The truth about garlic is everywhere. Certainly, there are myths also linked with garlic, about how it can ward off vampires. In today\'s society, if it can help avert the many diseases that we seem to be getting, it\'s nothing short of a miracle herb. What\'s interesting is that it\'s been around from a long time as well.
Garlic has been used since the ages for good health. But experts are discovering new and interesting uses of this herb and the benefits it can give. Here is a look at some of the ways in which garlic can benefit you.
* Managing cancer - Yes, garlic can actually help in treating cancer. Studies have shown that certain components in garlic such as diallyl disulfide can help you in building a strong immune system and destroy the cancer cells. Garlic is furthermore known to minimize papillary lung tumors. Eating a clove of raw garlic is also known to reduce the occurrence of cancers in the first place.
* High blood pressure - Remarkable, but true. Garlic can help in checking your blood pressure so that the high levels can come down to normal levels. Conventional Asian medicine recognizes garlic as an powerful hypertension controller and this fact is being corroborated by scientists all over the globe today. For garlic to help you in controlling your hypertension, you can take its fresh juice, crush a clove in hot milk or simply take one clove every day.
* Garlic is known to even treat ear infections, particularly in small children who are very prone to them. Garlic acts as nature\'s own antibiotic with out the dangerous effects as it has strong anti bacterial and anti microbial qualities. Juice from the cloves of raw garlic diluted with water can be placed in the ear directly. Do note that this can cause plenty of pain as the garlic starts acting on the microbes that have caused the infection. The pain however lasts for just a little while and along with it the infection also subsides.
* Garlic as antibiotic - Garlic is mother nature\'s own antibiotic and the best part about it is that it doesn\'t get rid of healthy bacteria at the same time. More and more individuals are turning to garlic as an effective antibiotic.
* Boosting antioxidant levels - Garlic helps in pushing up the entire antioxidant levels of the body and this thus has its own chain of actions resulting in decreased serum glucose levels as well as reduced blood pressure.
* Garlic gets rid of the toxins from the body so it is a great way to get your body cleaned up.
* Garlic contains allicin, a powerful compound that works as an antibiotic and helps heal skin infections as well. It\'s interesting to know that allicin does not occur on its own but is made when garlic is chopped or crushed.
* In the past garlic was known not just as a vampire repellant but furthermore because it helped in healing bruises and wounds. It was also a well-known treatment for flatulence and indigestion.
* Garlic is not simply healthy for your body, but it is also fantastic for your skin. Frequent usage of garlic tones the skin, making it smooth while also making your nails stronger. One more amazing benefit is that it regulates dandruff related issues as well.
There are of course some side effects that you have to think about before you liberally begin taking garlic to get all those benefits. Everything in moderation works well but if you overdo it, that is, eat a lot more garlic than you should, the following are the most likely side effects that you might probably undergo -
* Body odor - If you eat a lot of garlic, you\'ll observe that you have started smelling like garlic. This is simply because the garlic is released through your pores and this lasts until all garlic is eliminated from your body. The body odor can be embarrassing and can cause a lot of stress.
* Garlic breath - Eating too much raw garlic can cause plenty of bad breath and this could hamper your social life. The only way to counter it would be to eat raw garlic together with your food and to ideally eat it before you go to sleep.
* Digestion issues - Too much of a good thing can only be bad. So also with garlic and studies have shown that if you eat too much garlic, it can burn the lining of your stomach and cause you plenty of pain.
* Allergies - For some people who suffer from garlic allergy, there could be rashes, fever or vomiting. It might also react adversely with some anti-coagulants as well.
* The sulfur in garlic could result in botulism, which can cause severe stomach upset or even death.
If you have decided to make garlic an important part of your healthy lifestyle, make sure that you get natural garlic that has all the amazing benefits inherent in garlic. In your regular shops, you may well come across chemically treated garlic which is of no use. If the garlic bulb has sprouted, it indicates that the garlic has aged and has lost all its valuable ingredients.
The best way to make sure that garlic maintains all its beneficial compounds is to crush it finely and add it to food. Some people also choose to have garlic juice whereas others hate its smell and taste. For such people, there are plenty of garlic based supplements which work just fine and could be like your daily dose of vitamins.
Physically speaking, a bulb of garlic might be like an onion bulb but metaphorically also, there\'s a significant similarity. Just as you peel the different layers of an onion, with garlic, everyday new and more potent uses are being uncovered.
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