Hippocrates, considered the father of western medicine, taught that true health comes from the diet, which is the best drug. Dr. Ann Wigmore, who was born in Lithuania in 1909 and raised by her grandmother, a natural healer, eventually immigrated to the United States where she spent her life promoting wellness through living foods. Ann studied more than 4700 varieties of grasses through out the world and concluded that wheatgrass was the most nutritious of them all. While all grasses are healing and will give you a wealth of nutrients, according to Dr. Wigmore, wheatgrass will supply more of what the body needs than the others. Analysis in labs tells the same story. Wheatgrass comes out on top or close to the top in every category of nutrition per ounce. (Dr. Ann Wigmore’s Recipes for Longer Life)

A few years ago, Bruce McVay had some astonishing results in two races he ran, during which he refreshed himself with wheat and barley grass mixed into fresh apple juice. Here is the story in his words:

"Being an ultradistance runner for 5 years (races from 30 to 100 miles or more), I tried nearly every physically enhancing supplement and natural food source to improve my health, stamina, and oxygenation process. One and one-half years ago, I began juicing 1 to 6 ounces of grass daily. After 1 to 2 months of cleansing (which consisted of a few headaches and itching) I began to notice tremendous changes in my performance, energy, stamina, etc.. Always in the past I was a middle to rear of the pack racer. Wheat grass changed that.

This year I ran a 26 mile race in the Tetons Mountains and won by half an hour. The race was in top of the Tetons, 12,000 to 13,000 feet high, and down to Jackson Hole Wyoming. Ultra distance runners from all over the United States participated. At the 18 mile checkpoint some people with twice the amount of training as I, quit the race. Two or three finished. Something I noticed was that I never hit the wall (nausea, etc.) like I had sometimes in previous races. I was exhilarated all the way to the end of the race.

On June 5th, of this year I participated in 11.5 hour run-a-thon at the Utah State Prison. I ran over 62 miles eating primarily wheat-barley grass juice mixed into fresh apple juice. During this time I expended over 6500 calories. My nearest competitor was over 10 miles behind. These are factual examples, but the best result is the way I feel all the time, as well as during the race...i.e. very comfortable under physical and mental stress.

Some people would think that I increased my training or trained long and hard for these races, but in reality, I cut my training in half during this period of time. I had cut my mileage from 60-90 miles per week to 30-40 miles per week. Imagine, less training, but better performances in training and in races! I have broken most of my own personal records. Another thing that amazed me about the prison race, was that my laps at the last of the race were as fast as the laps at the beginning." (McVay Wins Utah Prison Race, by Bruce McVay)

Having juiced and experienced the nutrition high from wheat grass juice, I can report the same kind of health that Mr. McVay reported with his experience. I cannot say I love drinking it, but I do feel an increase in health when I do.

Having grown up with a little bit of land to plant seeds, I didn’t really relate to those who do not have this treasure in their lives until I experienced it. There really is value in having the opportunity to have fresh food. The closer one can get to the source of your food the more you will know about the process and the health you are getting from the plants. In this day of chemicals for killing weeds and bugs, chemicals for thinning fruit on trees and chemicals to prevent spoilage or preserve the food, you really don’t know what you are getting when you aren’t close to the growing source.

If you rely alone on your knowledge, the best way to get nutritious food is to grow it yourself or know the grower and all his methods. What does all of this have to do with growing wheat grass and juicing it? It is so easy to grow it in your own home and to juice it to get that wealth of nutrition, without a little bit of land to plant seeds. It takes 10 days from start to cutting and juicing. In days when I was growing it for friends and would start 2 or 3 trays a day it sometimes got a little overwhelming, but the rush of nutrition was worth it.

Why would I want to grow and juice and drink something that doesn’t appeal to me that much? That is easy to answer. It is for the nutrients. Wheat grass juice is primarily chlorophyll. It provides high amounts of magnesium and is a blood cleaner and builder. It can dissolve scars, remove heavy metals, neutralize toxins, strengthen circulatory, reproductive, digestive and respiratory systems, and is an excellent skin cleanser. It is high in enzymes used in every system of the body. It keeps the hair from graying, helps heal skin problems and improves blood sugar problems. Because of the high concentration of minerals in the chlorophyll of wheat grass juice, if consumed consistently over time, it will turn a sickly body into a healthy one. It is important to drink the juice while it is fresh, within 15 minutes or less of juicing it to obtain optimal good from the juice. Fifteen pounds of wheat grass is equal in nutrients to 350 pounds of carrot, lettuce, celery and so forth. It is not expensive to start a wheat grass habit. Get yourself a juicer and start one today.