Natural Cures Not Medicine: garlic

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Showing posts with label garlic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garlic. Show all posts

How Garlic Can Save Your Life


Research on garlic indicates that it may provide an ideal low-cost and safe alternative to drugs and vaccines in reducing the three most common causes of death in the world.


In a world mesmerized by the false promises of pharmaceutical industry marketing copy, as well as inundated with aggressively marketed dietary supplements, many of which are manufactured by the same companies making a killing off patented chemicals (Bayer owns One A Day, Pfizer owns Centrum), it is reassuring to know that the kitchen pantry will never fail us...

Inexpensive, time-tested, safe and delicious, many spices are attaining recognition for being, quite literally, 'life saving,' which is likely one reason why, in ancient times, many were worth their weight in gold.

This time around, the health benefits of ancient 'folk remedies' like garlic are being confirmed by straight-laced men and women in lab coats. Which, when it comes to the conventional medical establishment, blighted as it is by the epistemological disease known as myopia, is considered the only valid way to ascertain the truth. Never mind the countless millions of people who, since the beginning of time, have used a different standard of proof: if it works and it is safe, then its true.

We all know that garlic is not shy to make its presence known. The smallest culinary dose is enough to suffuse the entire body with its aroma. Garlic also permeates the research literature: the biomedical database known as MEDLINE, provided by the National Library of Medicine, contains 4245 study abstracts on garlic, a number of which we have indexed and organized for your use on our site:Health Benefits of Garlic.

A cursory perusal of the literature there indicates that garlic has a significant role to play in preventing or treating well over 150 health conditions, ranging from cancer to diabetes, infection to plaque buildup in the arteries, DNA damage to mercury poisoning.

In fact, a strong argument can be made (pun intended) that expanding the availability of garlic around the world as both a food and a medicine could prevent millions of deaths annually. According to World Health Organization statistics, the populations of poorer countries die manly from causes directly connected to communicable infectious diseases, which incidentally are not caused by a lack of vaccines, rather, primarily through under-nutrition and malnourishment, lack of sanitation and hygiene, as well as the adverse physiological consequences of the depression and stress associated with poverty.  The greater use and availability of garlic might provide a perfect alternative to global vaccine initiatives, the use of which are driven less by compelling scientific research, and more by political and economic forces. Garlic is easier to acquire and distribute, and can often be grown by the affected persons or communities affected, making it essentially free.

Garlic Versus #1 Cause of Death for the Poorest Countries
As far as the research goes, garlic has immensely powerful anti-infective properties, experimentally confirmed to kill the following:

This is an impressive smattering of research, but it is likely only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to garlic's ability to fight infection.  Remember, a lack of scientific proof does imply a lack of efficacy. Given that conventional antibiotics are not only failing, but driving bacteria and viruses into greater lethality, we can't wait around for the multi-billion dollar clinical trial-based drug approval process to turn its attention to a non-patentable natural substance.  Such a profit-oriented approach would be highly unethical. 

Garlic Versus the Developed World's #1 and #2 Killers
The research on Greenmedinfo.com shows garlic has value in 167 health conditions or disease symptoms, but the greatest density of research indicates garlic's role in preventing and/or treatingCardiovascular Disease and Cancers, the two primary causes of death within high-income countries.[27]   

This is an interesting finding. The drug industry has been fantasizing about a so-called 'polypill' for quite some time, an idea involving mixing various patented medicines together for a condition like heart disease (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol, blood thinner), but to no avail. Patented chemicals have far too many side effects, so when you mix them together, you only compound their multitudinous chemical toxicities. Natural substances, on the other hand, and especially those which play a role in culinary traditions as "spices," appear to have the opposite karma. Namely, they have far more 'side benefits' than 'side effects.'

Garlic's cardioprotective effects include:

Here is a quick review of the cancers that garlic has been found to kill:
Garlic, like so many other complex foods, contains a wide range of phytocompounds that articulate at least 150 distinct physiological responses in the mammalian body (see our 157 pharmacological actions list on the Garlic Research page).

How can this be so?


