Garlic
Prevents Infection, Heart Disease and Cancer
The more we learn about garlic, the more we see that a clove of garlic a day will probably do more to keep the doctor away than the proverbial apple. People have known about the healing powers of garlic since the beginning of recorded history. The Egyptian slaves used it to prevent illness and increase strength. The great Greek physician Hippocrates praised garlic’s healing properties.
During World War I, the British took advantage of garlic by using it as a healing cover for the wounds incurred by the front line men. Garlic juice was squeezed on pieces of moss and used to dress wounds. It was reported that no wound dressed in this manner ever became infected.
In modern scientific studies, garlic is proving its historical reputation. Research has demonstrated that garlic is effective against bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Studies have also demonstrated its usefulness in combating heart disease. Garlic helps to lower high blood pressure and to prevent (and possibly even reverse) hardening of the arteries. Research also suggests garlic as useful in fighting against parasites and even cancer.
Louis Pasteur was the first scientist to use garlic in scientific experiments. He found that putting a bit of garlic in a petri dish full of bacteria would quickly kill the bacteria.
When garlic is chewed, chopped, or smashed, its alliin (a substance with no smell or taste) mixes with the enzyme allinase to create allicin (a sulfur compound which gives garlic its pungent smell and taste). Allicin is the property in garlic that kills bacteria and fungus. It has been shown that the allicin in garlic aids persistent coughs, asthma, ulcers, colds, acne and fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, eye infections, ringworm and candida.
Taking a clove of garlic a day can also help prevent common heart diseases. Studies show that when garlic is taken with a fatty meal, the blood fat and cholesterol levels stay low as compared to the sky-rocketing affect which occurs after a fatty meal minus the garlic. In fact, taking garlic helps increase the HDL’s, or good fats, in one’s blood.
Garlic also helps prevent heart disease because it works as a partner with the liver. The liver takes on the burden of ridding the blood of fat and cholesterol. Garlic strengthens the liver’s cleaning ability by stimulating the flow of bile. Garlic also interferes with the sulfur or thiol catalysts that aid the liver in making fat and cholesterol. It helps the liver take fats from the blood and prevents the liver from creating more fat. The heart and liver are stronger when they don’t have the hardship of fats and cholesterol.
Garlic can also work to prevent cancer. Cancer is caused by prostaglandins which stimulate cell division. When prostaglandin is too high, cells divide at a tremendous rate. Garlic aids the body’s fight against cancer by interfering with prostaglandins and keeping cell division at a regular pace.
Garlic has been shown to inhibit and even reverse the growth of tumors. The Chinese did a study of garlic’s correlation to stomach tumors and found that those who consumed garlic on a regular basis had a lower rate of stomach tumors than those who did not regularly include garlic in their diet.
As a preventative for general illness or for circulatory problems, take one or two capsules of garlic with food two or three times daily. For acute infection, take two to four capsules with food every two or three hours. High potency garlic is also available. Use one or two high potency tablets per day with food for prevention, three or four for acute problems. For serious infection, raw garlic is superior to capsules or tablets.
Sources
“A Clove a Day Keeps the Doctor Away” in Sunshine Sharing (Vol. 7 No. 2).
(Note: please go back to original sources for Sunshine Sharing-don’t cite ourselves)
