Garlic

Garlic was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, chewed by Greek Olympian athletes and thought to be essential for keeping vampires at bay!

Garlic is one of the most valuable and versatile foods on the planet. One of garlic’s most potent health benefits includes the ability to enhance the body’s immune cell activity. Garlic is known to stimulate T-lymphocyte and macrophage action, promote interleukin-1 levels, and support natural killer cells. Strong activity of these key cells promotes healthy immune system function, and strengthens the body's defences. Builders of the ancient pyramids were said to eat garlic daily for enhanced endurance and strength. Today garlic is a widely recognized health enhancing supplement. Garlic promotes the well being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation.

There are many benefits linked with taking garlic on a regular basis. 

Garlic supplements have an important role to play in the treatment of high cholesterol.  In recent studies, an overall 12% reduction in total cholesterol was shown over a placebo and this reduction was normally evident after only 4 weeks treatment. 

 

New research also indicates that taking garlic during pregnancy can cut the risk of raised blood pressure and protein retained in the urine. Garlic may help boost the birth-weight of babies destined to be too small. Taking standardised garlic tablets throughout pregnancy may decrease the chances of these types of complications at birth. The researchers focussed on growth retarded babies and pre-eclampsia, a potentially risky condition for mother and baby which occurs in about one in ten pregnancies.

Recently the medical journal have confirmed the chemotherapeutic Effects Of Garlic. A molecular mechanism may be the basis for some of garlic's therapeutic effects. The researchers were able to study how garlic works at the molecular level using allicin, garlic's main biologically active component. The study explains how allicin fights infection. 

Another study helps clarify the role allicin plays in preventing heart disease and other disorders. Allicin, created when garlic cloves are crushed, protects the plant from soil parasites and fungi and is also responsible for garlic's pungent smell. A natural weapon against infection, allicin disables dysentery-causing amoebas by blocking two groups of enzymes, cysteine proteinases and alcohol dehydrogenases. The cutting or crushing causes two components of garlic, alliin and the enzyme alliinase, to interact.  The pure allicin can be stored for months without losing its effectiveness. However, allicin extracted normally loses its beneficial properties within hours because it begins to react with garlic's other components as soon as the clove is crushed. 

Cysteine proteinase enzymes are among the main culprits in infection, providing infectious organisms with the means to damage and invade tissues. Alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes play a major role in these harmful organisms' metabolism and survival. 

Antioxidants gobble up harmful free radicals believed to contribute to tumour growth, atherosclerosis, aging and other processes. 

Garlic is an invaluable medicine for asthma, hoarseness, coughs, difficulty breathing, and many other disorders such a:  chronic bronchitis, and as an effective expectorant.   It reduces platelet glueyness or aggregation to help reduce blood coagulation, and promote heart health. The antioxidant properties of garlic help scavenge harmful free radicals, which can damage LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood stream. Garlic also increases bile production to help reduce levels of fat in the liver.

An older remedy for asthma, that was most popular, is a syrup of Garlic, made by boiling the garlic bulbs till soft and adding an equal quantity of vinegar to the water in which they have been boiled, and then sugared and boiled down to a syrup. The syrup is then poured over the boiled garlic bulbs, which have been allowed to dry meanwhile, and kept in a jar. Each morning a bulb or two should be taken, with a spoonful of the syrup.

The active component in garlic is the sulphur compound called allicin. Allicin is a potent agent that helps the body to hold back the ability of germs to grow and reproduce.

The effects of garlic on cancer patients have been nothing short of phenomenal. 

Many studies showed that the organic ingredient of garlic, allyl sulphur, another active ingredient in garlic, is effective in inhibiting or preventing cancer development. Out of the 37 studies, 28 studies showed evidence that garlic can prevent cancer. The evidence is particularly strong in prevention of prostate and stomach cancers. It is thought that the allyl sulphur compounds in garlic prevent cancer by slowing or preventing the growth of the cancer tumour cells.

In order to maximize the health benefits of garlic, it is suggested to wait 15 minutes between peeling and cooking garlic to allow the enzymatic reaction to occur to retain some health benefits of garlic. If you use garlic supplements, use the enteric coated tablets so that the healthy ingredients can survive the stomach and be absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestines.  Please be cautious if you are taking garlic supplements and blood thinners such as aspirin and warfarin at the same time. Garlic supplements will further thin your blood. In addition, it is suggested to discontinue garlic supplementation at least 7 days prior to surgery.

• Garlic lowers blood pressure a little.
• Garlic lowers LDL Cholesterol.
• Garlic helps reduce atherosclerotic build-up (plaque) within the arterial system.
• Garlic lowers or helps to regulate blood sugar.
• Garlic helps to prevent blood clots from forming, hence reducing the possibility of strokes and thromboses (It may not be good for haemophiliacs).
• Garlic helps to prevent cancer, especially of the digestive system, prevents certain tumours from growing larger and reduces the size of certain tumours.
• Garlic helps to remove heavy metals such as lead and mercury from the body.
• Raw Garlic is a potent natural antibiotic and, while far less strong than modern antibiotics, can still kill some strains of bacteria that have become immune or resistant to modern antibiotics.
• Garlic has anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.
• Garlic dramatically reduces yeast infections due to Candida species.
• Garlic has anti-oxidant properties and is a source of selenium.

There is much more to Garlic than just the above-mentioned.  The more you study this beautiful gift of Universe, the more you learn.

DISCLAIMER:  The material contained here should be used for informational purpose only. I am passionate about what I believe and this is only my opinion :)

Live in Light!

EL