GARLIC

     As said by Hippocrates over 2300 years ago -

           "Let your Food be thy Medicine and Medicine be thy food." 

 By saying so, he meant about prevention - by optimizing our ability to fight against infections and adapt to the vulnerable environmental condition. Garlic is one of the most commonly used food items around the world. It is hard to imagine a cuisine which doesn't use garlic.  Garlic is widely accepted and used as a condiment and food.
     Garlic is also one of the few herbs that were and still used in all 3 great healing systems of the world—Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Traditional European Medicine. Garlic has powerful properties, that it is widely used as Food and Medicine making it a Super Food. 

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In Ayurveda :

• According to Ayurveda, Garlic is considered as Maha Oushadha (which means Great Medicine in Sanskrit). 
• Ayurveda considered garlic as a tonic, hot, digestive, aperient (to relieve constipation), cholagogues (promotes discharge of bile) and alternative (restores normal health).
• Garlic bulbs were macerated with honey or other sweeteners or crushed into foods to help relieve coughs and mucus conditions, fevers, swellings, gonorrhea, colic, rheumatism, and worms. 
• Garlic pods are boiled in milk and consumed in small doses to stimulate digestion, hysteria, flatulence, sciatica, and heart disease.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine :

• According to TCM, Garlic has a special influence on the organs. 
• They were used to balance the Qi/Chi of Spleen (which transforms and assimilates food and has to do with metabolism and energy production);  Kidney (which stores vital energy and sends it out to other organs and tissues);  Stomach (which break down the food and dissimulates the food to get it ready for the spleen). 
• It was used to remove toxins from the body.
• It is also believed to Balances the Qi of Water, 
• It also eliminates the noxious effects of putrid meat and fish.

GARLIC

In Traditional European Medicine :

• Garlic was an important food and medicine of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Assyrians, and Egyptians. 
• Garlic pods macerated in oil were used to treat skin diseases.
• It is believed stimulate milk production in breast feeding moms.
• It was used as an antibiotic, to fill rotten teeth, (Garlic pods were crushed and mixed with vinegar).
• Hippocrates prescribed it as a fumigant for aiding in the release of the placenta.
• A mixture of garlic ashes and oil used to treat running sores.
• Raw Garlic was used to treat asthma.
• Macerated garlic pods mixed with honey is good for shrew bites and dog bites.
• Effective for healing hemorrhoids - Crush the garlic pods and take them along with wine, this will induce vomiting sensation.
• Neutralizes the poisonous qualities of aconite and henbane.
• Excellent for bruises, even after they have swollen into a blister.
• Garlic is believed to cure Epilepsy.
• Garlic induces sleep.
• It improves circulation.
• Garlic, when taken along with coriander acts as an aphrodisiac.

HEALTH BENEFITS:

GARLIC

     Garlic is filled with health benefits.  Eating at least one clove of garlic daily can help you keep a lot of health conditions at bay.  It is rich in antioxidant and thus prevents the growth of cancer cells.  Crush or chop the garlic cloves and leave it aside for at least 15 minutes.  This helps in the secretion of active agents in garlic -  the 'allyl sulphide compounds', which are anti-cancer compound.Sulfur in Garlic helps to lower Oxidative Stress and unwanted inflammation.
     The 'Diallyl Sulphides' in Garlic can improve 'iron metabolism', as it helps increase the production of a protein called ' Ferroportin'. Garlic is a good source of 'Selenium'. It has innumerable medicinal benefits.

Medicinal Uses :

• Antioxidant
• Prevents Cancer
• Reduces High blood pressure
• Treats Respiratory conditions
• Lowers Cholesterol 
• Reduces Sugar Level
• Treats Skin Infection
• Helps in weight loss
• Aids Digestion
• Treats Gastric Problems 
• Treats Liver disorders
• Treats Fever
•  Treats Tuberculosis
• Removes Intestinal Worms
• Treats Rheumatism, 
• Controls Diabetes

Cancer Treatment :

As it is rich in Antioxidant, daily intake of garlic has been found to lower risk of many types of cancer. It is believed to prevent colon cancer, rectal cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer and lung cancer.

Cardio Vascular Benefit : 

The Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is produced by the Red Blood Cells, by taking the Sulfur molecules in garlic called Poly Sulfides.  The Hydrogen Sulfide helps our blood vessels to expand and thus helps in good blood circulation.

Weight Loss : 

Garlic helps to regulate the number of fat cells in our body. The sulphur compounds 1,2-DT (1,2-vinyl-dithiin) present in garlic has anti-inflammatory properties, which inhibit the conversion process of the fibroblastic cells (called "preadipocytes") which evolve into full-fledged fat cells (called "adipocytes") under certain metabolic circumstances. Thus fighting against Obesity.

For Fungal Infections :

Topical application of garlic gel to the skin may treat ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot (mince a clove of garlic and mix it with aloe vera, coconut oil or olive oil and apply to the affected area). Do not apply undiluted garlic, as it can burn the skin.

As an Antiseptic :

Garlic has antibacterial and antiviral properties that help control bacterial, viral, fungal, yeast and worm infections. Fresh garlic is believed to play a vital role in preventing food poisoning by killing bacterias like E. coli, Salmonella enteritidis, etc.

  FOOD RECOMMENDATION :

• Garlic should be added to our diet on a regular basis.  Try to include at least 1 or 2 cloves in an individual food portion.
• With their unique combination of flavonoids and sulphur nutrients, it adds aroma, taste and nutrition to our dishes.
• To get best results out of garlic, chop or crush them and leave them aside for at least 15 minutes before cooking or eating.
• Do not cook them immediately or change their PH value by adding them in acidic or alkaline substances, as that will totally destroy their medicinal properties.
• The best way is to eat them 'RAW'.

  Notes :

• Chewing parsley helps to get rid of the pungent smell of raw garlic from the mouth.
  
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  *DISCLAIMER:

  Please remember these options are only meant as guidelines and in no way replaces the advice or treatment provided by your medical practitioner. It is always good to seek the advice of your physician for professional advice in any matter related to your health. This is for information purposes only.