Wheatgrass comb-shaped. Wheatgrass: properties and contraindications, cultivation and use. Healing and therapeutic properties of creeping wheatgrass

Genus: Wheatgrass (Elytrigia).
Family: Cereals (Gramineae).
Latin name: Elytrigia repens.
Common names: lifer, wheatgrass, duckweed, cowgrass, plover, dog's tooth, wolf's tooth, fire of the fields, root-grass, dog-grass, worm-grass.

Description.

Creeping wheatgrass is a perennial herbaceous plant, known mainly as a malicious weed, but in addition to the fact that this grass annoys gardeners and gardeners, it, like almost any plant, also has beneficial properties.

The structure of creeping wheatgrass

The rhizome of creeping wheatgrass is horizontal, cylindrical, straw-yellow. It can reach a length of 15 m and penetrate the soil to a depth of an average of 5 to 15 cm, sometimes up to 1 m.

The leaves are most often blue-green or grayish, narrow-linear in shape, flat, rough, alternate. The leaves are 15-40 cm long, 3-10 mm wide at the base and 2-10 mm higher along the stem.

The stem is erect, bare, leafy, hollow inside. Its height varies from 40 to 150 cm, but as a rule, 60-100 cm.

The flowers have green scales and are collected in straight, long, narrow spikes. There are usually 5-10 flowers in a spike, and it is 7-15 cm long. The spikelets are collected into a sparse spike from 10 to 30 cm long. The spikelets and lower flower scales gradually taper towards the apex and turn into an awn.

One plant of creeping wheatgrass can produce up to 10,000 seeds, which remain viable in the soil for about 12 years.

The fruit of wheatgrass is a filmy, elongated, hairy, boat-shaped grain.

It reproduces mainly by rhizomes.

Distribution and habitat

Creeping wheatgrass grows in wastelands, fallow lands, forest clearings, along forest edges, near roads, in meadows, arable lands and vegetable gardens. It is difficult to eradicate due to the fact that the rhizome is long, creeping, knotty, and pieces of its roots do not die when cut and produce new shoots. But outside the soil, wheatgrass rhizomes quickly dry out and die.

Prefers humus-rich, moist, loose sandy and marshy soils.

It occurs frequently in nature. Very common in Russia in the temperate zone. It is also found in the temperate zone of Western Europe and other continents.

Flowering and harvest time

The plant blooms in June - July, its fruits ripen in July - September.

Wheatgrass root has medicinal properties. It is collected in early spring or autumn during soil cultivation (late August - September). Dry the raw materials in dryers at 60-70 °C or in air under a canopy. Since gradually dried material is very easily affected by mold fungi and, naturally, in this case becomes unsuitable for use, it is often mixed. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 or 3 years. The taste of the raw material is sweetish, there is no smell.

Chemical composition

The beneficial properties of creeping wheatgrass are determined by its unique chemical composition.

The root part of wheatgrass and its juice contain many carbohydrates (triticin), mucus and saponins, many mineral salts, especially potassium, silicic acid and iron, vitamins A and , as well as organic acids.

Application and beneficial properties of creeping wheatgrass

Preventive and medicinal properties of the herb

The beneficial properties of wheatgrass are as follows: the plant has diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, mild laxative, tonic, enveloping, anti-inflammatory properties. Regulates disorders of carbohydrate, mineral and lipid metabolism (action of inositol). Helps strengthen the vascular wall.

Indications for use are:

colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, rheumatism, heart disease, liver (hepatitis, cirrhosis), biliary tract, kidney, urethra, cystitis, gastritis, colitis, edema, fever, bladder neurosis, jaundice, partial loss of vision, anemia, rickets, furunculosis, acne.

Contraindications for use

Like all medicinal plants, wheatgrass has contraindications for use.

