ways to eat more garlic

Yes, garlic tastes good. And as you’ve probably heard, it’s also good for you. Whole books have been written about the health benefits of garlic. But can it really make a difference to your health? If so, just how much of it do you really need to eat? And are garlic supplements as effective as fresh garlic?

The research on garlic

Scientists have spent a lot of energy answering these questions. They haven’t discovered any magical powers in garlic, but their research does suggest that compounds in garlic truly contribute to good overall health. Garlic has antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-clotting effects. That’s a lot of benefits from one little vegetable!

• Garlic may your lower blood pressure, at least slightly, and particularly if you have high blood pressure. It relaxes the blood vessels and increases blood flow by boosting our supply of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a gas that that the body produces naturally, but in dwindling amounts as we age.
• The hydrogen sulfide in garlic may also protect the heart from tissue and cell damage. This is the kind of damage that is seen, for example, in heart attack patients or in diabetes patients with cardiomyopathy, a condition that inflames and weakens the muscle tissue of the heart.
• Garlic may slightly lower your cholesterol. In doing so, it may also slow the development of atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries that can lead to heart disease or stroke.
• It’s possible that garlic may lower your risk of some cancers, although more research needs to be done before we know for sure. A compound of garlic called allicin produces an acid that helps stop free radicals from damaging cells. This antioxidant effect is more powerful than similar effects found in onions, leeks, and shallots.
• Garlic might reduce the frequency and number of colds when taken for prevention. However, research is still in its early days. The reason for possible reduction in colds is unclear. It may be that allicin blocks enzymes that are active in bacterial and viral infections. Or, it may be that people who eat lots of garlic avoid catching other people’s germs because no one gets too close to them!
• A gel containing ajoene, a chemical found in garlic, can clear up fungal infections of the skin such as athlete’s foot. But watch out! Burns and skin damage are possible if garlic is directly applied to the skin.

Scientists agree that garlic is a healthy ingredient and should be a part of every diet. Still, it’s important to note that many claims about garlic’s benefits are based on test tube studies or animal studies. There’s still very little research in humans showing significant effects.

How to reap garlic’s benefits

If you want to increase the amount of garlic that you eat, you’ll find that it’s easy to incorporate more into your diet. I like to sauté a little in olive oil when I make scrambled eggs for breakfast. Every year during basil season, I make many jars of garlic pesto. I’m also a big fan of pita sandwiches filled with garlicky hummus or tzatziki and vegetables. (In case you’ve never had it, tzatziki is a delicious creamy dressing made of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and herbs.) And of course for dinner, garlic goes into almost everything I cook!

To really benefit from the protective effects of garlic, some research indicates that we should eat at least two medium-sized garlic cloves every day. In general, though, the more garlic you eat, the more protective it is. Scientists have made some suggestions for getting the most out of whatever amount you eat:

• Eat it fresh. Fresh garlic has significantly higher levels of allicin than jarred.
• Store it at room temperature.
• After you crush a garlic clove, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes. This triggers an enzyme reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in garlic.
• Eat it raw – for example, in salad dressing or hummus — whenever possible, if you can tolerate the very strong taste! Cooking garlic reduces the protective activity of allicin.

Garlic appears to be safe for almost everyone. However, if you dislike garlic or have trouble digesting it, you may consider taking garlic-powder supplements. But it’s important to know that the beneficial compounds in garlic may be less potent once processed into a pill. It’s also unclear if certain garlic supplements are better than others.

Also, if you’re increasing your intake of fresh garlic or garlic supplements, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.

