More Powerful than Penicillin (Garlic)

Member Name: Shekera

Product:	Garlic
Date:	04/02/02 (1877 review reads)
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Advantages: Inexpensive and readily available preventative medicine.

Disadvantages: Say goodbye to fresh breath.

Garlic (Allium Sativam)

Garlic is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. A remedy using garlic was found on a Sumerian clay tablet that dated back to 3000 BCE. Ayurvedic practioners prescribed garlic liberally for the treatment of cancer and leprosy. When the British came to India, leprosy because known as “peelgarlic” because of the frequent sight of lepers peeling and eating garlic cloves.

You can grow your own crop of garlic by planting cloves in the autumn – it can be harvested about six to eight months after planting. Bulbs not needed immediately can be dried in the sun and stored.

The active properties of the garlic are due to its volatile oil, therefore, by using regularly in your diet you will benefit from its many health properties for instance, garlic is an antiseptic, a natural antibiotic (it is reputed to be more powerful than penicillin and tetracycline!), expectorant, fungicide, antihistamine, it is also known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and is useful to people suffering from asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, and thrombosis, bad circulation and hardening of the arteries.

It is also good for the treatment of flu, colds, ear infections eradicate intestinal worms and fungal infections – it is even believed to help protect the body against pollution and nicotine, and is especially effective when combined with Echinacea.

It is safe to be used by most people; however, some may find it too hot for their constitutions in which case it is recommended that it be taken with milk - nursing mothers should be aware that garlic in breast milk might cause colic in the baby.

It is excellent for treatment of croup and fevers in children and the best way to administer this to them is by making a garlic milk. This is easy to do – put three thinly sliced cloves of garlic into a pan with two cups of milk (any milk will do, i.e. cow’s, goat’s soy or nut).
Simmer over a very low heat for twenty minutes then strain and use. It can be stored in the fridge for two to three days. If giving to infants, the recommended dose is two to three dessertspoons every four hours. Young children can drink it freely if they are feverish or croupy.

For adults, the easiest way to benefit from the health properties of garlic is to take it in tablet form – obviously, this is also a more “socialable” way. Alternatively, it can be taken raw – mix an equal amount of chopped garlic with honey and take one teaspoon of this mixture three to six times per day. This mixture can be given to children, but only use half the above dose.

I personally, take garlic pearls, which are available from all good health food stores and the supermarket shelf. Garlic capsules and tablets are very inexpensive and, I believe, more pleasant way of taking garlic than eating it in its raw form. You can buy a pot of 100 odourless garlic capsules from thinknatural.com for £1.99.

If you would like to learn more about the health properties of garlic, please go to http://www.garlicfestival.com/Facts/Rx/Rx.html where you can read a collection of articles and links relating to the medicinal aspects of garlic.

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