Importance of well balance diet
All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.
GARLIC
Typical serving size:
3 cloves (9 g)HOW IT HARMS
Bleeding problems Skin irritation Toxic drug interactionWHAT IT HEALS
High blood pressure Atherosclerosis Heart disease Diabetes Colon and rectal cancers Infections Tick bites Herbalists and folk healers have used garlic to treat myriad diseases for thousands of yearsAncient Egyptian healers prescribed it to build physical strength, the Greeks used it as a laxative, and the Chinese traditionally used it to lower blood pressure
In the Middle Ages, eating liberal quantities of garlic was credited with providing immunity from the plague
Louis Pasteur, the great 19th-century French chemist, was the first to demonstrate garlic’s antiseptic properties, information that was put to use during World Wars I and II by the British, German, and Russian armies
Since then, numerous studies have confirmed that garlic can be effective against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites
Today, many proponents of herbal medicine prescribe garlic to help prevent colds, flu, and other infectious diseases
Health Benefits
Much of the scientific research surrounding garlic focuses on its sulfur compoundsOne of the most active of these compounds, allicin, is formed when garlic is cooked, cut, or chewed
Can lower high blood pressure
Research shows that garlic can reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure by as much as 7 to 8%
In addition, garlic seems to reduce atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries, a condition brought on by age
Reduces risk of heart disease
Although research is mixed on whether garlic lowers cholesterol, it still may benefit the heart
Ajoene, created when allicin breaks down, may reduce the risk of heart attacks by preventing the formation of blood clots
50% reduced risk of cancer is associated with eating a clove of garlic a day, according to a National Cancer Institute study of men in Shanghai
May help reverse diabetes
A recent animal study found that high doses of raw garlic significantly reduced blood sugar levels, in effect helping to reverse diabetes
Since supplements show no blood sugar benefits, enjoy garlic the old-fashioned way
Can fight certain types of cancers
Garlic may help reduce the risk of colon, stomach, and rectal cancers
Garlic contains sulfur compounds that may stimulate the immune system’s natural defenses against cancer and may have the potential to reduce tumor growth
Studies suggest that garlic can reduce the incidence of stomach cancer by as much as a factor of 12
However, garlic supplements do not offer the same benefit
Wards off infections
Garlic contains compounds that act as powerful natural antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents
It has been shown to inhibit the fungi that cause athlete’s foot, vaginal yeast infections, and many cases of ear infection
It may be as effective against certain fungi as antifungal medications
May prevent tick bites
Research shows that people who eat high amounts of garlic over a 5- month period have fewer tick bites than those who do not eat garlic
Health Risks
Bleeding problemsGarlic, especially raw garlic, might increase bleeding because it thins the blood in a manner similar to aspirin
Stop consuming garlic 2 weeks before any scheduled surgeries or dental work
Stomach irritation
Garlic can irritate the gastrointestinal tract
Limit amounts if you suffer from stomach or digestion problems
Toxic risk
While many people like to store chopped garlic in oil, these preparations are potentially dangerous if the garlic has not been thoroughly cleaned
Minute amounts of adhering soil can harbor spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacterium that can germinate and cause botulism, a deadly form of food poisoning
This can occur without any evidence of spoilage
Buy only commercial preparations that contain preservatives such as salt or acids