Page 81 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Garlic, Allium sativum

Garlic has strong medicinal value, and it tastes great.
Most people would benefit greatly by eating more gar-
lic, no matter how good or bad their health. I use garlic
for nearly everything.

Most of the garlic that I use now is cultivated. It is
found in nearly every herb garden and kitchen garden
across the country and is easily found at supermarkets.
Don’t fall for prepared garlic, however. Chop it fresh
and make your own garlic products for maximum Taking Garlic as Medicine: In general, use gar-
health. lic in any way that best suits you. People who don’t like
Identification: The garlic plant grows to about 2 the strong flavor can put it into capsules, but I like us-
feet (0.6 meters) tall. It is a bulbous herb with four to ing it fresh and chopped fine or crushed to release the
twelve long, flat, sword-shaped leaves growing from an beneficial sulfurous compounds.
underground stem. The bulbs are rounded and contain You can also take it as a tincture. For people who like
approximately 15 smaller cloves. Each clove and the garlic, try chewing one whole raw clove at each meal or
bulb is covered by a thin white or pinkish papery coat. drinking garlic juice daily.
Flowers appear in a cluster at the top of a 10-inch (25
cm) flower stalk. Flower stalks grow from a common Treating Viral, Bacterial, and Parasitic In-
point on each plant. The flowers are green-white or fections: Garlic is a potent antibiotic, antifungal, and
pinkish with six sepals and petals. Propagation is pri- anti-parasitic plant. Use garlic to treat infections of all
marily by bulbs. Seeds are rarely produced. kinds, including colds, flu, sore throats, bronchitis,
stomach flu, and intestinal worms.
Edible Use: The bulbs are the only part of the garlic
eaten and are usually used for seasoning or as a condi- Thrush, Yeast, and Fungal Infections: Use
ment. garlic preparations topically to treat thrush infections
and other types of yeast or fungal infections. Spread a
paste of garlic on the affected area several times a day
and eat garlic regularly to clear the infection internally.
Digestive Problems: Garlic improves digestion
and is useful to relieve excessive gas, bloating, and
other digestive upsets.
Lowers Blood Sugars in Diabetics: Garlic
helps lower blood sugar in diabetics by improving the
function of the pancreas and increasing the secretion
Medicinal Use: For internal use, I usually recom- of insulin.
mend that people simply eat more garlic in their foods.
For best results, garlic should be chopped fine and al- This helps the body regulate blood sugar levels and al-
leviates the problems associated with high blood sugar.
lowed to rest for 10 minutes or so before cooking. Eat-
ing it raw is even better. To be effective, garlic needs to be eaten at every meal
in significant quantities. Adding a couple of cloves of
Chopping, and allowing time for the sulfurous com- pickled garlic to the meal is usually enough to get the
pounds to develop in the garlic, will make it more po- full benefits.
tent. Some people complain of a strong garlic smell in
the sweat when consuming garlic. This is a natural re- Bronchitis, Whooping Cough, Congestion
sponse and indicates that the body is using the benefi- of All Causes: Garlic has a strong decongestant ef-
cial components. To alleviate this complaint, eat fresh fect and expectorant action. It is useful for maladies
parsley with the garlic. where phlegm or mucous is a problem. Garlic also
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