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Herbs: Garlic - minced

Excerpts from The ABC Herbal

Garlic is a wonderful natural antibiotic. It is as powerful as penicillin without the side effects. In my experience, I have found it to be superior to antibiotics in fighting many common ailments. Fortunately, there are herbs which support the body in its efforts to fight infection and help to remove the underlying cause of the disease. Our favorite herb example is garlic, which, as previously discussed, we use in enemas and in external applications as well as internally. Garlic has been called “nature’s penicillin” because it has powerful infection-fighting qualities with no harmful side effects. (It does have one unpleasant, but harmless side effect, its smell.)

In his book, Advanced Treatise in Herbology, Dr. Edward Shook had this to say about the valuable antibiotic properties of garlic:

"The use of garlic in the 1st World War (WW1) as an antiseptic was most sensational. In 1916, the British government asked for tons of the bulbs, offering one shilling a pound for as much as could be produced. A great quantity of it was used for the control of suppuration in wounds. The raw juice was expressed, diluted with water, and put on swabs of sterilized sphagnum moss which was applied to the wounds. Where this treatment was given, it has been proved that there has never been one single case of sepsis or septic results. Consequently, the lives of tens of thousands have been saved by this one miraculous herb."

We have used garlic for respiratory problems, earaches, bacterial infections, sore throats, colds, fevers, abscesses and injuries with excellent results. Although children don’t like it, we have occasionally given them squirts of garlic oil (garlic oil diluted in olive oil) internally. However, we more frequently use it in an enema, or rub it into the skin over the afflicted area. The volatile oils in garlic (which have the antiseptic action) penetrate right through the skin into the blood and lymph within seconds.

Garlic helps stimulate the flow of blood and lymph, promotes perspiration, expels phlegm and otherwise improves the internal environment to make it unfriendly to harmful micro-organisms. In fact, a nurse who worked in a hospital growing bacterial cultures told me how she had proven to herself the powerful effect of garlic. She took a petri dish with a very powerful strain of bacteria and set a peeled clove of garlic in the center of the dish. Within two hours, every bacteria in the dish was dead. She told me it took eight hours for the strongest antibiotic the hospital had to kill that same strain of bacteria when the antibiotic was sprayed over the whole plate. That shows you how penetrating the effects of garlic are.

Garlic is one of the best herbs for an earache. When we were first married, my wife has some sever ear infections which we had a difficult time getting rid of. Then, she discovered garlic. Now, whenever she feels an earache coming on she peels a fresh clove of garlic and puts it in her ear like a hearing aid. (She doesn’t put it into the ear canal; she just sets it on the outer part of the ear.) That’s it. Within the hour, the pain is gone.

Since children usually won’t keep the garlic clove on their ear (unless you tape it in place), we usually use garlic oil. We rub the garlic oil around the ear, especially underneath the ear and jaw moving down into the throat. This encourages lymph flow. Then we put a few drops of warm garlic oil directly into the ear. Make sure the garlic oil is at least body temperature or the coolness of it will cause the ear to contract and increase rather than ease the pain. Rocking or “bouncing” the child also helps to increase lymph flow. I generally give the child a garlic enema as well.

Excerpts from The How to Herb Book

Garlic is called nature’s antibiotic. It contains allicin, a natural antibiotic. One milligram of allicin has a potency of 15 standard units of penicillin. It is effective against toxic bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Garlic contains more germanium, an anti-cancer agent, than any other herb. In tests with mice and rats, garlic fed groups developed no cancer where no-garlic fed groups developed some cancers. In Russia, garlic was found to retard tumor growth in humans.

• Active against staphylococcus and E. coli bacteria.
• Good to take for all diseases (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-cancer) including contagious diseases.
• Protects against infection.
• Has detoxifying effects on all the body systems.
• Improves, tones, and strengthens entire physical condition. Has rejuvenating effect on all cells.
• Builds endurance and energy.
• Strengthens body defenses against allergens.
• Has soft oils that help to emulsify plaque and loosen it from arterial walls.
• Contains selenium which helps arteriosclerosis.
• Strengthens blood vessels.
• Equalizes blood pressure, high or low.
• Has a sugar regulating factor.
• Taken internally one of the most effective herbs for killing and expelling parasites.
• Used in enemas. Besides being used as a straight garlic enema, it is excellent to combine with Catnip for a Catnip/Garlic enema. The catnip pulls mucus, and soothes the cramping of the colon, etc. The garlic kills the germs and parasites, improves peristaltic action, and also pulls mucus.
• Garlic contains protein, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, B, B2, and C, calcium, sulfur, selenium, germanium, allicin, allicetoin I & II, aluminum, chlorine, manganese, zinc, copper, and iron.

