| Garlic |
| Part Used : The bulb |
|
| Common Uses |
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Reduces blood cholesterol levels |
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Improves circulation |
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Helps in treatment of atherosclerosis |
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Reduces risk of heart attack |
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Reduces blood pressure |
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Acts as a natural antibiotic |
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Helps prevent colds and flu |
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Prevents yeast infections |
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Helps prevent cancer |
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How Garlic Works
Garlic has been called the "stinking rose", but
while it may have a powerful smell, it also packs a powerful punch when it comes to
dealing with some serious health problems. |
Garlic keeps the cholesterol
levels in our blood in good balance. It does this by lowering serum cholesterol levels
while raising ‘good’ HDL-cholesterol levels. |
| Garlic strengthens blood vessels, lowers blood pressure,
and improves circulation by reducing platelet "stickiness". As a natural
antibiotic it protects us from infection. It also detoxifies our bodies while maintaining
healthy flora in our intestine. |
| Eating garlic on a regular basis has been linked with
reduced rates of stomach and colon cancer. |
| Garlic has powerful antibacterial properties. When fresh
cloves are when applied topically, they are an effective treatment of skin infections and
acne. It is suggested that, because of the odor, this treatment is best applied at night. |
|
Side Effects
No major side effects are known. Some people experience
flatulence or heartburn while taking garlic. Rare cases of allergic reaction have been
reported. |
|
Safety Concerns
If you are taking anticoagulant medication you should use
garlic with caution. There are no known contraindications for the use of garlic while
pregnant or lactating. |
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The History of Garlic
Garlic is one of the most ancient remedies known to man and
has truly earned a place in History! |
| It has been cultivated, and highly valued for more than
5,000 years, and used for medicinal purposes since the time of the Egyptian Pharos and the
earliest Chinese dynasties. The Bible tells that the Israelites complained that they had
too little garlic in their provisions as they fled from Egypt. |
| The most renowned Greek and Roman physicians, Hippocrates,
Galen, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides all recommended garlic. It was used it for a wide
range of complaints including respiratory and digestive problems, weight loss, parasites
and low energy. |
| Traditional Chinese medicine also saw the importance of
Garlic and it wrote about it in their literature in 510 A.D.. They prescribed it for
colds, tuberculosis, digestive problems and diarrhea. It was also used topically to treat
snake bites, fungal infections of the skin and pinworm. |
| In more recent times, Louis Pasteur studied the
antibacterial effect of garlic and Albert Schweitzer used garlic to treat dysentery during
his visit to Africa. |
In modern times more than 1000 papers have
been written about this small odorous bulb, which appears to not only frighten off
vampires but also other unwelcome visitors like viruses, bacteria and yeast infections.
It’s hard to believe that it tastes good too! |