One explanation is that all foods contain not only physical building blocks, e.g. carbs, proteins, lipids, and are not only a source of energy (caloric content), but contain gene and epigene regulatory information. There are 'packets' of energy and information contained within the conformational state of the biomolecules found within these plant tissues. Our co-evolution with the plant kingdom for the past half a billion years has resulted in the very genetic/molecular fabric of our body depending on certain key compounds from plants in our diet, delivered in natural form, not irradiated, overly-cooked, petrochemically-farmed. Garlic's ability to fit like a key, into many different types of locks (an impossible feat for monochemical 'magic bullets'), reflects an likely infinitely complex intelligence in the relationship between plant and animal species. Which speaks to how important foods are not simply as 'medicine,' but that from which our bodily health grows organically, and without which disease is a natural consequence.

Source: GreenMedInfo

Garlic Soup Made With 52 Cloves of Garlic Can Defeat Colds, Flu and Even Norovirus

by JOHN SUMMERLY | preventdisease.com

Image: commons.wikimedia.org
Forget the flu shot. A soup based on more than 50 cloves of garlic, onions, thyme and lemon will destroy almost any virus that enters its path including colds, flu and even norovirus.

As we sneeze and cough our way through these dark months of contagious nasties, garlic is being hailed for its powers to halt viruses in their tracks.

It has gained its reputation as a virus buster thanks to one of its chemical constituents, allicin.

A recent and significant finding from Washington State University shows that garlic is 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics at fighting disease causing bacteria commonly responsible for foodborne illness.

When the garlic is crushed, alliin becomes allicin. Research shows that allicin helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure and also helps prevents blood clots. Garlic can also reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Compounds in this familiar bulb kill many organisms, including bacteria and viruses that cause earaches, flu and colds. Research indicates that garlic is also effective against digestive ailments and diarrhea. What’s more, further studies suggest that this common and familiar herb may help prevent the onset of cancers.

‘This chemical has been known for a long time for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal powers,’ says Helen Bond, a Derbyshire-based consultant dietitian and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.

‘Because of this, people assume it is going to boost their immune systems. Lots of people are simply mashing up garlic, mixing it with olive oil and spreading it on bread.

‘But how or whether it may actually work has still not been proven categorically.’

Indeed, scientists remain divided on garlic’s ability to combat colds and flu. Last March, a major investigation by the respected global research organisation, the Cochrane Database, found that increasing your garlic intake during winter can cut the duration of cold symptoms — from five-and-a-half days to four-and-a-half.

But the report, which amalgamated all previous scientific studies on garlic, said it could not draw solid conclusions because there is a lack of large-scale, authoritative research.

The problem is that pharmaceutical companies are not interested in running huge, expensive trials — as they would with promising new drug compounds — because there is nothing in garlic that they can patent, package and sell at a profit.

Modified Garlic Soup Recipe

Serves 4

26 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) organic butter (grass fed)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup fresh ginger
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
26 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, thyme, ginger and cayenne powder and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 26 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes. Add vegetable broth; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add coconut milk and bring to simmer. Season with sea salt and pepper for flavour.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.

Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

If garlic were found to be a wonder drug, consumers could simply buy it in the supermarket for 30p a bulb or grow their own in the garden.

Nevertheless, garlic has a long and proud tradition as a medicine. The Ancient Egyptians recommended it for 22 ailments. In a papyrus dated 1500BC, the labourers who built the pyramids ate it to increase their stamina and keep them healthy.

The Ancient Greeks advocated garlic for everything from curing infections, and lung and blood disorders to healing insect bites and even treating leprosy.

The Romans fed it to soldiers and sailors to improve their endurance. Dioscorides, the personal physician to Emperor Nero, wrote a five-volume treatise extolling its virtues.

One of the most interesting of the recent findings is that garlic increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body. Scientifically known as Allium sativa, garlic has been famous throughout history for its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Louis Pasteur noted in 1858 that bacteria died when they were doused with garlic. From the Middle Ages on, garlic has been used to treat wounds, being ground or sliced and applied directly to wounds to inhibit the spread of infection. The Russians refer to garlic as Russian penicillin.