So, it is better to refrain from using wheatgrass in case of hypotension, acute pancreatitis with diarrhea, or exacerbation of gastric ulcer. In addition to the fact that you need to remember about contraindications, you should avoid overdose of drugs prepared using wheatgrass. In case of overdose, pain in the kidney area may occur.

Traditional medicine recipes. Preparation and use of medicines from creeping wheatgrass

A decoction of wheatgrass root, an infusion of rhizomes, as well as juice from its root, stem and leaves have medicinal properties.

A decoction of wheatgrass rhizomes is prepared as follows: 25 g of dry raw materials are boiled over low heat in 0.25 liters of water for 10 minutes, left for 1 hour, then filtered.
Instructions for using the decoction. Take 3 times a day, 1 tablespoon before meals. The decoction is also used externally (in the form of baths) for eczema, furunculosis and exudative diathesis.

An infusion of wheatgrass rhizomes is prepared as follows: 10 g of dry raw material is infused in 400 ml of chilled boiled water for 12 hours, then filtered. Then you need to pour 200 ml of boiling water over the rhizomes for 1 hour and strain through 3 layers of gauze. Both infusions are mixed.
Instructions for using the infusion. Take half a glass after meals 2-4 times a day.

Wheatgrass juice is squeezed from fresh rhizomes (April - early May, or in the fall), stems and leaves. Before use, the grass and roots are washed in running water, scalded with boiling water and passed through a meat grinder, then diluted with water (1:1), squeezed through a thick cloth and the juice is boiled for 3 minutes. Take 3-4 times a day, 0.5-1 glass 20-30 minutes before meals. Course 3-4 months.

Creeping wheatgrass is a perennial plant that is the most famous representative of the genus Wheatgrass of the Poaceae (or Cereals) family. It is especially well known to people who have summer cottages, gardeners and gardeners as a malicious weed that grows everywhere. Like some other weeds (for example, dandelion, burdock, gooseberry, plantain), creeping wheatgrass has medicinal properties known since the times of Ancient Greece and Rome. The rhizome and less often the leaves of the plant are used as medicinal raw materials. They have diuretic, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, expectorant and laxative effects. You can find creeping wheatgrass in many countries of Asia, North Africa and Europe, with the exception of desert and dark areas. Among other names of the plant are known: absinthium, wolf's tooth, dog grass, rye, wheatgrass, fire of the fields.

Botanical description

Creeping wheatgrass is an unpretentious herbaceous plant that is found in gardens, vegetable gardens, wastelands, meadows, fields, forest clearings and edges, under fences, and near roads. It is easily propagated by rhizomes and seeds. Even from a very small fragment of rhizome that has at least one living bud, a new plant grows.

Interesting: Wheatgrass is a difficult to eradicate weed that poses a big problem for vegetable gardens and agricultural land. Just 10 plants per 1 m2 of land sown with wheat can reduce the yield of this crop by an average of 500 kg per hectare, which is associated with the active absorption of moisture and nutrients from the soil by the weed.

Common wheatgrass has a long (up to 15 m), creeping, cord-like rhizome, located horizontally underground at a depth of 5–20 cm, depending on the type of soil, with numerous adventitious roots and branches. The tops of its branches bend upward and reach the surface of the soil, forming new individuals. Despite the fact that the rhizome is quite thin, it is distinguished by its high strength and rapid growth. It can penetrate boards up to 3 cm thick and potato tubers. Young wheatgrass roots are white, while old ones are yellow-brown.

The stems of the plant are erect, reaching a height of 20 cm to 1.5 m (on average 60 – 100 cm). They are naked on the outside, without pubescence, and hollow on the inside.
The leaf arrangement is regular. The leaf blade is flat, with parallel veins, narrow-linear in shape, 15–40 cm long and up to 1 cm wide, rough on the upper side. The leaves are colored green or bluish-green, grow vertically from the root, partially covering the stem with their bases and forming a leaf sheath.

