaginal plate.

It blooms in mid-May - August, the fruits ripen in July - September. An inflorescence is formed in the form of a complex two-row spikelet with small salad flowers. These scale-like inflorescences-ears, collected in 6-7 pieces each, in turn form a larger ear, reaching a length of 15 centimeters. The fruit of the plant has the appearance of a grain, reminiscent of a miniature wheat grain.

The root system is branched, in the form of a rhizome growing horizontally. At the slightest damage, endogenous growth stimulants are activated, and the root “switches on” to growth, giving rise to more and more new branches. Thus, the plant reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively by rhizomes.

In the second half of June, wheatgrass begins to prepare for wintering. During this period, its rhizomes begin to go into deeper layers of the soil, and small tuberous growths form on them.

The drier and hotter the summer, the faster the wheatgrass will bloom. In such conditions, when the soil is dry and dense, the rhizomes do not develop to their full potential. It will not grow tall, but will bear fruit as early as possible. On the contrary, if the soil is moist, loose and fertile, the plant will not bother flowering, quickly growing its root system and producing powerful ground shoots.

The plant goes more than 30 centimeters deep, and during the “wintering” period it can be found at a depth of up to 70 centimeters. The length of one rhizome can exceed 15 meters. Wheatgrass can grow so much that in one summer the area it occupies can reach several meters. Thus, up to 250 million buds can easily form on one hectare of soil.

Chemical composition

The whole plant contains useful substances, but the rhizomes are richest in them. Thus, all parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes.

The rhizomes, shoots and stems include:

  • Proteins and organic mucus;
  • carbohydrates, including inulin and starch;
  • fructose, levulose;
  • flavonoids;
  • organic acids;
  • essential oils;
  • mannitol, avenin, saponins;
  • malic acid;
  • agropyrene, gum;
  • mineral salts, among which most are potassium salts;
  • phenols;
  • vitamins, especially ascorbic acid and carotene.

The plant contains one of the amino acids necessary for the body - alpha-alanine. This component is involved in glucose metabolism and serves as a powerful source of energy for the body. It helps maintain the activity of processes in the brain and muscle tissue at the proper level, and increases resistance to infections. Resists stress factors, takes part in the creation of hormonal levels, improves the condition of the skin and its derivatives (nails, hair).

Rhizome

This part of the plant contains about 11% useful proteins, up to 40% flavonoids. This is a whole storehouse of vitamins E, A, C, P, PP, micro- and macroelements. It is often used in the preparation of vitamin and mineral cocktails and teas.

Prepared for future use during the winter cold, this herbal medicine will perfectly replace standard types of tea. It can be consumed as a stand-alone drink or in combination with other herbs. Another very important property: it does not have a stimulating effect on the nervous system. This means it does not cause insomnia. Therefore, you can drink tea with wheatgrass in the evening.

Grass

The medicinal properties of the surface part of the plant are also valued. Wheatgrass leaves and stems also have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and immunostimulating effects. Can be used internally and externally, in the form of lotions and baths for diseases of internal organs, furunculosis and various types of eczema.

In these specific cases, wheatgrass seeds can be used. They are most often used for digestive problems. Take ½ or 1 glass of liquid as freshly brewed tea 30 minutes before meals.

Picked from the garden in early spring and finely chopped into a salad, it will be an excellent addition to the diet of both adults and children. Its complex of vitamins and microelements will help strengthen the immune system, normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and painlessly overcome the state of winter vitamin deficiency.

A number of health food stores sell wheatgrass juice in ready-made form. However, it usually already contains some preservatives. And then, you can easily prepare such a product for yourself. Fresh, healthy, and note – without any additives!

How to make juice?

Option #1. First, grind the wheatgrass rhizomes. Next, you need to extract juice from them. The simplest device will do for this. Place the washed and chopped raw materials of the fresh plant in a mortar and pound. Squeeze the resulting juice through cheesecloth.

