Origin of Garlic
Garlic has been a cultivated plant for so long that it is difficult to trace its true origins.
It is most likely that it was originally native to central Asia, spreading throughout Europe and Mediterranean civilizations.
Today, it is cultivated throughout the world grows wild in Italy and southern Europe. Garlic was widely used in ancient Egypt for its healing powers.
During the age of the Pharaohs, garlic was handed out to laborers because it was believed to increase their strength and stamina for the difficult job of constructing pyramids.
The Egyptians also accounted garlic for warding off diseases, and kept it in bountiful supply around slave camps. The Ebers Papyrus (an ancient Egyptian medical writing), cites garlic as a remedy for 22 varieties of diseases. There are even accounts of the Egyptians worshiping garlic.
Garlic is mentioned in the literature of several great ancient world kingdoms including Persia, Babylon, Greece and Rome. Discordies, Rome's head medical officer, is reported using garlic to treat intestinal worms. Aristotle and Hippocrates also mention the use garlic as an important holistic remedy.
Garlic in the Kitchen:
Few common kitchen ingredients are as versatile as garlic. It can be used to flavor a wide variety of food from a number of ethnic origins. Available in most any grocery store, garlic bulbs are inexpensive and keep well.
Each bulb contains several cloves. Each clove can be separated and peeled individually, allowing the others to remain sealed in their husks, prolonging freshness.
Aliments Garlic is recommended for:
Garlic is used to treat many types of infections and health issues. Some of the most common uses for garlic include skin treatments for its anti fungal, antiviral and antibiotic properties. Ingesting garlic has been cited for improving circulation, lowering blood pressure and curing a cough.
As an Antibiotic:
Garlic has been used to treat many types of infections. Add it to a foot soak to treat athlete's foot or press a clove and add a little olive oil to help heal a middle ear infection. Crushed raw garlic is a powerful antibiotic that has the ability to kill certain strains of the staph bacteria. It can be safely applied to any open cut.
For Acne:
The same antibacterial properties that make garlic successful against infections are the same ones that make it a useful acne fighter. Crack open a clove to start up the chemical reaction and rub it directly on the acne-prone areas of your face. You can also crush the garlic and use the juices to rub into the skin.
Mosquito Repellent:
Apparently, the compounds in garlic are harmful to mosquitoes and they will avoid contact with it. You can apply garlic juice to exposed areas of skin to ward off the pests. As a natural alternative to chemicals, you can place garlic cloves around outdoor gathering areas to act as repellents.
Cough Syrup:
Garlic is a powerful antibacterial agent, so it is thought to be able to sooth a sore throat and even ease a persistent cough. Try boiling one bulb of garlic in about one cup of water and drink when cooled. Garlic is also thought to help with bronchitis, ( cough that brings up mucus) allowing people to expel more of the mucus.
Cholesterol Reducer:
Some studies have found that garlic may be able to reduce lipoprotein (LDL, the "bad" cholesterol) levels in the blood. Decreased cholesterol and triglycerides leads to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. European and American studies show garlic reducing bad cholesterol levels by an average of one tenth.
Blood Pressure Reduction:
Studies have proven that garlic relaxes the walls of arteries and veins, thereby allowing more blood to flow. With easier blood flow, platelets are less likely to accumulate within the veins and arteries, reducing the risk of stroke.
Cancer Preventative:
Garlic is said to improve the immune system by stimulating the body's immune response. Garlic is an effective inhibitor of compounds formed by nitrates that are thought to turn into cancer-causing compounds within the intestines.
For Help with Diabetes:
Garlic has been shown to increase insulin levels in the body, helping to lower glucose levels in diabetics. However, it does not take the place of insulin, and people with diabetes may need to continue on an insulin regimen. But it makes a useful addition to the diabetic menu.
In the Bedroom:
Because garlic increases blood flow, it is possible that it may help with male performance issues.
Colds:
Although garlic cannot cure the common cold, research has shown that people who consume a regular amount of garlic appear show cold symptoms less often.
Stomach Ulcers:
Garlic is thought to protect against stomach ulcers that are commonly caused by the bacterium Helicobacter Pylori. People who eat a regular amount of garlic typically suffer from fewer ulcers.
During Pregnancy:
It is possible that garlic may reduce the risk of preeclampsia (a severe condition that can cause risks to the fetus, usually characterized by extreme swelling of the face and hands).
Garlic is most likely safe for pregnant women if consumed in regular doses like those found in most recipes, however, most health officials do not recommend increased use of garlic because of the risk of bleeding. Nursing women who ingest too much garlic may have increased nursing times, milk odor and increased infant milk consumption.
Toothache:
Sometimes used in conjunction with cloves, garlic has been used to ease the pain from a toothache. Usually, the garlic clove is crushed and held next to the affected tooth.
