Are you worried yet about your health? Are you anxious about your heart, or about the possibility of contracting cancer? If so, you are not alone, and your concerns are quite valid. Cancer and heart disease are today's major killers, and as of now, we are yet to find a safe and effective drug, that can prevent these diseases. Some will argue that taking one or two aspirins a day can reduce the risk of heart disease, and it saddens me to see how many people are doing this, because I know the problems brought by aspirin over use, if these people knew about the long term damage caused by this drug, they would think twice, before popping another one into their mouths. Maybe they would give up that harmful habit if they learn that there is a better answer to preventing these and other diseases. What is the answer? The herb called Garlic, but don't just take my word, even scientists are supporting its properties.
A lot of people use garlic in cooking without knowing that this herb has quite a few medicinal uses. Although Garlic has been around for several thousands of years, its origins are quite obscure. It is thought to have come from Russia making its way to the Mediterranean countries. Garlic was known to be used in the diets of ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. Garlic is known to aid digestion, ward off colds, infection, expel worms, ease chest congestion, help alleviate rheumatism and cleanse the intestines. In World War I, garlic juice was used on the sterile bandages to prevent infection. Garlic has also been known to help hardening of the arteries, sinus problems, skin complexion, and hay fever if taken in capsule form on a regular basis.
This herb has been study, and the results are amazing, garlic contains a large number of sulphur compounds. One of these compounds is diallyl disulphide, which has remarkable anti-cancer properties. This compound prevents two early stages of carcinogenesis, initiation and promotion, from developing. The anti-initiator activity is the result of two complementary mechanisms:
- diallyl disulphide prevents certain carcinogenic substances from being activated
- moreover, this molecule stimulates enzymes capable of neutralising the activity of carcinogenic substances
These two mechanisms reduce the toxicity of carcinogens to cell DNA. Diallyl disulphide is metabolised in the liver into an oxide compound that may be behind the effects described.
In both cases, these studies have dealt with cancer prevention in rat liver, but the mechanisms brought to light give reason to believe that their scope is much wider: effects on other cancers, potential extrapolation to humans.
As fruit and vegetables are rich in minor constituents, nutritionists have increasingly shown an interest in their role in the prevention of cancers, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory diseases over the last decade.
One the most interesting stories of the properties of garlic, came to me from South Africa, Professor Sid Cywes, a former paediatric surgeon at University of Cape Town was having trouble hybridizing his orchids seeds. The trouble was a fungal infection in his culture medium. Mr Peter De Wet, a chief research technologist and Prof Cywes hatched a plan that entailed a dose of garlic. To their astonishment administering garlic to their orchid culture medium killed the mould. They then went on to test garlic's ability to combat the yeast Candida. At that time one of Prof Cywe's patients, a baby at the Red Cross Hospital had a serious Candida infection down the entire length of its oesophagus and gastro-intestinal tract. A garlic solution added to the baby's milk cured the child within 48 hours.
Since then about thirty very sick infants, where broad spectrum antibiotics failed to bring improvement, have been given fresh allicin enterally. The allicin treatment brought about a significant success. However, this was not a controlled clinical study.
One of the active ingredients in garlic is a compound called allicin. On crushing fresh garlic, an enzyme called alliinase is released which rapidly converts the odorless compound alliin into allicin bearing the typical odor of garlic. Allicin is highly unstable and rapidly converts to other sulfur-compounds such as ajoene. It is however allicin and ajoene which have been the main subject of research. These compounds block the enzymes which are necessary for metabolism of the micro-organisms. They have been shown to inhibit the growth of more than 23 organisms. A very interesting point is that no resistance to allicin has been found up to date.
Garlic and its compounds, have been tested against the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and it had tremendous success. Allicin has also been shown to inhibit Campylobacter- universally recognized as the most common cause of gastro-enteritis in very young children of low-income families. These findings are of much interest as bacteria including Helicobacter and Campylobacter are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
I just hope that more people are exposed to this information, so they can make a wiser decision when it comes to preventing diseases like the ones we discussed here. Please send this article to your friends and loved ones, share with them the information you have, help them keep their health.
Until next time,
Charles Silverman N.D.
Is the author of ?The Homemade Medicine e-book First Edition? and owner of http://www.homemademedicine.com
e-mail: http://www.homemademedicine.com
After WLS we must concentrate on eating nutrient rich food.... Read More
BASIC MEAL & MENU PLANNINGAs a basis for meals and... Read More
The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news,... Read More
Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all... Read More
Anyone who has spent a day fasting from food, or... Read More
Apple cider vinegar is a product of apple juice fermentation.... Read More
While oxygen is the key to human survival, it is... Read More
Some of the things you think you know that just... Read More
What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known... Read More
ABC News has recently focused on the possible anti-aging benefits... Read More
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body... Read More
The nutritional support in critically ill patients can be explained... Read More
Summer brings a lot of fantastic things with it, but... Read More
In health circles there has been much recent talk about... Read More
Most recipes end with instructions to "serve immediately." You could... Read More
What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More
America's major dietary deficiency - EFA a panacea for good... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
Originally, all foods were "organic" ? grown and prepared without... Read More
The natural antioxidants in Oat Bran can significantly reduce blood... Read More
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More
Water is a vitally important component of any valuable and... Read More
If you want to build muscle, lose body fat or... Read More
I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
spotless home service Arlington Heights ..Having a personal wellness program has become a concern for... Read More
Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you... Read More
Zingiber officinale has been held in the highest regard by... Read More
You've heard that old saying: True beauty comes from within.... Read More
Many people avoid avocados thinking them to be fattening, but... Read More
What I am also going to point out is the... Read More
Do you need omega 3 fatty acid in your diet?... Read More
Despite the fact that accurate nutrition information can be accessed... Read More
The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More
In order for a person to actually have a healthy... Read More
I'd like to explain an important concept that most online... Read More
Bread is one of the oldest known recipes to man.... Read More
You really are what you eat. You are also very... Read More
Most red and white meats are very fatty and are... Read More
Salt does Not Cause High Blood Pressure. Some things you... Read More
The adrenal or "stress glands" are small, triangular shaped glands... Read More
In this fast paced world, good nutrition may sound very... Read More
Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More
What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer... Read More
OmegaRx Fish Oil, quoted as being close to a Medical... Read More
As you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More
A hundred years ago, life was very different here on... Read More
The benefits from eating healthy are endless. And, according to... Read More
Nutrition |