Has been used in the following:

Excerpts from Practical Herbalism

Probably because of the strong sulphury odor associated with it, garlic was given mixed reviews by historical herbalists…Pliny gives an exceedingly long list of complaints, in which it was considered beneficial, and Galen eulogizes it as the rustics’ Theriac, or Heal-All.” Garlic was in important ingredient in the famous Vinegar of Four Thieves that protected looters that plundered the bodies and homes of Plague victims. In more recent times, garlic has gained the status of one of the few herbs universally recognized as a beneficial healer. Prior to the advent of antibiotics, and during wars when they have been in short supply, garlic preparations were used on wounds to prevent infection. Practical experience and scientific research alike has confirmed its abilities to strengthen immune function, improve circulation, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, quell infections and lower fevers. In laboratory studies, garlic has been shown to have direct anti-microbial actions equivalent to many anti-biotic drugs, but without those drugs’ tendency to create resistant strains of pathogens.

Indicated Usages - Internal:

Indicated Usages - External:

Notes:

Garlic’s power and value as a healing agent cannot be overstated. John Heinerman (Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs & Spices) states, "The role of Garlic as an antiviral and anti-bacterial agent is unsurpassed. There are no…repeat, NO…modern antibiotic drugs in the entire arsenal of medical science that even come close to doing what Garlic can do."

To reduce the odor associated with consuming garlic, take it with fresh or dried parsley, or chew a few caraway or Fennel seeds. To reduce the feeling of nausea that occasionally accompanies large doses, a bit of fresh or crystallized Ginger can be added. To remove garlic odor from hands, rub with fresh lemon juice before washing.

The entire onion (Alliums spp.) family contains to a lesser or greater degree many of garlic’s constituents and properties.

Excerpts from Nutritional Herbology

Garlic has been widely studied by chemists. Many antibiotic, hypocholesterolemic, hypotension and antithrombotic principles have been isolated from the bulb.

Unlike many herbs, there is a near consensus of opinion on the value of garlic in the diet from both culinary artists and medical practitioners.

Garlic has been found to be effective in treating a myriad of conditions in the circulatory, urinary, respiratory and digestive tracts by a remarkably simple mechanism. Its vast arsenal of sulfur-containing volatile oils are readily absorbed and transported throughout the body (except through the brain blood barrier).

Unlike proteinaceous and polysaccharide drugs, garlic’s oils can be effective against infections nearly anywhere in the body, which accounts for garlic’s versatility. Thus, garlic is effective against conditions in the circulatory system by lowering blood sugar, blood lipids, free cholesterol, low density lipoproteins and blood pressure while at the same time raising high density lipoproteins.

In the circulatory system, it eases bronchial secretions making it useful in the treatment of asthma.

In the urinary system, volatile oils stimulate (by irritation) the cleanse by purge mechanism of the kidneys, which results in a greater flow of urine.

In the digestive system, garlic stimulates the production of bile and thus aids digestion.

Recent research shows garlic to be an effective immune stimulant. When combined with anaerobic exercise, garlic has shown to increase the quantity, longevity and killing power of natural killer cells ten fold.

On top of all these properties, garlic produces a wide spectrum antimicrobial effect on gram positive and gram negative bacteria, fungus and certain worms.

Contains aromatic compounds that lower blood pressure, heart rate and blood cholesterol while increasing coronary circulation. These compounds also fight infections, reduce muscle spasms, increase immune response, promote sweating, increase the production of digestive fluids and decrease the thickness while increasing the production of mucosal fluid. Garlic has been used to treat colds, coughs, asthma, coronary heart disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, infections, inflammatory skin conditions, and hemorrhoids.

From Our Reading and/or Experience...

• This is not like the Garlic you may find on a spice rack in a supermarket. This is much fresher and more effective.
• Like most spices, it is potent and a little goes a long way. Nonetheless, we do go wild with it. This is our all time favorite herb. Anyone in our community can attest to that, as we do often smell like it. We use it often fresh, and in larger quantities than anyone we know.
• We hardly make a tincture or fill capsules without adding a little bit of Garlic. Of course, it can be used in many other types of remedies.
• Garlic is a food and spice. Thus, we keep it in the kitchen as all other food ingredients. We add it to many dishes (salads, meat dishes, stir fry, eggs, vegetables, and on, and on) to enhance the flavor and add nutritional value to our foods.
• Garlic can be used to benefit anyone: men, women (including before, during or after pregnancy, and nursing), children and animals.
• It can be used as often as you would like, and in any way you choose.
• As is the case with most spices, Garlic should be stored in a dark, dry, and cool place.

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