• Large doses of garlic may interfere with some medications and reduce their effectiveness. Garlic seems to affect enzymes in the liver that help remove certain drugs from the body. The result could be diminished levels of some drugs in the body. This effect could be particularly important in people undergoing chemotherapy. If you’re thinking about taking garlic supplements, talk to your doctor first.
• Large amounts of garlic can thin the blood, so it can slow blood clotting. Taking garlic along with medications that also slow clotting (for example: ibuprofen, clopidogrel, or warfarin) increases the chances of bruising and bleeding. If you’re about to have surgery, ask your doctor whether you should temporarily avoid extra garlic.
• Garlic may irritate your stomach. If you have heartburn, acid reflux (GERD), or an ulcer, it could make these conditions worse.
• And about your breath and body odor: The body releases some of the compounds in garlic in the breath and sweat because it can’t break them down during digestion. So garlic’s distinct odor can linger long after you’ve eaten it. Routine brushing and flossing can eliminate some of these odors. It’s also possible that drinking milk (both fat-free and whole) can block the stinky effects of garlic.
• It’s possible to sweat out the smell of garlic through your skin, too. An extra shower might be needed hours after a garlic-loaded meal.

New ways to enjoy garlic

I think it’s important to point out that there’s a lot more to garlic than what you find in most grocery stores. Diana Dyer — a member of the Breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board — is an expert on growing and cooking with garlic. Diana is a dietitian, cancer survivor, and organic farmer.

Every fall, Diana plants more than 50 different varieties of garlic on her Michigan farm. The varieties differ in size, color, shape, and taste.

At summer harvest, she reaps more than 17,000 bulbs of garlic. She sells these at local farmers’ markets, where she also spreads the word about two things that are entirely new to me: green garlic and garlic scapes.

• Green garlic results from digging up garlic cloves in the spring, before the clove turns into a bulb. The most mild-flavored form of garlic, green garlic is eaten like green onions – both the white clove and green shoots. Diana suggests using it raw to preserve its flavor, such as tossing it into salads, adding it at the last moment to stir-fry or hot pasta, or topping a pizza after it’s cooked.
• Garlic scapes are the green stem or flower-stalk that grow from some varieties. Although often discarded, they are increasingly available at farmers’ markets and some Asian markets. The scapes taste garlicky but with a fresh “green” taste and less bite than garlic cloves. You can use them anywhere you’d use garlic cloves. They work particularly well stirred into dips and sauces.

Diana is passionate about how nutrition can be used as one strategy for reducing risk of developing cancer or its recurrence. And she’s particularly interested in garlic’s potential cancer-fighting role. Her website provides lots more information about both. In particular, her website has many delicious, healthy recipes that have inspired me to try garlic in new ways. To help inspire you, I am including a particularly creative one here. Try it and let me know what you think!

Garlic ElixirModified from a recipe in Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, by Doug Oster.
From Diana: Use this on anything and nearly everything, such as bread, baked potatoes, pizza base, gyros, bruschetta, soups, egg salad, or even straight (here is where the “wowza” comes in!!!). Be creative!

Here are the top 10 health benefits of garlic.

1. Lowers Cholesterol Level

Studies have shown that eating 600mg to 900mg of garlic everyday lowers cholesterol level and reduces arterial plaque formation by 5% to 18%. The antioxidant properties in garlic help scavenge harmful free radicals, which can contribute to damage caused by LDL (“bad cholesterol”) in the blood. Garlic also blocks the liver from making too much LDL. So, when fresh garlic is consumed on regular basis it can significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels without hurting beneficial HDL cholesterol levels.

2. Reduces Arthritis Pain

Garlic has also been shown to reduce pain and other symptoms in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Ground garlic mixed with hot aloe lotion calms and eases pain in inflamed and aching joints due to rheumatism. Various chemical compounds present in garlic also are believed to aid in reducing inflammation associated with various forms of arthritis.

3. Reduces Weight

Many researchers believe that the anti-inflammatory property in garlic helps regulate the formation of fat cells in the body, one of the primary factors in obesity. Garlic also is highly diuretic in nature due to its essential oils and its low molecular weight sugars. Regular consumption of raw garlic or garlic supplements can help you maintain a healthy body weight.

4. Inhibits Cancer

Garlic helps to prevent cancer, especially of the digestive system, while also prevents certain tumors from growing larger and reducing the size of certain tumors. The presence of allyl sulfur in garlic can slow down the progress of cancerous cell growth. Daily intake of garlic is important for those who have a family history of cancer to lower their risk of many types of cancer.

