Garlic: A Natural Remedy

Garlic has many healing qualities. People long before knew that garlic can be an antibiotic. Albert Schweitzer, used garlic to treat amoebic dysentery. It was also used in the world wars to treat wounds and keep infection at bay.

Researchers have discovered that garlic can help lower cholesterol and lower blood platelet clumping. If both cholesterol and blood platelet clumping are in check it helps in protection against heart disease. More studies have shown garlic also helps lower blood pressure.

Researchers have also learned that garlic helps inhibit cancer in animals. Studies in both China and Italy have shown garlic also protects against stomach cancer in humans. Garlic has also proved to detoxify harmful substances in the human body.

People ask the question does garlic in the form of tablets or powder do the same work? The answer is yes. Researchers have proved that garlic tablets and in powder form work the same as natural garlic.

One simple little test determines if the garlic you are using works or not. The garlic that works, either natural, powder, or pill is if it has an odor. Garlic powder or tablets that have no odor are useless as they've lost all their healing properties. The smell is actually correlated with its healing properties. One of the ingredients in garlic that is rather smelly and is crucial in healing is a sulfer-containing compound called allicin. This comes from the breakdown from something else called alliin. Alliin comes from the breakdown of garlic when smashed or cut.

So remember, no smell means no healing properties.

Garlic is a age old European tradition. The overseas garlic product sales have always been much, much higher than the United States. Garlic happens to be one of the top-selling tablets or pills in Europe. It is estimated that more than 5 million Europeans comsume garlic pills on a regular basis.

A German study proved that 21% of the people taking garlic pills had the aroma of garlic present. However, with raw garlic, only one out of eight people retained the aroma of garlic. In other words, to avoid the stinch of garlic use raw garlic instead of pills.

Fresh garlic can cause a person to have some skin irritation and be hard to digest. There are no known side effects to the pill form of garlic. However it is recommended that you see a doctor before taking garlic tablets or consuming raw garlic if you are on anti-clotting medicines or have surgery scheduled in the near future.

• Beautiful Hair. Garlic contains high levels of a substance called allicin, a sulfur compound closely resembling that found in onions, which has also been found to remedy hair loss. Simply rub sliced garlic on your head or mix it with something to make it more usable, such as infuse oil.
• Cure Acne. Garlic contains antioxidants that kill bacteria, making it a great aide in blemishes or acne. Just rub a sliced piece of garlic on your pimples and watch the acne disappear.
• Prevents and Remedies Colds. As mentioned above garlic is an antioxidant, which helps your immune system boost into overdrive. Just soak some garlic in hot water for a few minutes and sip.
• Inflammatory Properties. Research has found that garlic has inflammatory properties. This makes it a great help in psoriasis and other rashes. Just rub a little garlic oil on the rash.
• Weight Control. Some recent research shows evidence that garlic could help maintain weight or even help aide in obtaining your ideal weight. Try using a little garlic daily in your diet for a great weight benefit.
• Anti-fungal Properties. Garlic can treat athletes feet. Just soak your feet in a solution of warm water and minced garlic.
• Bug repellant. Mosquitos despise garlic. Many find relief from these pesky bugs by rubbing garlic mixed with beeswax or Vaseline on the arms and legs. Also use in gardens to rid your plants of pests. Mix garlic with liquid soap and water. Some people add a little mineral oil as well. Then just spray on your plants.
• Fish Bait. Use garlic and cloves with other bait to lure in the fish.