Garlic - Join Me And I´ll Show You Why Garlic Can Save Your Life

Are you worried yet about your health? Are you anxious about your heart, or about the possibility of contracting cancer? If so, you are not alone, and your concerns are quite valid. Cancer and heart disease are today's major killers, and as of now, we are yet to find a safe and effective drug, that can prevent these diseases. Some will argue that taking one or two aspirins a day can reduce the risk of heart disease, and it saddens me to see how many people are doing this, because I know the problems brought by aspirin over use, if these people knew about the long term damage caused by this drug, they would think twice, before popping another one into their mouths. Maybe they would give up that harmful habit if they learn that there is a better answer to preventing these and other diseases. What is the answer? The herb called Garlic, but don't just take my word, even scientists are supporting its properties.

A lot of people use garlic in cooking without knowing that this herb has quite a few medicinal uses. Although Garlic has been around for several thousands of years, its origins are quite obscure. It is thought to have come from Russia making its way to the Mediterranean countries. Garlic was known to be used in the diets of ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. Garlic is known to aid digestion, ward off colds, infection, expel worms, ease chest congestion, help alleviate rheumatism and cleanse the intestines. In World War I, garlic juice was used on the sterile bandages to prevent infection. Garlic has also been known to help hardening of the arteries, sinus problems, skin complexion, and hay fever if taken in capsule form on a regular basis.

This herb has been study, and the results are amazing, garlic contains a large number of sulphur compounds. One of these compounds is diallyl disulphide, which has remarkable anti-cancer properties. This compound prevents two early stages of carcinogenesis, initiation and promotion, from developing. The anti-initiator activity is the result of two complementary mechanisms:

- diallyl disulphide prevents certain carcinogenic substances from being activated

- moreover, this molecule stimulates enzymes capable of neutralising the activity of carcinogenic substances

These two mechanisms reduce the toxicity of carcinogens to cell DNA. Diallyl disulphide is metabolised in the liver into an oxide compound that may be behind the effects described.

In both cases, these studies have dealt with cancer prevention in rat liver, but the mechanisms brought to light give reason to believe that their scope is much wider: effects on other cancers, potential extrapolation to humans.

As fruit and vegetables are rich in minor constituents, nutritionists have increasingly shown an interest in their role in the prevention of cancers, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory diseases over the last decade.

One the most interesting stories of the properties of garlic, came to me from South Africa, Professor Sid Cywes, a former paediatric surgeon at University of Cape Town was having trouble hybridizing his orchids seeds. The trouble was a fungal infection in his culture medium. Mr Peter De Wet, a chief research technologist and Prof Cywes hatched a plan that entailed a dose of garlic. To their astonishment administering garlic to their orchid culture medium killed the mould. They then went on to test garlic's ability to combat the yeast Candida. At that time one of Prof Cywe's patients, a baby at the Red Cross Hospital had a serious Candida infection down the entire length of its oesophagus and gastro-intestinal tract. A garlic solution added to the baby's milk cured the child within 48 hours.

Since then about thirty very sick infants, where broad spectrum antibiotics failed to bring improvement, have been given fresh allicin enterally. The allicin treatment brought about a significant success. However, this was not a controlled clinical study.

One of the active ingredients in garlic is a compound called allicin. On crushing fresh garlic, an enzyme called alliinase is released which rapidly converts the odorless compound alliin into allicin bearing the typical odor of garlic. Allicin is highly unstable and rapidly converts to other sulfur-compounds such as ajoene. It is however allicin and ajoene which have been the main subject of research. These compounds block the enzymes which are necessary for metabolism of the micro-organisms. They have been shown to inhibit the growth of more than 23 organisms. A very interesting point is that no resistance to allicin has been found up to date.

Garlic and its compounds, have been tested against the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and it had tremendous success. Allicin has also been shown to inhibit Campylobacter- universally recognized as the most common cause of gastro-enteritis in very young children of low-income families. These findings are of much interest as bacteria including Helicobacter and Campylobacter are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

I just hope that more people are exposed to this information, so they can make a wiser decision when it comes to preventing diseases like the ones we discussed here. Please send this article to your friends and loved ones, share with them the information you have, help them keep their health.

Until next time,

Charles Silverman N.D.
Is the author of ¨The Homemade Medicine e-book First Edition¨ and owner of http://www.homemademedicine.com
e-mail: info@homemademedicine.com

---

Calculating Your Calorie Needs

In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you... Read More

How to Have Great Sex - Nutrition and Foods That Create Passion

Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of... Read More

Functional Foods: What They Are And How They Work

In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately... Read More

The Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More

The Glycemic Index and Dieting

The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More

Eating Outside Your Box

One way to combat the boredom many people complain accompanies... Read More

Who Said Bananas Are Not Good For You?

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in... Read More

7 Tips on Using Food Diet Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments

Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy... Read More

5 Secrets of Reading Food Labels Revealed

Whether you're concerned about cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or simply... Read More

Aggressive Behaviour Seems To Be Triggered By Early Age Diet

The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news,... Read More

Dont Allow Your Food To Control You

Food addiction isn't a problem. Pretending like you can't live... Read More

You Are What You Eat

You really are what you eat. You are also very... Read More

Does your body know its ABCs??

What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More

The Business Traveler?s Diet Problem: Staying Fit When on the Run

Despite the fact that accurate nutrition information can be accessed... Read More

Macrobiotics: Diet and Lifestyle for Long-term Health

A frequent misunderstanding about macrobiotics is that it is a... Read More

Take Control of Your Health

In large part, you're in control of your health, not... Read More

Lesser of Two Evils: Splenda or Equal?

While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from... Read More

An Open Letter to Mankind

In the last twenty years, a huge and growing body... Read More

Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction

Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more... Read More

Sleep for Joy

Better sleep = better metabolism. I have been saying it... Read More

How To Get Fit And Slash Your Health Insurance Costs

Okay, before we start, let me explain the purpose of... Read More

Surrender To The Spell Of The Pyramid

Food in general has the distinction of being probably the... Read More

The Magic in Food: LOVE

Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? The... Read More

From Cell to Super Cell - with Glutathione

Imagine you're a cell.Inside your body runs the machinery that... Read More

How to Substitute Fat in Your Everyday Diet

Fat is a nutrient that is a contributor to the... Read More

What is Organic Food?

"Organic" has some quite specific legal definitions in most developed... Read More

Why Digestive Enzymes Are Vital To Good Health!

Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More

The Best Protein Powder

What is the best protein powder to buy? I get... Read More

What about Potassium?

Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More

Sugar Lovers Beware

It would be fair to assume that almost everyone on... Read More

Are You Lactose Intolerant?

Do you know anyone who can't consume milk or milk-based... Read More

Herbs that Heal Naturally

The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More

Not all Fats are Bad

Fats have been unfairly lumped together as being all bad... Read More