Part two - continued from last week.

Just what are these ‘anti-oxidants’ we hear so much about these days - such as Superoxide Dismutase? During normal metabolism (i.e. activity of the cells) our body produces waste products with active atoms attached - looking for something to combine with.

These degenerative changes include: cell mutations - which can lead to cancer; Parkinson’s disease, and; aging processes - such as the dreaded wrinkles!

P4D1

This is a ‘gluco-protein’ present in wheat grass, which has three main properties:

It appears to act in a way similar to anti-oxidants as far as cell mutations are concerned. It stimulates the renewal of RNA and DNA - the creative matter of the body. This means that cell deterioration and mutation will be slowed down or avoided. Therefore, there will probably be benefits from using wheat grass to avoid - or even during - degenerative diseases.

It appears to reduce inflammation - some say in a more powerful way than cortisone (and without the side-effects, of course). Some remarkable cures have been observed with wheat grass for people with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

MUCO-POLYSACCHARIDES

These are a combination of complex and simple sugars which appear to stimulate the body’s repair mechanisms. Enhancing these mechanisms is important, because the body is constantly repairing and replacing damaged cells. If you can do this better, it means you will ‘age’ better.

CHLOROPHYLL

Chemically, chlorophyll is almost identical to hemoglobin - the substance which transports oxygen from the Lungs to the tissues of the body. Out of about 50 atoms in the compound, only two are different. The main difference is that at the centre of chlorophyll there is a magnesium ion; whereas hemoglobin has iron in the same place.

The action of chlorophyll is so important, that two Nobel prizes were awarded for research on the compound.

Chlorophyll’s health properties were observed as early as 1950, when Offen Krantz reported the healing of long standing peptic ulcers after the application of chlorophyll.

The benefits of chlorophyll fall into three main categories, purifying, anti-inflammatory, and nourishing.

Purifying: Chlorophyll has an anti-bacterial effect on wounds, and an anti-yeast effect in the digestive tract. It appears to counteract many toxins in the body.

Inflammation: It has the effect of reducing inflammation. Thus it can be used to help counteract the effects of arthritis, stomach ulcers, colitis, sore throats, and other inflammatory conditions.

Nourishing: It builds blood - after all, it is almost identical to hemoglobin (see above); it helps promote intestinal flora, and assists Liver cleansing.

The benefits of wheatgrass juice could possibly be rhetorically summarized by Ben Franklin’s quote of "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

Stephen Allen is the owner and proprietor of House of Fitness. Stephen can be reached at 805-529-1029.