Creeping wheatgrass blooms from May to July. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, yellow-green, located on the tops of the stems, collected in 4-10 pieces in spikelets, forming an inflorescence complex spike 10-30 cm long. Each flower has 3 stamens and 1 pistil.

The fruits ripen from August to September and are filmy, hairy grains up to 1 cm long, enclosed in fused floral scales. Each fruit contains one seed.

Chemical composition

The rhizomes and grass of creeping wheatgrass are used for medicinal purposes, which is due to the high content of various beneficial compounds in these parts of the plant. Among them:

• fatty and essential oils;
• silicic and organic acids (lactic, malic);
• mono- and polysaccharides (levulose, fructose, starch, inulin, fiber, pectins);
• gums and mucus;
• glycosides;
• saponins;
• vitamins (carotene, ascorbic acid, inositol);
• proteins and amino acids;
• minerals (K, Mg, Fe, Mn, Na, Ca, Zn).

Medicinal properties

Widespread use in folk medicine is due to the discovery of the following medicinal properties in wheatgrass:

• anti-inflammatory;
• diaphoretic;
• expectorant;
• bile and diuretic;
• antiseptic;
• enveloping;
• hemostatic and wound healing;
• tonic;
• pain reliever;
• laxative.

The diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect of the plant allows it to be successfully used for dropsy, edema of various etiologies, urolithiasis and inflammatory processes of the urinary system (nephritis, cystitis, urethritis). Wheatgrass helps with cholelithiasis, pathologies of the biliary tract and gallbladder, liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty degeneration) and inflammatory diseases of the digestive system such as gastritis, colitis, enteritis. It increases appetite, restores metabolism, normalizes intestinal function and is effective for constipation.

As a diaphoretic, restorative, nourishing and restorative remedy, wheatgrass is used for anemia, colds, and fever. Thanks to the expectorant effect, its decoctions and infusions relieve coughs and increase sputum discharge during coughs, acute and chronic bronchitis, and tuberculosis.

Wheatgrass root also exhibits medicinal properties in relation to the cardiovascular system, it helps cleanse the blood, reduces cholesterol levels, strengthens blood vessels and increases the elasticity of capillary walls. In this regard, products based on it will be especially useful for older people.
Internally and externally in the form of lotions, compresses and baths, wheatgrass products are used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory for rheumatism, radiculitis, gout, joint diseases, and osteochondrosis. When applied topically, infusions of the plant's rhizomes are effective in the form of lotions and rubs for skin diseases, boils, eczema, dermatitis, acne, and in the form of sitz baths and enemas for hemorrhoids and inflammatory processes in the rectum.

Interesting: Wheatgrass received the popular name “dog grass” due to the fact that it is very readily eaten by cats and dogs, especially those who are sick or lack vitamins when living in an apartment.

Blank

In the summer, fresh rhizomes can be used to prepare medicines, and during the rest of the year, dried ones can be used.

The rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass are collected in autumn or early spring. They are removed from the ground, shaken off soil residues, cleaned of small roots, stems and foreign impurities, then washed with cool water. The prepared rhizomes are dried, spread out in a thin layer, in the fresh air, in the sun, preferably in windy weather, or in a dryer at a temperature not exceeding 60 °C. During the drying process, the rhizomes are periodically turned over. The degree of readiness of the raw material is determined by bending the rhizomes. They should fold easily at an acute angle, and not bend.

Dried raw materials have a sweetish taste. Store it in fabric bags or wooden boxes in a dark and dry place for no more than 2 years.

Methods of application

In folk medicine, rhizomes and wheatgrass are used in the form of decoctions, infusions and freshly squeezed juice. These products should be consumed before meals. The plant is added to various herbal infusions and teas, which you can prepare yourself or purchase at the pharmacy.

In addition to medicinal use, some people use this plant in cooking. Ground rhizomes are used to make flour for baking bread, cakes, gingerbread or making beer, and cereals for porridges. Chopped fresh or boiled rhizomes are added to salads, soups, casseroles, fish and meat dishes.

