|
|
|
|
|
Hatomugi Scientific name: Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf Family: Graminae Part used: Grain Principal Use: Building food for convalescent, debility, run down states Principal Actions: Tonic History and Traditional Uses of Hatomugi indigenous to South Asia, Hatomugi is an annual grass that was introduced to Japan 1200 years ago. Interestingly, it arrived in Japan with a wave of pomp and ceremony. A Chinese monk named Ganzin presented it together with Buddhist scriptures to the then Japanese emperor. It did not come into Japan quietly, rather with a band roll! Its use was always two-fold – food and medicine. In Japanese, Hato means "dependable good harvest" and Mugi means wheat. As the name implies, Hatomugi is a stout and vigorous grower, thriving in a variety of locations including those not usually able to produce other crops. It thrives even in wastelands. The plant produces spike-like flowers in summer and bears brown oval fruits in autumn. Throughout Asia, the Hatomugi is seen as a reliable source of sustenance-the one crop that seems to produce no matter what. When it first arrived in Japan it was used almost entirely by Chinese monks and Chinese medicine practitioners. As time passed, Japanese folk healers came to know it and it became an indispensable part of the Japanese medical repertoire. They saw it as a source of life-building food. In Japanese folk medicine Hatomugi is seen as a tonic medicine which increases health and vitality amongst the well and improves the health of those that are ailing. In traditional Japanese medicine it is used to treat warts, rheumatism, gonorrhoea, hypertension, appendicitis, arthritis, beriberi, bronchitis, cancer, diarrhea, dry skin, dysuria, edema, hydrothorax, inflammation, pleurisy , pneumonia, pulmonary abscess, and tuberculosis. It is highly recommended to make the skin appear young and supple and to increase breast milk. The latter two uses are telling- both indicate the medicine is a boost to vitality. The Science of Hatomugi Chemical Constituents Fatty acids: coixenolide (0-0.25%) Fixed oil (5-7%) Proteins (18%) coicin Saccharides: coixans A,B,C, glycans CA-1, CA-2; starch (52%) Steroids: feruloyl stignasterol, feruloyl campesterol Germanium Hatomugi is rich in carbohydrates, essential amino acids , oleic acid, vitamins, minerals, and fibers. It contains more essential amino acids than any other grain. Nutritionally speaking, there is no better food than Hatomugi. Research has established it to have a host of activities beyond its ability to fuel the bodies life processes.
Practitioners’ Opinion Hatomugi is used in many different forms. The grains are tasty and can be prepared into a very nourishing and pleasant porridge. The refined powder is used in a number of nourishing building foods. A tea is made from the seeds, and Hatomugi vinegar is used as a medicine and as a condiment. There are many ways to take advantage of this healthful supplement! By and far the most common use is as a tonic food. People feeling under the weather and or recovering from an illness are all likely candidates for a Hatomugi treatment. It can be used to strengthen the young and the old during the cold season to help them fight off any infectious disease that might be passing around the community. Business people experiencing unusually heavy burdens of work find they have more energy when they use Hatomugi on a regular basis. For a person fighting serious disease, a regular dose of Hatomugi could be just what the doctor ordered! Dosage Dried seed : 10g per day Tincture 1:1 : 10ml per day Tincture 1:5 : 50ml per day Bibliography
|
