Garlic For Your Health

History of garlic

Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as the time that the Giza pyramids were built.

Garlic is mentioned in the Bible:

Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.

Hippocrates, Galen, Pliny the Elder, and Dioscorides all mention the use of garlic for many conditions, including parasites, respiratory problems, poor digestion, and low energy. Its use in China was first mentioned in A.D. 510.

Natural testosterone boost

Garlic supplementation in rats, along with a high protein diet, has been shown to boost testosterone levels. As men get older we naturally lose our testosterone, but with exercise and a proper diet it's possible to elevate those levels. Garlic maybe one weapon in your diet you may want to help combat the loss of testosterone. Testosterone is very important for muscle,bone mass, fat loss, and a sense of well being. Garlic has also been shown to lower cortisol levels. Cortisol causes the break down of muscles. Cortisol is released by stress, and is thought to contribute to higher obesity levels in today's society. Of course exercise reduces stress so therefore it would stand to reason cortisol can be limited by exercise as well.  In rats, loss of collagen from skin, caused by cortisol, is ten times greater than loss from any other issue. The active ingredient responsible for the testosterone boost in garlic is allicin. Garlic supplements are available which may help with the smell of garlic but raw garlic is recommended for it's potential health benefits over supplements. In general the rule of thumb is natural over processed.  Eating parsley can help with the smell.

Garlic and onions fight bacteria

Allistatin (or Allistatine) is an antibiotic found naturally in plants of the Allium group, which includes garlic and onions. It is recognized as being a strong broad-spectrum fungicide and antibiotic against numerous serious microorganisms (bacteria, etc). The name "allistatin" refers to two very similar recognized compounds, allistatin I and II.

Studies have established that the most active factors in garlic, including allistatin I and allistatin II, are sulphur-containing compounds which are powerful agents against staphylococcus and Escherichia coli (E. coli), very common bacteria which can cause serious infections and, under certain conditions, can end up serious or even fatal. For this reason, Russia and other countries, use garlic routinely and extensively to treat numerous infections and diseases such as whooping cough, grippe (Flu) and a whole host of infectious diseases of viral and bacterial origin.

Apart from allistatin, garlic has dozens of other substances (including vitamins, minerals, etc), but allistatin I, II, alliin, allicin, garlicin and ajoine are the strongest antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, immune-enhancing and anti-platelet compounds found in large quantities in garlic.

In 1858, Louis Pasteur observed garlic's antibacterial activity, and it was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World War I and World War II. More recently, it has been found from a clinical trial that a mouthwash containing 2.5% fresh garlic shows good antimicrobial activity, although the majority of the participants reported an unpleasant taste and halitosis.

In modern naturopathy, garlic is used as a treatment for intestinal worms

Recommendations

Stick with raw garlic as much as possible for it's health benefits. Cooking garlic reduces it's effectiveness. The older garlic becomes the less effective it becomes. Eat parsley to help reduce garlic breath.

Keep in mind garlic is a blood thinner much like aspirin.