Decoction for hemorrhoids, constipation, inflammation of the rectum and sigmoid colon

Chopped rhizome in the amount of 2 tsp. pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 5 - 7 minutes over low heat and leave for an hour. The resulting decoction is used before bedtime in the form of microenemas with a volume of 30–60 ml or consumed orally, after diluting it with boiled water 10 times, 30 ml three times a day.

Remedy for skin diseases

Wheatgrass and burdock rhizomes (100 g each) are placed in a large enamel bowl and 4–5 liters of hot water are poured. Boil for 10 minutes. The broth is cooled, filtered and poured into a filled bath with a water temperature of 36 - 37 ° C. Take this bath for 30 minutes once a week.

In parallel with the baths, a decoction prepared from 1 tbsp is consumed inside. l. rhizomes and 200 ml of water in the manner described above.

Infusion for gout, joint diseases, osteochondrosis

The rhizomes of the plant (2 tbsp.) are crushed, pour ½ liter of boiling water and leave for 10 - 12 hours in a tightly closed container. Strain and take half a glass three times a day. It is better to prepare this infusion in the evening so that it infuses overnight.

Wheatgrass juice for gallstone disease

The grass with pieces of rhizomes is washed in cold running water, cut into pieces, doused with boiling water and ground in a meat grinder. The resulting mass is half diluted with water, squeezed through a thick cloth and boiled for three minutes. Take 15–30 ml three times a day. The resulting product can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.

Decoction for diseases of the urinary system

Dried crushed rhizomes (2 tbsp) are poured with 200 ml of water, boiled for 10 minutes, covered with a lid. Leave for 4 hours and filter. Take 15 ml three times a day.

Precautions

The widespread use of the plant in folk medicine is due to its availability, as well as the fact that, along with the valuable medicinal properties of creeping wheatgrass, there are very few contraindications to its use. Products from it should not be used by children under 2 years of age, nursing and pregnant women, people with individual intolerance or allergies to this plant.

Warning: An overdose of creeping wheatgrass may cause pain in the kidney area, diarrhea, and depression. If such symptoms appear, taking medications from it should be stopped immediately.

Medicinal properties, preparation and methods of use of creeping wheatgrass:

All materials on the website are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any product, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!

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. Wheatgrass can reach a height of 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 spike inflorescences, collected in 6-7 pieces each, in turn form a larger spike, reaching a length of 15 centimeters. The fruit of the plant has the appearance of a grain, reminiscent of wheat in miniature.

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 composition of rhizomes, shoots and stems includes:

• 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, most of which 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 a lower 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 of 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.

Creeping wheatgrass is a perennial plant. In everyday life it is called by many names: plover, dog grass, zhitz. The plant has very narrow leaves that are not even a centimeter wide. However, the grass is quite tall and can be over 1.5 m in length. Flowering occurs from mid-June to the end of July.

The plant has a bright green color. It has quite long roots. They sometimes go more than 15 cm underground. The rhizomes of the plant have incredible vitality. If a small fragment is left underground, the plant can recover in a short time.

The wheatgrass plant produces fruit from July to September. It is used as complementary food for many animals. Pets such as cats and dogs can eat the grass to relieve certain diseases. Treatment with wheatgrass is effective, because it is able to remove a large number of harmful compounds from the body.

The plant is found in fields and meadows, in gardens. Grows in Europe and Asia. It is very rarely found in the forest. Wheatgrass cannot survive in climates that are too hot. The plant itself is a weed. However, a large number of its beneficial properties have found application in alternative medicine. Wheatgrass is so tenacious that even if you want to get rid of it, it is not at all easy to do.

The medicinal plant is used to heal many diseases. The use of its roots is especially common. However, the herb is sometimes used for therapeutic purposes. It is customary to harvest raw materials in autumn or spring. To do this, the rhizome should be dug up and separated from unwanted elements, including the soil. Then rinse thoroughly under cool water and dry, laying out in layers. It is recommended to dry only in good weather, laying out the plant in layers of 2 cm and no more.

