Garlic and Your Health

Garlic (allium sativum) is packed full of health-promoting power. It's famous for being one of our most powerful natural health allies. It can be used in poultices and teas or in direct applications. Or you can enjoy more of it in all your favorite foods. In fact, nearly everyone would benefit from a generous boost of garlic in the daily diet, because it...

* is a potent antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and immune-boosting herb
* can be used to treat wounds, infections and sties
* improves circulation
* treats ulcers
* attacks cold germs and flu viruses
* prevents and treats respiratory and throat problems, such as chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, sore throat, tonsillitis and pneumocystis pneumonia
* alleviates allergy symptoms
* retards inflammatory reactions
* can be used directly to treat burns and insect bites and stings
* treats earaches and ear infections
* helps prevent altitude sickness
* is effective at treating breastfeeding- related mastitis with the added bonus of not introducing antibiotics into baby's milk
* helps babies nurse better
* reduces high cholesterol levels
* helps control blood sugar levels
* lowers high blood pressure
* helps prevent ischemic stroke (If you're concerned about hemorrhagic stroke, avoid anti-clotting herbs.)
* helps prevent heart disease and heart attacks
* helps prevent angina and congestive heart failure
* reduces ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation of cardiac arrhythmia
* treats athlete's foot and other fungal infections
* treats vaginal yeast infections (candidiasis) , thrush and vaginitis
* helps prevent some types of cancer
* helps prevent migraines
* helps treat both types of herpes virus
* treats pinworms, roundworms, giardia (an amoeba) and other parasitic infections
* contains more blood-thinnning anticoagulants (9) than any other herb
* may help slow physiological aging and age-related memory loss
* helps prevent opportunistic infections of AIDS, and may inhibit spread of HIV in the body
* helps reduce the leg pain associated with peripheral vascular disease
* fights tuberculosis and enhances the action of standard antibiotics in fighting off tuberculosis bacteria