GARLIC AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS

Health benefits of garlic can be seen in its effective actions on the arteries which bring the fact that garlic heals and efficiently prevents various diseases. There is one thing about those who eat garlic; they cannot hide it because all the secretions of the body are drenched with its aroma: talk about the sweats, winds, belches, breath, and urine, even the breast-feeding milk of a woman.

Some people prefer eating garlic at night because of its smells but others accept the smell and don’t give a damn about what others may say of feel.

Garlic is native to Central Asia where people live longer and cancer incidence is quite on the low and in Greece, it is seen as a source of physical strength and this propels them to make sure athletes get a raw clove of garlic before embarking on each competition in the Greek Olympics. Probably to make them run faster than their opponents from other regions.

Garlic is one of the remedies with most scientifically proven properties. A vivacious plant belonging to the liliaceae family which grows from 30 to 80 cm high having reddish or whitish flowers. The root of garlic is made of a bulb with several cloves.

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Properties and Indications of Garlic

Garlic as a plant in its wholeness, but especially the bulb contains alliin, a sulfured glycoside and also contains alliinase (enzyme), niacin (a B group vitamin), vitamins A, B₁, B₂, and C. The sulfured glycoside known as alliin does not smell but with alliinase which acts when garlic is squashed is then turned into allicine before transforming to daillyl disulphide which gives garlic the smell.

The following are some outline of the health benefits of garlic.

Thinning of Blood:

Garlic fosters anticlotting of platelets i.e. prevention of excessive susceptibility of platelets to come together thereby forming clots.

The action of garlic contributes to thinning of blood and this makes the garlic a very recommendable plant for people suffering from or who suffered thrombosis, vascular accidents or embolism due to lack of blood flow.

Using any of its methods of application which will be listed down below can be employed towards achieving its health benefits (medicinal properties).

Hypotensive

It is highly recommended for those suffering from arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and heart dysfunction which is known as angina pectoris or better still hear attack. This is because garlic has a vasolidating effects which is seen when taken in high doses for its decreasing effects in blood pressure (minimum and maximum). In essence, garlic is good for the circulatory system.

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Antibiotic and antiseptic effects

Garlic anti-infective properties have been proven since the mid-twentieth century for the microorganism listed below:

• Salmonella typhi which is responsible for severe intestinal affliction and typhoid
• Staphylococcus and streptococcus which causes skin infection and furuncles
• Escherichia coli which responsible for urinary infections and intestinal dybacteriosis.
• Various kinds of yeasts, fungi and viruses such as herpes. The active working principle of garlic interacts with nucleic acid of the virus and fosters its limitation in proliferation.

Therefore, garlic highly recommended:

• In all kinds of gastroenteritis, diarrhea and colitis
• In intestinal bacterial imbalance
• In urinary infections which is caused by Esterichia coli
• In bronchial afflictions

Hypolidemic

It helps in decreasing the LDL cholesterol level in the blood

Hypoglycemic:

It balances the level of sugar in blood, therefore, it is recommended for those suffering from diabetes and obesity.

Garlic prevents malignant tumors

The regulating action of garlic on the intestinal flora and the balancing action on the digestive function promote the prevention of malignant tumors, particularly digestive cancers and this may be related to some of its effects on the body’s metabolism.

 

 

Detoxification:

Garlic helps to normalize the blood pressure of smokers and highly recommended for the treatment especially to stop smoking. It also fosters the alleviation of mucus which got retained in the bronchi. It helps to overcome the urge to smoke, probably due to the smell it offers to the breath.

Depurative and Strengthening:

Another striking health benefit of garlic is that it activates the body’s chemical reactions and fosters catabolism (waste excretion processes).

Therefore, garlic is recommended in conditions of tiredness or weakness especially for those who lack appetite to eat and those who are suffering from certain rheumatic afflictions, arthritis and gout.

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Stimulation of the defense mechanism

The activity of the complex defensive cells is being stimulated by garlic, both macrophages and lymphocytes. These cells flow with the blood and also protect us from harmful activities of various microorganisms. Their activities also destroy cancerous cells especially in the initial tumor formation phases.

Therefore, garlic intake fights against infectious diseases thereby helping the defensive capability of the body.

Health Benefits of Garlic Cont’d

Garlic helps to lower blood pressure

According to everydayhealth, consuming one to two cloves of garlic on a daily may actually keep you away from seeing a cardiologist. This is because garlic promotes stimulation of the synthesis of nitric oxide that in turn gets the blood vessels dilated and also inhibits activity of ACE (i.e. angiotensin-converting enzymes. This brings about relaxation of blood vessels and blood flow.

Garlic counters inflammation

The reason why there have been so many chronic diseases is because of prolonged chronic inflammation and this may be responsible for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis etc. However, garlic inhibits certain activities of inflammatory proteins.

Garlic and cholesterol

Garlic is capable of decreasing cholesterol production which is usually carried out by the liver. Some studies revealed that even garlic supplements help in lowering cholesterol.

Garlic also fosters the functioning of the immune system

Garlic is used in preventing and treating the common cold because it plays a vital role in the body’s complex defense mechanisms.

The allicin which is one of the plant chemicals in garlic produces some antibacterial properties and with this same plant chemical, it may also provide some antiviral characteristics which may help block viruses entering into cells.

 Its antiviral and antibacterial properties may help in empowering the immune response so as to enable it fight off foreign and unwanted invaders. In essence, garlic provides supports to the immune system.

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Preparation and Use of Garlic for its Health Benefits

Internal Use

Garlic may be consumed in different ways, however, only from a therapeutic view point can we recommend:

1. Garlic may be taken raw: You may consume one to three (3) cloves of garlic in the morning.
2. Decoction of cloves: Take a liter of water and boil a bulb and drink about three cups on a daily
3. Garlic Extract: High doses produce some therapeutic effects; however the normal dose is 600 – 1200 mg every day. It comes in pearls or capsules.
4. Emulsion: Oil and garlic sauce may seem to be the best method of administrating garlic. Squash or mash some cloves of garlic together olive oil until a homogeneous paste is formed.

External Use:

5. Enema: This method of application is highly effective against intestinal parasites. Blend three (3) spoonfuls of oil and its sauce (garlic sauce) with a liter of warm water. Another method to ease anal itching in young ones is to put a glove of garlic into the an*us.

 

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