The wheatgrass plant produces fruit from July to September.

Despite the fact that wheatgrass is an ordinary weed, its roots contain a huge amount of substances beneficial to the human body. The main ones:

• mineral salts;
• organic acids;
• retinoids;
• tocopherols;
• polysaccharides.

And this is only a small list of the beneficial components that make up the plant.

Gallery: creeping wheatgrass (25 photos)

Creeping wheatgrass: medicinal properties (video)

Medicinal properties and contraindications

Wheatgrass is a plant that can heal many ailments. However, in order not to harm your health, it should be used wisely.

The main medicinal properties of the plant:

• removes excess fluid from the body;
• relaxes;
• helps cleanse the blood;
• removes toxins and waste;
• stimulates mucus production and thins viscous secretions;
• promotes sweat secretion.

Wheatgrass acts in the same way as a mild sedative, preventing the development of neurosis and improving sleep. The raw material has virtually no side effects. Contraindications include an allergic reaction and hypersensitivity to the plant.

Children under 2 years of age should not be given the plant as a medicine. Often wheatgrass is infected with a fungus called ergot. This pathogen is extremely poisonous. Therefore, before using the roots to harvest raw materials, you should carefully inspect them. If there is significant darkening, the plant should be discarded. First of all, this is necessary in order not to aggravate the course of the allergy.

Healing and nutritional properties of roots and herbs (video)

Use of wheatgrass

Wheat grass, the use of which is widespread in folk medicine, helps to cure and eliminate:

• hypoxia caused by anemia;
• cystitis;
• rickets;
• liver diseases;
• inflammatory processes in the gallbladder;
• lung pathologies;
• gastritis;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• joint diseases;
• skin pathologies;
• menstrual pain.

The plant improves metabolism and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. It is often used for low blood pressure and headaches. Wheatgrass is of great importance for people prone to apathy. Weak heart function is also an indication for use.

Wheatgrass is a plant that can heal many ailments

You can prepare an infusion, decoction and squeeze juice from wheatgrass roots. Which method of application to choose depends on the specific purpose. To create a healing infusion you will need 500 ml of hot water and 2 tbsp. l. raw materials. It is advisable to use a thermos, where the liquid should be left for at least 8 hours. It is advisable to use the infusion for cystitis and constipation. It will give an excellent effect during a cold. All harmful substances will be released along with sweat, and the person will quickly recover.

A decoction of wheatgrass roots helps get rid of styes, acne and boils.

To prepare the decoction, it is recommended to use only dry raw materials. You only need 40 g, which you need to place in a saucepan and add 1 liter of liquid. You need to cook the wheatgrass until half of the water has boiled away. This remedy is most often used to treat osteochondrosis and eliminate inflammatory processes.

Another way to prepare a medicinal drug is by pressing. It is carried out using special technology. First of all, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the root part along with the stems from dirt and rinse thoroughly. Then grind in a blender or use a meat grinder for these purposes. After this, dilute with ordinary boiled water in equal proportions and squeeze through sterile gauze. Place the resulting liquid in a saucepan and cook for no more than 3 minutes. The finished decoction is an excellent remedy for gallbladder diseases.

If you are concerned about the urinary organs and rheumatism, then you should prepare a decoction of the roots according to the recipe given below. 2 tbsp. l. dry and crushed raw materials, pour 250 ml of boiling water and cook for no more than 10 minutes. After this, let it brew for about 4 hours and then filter.

A decoction of wheatgrass roots helps get rid of styes, pimples and boils. To do this, the drug is used internally. You can use baths based on medicinal plants. They will be beneficial in case of skin diseases. Of course, it is best to combine oral administration and external use.

If an allergic reaction occurs, then this therapeutic approach is inappropriate. Before using such medicinal raw materials, you must consult a specialist.