More recently, researchers have unearthed evidence to show garlic may help us to stay hale and hearty in a number of ways.

Last June, nutrition scientists at the University of Florida found eating garlic can boost the number of T-cells in the bloodstream. These play a vital role in strengthening our immune systems and fighting viruses.

And pharmacologists at the University of California found that allicin — the active ingredient in garlic that contributes to bad breath — is an infection-killer.

Allicin also makes our blood vessels dilate, improving blood flow and helping to tackle cardiovascular problems such as high cholesterol.

An Australian study of 80 patients published last week in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that diets high in garlic may reduce high blood pressure.

In 2007, dentists in Brazil found that gargling with garlic water (made by steeping crushed garlic cloves in warm, but not boiling, water) can kill the germs that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

But they hit a snag: the volunteers refused to continue the experiment, complaining that the garlic gargle made them feel sick. Looking at the garlic soup recipe certainly made me feel queasy. Still, it gave me an excuse to use up my ample supply of garlic.

Though last year’s awful weather caused crop failures on my allotment, I enjoyed a bumper harvest of garlic.

Among its many other virtues, garlic kills slugs and snails. Researchers from the University of Newcastle believe it contains oils that may cripple the nervous systems of these slimy creatures.

There are two schools of thought as to the best way of preparing garlic to make the most of its medicinal qualities.

Argentinian investigators found it releases its allicin-type compounds when you bake the cloves, while scientists at South Carolina Medical University believe peeling garlic and letting it sit uncovered for 15 minutes produces the highest levels of compounds to fight infection.

So you can simply peel half of the garlic cloves and roast the other half with the kitchen door tightly closed (to stop the pong permeating throughout the house).

After an hour-and-a-quarter’s industrious soup-making, sprinkle lemon juice over a bowl of steaming, grey gloop and tuck in.

The heady aroma certainly revs up the appetite and the first spoonful does not disappoint. Delicious as it is, however, one large bowl of home-made soup is a more than ample meal.

As for the soup’s cold-preventing powers, only time will tell. Regular bowlfuls may very well keep me free of winter ailments, thanks to the virus-killing compounds they contain.

Or it could just be that my nuclear-strength garlic breath will keep everyone who is infectious far out of sneezing range for months to come.

John Summerly is nutritionist, herbologist, and homeopathic practitioner. He is a leader in the natural health community and consults athletes, executives and most of all parents of children on the benefits of complementary therapies for health and prevention.

Sources:
nlm.nih.gov
healthy-holistic-living.com
smittenkitchen.com
dailymail.co.uk
wikipedia.org

Original source of the article: preventdisease.com via getholistichealth.com

4 Antiviral Herbs and How To use Them


Image: naturehacks.com
Natural Cures Not Medicine

When you have a virus it is much harder to treat because antibiotics do not effect viruses. Fortunately for us,
there are some anti-viral plants found in nature that we can use to treat viral infections. According to naturehacks.com , here are 4 herbs  that you can use to naturally medicate yourself if you catch a virus:
1. Lemon Balm
In Germany, the antiviral effects of lemon balm are well-documented, and creams made from the herb are prescribed for herpes outbreaks and cold sores. Lemon balm is very easy to grow in your garden – a little too easy, in fact, as it tends to take over if not contained. 
Lemon balm makes a very good tea, and can be drunk to combat all sorts of viral infections, such as colds and flu. The tea or a cream can be applied to cold sores or other viral lesions, such as shingles or chickenpox.
2. Astragalus   
This lesser-known immune enhancing herb is known as huang qi in Chinese medicine. The root is sweet, not unlike licorice, to which it is related. It has been shown to be a very effective antiviral herb, particularly in the prevention of colds and flu, and may even be effective against the Coxsackie B virus (this virus can cause an inflammation of the heart). 
You can simmer slices of the root in water to make a healing decoction, or you can use the commercially-available tincture. It is generally agreed that astragalus should be taken as a preventative rather than once the illness is in full swing, so if you think you’ve been exposed, or you experience the very first twinges of illness, you can start taking astragalus. 
3. Garlic
No discussion of antiviral herbs would be complete without mentioning garlic, an herb that is antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. It’s not expensive, and you can use the whole herb or take capsules. However, many experts agree that “deodorized” garlic may not be as effective as the unaltered herb. 
You can simmer minced garlic in chicken broth and sip it to stave off colds and flu. Raw, minced garlic can be sprinkled over salads and tossed with pasta. Be careful with consuming too much of it raw, though, as it can cause severe nausea when taken in this form.
Related: Garlic can also be used as an antibiotic 
4. Ginger
Long ago, ginger was considered a “warming” herb that would prevent nausea from a “chilled stomach,” which was said to occur when large amounts of cold water were consumed in hot weather. We now know that ginger has powerful anti-nausea action, and it is also anti-viral. 
Teas made from fresh ginger are palatable and spicy. You can sweeten them with raw honey for added germ-fighting benefits and flavor. When you feel the very first stages of a cold or flu, try drinking some of this tea several times a day. You can even drink it as a preventative if you think you may have been exposed to any viruses. Ginger is considered quite safe, although it is not recommended for pregnant women.
Source: naturehacks.com 

