This entry was posted 13 years, 5 months ago.
December 18, 2009
Writing a small article about medicinal uses of garlic is quite a difficult task because this herbal remedy has such a vast variety of therapeutic properties and benefits which can be covered and discussed only in a 500-page book. Presently, health benefits of garlic (Allium sativum) are pretty well explored and studied. Garlic is one of the oldest known medicinal herbs, which is mentioned in famous Ebers Papyrus, a medical encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (dated back to 1500 BC) as a key ingredient of 22 most important natural remedies of that epoch. In ancient Roman and German national epic, garlic consumption was associated with courage, bravery and good health. It seems that people of those epochs were quite tolerant to garlic odor!
It is a known fact that garlic can frighten away not only vampires and evil spirits, but also such terrible things as cancer, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease, colds, etc. Excellent antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties of garlic can be attributed to the high content of allicin, the key medicinal element of this herbal remedy. One of the most important garlic health benefits is its property to prevent and treat such common aliments as cold and bronchitis. In New York or Mumbai, in London or Capetown – all around the world people know that taking one or two cloves of garlic on the onset of colds, coughs or throat irritations will help to avoid serious consequences linked to this diseases.
Anti-cancer properties of garlic became a subject of hundreds of studies and researches. It was discovered that a combination of two components of garlic, s-allycystein and diallye disulphide have a property to inhibit tumors. That is how this herbal remedy can stop or at least slow down cancerous cells development, as well as prevent cancer by improving our immune system. Two more elements containing in garlic, namely selenium and ajoene, also play a role in protecting us against cancer by removing heavy metals from our body and stimulating other types of detoxification. Garlic is considered to be especially effective for lowering the risks of having stomach, breast, prostate, colon and skin cancer.
Lowering the risks of having heart disease, helping to control our blood pressure (by thinning our blood) and lower blood cholesterol levels are other key health benefits of garlic consumption on a regular basis. Therefore, eating garlic is essential for those who are concerned about their cardio-vascular health. Another property of garlic to lower sugar levels in our blood makes it an effective natural remedy for type 2 diabetes treatment and prevention. Antibacterial action of garlic can be used to calm down toothache and cure various skin problems, as well as to prevent tuberculosis and food poisoning. The specialists say that consuming 2 cloves of fresh garlic a day can protect you from developing such conditions as ulcers, vaginal yeast infections, bladder infections and so on.
Finally, garlic is considered to be one of the oldest known natural aphrodisiacs which has excellent natural powers to improve blood circulation and help men to fight impotence. In addition, garlic is also very useful to all pregnant women since, according to the results of a recent study at a London hospital, it can aid in weight gaining for babies decreasing their chances to be born with low weight. At the same time, many specialists point on the fact that for all the above mentioned therapeutic purposes it is better to use fresh natural garlic rather than supplements (though supplements can help to avoid unpleasant garlic odor).
As you can see, garlic is a really wonderful herbal remedy for many diseases and ailments, but we must be careful with its dosages. If you have consumed excessive amounts of garlic, this can cause skin reactions, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and other unwanted side-effects. Do not forget to consult your therapist or other health care specialist if you want to start using garlic as a remedy or a part of your individual health care program. Remember that garlic is very useful, so do not be afraid to add more of garlic seasoning to the meals you cook, and let you and your family enjoy the full variety of valuable garlic health benefits!
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:10 am
Good information about garlic and its uses.I never knew that there were so many health benefits from garlic.Thanks for the great post!