Every gardener knows wheatgrass well as a tenacious perennial weed. Oh, how much nerve and effort goes into fighting wheatgrass on your property. This plant successfully takes root in garden plots and often causes a lot of trouble. Few people realize its amazing healing qualities.

Wheatgrass is a grass with narrow, elongated leaves that stretch upward from the root system to a height of up to half a meter. This plant is one of the representatives of the grass family. The width of each individual sheet does not exceed a centimeter.

The perennial crop has thin but quite strong roots. They grow quickly and, strengthening to a depth of up to fifteen centimeters, create a thick continuous carpet in the ground. The small part of the root system remaining in the soil is capable of developing very quickly, reviving anew an independent plant.

Wheatgrass inflorescences can be seen at the beginning of summer. They form a long spike of up to thirty centimeters, which, starting in August, forms fruits - brown grains. The crop is a good food product for herbivores, and predators use its leaves to cleanse the body.

The plant is often popularly called dog grass, root grass, worm grass or wheatgrass. Each name, to some extent, characterizes a cereal crop that has taken root well in fields, meadows and gardens.

Composition and medicinal properties

Wheatgrass contains many valuable substances. It includes:

• organic acids;
• mineral salts - magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc and manganese;
• silicic acid;
• carbohydrates;
• vitamins A and B;
• essential oils;
• protein.

The herbal culture contains starch and various organic compounds of plant origin - saponin, tricitin, inulin and tannin. Wheatgrass also contains substances containing nitrogen and fructose.

Medicines that have anti-inflammatory, diuretic, laxative and expectorant properties are made from the root of this plant. Many wheatgrass-based medicines are used for complex treatment:

• genitourinary diseases – nephritis, cystitis;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - gastritis, cholecystitis, colitis and enteritis;
• disorders of the musculoskeletal system - osteochondrosis and arthritis;
• skin inflammatory reactions - eczema, dermatitis and furunculosis;
• metabolic disorders - rickets, diabetes and anemia;
• inflammation of the respiratory system - pneumonia and bronchitis.

The rhizomes of the culture are included in medications that are prescribed for diseases of the urolithiasis and bile ducts. Preparations are prepared from wheatgrass pollen to treat allergic reactions.

Harm and contraindications

There are no specific contraindications for this medicinal herb.

It is prudent to use preparations based on wheatgrass in children under two years of age and in case of individual intolerance.

Do not take medications if allergic reactions occur.

All wheatgrass medicines are prescribed by a doctor, who determines the required dosage in each individual case.

Healing infusions and decoctions are prepared from wheatgrass for internal and external use. Rhizomes and leaves are often used to wipe the skin of infants with diathesis, prickly heat, diaper rash or jaundice. When such diseases occur, newborn children are bathed in a crushed plant infused with water.

Wheatgrass root, from which the tincture is prepared, helps in the treatment of arthritis, osteochondrosis and hemorrhoids. This drug should be taken once a day for a month. It contains: two glasses of hot water and ten grams of dried plant roots. Before taking, the infusion is aged for at least twelve hours.

Juice squeezed from the leaves and rhizomes of the plant is a good way to combat excess weight. The healthy freshly squeezed liquid is diluted in a small amount of water and drunk half a glass four times a day. Juice mixed in a 1:1 ratio with honey can also slightly improve your vision. This heated mixture is taken for six months, a tablespoon three times a day.

A decoction prepared from wheatgrass is used in the complex treatment of diabetes, rickets and hypertension. You can get rid of enuresis by preparing an infusion from the root system of the plant in a water bath. Herbaceous culture cooked in milk also helps women with infertility and ovarian disease.

Medicinal potions are prepared from dried roots and leaves of wheatgrass, prepared independently or purchased at a pharmacy.

