Nature's Antibiotic | Garlic

I never thought about it until I was older and had my own children, but when my siblings and I were growing up, we rarely got sick. I can count on one hand the amount of times I actually got sick and stayed home from school...once. My mother put garlic in just about everything we ate, and I'd like to think it played a part in why we rarely got sick. Myself and other gardeners grow garlic not just for cooking, but also to deter pests. I plant one full bed of garlic for cooking, and then I scatter garlic throughout the garden as a pest repellent. Those are the ones I don't worry much about harvesting.

Ancient Egyptians used garlic for energy. Ayurvedic doctors in India in the first century used it for heart disease and infections.

Constituents:

• volatile oils

• vitamins

• lipids

• mucilage

• germanium

• carbohydrates

• amino acids

• glucokinins

• lectins

• enzymes (alliinase, also found in onions, is the compound that produces the strong vapors that make your eyes water)

Characteristics:

• antibiotic

• antimicrobial

• expectorant

• antithrombotic

• antispasmodic and carminative

• antiviral

• antibacterial

• antiparasitic

• antifungal

Parts used: bulb

What Ailments Does Garlic Help With?

Garlic is great for infections. It helps nourish the digestive, urinary and respiratory systems by improving immunity. It's a decongestant, expectorant, and helps reduce coughs. It helps with cystitis, colds, and mild stomach and intestinal infections. Garlic can improve circulation in the heart and reduce blood clotting. It's also great for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.