Alfalfa is one of the oldest cultivated plants on the planet. It is also known as Medicago, trefoil, Lucerne and holy-hay. Its name originally stems from the Arabic word, al-fac-facah. That means the "Father of all foods". Many people erroneously believe that alfalfa is a good source of Vitamin A, but it isn't. It is however an excellent source for calcium and vitamins C, E and K. You can use the seeds and sprouts from alfalfa, and you can also brew the leaves and their stems into a delicious and healthful tea. Alfalfa leaf tea is made by steeping 1 to 2 teaspoons of the leaves in boiling water for between 10 and 20 minutes.

You can use alfalfa leaf tea to significantly increase the levels of vitamin K in your system. This of course enables your blood to clot more effectively. Vitamin K makes calcium move into the protein molecules throughout your body, and this makes those proteins act like little nets that gather red blood cells. Vitamin K also works with vitamin D and glutamic acid to help your bones activate their osteocalcin content. This helps keep your bones vibrant and flexible. It is precisely the combination of vitamin K, vitamin D and glutamic acid that promotes healthy bone growth and maintenence. In fact, your body cannot use the calcium that may be present without them.

In addition to keeping your bones in top shape, alfalfa leaf tea also empowers your body to prevent the buildup of calcium in the arterial walls. Your arteries become "hardened" when calcium begins to replace the healthy cholesterol in the arterial linings. Familial hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels) is also believed to be well treated by alfalfa leaf tea and other parts of the alfalfa plant as well. In fact, there is preliminary evidence that suggests that alfalfa works better than most pharmaceutical statin drugs by as much as 18% for this purpose.

Further, you can use alfalfa leaf tea to:

• Decrease the onset of heart disease;
• Lessen your chances for stroke;
• Lower LDL cholesterol levels;
• Control your allergies;
• Stimulate your appetite;
• Gently cleanse your intestines;
• Enhance digestion;
• Defeat rheumatism;
• Conquer anemia;
• Alleviate arthritis pains;
• Combat bursitis and gout;
• Treat the pituitary gland;
• and even lessen tooth decay!