Top 20 Natural Painkillers You Already Have In Your Kitchen

Image: www.herbs-info.com
We just discovered a fantastic, fascinating list of natural painkillers that are common kitchen ingredients! What’s interesting is that the list is not just a basic list – but also gives specific information as to the type of pain that researchers have found that these natural ingredients may assist with – and the way in which the food is used (not all of the remedies involve actually eating the herb / food in question!)

This list is absolutely incredible – and the uses are based on reports from scientific research (this info is included at the source article – link at the foot of my commentary). The original list is a bit of a long read though, requiring much scrolling – and so we thought it might be good to seem them all “at a glance” – so for those who want to “skim” through the list really quickly, I made a “short version” of the top 20, together with a summary of the condition each item is used for.

Once again, the miracles of nature have astounded me and made me wonder if the modern world will tamper with everything before going full circle and realizing that “natural is best” after all! Thankfully there are still many good scientists doing groundbreaking work in this field and I take my hat off to you.

Top 20 Natural Painkillers List

Ginger (add to 1-2 teaspoons daily to diet for general muscle pain) 10 more health benefits of ginger
Cloves (chewed gently for toothache / gum inflammation)
Apple Cider Vinegar (1tbsp mixed with water before meals for heartburn) More apple cider vinegar uses
Garlic (made into a special oil for earache – recipe at the original article)
Cherries (joint pain, headaches – 1 bowl per day)
Oily fish (Salmon, tuna, sardines, trout, mackerel, herring – intestinal inflammation – 18oz per week)
Yogurt (PMS – 2 cups per day)
Turmeric (chronic pain – 1/4 teaspoon per day) Turmeric is more effective than 14 different pharmaceutical drugs
Oats (endometrial pain – they are gluten free)
Salt (hot, salty foot baths for ingrown toenails – 1tsp per cup of water – 20 mins twice daily)
Pineapple (stomach bloating, gas – 1 cup of fresh pineapple)
Peppermint (add a few drops of the essential oil to bath for sore muscles)
Grapes (back pain – 1 heaping cup per day)
Water (general injury pain, helps wash away the pain-triggering histamine – 8 x 8 ounce glasses per day)
Horseradish (sinus pain – 1 teaspoon twice daily)
Blueberries (bladder / urinary tract infections – 1 cup daily)
Raw Honey (topical application 4 times daily for cold sores / canker sores) (see also our special report on raw honey) More health benefits of raw honey
Flax (breast pain – 3 tablespoons daily – must be ground or seeds will pass right through!)
Coffee (migraines – caffeine stimulates the stomach to absorb pain meds better)
Tomato Juice (leg cramps – tomato juice is rich in potassium – 10oz daily)

Can you think of any more? Let us know in the comments.

