THE WONDER OF WHEATGRASS

THE WHEATGRASS FAST

Although many health enthusiasts believe strongly in the merits of fasting (as a means both of eliminating toxins from the body and of allowing the digestive system to rest and repair itself), the total elimination of all nourishment for an extended period of time is not recommended for most people.

However, an ideal compromise — according to the staff at the Hippocrates Health Institute — is a wheatgrass fast, which consists of three or four wheatgrass-juice drinks per day, and chlorophyll implants twice a day. ("Implanting" is taking the chlorophyll-rich liquid into the body through the rectum.) Advocates of this method of fasting claim that it provides all the necessary nutrients in a concentrated and easily digestible form, so that the body receives the benefits of a complete fast without risking its dangers.

For the duration of your fast, the Hippocrates folks say you should begin each morning by drinking two glasses of warm water mixed with the juice of one lemon. (It's all right to sweeten the drink with some molasses or honey if you wish.) Next, take an enema to clean out the colon. Then, at regular intervals throughout the day, drink four ounces of wheatgrass juice . . . either straight or diluted with as much water as you wish. (While fasting, you should also drink a minimum of one quart of water per day.)

To implant the juice in the colon, start with a half-cup (gradually increasing to a full cup over the course of the first three days) and insert the juice into the rectum . . . using an enema bag. This is best done half an hour after taking the morning enema. (The second implant, later in the day, won't require a preliminary enema.) Elevate the lower half of your body if possible, and allow the chlorophyll to remain in your colon at least 20 minutes.

Nausea, headaches, fever, and cramps may occur during the first few days. If you begin to feel excessively weak, break the fast by eating grapes or watermelon (in season) or a small salad of leafy green vegetables.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Dr. Ann Wigmore's book, Be Your Own Doctor, contains further information on the wheatgrass fasting program. The volume is available for $3.95 plus $1.00 shipping and handling from Hippocrates Press, Dept. TMEN, 25 Exeter Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.