By Jill Coleman RN
Today, I wanted to cover one of my favorite herbs-GARLIC. It may not contribute to the best breath in town, but the health benefits are truly outstanding! Some of them may surprise you!
First, it is a natural mosquito repellent! Maybe that’s where the vampire thing got started! It also helps lower bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and increases insulin levels. The main compounds are allicin, (found in raw garlic), which is an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral, and diallyl-suphides, which also has antibiotic properties. But, garlic doesn’t destroy precious digestive enzymes, or create anti-biotic resistant organisms, like anti-biotics do! In fact, 1 mg of allicin is equal to 15 international units of penicillin!
It cleanses and thins the blood, (better than aspirin), kills parasites, increases immunity, and is a rich source of antioxidants, natural vitamin C, vitamin B6, selenium and manganese, (all found to be deficient in many of us).
It has an anti-cancer compound called germanium, where many studies show a definite correlation in decreased/inhibited tumor growth.
Topically applied, garlic gets rid of warts, (a virus), as well as the sting of insect bites.
The down side? Well, some may say the bad breath, or even the taste! There are those who are allergic to it and should probably avoid it! Also, garlic and onions are toxic to dogs and cats! Go figure!
Though nothing is better than fresh garlic, you could take a garlic supplement if you are worried about bad breath. Just make sure the amounts of allicin are listed on the label. Studies show those who took garlic supplements with 600-900 mg of allicin, over a period of time, lowered blood pressure and bad cholesterol, better than standard medications!!
I could go on, but I think this is good start to inspire you to add more garlic to your diet. Of course, there is no one cure for anything. And, nothing replaces a healthy diet, exercise, and a positive outlook on life!
And now, I think I am going to have some of my healthy gourmet dressing, made with raw organic garlic, flax seed oil, and herbs!! Bon Appétit!!
Jill Coleman has been a registered nurse for 21 years, working at the UCLA heart transplant step-down unit, and LA USC county hospital’s trauma unit, to name few. She has transitioned over to natural holistic health and now does nutritional evaluations, addressing and supporting the body with genuine replacement parts from organic whole food supplements. She counsels her clients on positive viewpoints for health, and her touch therapies help with pain and decrease healing time. She is also developing a healthy line of gourmet products that include garlic dressing, sauces, and gluten free goods. She can be contacted at JillRN50@gmail.com or by phone: (760) 912-3797