5. Prevents Hypertension

Studies have shown that garlic also reduces high blood pressure. Garlic acts as a vasodilator which helps to widen the blood vessels, making blood flow smoother. Also garlic plays a huge role in preventing the formation of blood clots. This helps to lower blood pressure. People with high blood pressure must take garlic capsules daily for up to five months to lower blood pressure level. It is essential to consult a health expert before taking garlic supplements.

6. Combat Allergies

Garlic has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties that help the body fight different types of allergies. It also has been shown to reduce airway inflammation due to allergies (allergic rhinitis). It is highly recommended that people with allergies take a daily garlic supplement during the allergy season. Raw garlic juice is a good option for rapid relief from itching due to rashes, bug bites or any other kind of allergy.

1 cup garlic cloves, peeled, trimmed of ends and any imperfections
¼ cup parsley
½ to 1 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Pepper to taste
½ to 1 cup olive oil

Process garlic and parsley in a food processor until finely chopped. Then add in the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in a glass jar, covered with about ¼-inch olive oil, for up to 1 month.

Garlic, an ancient sex booster

Garlic Can Promote Your Sex Health

Today, sex is at the crossroads. With careening careers, boardroom battles and an alarming lack of sexual know-how, double-income—no-kids couples are finding it hard to cope with their sexual life which ultimately leads them to utter failure and disappointment in their marital life. Modern life is busy with instant commodities and it reflects every aspect of life today. Sexual problems are on the increase and estimates say that they have quadrupled in the past few years.

Natural remedies for sexual problems

Nature has given humanity many resources to solve many of his health problems. But the fast modern life which depends more on conventional treatments have completely neglected the God-given remedies. Many herbs in nature have the power to enhance healthy life, including sex. Garlic is one of such herbal remedies with many health benefits.

Garlic, an ancient sex booster

Though with a strong unpleasant odor, garlic has been a successful aphrodisiac from ancient times. The Chinese and the Indians were using it in their treatments for solving sexual problems and their medical systems are still making use of them for enhancing sex. It had a reputation as an aphrodisiac even in Shakespearean England.

Five important uses of garlic in enhancing sexual power

1) Solves impotence and erectile dysfunction

Garlic has always been known as an aphrodisiac and is known for improving blood circulation. An enzyme called nitric oxide synthase is primarily responsible for the mechanism called erection. Recent researches have shown that garlic in certain forms can stimulate the production of the above enzyme, particularly in individuals who have low levels of this enzyme.

2) Enhances libido (meaning sexual instinct or sexual drive)

Though it smells bad, if the top layers are peeled and the cloves crushed and fried in pure butter, it becomes an excellent aphrodisiac tonic. It can be consumed regularly with a spoon of honey on empty stomach.

3) Improves blood circulation

The marvelous effect of garlic in improving the blood flow is remarkable. Good blood flow to the genitals, both in men and women, increases the vitality and endurance of sexual power. Clogged arteries and sluggish blood,flow to the genitals diminish arousal for both genders. In this way the power of garlic is commendable.

4) Garlic helps women in their pregnancy period

New researches show that taking garlic during pregnancy can cut the risk of blood pressure raising and protein retention in urine. It is also proved that garlic can help to boost the birth weight of babies destined to be too small. Another benefit for pregnant women is found that taking standardized garlic tablets throughout pregnancy may decrease the chances of many complications during this period.

5) Promotes general health

Many of the health benefits of garlic are still under study. But the properties of garlic assure a healthy life which can make life happier and successful. Garlic has strong anti-inflammatory properties and it increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body. It is well known from ancient days for its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria and protect from diseases. In short garlic can be considered as an inevitable ingredient of our daily life which can make our food more delicious and our life more pleasant

Health Benefits of Garlic

Some of the health benefits of garlic are explained in greater detail below.

Diabetes: Diabetes can harm the kidneys, inhibit nervous system functions, cause heart disorders, and even lead to poor eyesight. The oil extracted from garlic may protect diabetic patients from these side effects.

High Cholesterol Levels: Of the two kinds of cholesterol –LDL and HDL, the former is bad for human health. Garlic, rich in the allicin compound, effectively prevents LDL cholesterol from oxidizing. All those who have high cholesterol levels should include garlic in their daily diet.