Applications and medicinal recipes from wheatgrass

A healing recipe based on wheatgrass includes the preparation of juices and various medicinal drinks for the treatment of relevant diseases. Well proven as effective therapeutic agents:

Decoction of wheatgrass rhizomes

It contains thirty grams of roots and water. Cook the broth over low heat for twenty minutes. The healing mixture helps well with osteochondrosis if you take it three times a day, one hundred milliliters. For abscesses, furunculosis and barley, drink this decoction for three weeks. Healing baths are also made from it to treat hemorrhoids and diathesis rashes.

Infusion of dried roots

It is prepared from two tablespoons of rhizomes, poured with half a liter of boiling water. After preparing the infusion, you should let it brew for eight hours. You need to drink this drug twenty minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner in a heated form. The infusion has a good diuretic, expectorant and diaphoretic effect. It is also often used as a laxative, to treat cystitis and gout.

Juice from wheatgrass roots and stems

Well-washed fresh stems and roots of the plant are doused with boiling water and chopped in a meat grinder. This herbal mass is filled with water, mixed and filtered. The green liquid is cooked for three minutes. Cooled finished juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Consume during the day three times before meals when stones form in the bile ducts and bladder.

For diabetes

A medicinal remedy is prepared from a liter of water and four spoons of dried and ground wheatgrass rhizomes, which helps improve metabolism in diabetes mellitus. The mixture is boiled for about half an hour over low heat, after which it is filtered. It should be taken five times a day in the amount of one tablespoon.

For rheumatism

The decoction should be consumed for a month. Twice a day you need to drink one glass of this remedy. Also, for hemorrhoids and diathesis, special baths are made for external use:

• put fifty grams of wheatgrass roots in a five-liter saucepan;
• cook for twenty minutes;
• Remove from heat and let sit until completely cooled.

The infusion is filtered and added to the bath. This treatment procedure should take about half an hour. For healing, you need to take fifteen baths with a temperature of 38 ° C.

Fresh wheatgrass roots are used to prepare side dishes, soups and salads.

A healthy mixture of three roots - dandelion, wheatgrass, burdock

The roots of dandelion, wheatgrass and burdock have miraculous healing powers. With the help of these plants you can heal the body and cure many ailments. In addition to the beneficial properties of wheatgrass rhizome, the healing power of the roots of two amazing plants is added:

• Dandelion. The root of this common weed helps treat not only diathesis, inflammatory processes, arthritis, joints and osteochondrosis, but is also successfully used for cancer. Valuable roots are collected in the spring, pulling out plants that have not yet bloomed. In this state, dandelion has the most beneficial properties.
• Burdock. The versatile healing qualities of this culture are known to many. With the help of burdock rhizome, various skin diseases, kidney diseases and cholecystitis are treated. Burdock is also an indispensable component for healing hepatitis and liver cancer.

The roots are collected in the spring, cleaned well, washed and dried. The recipe for a tincture made from the root system of burdock, wheatgrass and dandelion is very simple. To do this you need:

• pour a tablespoon of the roots of three plants mixed in equal quantities into the pan;
• pour in half a liter of hot water;
• leave for two hours.

Half a glass of this infusion should be drunk twenty minutes before meals. Sometimes each type of root is brewed separately, and each decoction is taken for one week in order - burdock, wheatgrass and dandelion.

Wheatgrass rhizomes are used for preparations. Collection is carried out in early spring before shoots form on the plant or in autumn when the upper part is still juicy and green. The dug up roots are cleaned, washed and dried. There are two types of drying:

• thermal - using ovens, dryers and furnaces;
• natural - under the influence of sunlight.

Dry roots, which have an elastic structure, are ground into a fine mass and poured into jars. The storage container must be airtight with a tight-fitting lid. Under no circumstances should moisture get into it, otherwise the medicinal raw material will deteriorate very quickly.

It is necessary to store the medicine in places protected from sunlight. Usually they put jars in a closet or hide them in a pantry. If you follow all the rules for storing crushed roots, then their storage period reaches three years.