by Ayse Alemdar

Created on: July 18, 2011

 Despite being best known today for its very distinguished, offensive odour, garlic is also known to do much for your health. The numbers of benefits gained from garlic are endless and it has been used as a form of natural medicine for centuries. In fact, as far  back as the first century BC, the Greek physician, Dioscorides, stated that Garlic "clears the arteries and opens the mouth of the veins" - a fact that science confirmed more than 2000 years later!

The list of ailments Garlic can cure just goes on and on, but here are just a few;

- Dermatological problems such as; acne, boils and cysts, eczema, corns, calluses and warts.

- High cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood clots, heart disease and heart attacks. – Garlic has the ability to thin the blood, much like aspirin. This helps to prevent clotting, thus decreasing the risk of heart disease, hypertension and strokes. Garlic also increases the circulation of blood helping to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and raising the levels of good cholesterol (HDL), preventing the hardening of arteries thus, heart attacks.

- Coughs, colds and influenza –  Garlic reduces severity of asthma attacks, whooping cough and similar respiratory diseases.  It works wonderfully as a treatment against Tuberculosis and Pneumonia.  The “juice” of garlic is beneficial for the entire system, dissolving the accumulation of mucus in the sinus cavities, bronchial tubes and the lungs. See immune deficiency.

- Digestive disorders – Garlic aids the elimination of toxic waste matter in the body. It also acts as an antiseptic and so is an excellent remedy for inflammations of the stomach and intestine. Is also known to be good for treating various forms of diarrhoea, colitis, dysentery etc.  Overall, Garlic is good for destroying harmful bacteria in the intestines without affecting the beneficial organisms which aid digestion.

- Diabetes – balances insulin need.

- Food poisoning

- Immune deficiency – allows body to conserve essential anti-oxidants it needs to ward of germs and infections, giving the body a better defence against common colds.

- Worms

- Earaches, inner ear infections, particularly in infants

- Vaginal yeast infection and other infections/itches

- Athlete’s foot and other fungicidal problems.

- Rehabilitates sexual malfunctions

- Stress and fatigue – Those living in large towns and cities in particular are prone to the stress and fatigue of working, being isolated from their original cultural environments, the “bad air” as a result of smog, and increased concentration of smokers in a single place.

Garlic can help to reduce the effects of all these things and smokers themselves can benefit also.

Furthermore,  Garlic acts as antibiotic, anti-cancerous, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic substance. Garlic contains allyl-sulfides which provide protection against cancer by slowing down the growth of or causing retardation in the tumor, and killing many of the cells.

The herb has rejuvenatory effects, removing toxins and revitalising the blood.As little as half a clove of garlic a day can make a difference in the long term, and a couple of raw cloves a day can see high cholesterol levels come down in heart patients.

This newfound knowledge of garlic will contribute to the notion of “perspective, progress, profit” as more and more people gain added perspective on the health benefits of garlic, implement it into their diets resulting in progress in the states of their health, and profit in the long term in the form of healthy living.

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