Hypertension: Garlic is an herbal ingredient for curing hypertension. When exposed to high levels of pressure, the allicin present in garlic relaxes the blood vessels. Garlic also fights against thrombosis by reducing platelet aggregation.

Digestion: Daily inclusion of garlic in your diet aids in eliminating any digestive problems. Garlic assists in the normal functioning of the intestines for good digestion. Even swelling or irritation of the gastric canal may be rectified with garlic as a treatment.
Eye Care: Garlic is rich in nutrients like Selenium, Quercetin and Vitamin C, all of which help treat eye infections and swelling.

Ear Aches: Garlic is commonly used for curing ear aches, as it has several antiviral, antifungal and antibiotic properties. Garlic oil can be made at home by squeezing the juice of garlic cloves and adding it to olive oil. The mixture should be kept at room temperature for a few days, but shouldn’t be saved indefinitely, if made at home.

Intestinal Problems: Garlic clears up most intestinal problems like dysentery, diarrhea and colitis. Its role in dispelling worms is phenomenal. It does not affect the functioning of useful organisms in the intestine, which aid in digestion, but it does destroy the harmful bacteria present in the intestines.

Cold: Raw garlic is used to treat colds and coughs. At the very onset of a cold, you should eat at least two cloves of crushed garlic, which will thereby help in lessening the severity of your cold.

Infected Wounds: Garlic can be placed on infected wounds as an herbal treatment. It should be mixed with three drops of water, rather than using it in raw form, as the undiluted juice can irritate the skin.

Acne: Half the people in the world suffer from mild to severe forms of acne. Garlic may be used, along with other ingredients like honey, cream and turmeric, to treat acne scars and prevent the initial development of acne. Garlic acts as a cleanser and an antibiotic substance for soothing skin rashes.

Asthma: Boiled garlic cloves are wonderful as an alternative asthma treatment. Each night before going to sleep, a glass of milk with 3 boiled cloves of garlic can bring subsequent relief for patients with asthma. The asthma attacks may be brought under control by having crushed garlic cloves with malt vinegar as well.

Sexual Problems: Garlic has certain aphrodisiac properties, so this helpful herb can be utilized as an effectual sex rejuvenator. The health benefits of garlic are further known to enhance the libido of both men and women. People who overindulge in sexual activities should consume garlic in their diet or in supplemental form to protect themselves from nervous fatigue.
Cancer: The regular intake of garlic reduces the risk of colon, stomach and esophageal cancer. It aids in reducing the production of carcinogenic compounds, and also reduces the occurrence of tumors associated with breast cancer.

More Info on This Wonderful Herb
The health benefits of garlic were realized centuries ago by mankind. Garlic is very effective when eaten raw- either crushed or chopped. As little as one clove per day may bring vast improvement in your overall health. 2 to 3 cloves could prevent an attack of the common cold. Garlic used in cooking should be added last for more of a healthy impact.

However, consuming too much garlic is also not very good as it may cause irritation in the digestive system. Garlic should be added as a part of a healthy normal diet, it does not need not be used as an alternative to anything. The only drawback is its pungent smell and taste that leaves bad breath, but other than that, garlic is a medicinal boon for mankind

Garlic for sexual health stamina

Garlic for sexual health – stamina

Garlic can do wonders to your libido. Garlic has always been seen as a miracle herb that heals body organs. It normalizes the blood flow especially towards the penis. Many ancient civilizations have used garlic to increase and heal the sexuality. I have personally tried garlic and can vouch for its powers. It is not only good for vitality and little jhony it is also great for your general health.

How to Use:

You can eat three to four garlic cloves daily for a if you are having difficulty getting an erection. You can cut that down to three times a week after a month. that is if you start feeling better down there. you can also use grated garlic in your meat to get the desired result but raw garlic cloves work much better. Your breath will be awful but I am sure your partner won’t complain after your performance in bed.

Increasing the effectiveness:

In order to increase the effectiveness of the treatment you should cut down on the trans fat. This will not only help you get in better shape but also will help your boom, boom to go zoom zoom