UNLOCKING THE BENEFITS OF GARLIC

NewYorkTimes
October 15, 2007, 5:03 pm
Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic
What makes garlic good for you?

by Chris Ramirez for The New York Times

Garlic has long been touted as a health booster, but it’s never been clear why the herb might be good for you. Now new research is beginning to unlock the secrets of the odoriferous bulb.

In a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers show that eating garlic appears to boost our natural supply of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is actually poisonous at high concentrations — it’s the same noxious byproduct of oil refining that smells like rotten eggs. But the body makes its own supply of the stuff, which acts as an antioxidant and transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase blood flow.

In the latest study, performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, researchers extracted juice from supermarket garlic and added small amounts to human red blood cells. The cells immediately began emitting hydrogen sulfide, the scientists found.

The power to boost hydrogen sulfide production may help explain why a garlic-rich diet appears to protect against various cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancer, say the study authors. Higher hydrogen sulfide might also protect the heart, according to other experts. Although garlic has not consistently been shown to lower cholesterol levels, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine earlier this year found that injecting hydrogen sulfide into mice almost completely prevented the damage to heart muscle caused by a heart attack.

“People have known garlic was important and has health benefits for centuries,'’ said Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama. “Even the Greeks would feed garlic to their athletes before they competed in the Olympic games.'’

Now, the downside. The concentration of garlic extract used in the latest study was equivalent to an adult eating about two medium-sized cloves per day. In such countries as Italy, Korea and China, where a garlic-rich diet seems to be protective against disease, per capita consumption is as high as eight to 12 cloves per day.
While that may sound like a lot of garlic, Dr. Kraus noted that increasing your consumption to five or more cloves a day isn’t hard if you use it every time you cook. Dr. Kraus also makes a habit of snacking on garlicky dishes like hummus with vegetables.

Many home chefs mistakenly cook garlic immediately after crushing or chopping it, added Dr. Kraus. To maximize the health benefits, you should crush the garlic at room temperature and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. That triggers an enzyme reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in garlic.

Garlic can cause indigestion, but for many, the bigger concern is that it can make your breath and sweat smell like…garlic. While individual reactions to garlic vary, eating fennel seeds like those served at Indian restaurants helps to neutralize the smell. Garlic-powder pills claim to solve the problem, but the data on these supplements has been mixed. It’s still not clear if the beneficial compounds found in garlic remain potent once it’s been processed into a pill.

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November 26th,2007 10:29 am Comment by Karen Doolan

Regarding Garlic in Supplement forms. I am a Nature’s Sunshine District Manager. Like most supplements, it needs to be a quality Garlic which has been formulated properly for it to be beneficial. The Whole Garlic cloves will always be more beneficial for particular circumstances, however the garlic capsules have been used successfully for many health benefits. Here is some information taken from The Comprehensive Guide to NSP by Steven Horne, available at Tree of Light publishing, regarding many of the garlic uses.

Garlic has been called nature’s penicillin. Garlic is also one of the most powerful circulatory remedies. This herb is as effective as many drugs in lowering high blood pressure, but needs to be used regularly for long periods of time (3-6 months and longer). Garlic many also help to chelate (remove) plaque from arterial walls, thus lowering cholesterol levels. Garlic destroys many types of parasties and infections. This aromatic herb is a powerful decongestant and expectorant.

Raw garlic works well for serious lung problems and infections, but for less serious problems take 2 capsules regular garlic or 1 of high potency garlic tablets every three to four hours until relief is experienced. For more serious respiratory conditions use 2 capsules or 1 tablet every one to two hours along with 4 capsules of ALJ. For an even more powerful decongestant and expectorant action, add 1/2 dropperful of lobelia extract every one to two hours. Garlic has anti-viral properties and is helpful for colds and congestion. Use 1-4 capsules up to every 2 hours during a cold. Tea used as an enema helps break fevers, especially in children. For prevention take 2-3 capsules or 1 high potency tablet daily with meals. For infection (bacterial, viral or yeast) or respiratory congestion, take up to 2 capsules every two hours or 1 high potency tablet every two hours. For bacterial infection, use in combination with golden seal, Echinacea, Lymph Gland Cleanse HY or Lymph Gland Cleanse, or IN-X. For viral infection, use in combination with Una D’Gato Combination, yarrow or Elderberry Defense. For yeast infection, combine with pau d’ arco or Yeast/Fungal Detox. For respiratory congestion, combine with ALJ, mullein or lobelia. For swollen lymph nodes combine with lobelia and mullein. For parasites take eight to twelve capsules per day. Combine with Herbal Pumpkin and black walnut.

For hypertension (high blood pressure) and/or high cholesterol, take 6-10 capsules or 2-3 high potency tablets per day for three to six months. The fresh bulb has the best anti-hypertensive properties. Always use for at least three to six months for circulation conditions before expecting to see real results. Can be taken continually for prevention after improvement. Eat 1-3 cloves the size of almonds daily. (Cut up small and eat on bread.) Larger doses need to be taken for arterial effects.

Using Garlic Oil: For lung congestion, rub garlic oil liberally on chest and back. (Pierce softgel and sqeeze oil out). For earache, use 3 drops (warm) in ear, rub on ear and rub on neck beneath ear. Constituents of garlic penetrate right through skin. Even the fumes kill harmful micro-organisms. Rub on throat for sore throat.

Raw Garlic: Eat 1-2 cloves every morning and regularly at meals for general health. For warts and cysts, rub with small slices of raw garlic throughout day. Follow with clay packs. Use 3-5 cloves in a decoction or eaten raw, three to six times daily for worms.

Enema: For a garlic enema, simmer one chopped clove for 10 minutes in 1 pint of water or use 6-8 capsules and steep as tea. Use garlic enema for fevers, earache, infection and worms.

For more natural health information please visit my blog http://herbsplus4health.blogspot.com

To purchase these products please visit

www.mynsp.com/herbsplus
— Posted by Karen Doolan