To prepare a healing drink, you can use a blender or juicer. However, in the version with a blender, it should be taken into account that a small part of the chlorophyll and beneficial substances can be oxidized under the influence of the rotating metal blades of the device. Consequently, the value of the resulting product will decrease slightly.

You can get juice from finely chopped leaves and stems in a similar way. It will help in the treatment of diseases of the liver, kidneys, urinary organs and biliary tract, edema, neuroses and other diseases, including those of an inflammatory nature. It is indicated as an additional remedy for uterine bleeding and heavy menstruation. The method of administration is standard: half a glass three times a day before meals.

Option #2. Making a drink with wheatgrass and lemon.

  1. Take 200 grams of freshly washed rhizomes, chop them and squeeze
  1. Add 0.5 liters of chilled boiled water.
  2. Squeeze the juice of ½ medium lemon and pour into the drink being prepared.
  3. Sugar - to taste. Mix everything. You should get 2-3 servings.

Application. An excellent remedy for treating colds, coughs and runny nose. Cleanses the blood, relieves swelling and inflammation. The drink is effective for hypovitaminosis and to eliminate symptoms of chronic fatigue.

Option #3. For the treatment of colds. Wash the rhizomes and pour boiling water over them. Pass through a meat grinder, then mix with water at a ratio of 1:1. Let stand for a while, then squeeze through cheesecloth. Take half a glass 3-4 times a day until symptoms disappear.

Wheatgrass decoction

A decoction from rhizomes and other parts of the plant is slightly inferior in value to juice, since it contains less concentration of valuable substances. Also, its components are subjected to heat treatment during preparation, and some vitamins and enzymes are inactivated.

But, despite this, wheatgrass decoctions are used both for oral administration and as compresses and other means for external use for diseases of the skin and joints.

The decoction is prepared in the following way. 30 grams of dried wheatgrass rhizomes are poured into one liter of boiling water for oral administration, and 0.5 liters for use in compresses and baths. The dishes with the contents are simmered over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Then infuse, cool, filter.

Take half a glass three times a day to improve vision with visual fatigue syndrome, cough, inflammatory processes in the liver, kidneys, bladder and other diseases. In addition, they make baths with a decoction of wheatgrass for children with diathesis, eczematous lesions, and acne. Make compresses for joint inflammation and osteochondrosis.

Napar from rhizomes

It is more concentrated than the previous version, which means it contains more healing substances.

It is prepared as follows. Take 100 grams of dry rhizomes and pour 1 liter of boiling water. It is evaporated over very low heat so that half the liquid remains. The remaining part is cooled and filtered.

Application. One glass three times a day for cardiovascular pathologies, jaundice, liver diseases, pancreas diseases, diabetes mellitus.

Wheatgrass for cystitis

For the treatment of acute cystitis and bladder stones. For cooking you will need six tablespoons of raw materials. Fill them with one liter of boiling water and keep them in a water bath for half an hour. Then we insist for another ten minutes. That's it, the broth is ready. All that remains is to strain and take half a glass three times before meals.

For the treatment of chronic cystitis, the decoction is prepared in a similar way, only the ingredients are taken at the rate of 2 tablespoons of wheatgrass per 0.5 liters of water. Take 1/3 cup four times a day.

For bedwetting (enuresis), it is prepared in the same way as for chronic cystitis, that is, take 2 tablespoons of the mixture per half liter of water. The resulting medicine is filtered and consumed within 24 hours. Treatment – ​​no more than one month.

Infusion

This cooking method is different from the previous one. It is gentler in terms of heat treatment, so many of the ingredients in the composition remain virtually unchanged.

The first option (in particular, the first part of cooking) practically does not involve heating. This is done as follows:

  1. Four teaspoons of finely chopped fresh wheatgrass rhizome are poured into one glass of cold boiled water.
  2. The mixture is infused for 12 hours in a cool, dark place.
  3. The liquid is filtered, and the sediment is poured with 250 ml of boiling water for ten minutes. After this time it is filtered.
  4. Both infused liquids are mixed.