Alfalfa Leaf

History:

Remains of Alfalfa more than six thousand years old were discovered in Persia, with the oldest writings about Alfalfa arising from Turkey about 1300 B.C). The plant is said to have been domesticated near Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, the Caucasus regions and other regions in Asia Minor. Alfalfa reached Mediterranean Europe by way of the Greeks, who planted it as early as 490 B.C. Since the Medes of ancient Persia were credited as being the first to cultivate the plant, it was given its botanical name, Medicago sativa, which is translated from Latin, meaning, "sowed by the Medians." The word, Alfalfa, is said to be derived from from Arabic, Persian and Kashmiri words meaning "best horse fodder" and "horse power," since Alfalfa was so important to the early Babylonian cultures, Persians, Greeks and Romans, because of its importance as fodder for horses used in war. Alfalfa was being cultivated in England by the sixteenth century, where it was used as a tonic to support a strong body, and arrived in the American Colonies by 1736, where it was used mainly for the stomach. Native Americans employed ground Alfalfa seeds to thicken and enrich their diets and ate the leaves as tasty greens. The Eclectics, physicians who used herbal therapies in nineteenth-century America, used Alfalfa for nourishment and as a tonic to support digestion and healthy appetite. These physicians also recommended the Alfalfa plant for nursing mothers, and the seeds were made into a poultice for the skin. Alfalfa is a perennial plant that can be cultivated almost anywhere, even in dry regions, and thrives as a crop in light, well-drained-to-dry, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun. Bushy Alfalfa may reach about three feet in height with roots that may extend to thirty feet into the soil, allowing exceptional access to a quantity of nutrients: rutin, silicon, zinc, calcium, copper, choline, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, saponins, alpha-carotene, beta carotene, as well as B-vitamins and vitamins A, D, E and K. Alfalfa leaves contain eight essential amino acids and are a good source of chlorophyll, and they also contain triterpene saponins (sojasapogenol A-E aglycones medicagenic acid, hederagenin), flavones, isoflavones (formononetin glycosides, genistein, daidzein, biochanin A, coumestrol), lutein, sigmasterol, spinasterol, cyanogenic glycosides, sterols and coumarin derivatives (coumestrol, 3'-methoxy coumestrol, lucernol, sativol, trifol, medicagol).

Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) capsules, two (2) to three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
Alfalfa Leaf Herbal Supplement should not be taken by those who have autoimmune problems (lupus, etc.), nor should it be taken by pregnant women. Ingestion of very large amounts (the equivalent of several servings) of the seed and/or sprouts or supplements has been linked to the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the autoimmune illness characterized by inflamed joints and a risk of damage to kidneys and other organs. The chemical responsible for this effect is believed to be canavanine. Alfalfa should be avoided in patients with hormone sensitive cancers, and due to the high content of purines, Alfalfa should be avoided in patients with gout. Do not take Alfalfa without first talking to your doctor if you are taking: Azathioprine (examples: Imuran), Cyclosporine (examples: Sandimmune, Neoral, Sang Cya), blood thinning medicines (examples: warfarin (Coumadin) and Prednisone. Alfalfa may lower the amount of potassium that you have in your blood, and it may cause you to have belly pain, pass more gas or have larger and more frequent bowel movements (BMs). It may also cause you to have diarrhea (loose BMs).

Capsule Information:
Our Alfalfa Leaf supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules.(click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs.

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Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.