Garlic Health

HOW GARLIC STOPS MRSA DEATHS

GARLIC has been a tried and trusted natural remedy for thousands of years.

And now researchers have found another use for the pungent bulbs – they kill MRSA.

Patients who have suffered for years with weeping, infected wounds have been cleared after a course of garlic pills and creams, recent trials at the University of East London have shown.

So far more than 250 people have been successfully treated.

Click here to find out more:-

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/article1279834.ece

ANTISEPTIC PROPERTIES

As an antiseptic, garlic acts in two ways, killing both bacteria and fungi. 

This means that it is useful in treating mild intestinal infections such as diarrhea as well as lung infections such as bronchitis and seems to act as a protective agent against these infections if taken regularly.

Applying a topical solution of raw garlic and water may stop wounds from getting infected. (Simply crush one clove of garlic and mix it one-third of a cup of clean water. Use the solution within three hours because it will lose its potency over time.) A garlic solution used as a footbath several times a day is traditionally believed to improve athlete’s foot.

A study conducted at Bastyr University, a natural heath sciences school and research center near Seattle, showed that a garlic oil extract cured all warts it was applied to within two weeks. In the same study, the garlic oil extract also proved useful in dissolving corns. Recent data shows that water based extracts where the allicin has been stabilized are also very effective at killing bacteria, fungi and viral infections.

CAUTION: Always use a diluted garlic solution when applying garlic directly to the skin.

Pure cut garlic is so powerful that prolonged exposure to the skin may result in a burn!

GARLIC & YOUR GUMS

Garlic may even help your gums stay healthy. In a study published in July 2005 issue of Archives of Oral Biology, researchers concluded that garlic extract inhibits disease-causing bacteria in the mouth and may be valuable in fighting periodontitis, a serious gum disease. (Untreated gingivitis often leads to periodontitis, a condition in which the ligaments and bones supporting the teeth infected and inflamed, ultimately resulting in tooth loss.)

CANCER

 

Experiments in the laboratory and in population studies all support the premise that garlic may interfere with tumour activity. Cancers of the stomach, colon and skin seem to be the most likely to be affected. The exact mechanism is unclear and probably consists of several different actions but intake of fresh garlic definitely shows promising results.

 

Garlic is a powerful antioxidant helping to protect against free radicals in the body, which are known to cause damage to cells and encourage cancers.

 

FOLKLORE

 

In Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, garlic has been used for many centuries as a popular remedy for ailments from scurvy to anemia to general health recovery.

 

In this region garlic was a common folk’s medicine against early forms of tuberculosis and bronchitis and used to help cure pneumonia and lung problems.

 

Central Asia is home to many varieties of garlic and is often considered to be centre of origin of the majority of alliums. People from this region have been known to use specific varieties of garlic to treat different ailments. Garlic in this part of the world is a veritable medical mainstay.

 

NATURAL INSECT REPELLENT

 

Garlic has a long folk tradition as an insect pest repellent used to combat aphids, white flies, spiders and other pests, but garlic’s insect repellent abilities are more than just folklore. Diallyl disulfide and diallyl trisulfide, two compounds in garlic oil, are insecticidal. In scientific studies, garlic has successfully destroyed mosquito larvae and certain species of ticks, and has repelled mosquitoes, black flies, fruit flies and fleas.

 

Garlic has also demonstrated success repelling larger pests, including rabbits, moles and deer. It can be used to prevent the spread of mould and repel insects from stored fruit, and some people even place garlic in drawers to repel moths. Studies have found that garlic is also effective as an insect repellent for humans when used as a spray or when consumed. When garlic is eaten and its components are metabolized, compounds are released from the body through the skin and breath which can help ward off bugs.

 

CARDIOVASCULAR PROPERTIES

 

Garlic has been proven to:

• Lower cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Prevent platelet aggregation and thrombosis
• Contain powerful antioxidants

FLU FIGHTER: Garlic vs. the Common Cold

 

Herbalists recommend chewing garlic and holding it in your mouth for a while before swallowing it to obtain the best dose of bacteria-fighting allicin.

 

Taking three cloves a day when you have a cold may help you feel better. If the raw garlic bothers your stomach, take it minced and mixed with olive oil.

 

Other folk remedies battle colds and chest congestion with a garlic poultice or plaster. To make one, put some chopped garlic in a clean cloth, this washcloth, or paper towel. Fold it over to enclose the garlic. Pour very warm (but not hot) water over the wrapped garlic, let it sit for a few seconds, and then lightly wring it out.

 

Place the wrapped garlic on the chest for several minutes. Reheat with very warm water and place on the back, over the lung area, for several minutes.

 

GARLIC & ERECTILE DISFUNCTION

 

Garlic is a time-honoured remedy for sexual dysfunction in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Japan and China, which works by increasing blood flow and hormone production.

 

Four garlic cloves daily should pay dividends in about four weeks.

 

For most men erectile disfunction is physiological and not psychological. In order to maintain an erection the arteries need to have an efficient blood flow. Erectile dysfunction indicates a hardening of the arteries, which means it could be an early biomarker of impending cardiovascular disease. Garlic produces allicin, which improves blood flow.

 

A recent BBC study took seven volunteers and asked them to eat 4 cloves a day.

Six out of seven of the group did see an improvement just by eating four cloves a day!