|
Doctors at the advanced paediatric centre of the Post
Graduate Institute of Medicine and Research (PGIMR) has found that the
juice, when administered orally to patients of thalassaemia - a hereditary
anaemia marked by abnormally small red blood cells - increases their
haemoglobin count and drastically reduces the need for blood transfusion.
R K Marwaha, the head of the division of haematology-oncology of
the centre, said: "Three years ago, during therapy, we came across a child
from Ludhiana whose transfusion requirement was on the decline. We were
surprised and asked his parents about his diet and found he was drinking
wheat grass juice every day. We decided to start therapy trials."
He said that wheat grass therapy trials were being conducted on 16
children, who were administered 100 ml of the juice every day.
"From once a fortnight, the frequency of blood transfusion
required has gone down to once in three months, and the blood requirement
of 50 per cent of the children has decreased by 25 per cent," Marwaha
said.
"Their haemoglobin count has also remained above the normal
mark of 11 gm," he added.
He further said that bone marrow
transplant, which was very expensive, was the only cure available for
thalassaemia patients.
Marwaha said: "For children with a
hereditary disorder, regular blood transfusion is the only option. By
doing that we try to maintain the haemoglobin count between 9-10 gm."
"But repeated blood transfusions can lead to the damage of vital
organs in children because of iron concentration. It also reduces the life
expectancy of such children. Now with the oral intake of wheat grass
juice, blood transfusions can be reduced and children can have a longer
life," he said.
The haematologist said that in the beginning his
team enrolled 38 children whose parents were told to grow wheat grass at
home.
When the shoots of the plant were six inches long, the
parents were told to extract its fresh juice and feed 100 ml of it daily
to their children.
Marwaha said that after six months the children
were examined, but only around half of them qualified for further therapy
because all had not consumed the juice daily.
"The results were
astonishing. There was remarkable improvement in the haemoglobin count of
eight children while the rest also responded to the therapy," he said.
"I am analysing the structure of wheat grass and its similarity
with blood. The solid content of wheat grass juice contains 70 per cent
chlorophyll, which has the same atomic structure as haemoglobin. The only
difference between the two molecules is their metallic atom content. While
the haemoglobin molecule consists of iron, chlorophyll one is made of
magnesium," he informed.
Marwaha said that a pharmaceutical
company in Pune, Maharashtra, was trying to manufacture tablets with wheat
grass juice, something available abroad.
He added that while
conducting the therapy he came across a study done 30 years ago by a woman
called Ann Wigmor in the US.
"She listed many benefits of wheat
grass for treating a wide range of ailments, from dandruff and to cancer.
But thalassaemia did not figure in her list," he said.
If this
therapy proves successful in the long run, it will benefit a large number
of children in India who suffer from thalassaemia.
Input from naturopath Walter
Last:
With any disease always get the basics right first.
E.g intestinal sanitation - repopulating the guts with acidophilus-bifido
and other lactobacteria, allery testing or low allergy diet - avoiding
processed food, cows milk protein, sweet food and gluten grains, using
instead legumes (lentils, chickpeas), veggies (esp. green) and fresh
fruit, all preferably organic. Then use a multivitamin-mineral and in
addition lots of nutrients known to benefit sickle cell anemia:
natural vitamin E, folic acid, aged garlic extract, green tea
extract, B12, halibut liver oil capsules, vitamin B6, selenium, zinc,
magnesium, prickly ash bark, frequent sun exposure, spirulina or
chlorella.
|
