Many of the world’s most healthy individuals reside in China and Italy. One of the reasons this is the case is the use of simple, every-day garlic.
Garlic, particularly when served raw and minced, shows evidence of possessing antibiotic and antiviral effects. This is literally nature’s medicine.This is significant since we do not, as of yet, have medicines to combat certain viruses and bacteria which are gradually evolving to adapt to our oral antibiotics.
Garlic may not be strong enough by itself to be considered a treatment, but if your immune system is under stress, eating garlic regularly might be just enough to prevent you from getting run down or sick. When combined with other natural sources like vitamin C and E that bolster the immune system, garlic becomes extremely potent in the prevention of illness.
Perhaps its greatest value is in the protection of blood vessels. This effect is well-documented — in fact, many studies conclude that garlic can aid in the “reversal” of symptoms related to heart disease.
Eating garlic regularly lowers high blood pressure in some people. And, as reported in one particular study, eating garlic regularly or taking it in supplemental form (see the sidebar to your left to purchase supplemental garlic) helped remove calcium deposits in the arteries. Calcium deposits are correlated in several studies with the onset of heart attacks and strokes.
Garlic contributes to healthy blood vessels and also slows the progression of heart disease by reducing plaque formation in your coronary arteries. As if that wasn’t enough, garlic has been shown to lower the level of homocysteine in your blood, which is a nasty rouge protein that causes inflammation. Heart disease, and many diseases in general, are correlated with high body inflammation.
One study of people with existing heart disease and homocysteine levels over 13.0 (under 10 is considered good, but we prefer under 6) found that adding garlic to the proven formulation of B6, B12 and folic acid (all simple B vitamins) lowered homocysteine more efficiently and more rapidly.
Some people are allergic to garlic, or merely dislike the odor. For those who simply do not like the taste or smell – it is recommends supplemental garlic.