Source: herbs-info.com

How To Detox Your Liver Naturally

Your liver is like the maid of your body, cleaning up all the toxins you put into it. The liver keeps all internal systems running smoothly. The modern diet, environmental pollutants, and our increasing dependence on toxic personal care products have put our livers on serious overtime.
Image: blackpoppymag.wordpress.com

So, what can you do about it? Well, you could try a quality liver detox supplement, or you could use some items found at your local health food store, your grocery store, or even some that are already in your kitchen. Here is how to clean your liver with 5 common food items.

How To Naturally Detox Your Liver

1. Warm Lemon Water – Warm lemon water is a great way to detox your liver every single morning. This isn’t lemonade, so don’t add sugar or anything else. Just purified water and a healthy dose of fresh lemon juice. Some experts, like author A.F. Beddoe who wrote the book Biological Ionization as Applied to Human Nutrition, also believe that the liver produces more enzymes in response to water with lemon than to any other food.

2. Garlic - Add some garlic to your cooking or thinly slice a clove into your next salad. Garlic contains sulfur compounds that can help activate enzymes in the liver. It contains allicin and selenium, which are both good for liver protection.

3. Avocados - As if you need another reason to add avocados to your diet, a Japanese study found that avocados contain compounds that can protect the liver from damage. When compared with 21 other fruits, avocados had the most promise in protecting the liver from galactosamine, a “powerful” toxin that has been shown to produce a liver damage much like human viral hepatitis.

4. Cilantro - This versatile herb can be added to just about any dish, including salads or smoothies. This herb can help remove heavy metals from the body, something your liver could be struggling with right now.

5. Turmeric - Another powerful spice with a long list of benefits, turmeric is said to not only protect the liver from damage, but also encourage regeneration of liver cells. In addition, it increases natural bile production and aids in keeping the body toxin-free.


This Garlic Soup Recipe Can Defeat Colds, Flu and Even Norovirus

by John Summerly

garlic-1Forget the flu shot. A soup based on more than 50 cloves of garlic, onions, thyme and lemon will destroy almost any virus that enters its path including colds, flu and even norovirus.

As we sneeze and cough our way through these dark months of contagious nasties, garlic is being hailed for its powers to halt viruses in their tracks.

It has gained its reputation as a virus buster thanks to one of its chemical constituents, allicin.

A recent and significant finding from Washington State University shows that garlic is 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics at fighting disease causing bacteria commonly responsible for foodborne illness.

When the garlic is crushed, alliin becomes allicin. Research shows that allicin helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure and also helps prevents blood clots. Garlic can also reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Compounds in this familiar bulb kill many organisms, including bacteria and viruses that cause earaches, flu and colds. Research indicates that garlic is also effective against digestive ailments and diarrhea. What’s more, further studies suggest that this common and familiar herb may help prevent the onset of cancers.

‘This chemical has been known for a long time for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal powers,’ says Helen Bond, a Derbyshire-based consultant dietitian and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.

‘Because of this, people assume it is going to boost their immune systems. Lots of people are simply mashing up garlic, mixing it with olive oil and spreading it on bread.

‘But how or whether it may actually work has still not been proven categorically.’

Indeed, scientists remain divided on garlic’s ability to combat colds and flu. Last March, a major investigation by the respected global research organization, the Cochrane Database, found that increasing your garlic intake during winter can cut the duration of cold symptoms — from five-and-a-half days to four-and-a-half.

But the report, which amalgamated all previous scientific studies on garlic, said it could not draw solid conclusions because there is a lack of large-scale, authoritative research.

The problem is that pharmaceutical companies are not interested in running huge, expensive trials — as they would with promising new drug compounds — because there is nothing in garlic that they can patent, package and sell at a profit.

Modified Garlic Soup Recipe
Serves 4
26 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) organic butter (grass fed)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup fresh ginger
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
26 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, thyme, ginger and cayenne powder and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 26 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes. Add vegetable broth; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add coconut milk and bring to simmer. Season with sea salt and pepper for flavor.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.

garlic_cloves3efCan be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

If garlic were found to be a wonder drug, consumers could simply buy it in the supermarket for 30p a bulb or grow their own in the garden.

Nevertheless, garlic has a long and proud tradition as a medicine. The Ancient Egyptians recommended it for 22 ailments. In a papyrus dated 1500BC, the laborers who built the pyramids ate it to increase their stamina and keep them healthy.

