Time for another ‘Info-byte’ on an herb---one you’re all familiar with:  Garlic.  How cool…that something that the majority of us think tastes really good in many, many foods is actually good for us…WooHoo!

A quick note before we begin---as I share information on specific herbs, please keep in mind that no herb or herbal supplement is meant to be a ‘Quick Fix’ which is what our society, as a whole, has gotten used to…and, for the most part, has come to expect.  Just as important as taking a specific herb or blend of herbs is finding out the cause of the health challenge (pain, inflammation, allergies, bloating, poor sleeping, etc…) and taking appropriate action.

There are some herbs that are just so good for us, that it makes sense to include them into our daily diet.  Something as common as the herb, garlic fits in this category.  Here’s the ‘short list’ on the benefits of garlic:

• Lowers blood pressure, blood cholesterol & triglyceride levels
• Aids in digestion of fats & oils
• Is a powerful antioxidant (cancer fighter) with additional cancer-fighting properties
• Has great antibacterial, antifungal & antiviral properties
• Strengthens immune system, in part by increasing white blood cells (phagocytes) that surround & digest foreign cells
• Activates T-cells (T-cells ‘search & destroy’ bad cells in our body)
• Remedy for diarrhea caused by poor digestion or worms
• Can be mixed with sesame oil & applied topically to skin for fungal infections

Even one clove of garlic a day can be beneficial, with 2-6 cloves a day recommended when fighting infections & other health challenges.  Garlic supplements are available, although there is conflicting information as to their effectiveness in a pill/capsule form.                                                  

DID YOU KNOW??   If garlic is tossed directly into hot oil, or a whole garlic clove cooked without crushing (or at least cutting off the top), it will still give the great garlic taste you’re looking for, but little or no health benefits. Garlic has active agents called allyl sulfide compounds which are produced when the clove is chopped or crushed. This breaks the cell walls and starts a series of chemical reactions (which also produce garlic’s wonderful smell). Heating the garlic immediately after chopping inactivates a crucial enzyme in the process.  Once the compounds develop, they are quite stable and can withstand the heat of cooking.  So crush or chop the cloves--then let them sit for 10 or 15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.

Garlic purchased in jars, already chopped, may be just as healthful, as well as garlic stored in the freezer.

Just got my ND license plate---it says ‘HEALTHY’---my goal is to get others thinking more & more (esp. those on the road behind me!) about being healthy---and about simple & safe things they can do to get Healthy & stay Healthy!

To YOUR Continued Health---Blessings!

Sana