[LadyHawk]

Garlic

Garlic is a wonderful herb to use for a variety of reasons. It is part of the allium family and grows in cloves. Many people think of garlic as a seasoning to add to their food for its flavor. Raw, roasted, sliced, diced, dried, salted and added to spice mixes makes garlic very versatile for flavoring food. I also like it in food, but not just for its flavoring. I love it for its healing qualities.
Garlic has been used for centuries for its healing capabilities. It has been used as an antibiotic, blood cleanser, blood pressure reducer, arthritis pain reducer, blood clots dissolver, mucus reducer, and even an emotion booster! It has been taken as a protection against colds, worms, dysentery and typhoid. It has been used mostly as an immune booster: something that supports and strengthens your natural immunity to viral and even malignant attacks. Researchers at Brigham Young University found that garlic kills cold and flu viruses. Its active ingredients are alliin, allicin, terpenes, resin, flavonoids, and volatile oil. Garlic works as an antioxidant. It counteracts free- radical oxidation which can be implicated in everything from cancer to cardiovascular disease. It is also an antifungal, especially in the extract and concentrated oil form. According to a 1995 study in the journal Applied Microbiology, it worked just as well or even better than standard pharmaceuticals against aspergillus, the most common form of fungal infection. As an antimicrobial, garlic targets the helicobacter pylori bacteria, which can be found in 75% of all stomach ulcers and is thought to contribute to stomach cancers. The main chemical component of garlic is allicin which seems to help protect people who consume a large amount of it from stomach cancers by blocking the formation of nitrosamines.
The best way to get the full benefits of garlic is to eat it raw: three or more fresh cloves a day for the medicinal effect or three to five cloves a week for preventative purposes. Here is where your creativity comes in! Try it in salad dressings, mashed potatoes, butter, soups etc. Cooking does destroy some of garlic’s allicin, but not all of it. Make sure to cut, crush, or chop it before cooking it to trigger the allicin into mixing with the other chemicals in garlic. Also, garlic pressed through a garlic press can be ten times stronger in flavor than minced with a knife. Another helpful hint: Adding garlic to a pot of beans prevents some of the gas upset that people can feel.
Deodorized garlic in the form of powered, dried, and pill form are not as effective for use as an antibiotic. It is effective for lowering blood pressure, reducing phlegm, and reducing cholesterol. Applied topically, warm garlic oil may be useful against earache; use one –two drops in an ear canal 2-3 times a day at the onset of pain. Dosage as a tincture: 1 teaspoon (80 drops or 5 milliliters) 3 times a day; as raw cloves, eat 2-3 a day; as an oil, apply 5 drops (0.33 milliliter) topically for earache, ear infection, or fungal infection on the skin twice a day. As a standardized extract (pill/capsule form): take 400 milligrams (containing 5,000 micrograms of allicin), 2 to 3 capsules a day.
Please be aware that garlic may interact with the blood-thinner Coumadin, Chlorzoxazone, Ticlopidine, and Warfarin and that placed directly on the skin may cause it to blister and burn. The drug, Dipyridamole, may actually benefit from garlic. “A test tube study has shown ajoene, a compound found in garlic that prevents platelet clumping, enhances the beneficial action of dipyridamole on human platelets. More controlled research is needed to determine whether taking garlic supplements together will enhance the effectiveness of either compound taken alone. Garlic may cause stomach upset, especially if taken alone. Always check for drug and herb interactions with a knowledgeable professional before taking anything if your aren’t sure.
I could go on and on about garlic, there is so much more. I cook with it, grow it, and use it in pill form; especially, if I feel like I have post nasal drip. It helps me to “dry up”. The material I used is referenced from the following books: Nature’s Pharmacy in Consultation with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians copyright 1998, Prescription for Natural Cures By James Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler N.D. copyright 2004, A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions edited by Alan R. Gaby, M.D. and the Healthnotes Medical Team copyright 2006,The Natural Healing Companion by Dr. Deborah A. Wiancek copyright 2004, and The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices by Lesley Bremness and Jill Norman copyright 1995.
To your perfect health!

Kim Anderson
Guest Writer for HippyMom Herald