The Ancient Greeks advocated garlic for everything from curing infections, and lung and blood disorders to healing insect bites and even treating leprosy.

The Romans fed it to soldiers and sailors to improve their endurance. Dioscorides, the personal physician to Emperor Nero, wrote a five-volume treatise extolling its virtues.

One of the most interesting of the recent findings is that garlic increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body. Scientifically known as Allium sativa, garlic has been famous throughout history for its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Louis Pasteur noted in 1858 that bacteria died when they were doused with garlic. From the Middle Ages on, garlic has been used to treat wounds, being ground or sliced and applied directly to wounds to inhibit the spread of infection. The Russians refer to garlic as Russian penicillin.

More recently, researchers have unearthed evidence to show garlic may help us to stay hale and hearty in a number of ways.

Last June, nutrition scientists at the University of Florida found eating garlic can boost the number of T-cells in the bloodstream. These play a vital role in strengthening our immune systems and fighting viruses.

And pharmacologists at the University of California found that allicin — the active ingredient in garlic that contributes to bad breath — is an infection-killer.

Allicin also makes our blood vessels dilate, improving blood flow and helping to tackle cardiovascular problems such as high cholesterol.

An Australian study of 80 patients published last week in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that diets high in garlic may reduce high blood pressure.

In 2007, dentists in Brazil found that gargling with garlic water (made by steeping crushed garlic cloves in warm, but not boiling, water) can kill the germs that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

But they hit a snag: the volunteers refused to continue the experiment, complaining that the garlic gargle made them feel sick. Looking at the garlic soup recipe certainly made me feel queasy. Still, it gave me an excuse to use up my ample supply of garlic.

Though last year’s awful weather caused crop failures on my allotment, I enjoyed a bumper harvest of garlic.

Among its many other virtues, garlic kills slugs and snails. Researchers from the University of Newcastle believe it contains oils that may cripple the nervous systems of these slimy creatures.

There are two schools of thought as to the best way of preparing garlic to make the most of its medicinal qualities.

Argentinian investigators found it releases its allicin-type compounds when you bake the cloves, while scientists at South Carolina Medical University believe peeling garlic and letting it sit uncovered for 15 minutes produces the highest levels of compounds to fight infection.

So you can simply peel half of the garlic cloves and roast the other half with the kitchen door tightly closed (to stop the pong permeating throughout the house).

The heady aroma certainly revs up the appetite and the first spoonful does not disappoint. Delicious as it is, however, one large bowl of home-made soup is a more than ample meal.

As for the soup’s cold-preventing powers, only time will tell. Regular bowlfuls may very well keep me free of winter ailments, thanks to the virus-killing compounds they contain.

Or it could just be that my nuclear-strength garlic breath will keep everyone who is infectious far out of sneezing range for months to come.

John Summerly is nutritionist, herbologist, and homeopathic practitioner. He is a leader in the natural health community and consults athletes, executives and most of all parents of children on the benefits of complementary therapies for health and prevention.

Source: Prevent Disease & realfarmacy.com


5 Foods That Could Save Your Life

Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine

Turmeric+cancer. While they do not lend themselves to being patented, nor will multi-billion dollar human clinical trials ever be funded to prove them efficacious, they have been used since time immemorial to both nourish our bodies, and to prevent and treat disease. So valued were these in ancient times that they were worth their weight in gold, and entire civilizations either rose to great power or collapsed as a result of their relationship to them.

What is even more amazing is that many of these “plant allies” are found growing in our backyards, and often sitting there in our refrigerators and spice racks, neglected and under appreciated. In fact, many of us use these daily unaware that this is why we don’t get sick as often as those who do not incorporate them into their diet. Let’s look at a few examples….
Though Mother Nature’s formulas are proprietary, she does not grant patents. ~Sayer Ji

1) Garlic – with the increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria and the failure of the conventional, drug-based model to develop effective solutions against them (nor accepting responsibility for creating them), spices have regained their once universal reign as broad spectrum infection-fighters with sometimes life-saving power.
Garlic, in fact, has several hundred therapeutic properties, confirmed by a growing body of scientific research, which you can view directly on GreenMedInfo.com.[i] One quick example of garlic’s power, is in killing multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which the mainstream media has termed the “white plague,” roiling the masses with a fear of drug-resistant (but not plant-extract resistant) they are made to believe they are defenseless against.

