A natursal antoibiotic and tasty too (Garlic)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	Garlic
Date:	16/04/09 (58 review reads)
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"A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet"
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1594


Garlic
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Theres a particular reason I've included the above quote - another name for Garlic is 'Stinking Rose'. Other names are Poor Mans Treacle, Rustic Treacle, and of course, it's official latin name, Allium Sativum.

The name seems particularly odd when you consider that garlic is in no way related to the Rose , although it is related to onions, leeks, shallots, and chives. Perhaps the garlic looks like a rose from a distance, after a heavy nights drinking, in a darkened room somewhere. But, theres no questioning the stinking part - for the fragrance of garlic is distinctive and pungeunt.

The name Garlic is of Anglo-Saxon origin, being derived from gar (a spear) and lac (a plant), in reference to the shape of its leaves.

History or Garlic
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No one is exactly sure just how long garlic has been around, but there is mention of Garlic in the literature of almost all the ancient kingdoms - Babylon, Ancient Greece, Rome, Medo-Persia and of course, Egypt- as evidenced by the following passage :

"The rabble who had joined the people were overcome by greed, and the Sons of Israel began to wail again, 'Who will give us meat to eat?' They said, 'Think of the fish we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic! Here we are, wasting away, stripped of everything: there is nothing but manna for us to look at" - The Bible, Numbers 11: 4-6.

Garlic is mentioned in English texts from the 10th century onwards , with one book, Cole's Art of Simpling informs the reader that if a garden is infested with moles, scattering garlic about will cause them to 'Leap out of the ground presently'.

Growing and Caring for Garlic
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Cultivating your very own garlic is strikingly easy. Garlic will grow cheerfully in our cold, wet climate - In fact , in recent years Scottish Garlic has become incredibly popular , with many award winning garlic farmers there.

You do want to pick a fairly well drained spot that has a good chance of getting some sunlight - waterlogged soil can cause the garlic to rot, so if your soil doesn't drain well naturally, mixing in some sand may well help. Blood and bone fertilizer is also good.

You don't need to buy special bulbs to plant - any bog standard bulb of garlic from the supermarket will work - pick a firm large one . Peel the bulb, seperate the cloves , and push the cloves, skin on, about an inch into the soil . The best time for planting is October/November

Plant cloves about four inches apart - although they will grow closer together, the blubs tend to be a lot smaller . Garlic really doesn't require much in the way of attention either, although a littlebit on general purpuse fertiliser in the soil will do no harm whatsoever .

By about march (if you plant in october) you should start to see gree shoots poking out from the soil . When the leaves change to yellow or brown, your garlic is ready for harvesting. The trick is to pull one up and see how many layers of papery skin there are around it - three or fewer means it's ripe , more than three means you embed it again for a couple more weeks .

After Harvesting
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Garlic only has a long shelf life it it is properly dried, so hang in a cool dry place. (If you have an overhead kitchen airer, this would be ideal, but if not, any cool dry place will do) for a week. After this, you can brush off any excess soil, and then store you garlic in a cool dry cupboard away from excess sunlight

Crushed or chopped garlic stores well in wine vinegar or olive oil

Garlic- Tradition, Superstition, and Religion
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Well, theres the obvious Garlic warding against vampires stuff- everyone knows that . I was intereested to learn though that in 18th -century France, gravediggers would crush garlic in wine and then drink it believing it would protect them from catching the plague as they buried its victims.

During World Wars one and two, wounder soldiers were given garlic to prevent against gangrene.

Medicinal Uses of Garlic
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The power of garlic is mainly attributed to a compound called allicin, a sulphur-bearing compound that gives the herb its strong taste and aroma. Allicin is released from garlic when the cloves are crushed, chewed or cut. Garlic also contains the trace minerals selenium and germanium. These substances are thought to contribute to garlic's beneficial effects.

One of the oldest and most reliable uses of garlic as an alternative medicine is as an antibiiotic. It's been shown to kill a whole range of microbes and bacteria, with particularly good results on athletes food and oral thrush. Thats oral thrush ladies, so don't go shoving garlic bulbs up your lady bits - I'm not sure that would be wise, or indeed comfortable .

Garlic can also help lower LDL cholesterol - although garlic is no substitute for a general healthy diet. It works by preventing the liver making too much cholesterrol. However, if you do have a cholesterol problem, you should take advice from your doctor before using garlic as a treatment .

Garlic also lowers the stickiness of platelets, preventing blood from becoming over thick and clotting. As well as preventing blood clots, this also greatly reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Many people also believe garlic helps prevent against the common cold . From my own personal experience, I notice that taking extra garlic when I feel a cold coming on see's it off, and that if I do get a cold, it clears my nose wonderfully .

There are other various claims surrounding garlic that have not been proven but ARE being researched - for instance, garlic is rumoured to shrink cancerous tumours, and even to prevent certains kinds of cancer . I stress that these claims are NOT proven, and you should always seek advice from your doctor .

Sadly, cooked and dried garlic are not as effective at any of this as raw garlic . Which, lets face it, in most peoples opinions doesn't really taste that great, and will leave you with pretty stinky breath . However, I love it, and tend to mix a little raw crushed garlic into salad dressings, and add it to sauces at the last minute .

However, garlic supplements are available which accurately mimic the effects of fresh garlic without being so garlicy, and these are available in most healthfood shops .

Side Effects
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Just because something is natural doesn't mean it doesn't come with side effects .

Obvious ones include stinky breath, and sadly stinky farts too. It can also give you heartburn.

Since garlic does act a little as a blood thinner, it also possible, though probably extremely unlikely, that it may cause problems for those who rely on anticoagulants. Again, your doctor is your friend!

Conclusion
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Does it work ? Well, theres certainly enough people claiming it does, including some top notch scientists who, lets face it, know what they are doing . I've been taking a little garlic each morning for years, and generally I'm fit as an ox . That said, I was pretty healthy before, so that in itself is not evidence . I have noticed though that if I take extra garlic when I feel a cold starting, I tend not to go into full on snottering misery.

Personally, I think that theres very little harm in taking garlic, either fresh or as a supplement, a little each day as a preventative measure . However, if you have an existing health issue, then I would strongly advise you seek your doctors advice .

Raw garlic is cheap, with a bulb being about 50p from a supermarket. Supplements vary in price, but I'm regularly able to purchase 90 capsules for 4.99, which I think is very reasonable.

Garlic Quotes
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"Do not eat garlic or onions; for their smell will reveal that you are a peasant."
Cervantes, Don Quixote (1614)

"Garlic should be eaten in moderation, less the blood of a man overheats. In truth, if garlic is forbidden, a man's health and proper strength vanish away; but if it is then mixed with food in due proportion, it will bring back his strength"
St. Hildegarde, 12th century

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