Kitchen Medicine

FONT SIZE

T T T

Garlic (Allium sativum)

 

Garlic is one of the favorite of all herbs.
Garlic doesn't just add great flavor to any meal but is also a wonderful home remedy whenever an antiseptic/antibiotic is needed.
Naturally its action is most beneficial when eaten raw.

There are several ways of making this quite a palatable experience.A great way to enjoy raw garlic is to mix it with honey and lemon juice as a dressing for avocados, or as a syrup.
Some also like eating garlic and apple together, a most healthful combination.
A soup consisting of lots of garlic, onion and strong chilies is one of the best remedies to ward off threatening colds.
This should be eaten at the first signs of weakness.
Garlic reduces cholesterol levels, is beneficial for the heart and blood circulation as it lowers the blood pressure (vasodilator) and inhibits arteriosclerosis.
It is full of vitamins and acts strongly antiseptic.
It kills worms (enema) and disinfects most foods (great precaution when traveling in countries where one cannot be sure of food safety - always add a little garlic, chili and lemon juice).
It also stimulates the liver and gallbladder.
Garlic acts diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulating and disinfecting.
Cooked in milk it is a great expectorant remedy for the lungs and garlic juice used to be used as a remedy for tuberculosis.
Steeped in Olive oil it makes a good application for ear aches. For severe cases, a heated clove of garlic (lightly toasted) can be applied directly to the ear, perhaps wrapping it in a thin layer of gauze to avoid a skin reaction.
Due to the strong nature of this remedy its use should be closely monitored.
In sensitive individuals too much raw garlic can cause internal or external skin irritation.