Garlic
Garlic: "Once thought
to possess magical powers against evil, garlic was widely used in charms and
spells... Many of the legends surrounding garlic have to do with strength,
speed and endurance. Egyptian slaves ate garlic as they built the pyramids. The
Israelites nibbled it before their escape from Egypt... the Romans took it to
strengthen them in battle since it was the herb of Mars, the Roman god of
war... Medicinally, garlic has been prescribed since prebiblical times..."
Rodale's
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
Garlic, the wonder bulb, is
actually an onion with a compound bulb made up of four to 15 cloves. From
ancient Pharaohs to modern pharmacists, garlic is considered one of the most
important herbs for feeding and healing the human body. Throughout history
garlic has been considered a powerful herb to fight inflammation, stop
infections, kill parasites and restore vitality. The role of garlic as an
antiviral and antibacterial is unsurpassed from ancient days to modern times.
Garlic can help heal injuries like bites, cuts and burns, while quite possibly
sooth headaches, lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, acne, boils,
arthritis, candida, respiratory ailments, the common cold and earaches. It can
protect the digestive tract by inhibiting dysentery-causing amoebas and other
infections. Studies have shown that garlic may reduce the risk of coronary
artery disease, help to lower total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides,
inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce blood pressure.
When chewed or crushed a
powerful antibiotic chemical is released. Garlic may not act as powerfully or
quickly as antibiotics but neither does it produce the side effects that
antibiotics do. While garlic can be as effective in fighting serious
infections, its main use is in fighting ailments that are not acute or
immediately life threatening. Small discomforts may signal an ideal time to
load up on fresh or supplemental garlic. Studies have shown that eating less
than an ounce of garlic a week can help lower your risk of certain types of
cancer and a clove per day can lower your cholesterol in as little as four
weeks. (Energy Times, March 2000)
Back to Index of Herbs
Search our site, or the web...
|