Last year an article was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal showing that garlic was capable of inhibiting a wide range of multiple drug resistant tuberculosis strains.[ii] The authors concluded “The use of garlic against MDR-TB may be of great importance regarding public health.” Garlic’s anti-infective properties do not end with MDR-TB, as it has been demonstrated to inhibit the following pathogens as well:

  • Amoeba Entamoeba histolytica (parasite)
  • Cholera
  • Clostridium
  • Cytomegalovirus
  • Dermatophytoses (a type of topical fungal infection)
  • Haemophilus Influenzae
  • Helicobacter Pylori
  • Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
  • Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
  • Klebsiella
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus A. (MRSA)
  • Parainfluenza Virus
  • Peridontal Infection
  • Pneumococcal Infections
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Streptococcus Mutans
  • Streptococcus Infections: Group A
  • Streptococcus Infections: Group B
  • Streptococcus pyrogenes
  • Thrush (oral fungal infection)
This amazing list underscores how important it is to keep a supply of garlic close by!

2) Honey – bees produce a wide range of therapeutic substances beyond honey, e.g. propolis, bee venom, royal jelly, beeswax, bee pollen, etc., but this sweet, sticky stuff that we all love to dip our paw into occasionally, is the most well-known and most copiously consumed of them all – and for good reason, it tastes great!
But did you know that this sweet treat is one of nature’s most powerful healing agents, as well? Here is just a smattering of some of honey’s more scientifically researched health benefits and/or applications:

  • Aspirin-Induced Gastrointestinal Toxicity (honey coats the delicate linings of the stomach, preventing aspirin-induced lesions and bleeding)
  • Bacterial Infections
  • Burns
  • Candida infection (despite the fact that honey contains sugar, it demonstrates anti-fungal properties)
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Dental plaque (a recent study showed that Manuka honey was a viable alternative to chemical mouthwash in dissolving dental plaque)[iii]
  • Dermatitis
  • Diabetic Ulcer
  • Herpes-related ulcers
  • MRSA (especially for Manuka honey)

There are many more uses for honey than covered here. Needless to say, replacing synthetic sweeteners or highly processed sugars or high fructose corn syrup with a moderate amount of honey may be a great preventative health step to take.

3) Apples – an apple a day does in fact keep the doctor away, especially cancer specialists it would seem.
For instance, one of the most well-established health benefits of consuming apples is to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The more apples you consume, the less likely you are to develop this potentially fatal disease.
To view the 5 studies that reference this relationship, go to the GreenmedInfo.com apple research page where you will also find 50 other health benefits of apple or apple byproducts (e.g. apple vinegar) consumption which include:
  • Aging, Reduce Rate
  • Allergies
  • Allopecia (Hair Loss)
  • Diarrhea
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Liver Cancer
  • Radiation Induced Illness
  • Staphylococcol Infection

4) Sunlight – this one may throw some of you off, but sunlight possesses both energy and information with real, metabolic value and is therefore a source of usable energy for the body – and so, in a very real sense it can be considered a form of food that we consume through our skin by way of its built in, melanin-based “solar panels.”
Not only does adequate sunlight exposure result in the production of vitamin D, a hormone-like substance that regulates over 2,000 genes in the human body — and as a result prevents or ameliorates hundreds of vitamin D deficiency associated health conditions — but sunlight exposure itself has a unique set of health benefits not reducible to simply vitamin D production alone.

One of the more interesting studies performed on sunlight exposure, based on data gathered from over 100 countries and published earlier this year in the journal Anticancer Research, showed that there was “a strong inverse correlations with solar UVB for 15 types of cancer,” with weaker, though still significant evidence for the protective role of sunlight in 9 other cancers. Here are some additional benefits of sunlight exposure:

  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Depression
  • Dopamine Deficiency
  • Dermatitis
  • Influenza
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Psoriasis

5) Turmeric – quite possibly the world’s most important herb. Named “Kanchani,” or literally “Golden Goddess,” in the ancient Indian healing tradition, its healing properties have been deeply appreciated, if not revered for countless centuries.

