In 1918 at the height of the Influenza Epidemic which claimed the lives of 15-20 million people all over the world, my maternal grandmother along with eating it made a necklace out of cloves of Garlic and wore it to shoo away germs. Half a century later my mother ate raw garlic cloves to control her High Blood Pressure. Were these just foolhardy attempts to cure or prevent illness, or is there something to this Garlic business?

Garlic is a herb in the onion family which grows beneath the surface of the ground(soil), It is also a antioxident which is a substance that controls Free Radicals. Free Radicals damages the building blocks of life-cells. Once these cells are compromised the process of aging and disease begins. Garlic as an antioxident prevents these Free Radicals from doing damage to the cell.

In additon to being an antioxident Garlic is also know as a natual antibiotic which prevents colds,flu and repels mosquitos. Because of this, it is believed that this substance strengthens the immune system which might explain why my grandmother didn't even get a cold during the Influenza Epidemic of 1918; It may have prevented the onset of the disease.

Garlic has been documented to lower cholesterol especially when used with its relative onions. It may have an indirect or direct link to lowering Blood Pressure, for if you lower cholesterol you are lessening the chance of clogging the blood vessels with plaque which is associated with cardio vascular diseases like Hypertension and Coronary Heart Disease-both can lead to heart failure.

Thus when my grandmother and mother used Garlic many years ago to ward off germs and lower Blood Pressure respectively they may have been on to something. Garlic is still around today and the old saying that what is old is new is appropriate because we don't live in a germ free world. However it should be noted that there is a Caveat Emptor for buyers and users of Garlic and they are the following:

1. Be careful if you keep Garlic stored in oil because it may become infected with the deadly Botulism Toxin

2. The above also applies to keeping cloves of Garlic in the refrigerator.-It may become infected with Botulism.

3. Don't give any Garlic to Dogs because it is in the onion family and it is deadly for them.

4. Consult your physician as interaction with certain medications may be dangerous.

Garlic is available in pill supplements.