CHLORELLA
Dr. Seuss may have been on to something with his “Green Eggs and Ham”. What I’m referring to here is the green of this brunch menu. The question is, do we get enough greens in our diet and are they of the appropriate type? Many of us like salads with our meals and even spinach or swiss chard garnish our plates on occasion. Green foods have been an essential part of our diet since time immemorial. Green plants are sometimes referred to as the “master color”, which benefits all conditions. Chlorophyll in green foods acts to purify, reduce inflammation, and renew our blood.
The next reflection has to do with micro-algae including, spirulina, chlorella and wild blue-green algae. Micro-algae have more chlorophyll than any other food. These fun-loving little organisms, which live between the animal and plant kingdoms, provide the highest source of protein, beta-carotene and nucleic acids of any animal or plant food.
I would like to focus my attention to chlorella in particular because it is such a fascinating phenomena. Chlorella is unlike the other algae in its having a particularly hard outer cell wall and a true nucleus. What this translates into for health advantages is a product rich in nucleic acid (RNA/DNA) and superior in its immune-enhancing activity. Nucleic acid diminishes in our bodies as we age, likewise insufficient nucleic acid contributes to premature aging. Lack of exercise, stress, pollution and poor diet all act to deplete nucleic acid in our bodies. Chlorella defends against invading viruses through enhancing the activity of the T and B cells, its action extending to destruction of cancer cells and cellular debris.
Other attributes assigned to chlorella include, improving growth in childhood, maintaining health in the elderly, aiding in quick repair of injuries, slowing degenerative processes as found in Alzheimer’s disease, sciatica, palsy, seizures, multiple sclerosis, nervousness and other nervous disorders. In addition, chlorella contains more artery-cleansing omega-3’s.
That being said, remember, all things in moderation. Chlorella is great for you, but don’t overdo it. Too much nucleic acid, as found in chlorella, can elevate the uric acid levels in the body resulting in conditions such as gout, kidney stones, or calcium deficiency. It is generally advised when adding a new supplement to your diet to go slow and monitor its effects on you. What may have little of insubstantial adverse effects for one person may have quite extreme effects for another. Of all the micro-algae, chlorella is considered to be the least cooling, most tonifying and the best overall cleanser. Enjoy the recipes, the Garlic soup recipe being complements of NCNM (National College of Naturopathic Medicine)
