Garlic Remedies for You
November 26th, 2009 by admin
If garlic emailed you a resume, the bullet points would probably read something like this:
- Lowers cholesterol
- Reduces blood pressure
- Balances blood sugar
- Reduces Cancer Risk
- Kills Fungus
- Soothes Bronchitis
- Cures Colds
- Removes Warts
- Boosts Immune System
- Organic Pesticide
With more abilities than Superman, it is no wonder why garlic has become one of the most popular herbal remedies around today. In fact, this pungent and bulbous member of the lily family is one of the most extensively researched and widely used plants in the world. Garlic’s abilities are diverse and affect nearly every tissue and system in the body.
Many people around the world incorporate garlic into their daily diets either for specific health reasons or simply because they happen to love the pungent flavor. In the United States, many thousands of acres are devoted to the cultivation of garlic, much of it in the city of Gilroy CA, the self proclaimed “garlic capital of the world”.
Garlic Uses
Garlic is a broad acting antimicrobial and also displays antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It is also effective against flu viruses and herpes simplex viruses (cold sores). During those cold and wet winter months, adding garlic to soups, salads or casseroles may help keep the dreaded cold virus at bay. You can also eat it at the first initial signs of a cold, cough or flu coming up. Garlic can also ease congestion and help expel mucus in cases of bronchitis. In fact, taking garlic might make it hard for someone to ever call in sick to work.
Garlic can also be used to treat infections. It can be taken internally to help curb a recurrent yeast infection. A garlic infusion can be used topically to help with athlete’s foot. You can also add garlic to oil to help treat a middle ear infection.
Garlic studies also suggest that garlic can boost immunity by stimulating the body’s natural immune cells. Clinical trials have indicated that garlic may help prevent breast, bladder, skin, and stomach cancers. A study done in Iowa also showed that women who eat garlic on a regular basis show a lower risk of colon cancer,. Garlic is also thought to be effective at inhibiting cancer compounds that are formed by nitrates which are used as preservatives in meat.
Garlic is also thought to be beneficial to people who have high blood pressure. It relaxes the veins and artery walls which keeps platelets from clumping together thus improving blood flow and reducing the risk of stroke. Garlic also combats cardiovascular disease by helping decrease the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.
Garlic also helps increase the level of insulin in the body resulting in lower blood sugar making it an excellent supplement for diabetics. Please note: garlic is not a substitute for insulin injections or a good diet but it may help reduce the need for additional insulin by reducing glycogen release from the liver and increasing the effectiveness of insulin.
Why garlic helps
The large number of unique sulfur containing compounds within garlic are thought to be the may reason why garlic is so good for you. The reason why garlic starts to give off that familiar pungency once it is crushed or cut is because the chemical compound alliin is transforming into the odorous compound allicin. In turn, Allicin turns into the other compounds ajoene, allyl sulfides and vinyldithiins. These are the sulfur containing compounds that are potent antimicrobials and are thought to be a vital in garlic’s role as a lipid reducer and cancer preventer.
Yulia Berry is an independent health researcher and author of the best selling e-books Aloe – Your Miracle Doctor and ‘Pharmacy in Vegetables’. She distributes a weekly newsletter regarding great home remedies and has written dozens of natural health articles published on hundreds of websites worldwide. Yulia Berry’s new ebook Unlocked Secrets of Curative Garlic to be released soon. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/garlic-remedies-for-you-1508852.html