Turmeric has been scientifically documented to have over 500 applications in disease prevention and treatment. It also has been shown to modulate over 150 distinct biological and genetic/epigenetic pathways of value in health, demonstrating a complexity as well as gentleness that no drug on the planet has ever been shown to possess.

As there are too many health conditions that turmeric may benefit to list, we are listing the top 10 as determined by the GreenMedInfo algorithm which calculates both the evidence quantity (number of articles) and evidence quality (human study valued higher than animal, and so on). Also, the number in parentheses denotes the number of studies on the database demonstrating the beneficial relationship.

  • Oxidative Stress (160)
  • Inflammation (51)
  • DNA Damage (48)
  • Lipid Peroxidation (34)
  • Colorectal Cancer (24)
  • Breast Cancer (60)
  • Colon Cancer (52)
  • Chemically-Induced Liver Damage (34)
  • Alzheimer’s Disease (34)
  • Tumors (23)
[i] GreenMedInfo.com, Garlic Research Page: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/substance/garlic
[ii] Pak J Pharm Sci. 2011 Jan;24(1):81-5. PMID: 21190924
[iii] Contemp Clin Dent. 2010 Oct ;1(4):214-7. PMID: 22114423
Source: Green Med Info | Image: Wikimedia Commons
Source: realfarmacy.com 

How To Naturally Detox Your Body

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For centuries, the practice of detoxing the body has been used to get rid of unhealthy toxins and buildup in our cells and tissues. In fact, Hippocrates recommended fasting to quickly remove these toxins, and the art of fasting itself has been used by numerous historical figures such as Ghandi, and famous doctors of antiquity like Avicenna, Asclepiades, and Celsus who recommended their patients undertake 3-5 week long water fasts to regain health and strength. The pioneer of medicine, Paracelsus claimed that fasting is the best remedy for many diseases.

Of course, many individuals may not be in the proper positions in their life to undertake such dramatic measures. I, myself, have water fasted to rid myself of various ailments, and a majority of the time the issues cleared themselves up. Instead, choosing actual vegetables, fruits and herbs that help detox the organs in our body is usually the easier (and safer) route. Although it may take longer for the body to heal this way, you are still helping it cleanse the daily toxins we are bombarded with day in day out.

The body actually has a detox system itself. These organs include the Liver, the Colon, and the Kidneys.

The liver is your body’s first line of defence against toxins. Think of the liver as a sieve that prevents toxic substances from food or the environment from entering our bloodstream and making us sick. When the liver is compromised, then these substances by-pass the liver and enter the bloodstream, and from there you may then suffer from a variety of diseases and illnesses.

The colon has healthy bacteria that produce a variety of chemicals to help flush out whatever debris might be lingering in the intestines. Making sure that things are constantly flowing, and that you are not constantly constipated or have diarrhea is crucial since this detox system helps flush out toxic chemicals. If you haven’t had a bowel movement in awhile, or if your bowel movements are limited to one small movement a day, then you may suffer from toxic buildup in your intestine (which can lead to an array of health issues). Instead of being flushed out, these toxins sit and get absorbed into the blood stream, which means bad news!

The kidneys are constantly filtering the blood and get rid of toxins in the form of urine. If the liver, colon and kidneys are compromised, then you have got a huge system of toxic buildup which can lead to health issues like cancer, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and the chance to develop autoimmune diseases.

Below is a list of foods for certain areas of our body that you may want to focus on. Personally, I would focus on them all by switching to a whole foods lifestyle, heavy on the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables, fresh green juices and LOTS of water, in addition to these foods.

BLOOD
Garlic, Leafy Greens, Cayenne, Beets, Ginger Root, Avocados

LYMPH
Carrots, Asparagus, Tomatoes, Berries, Echinacea, Astragalus

KIDNEYS
Dandelion, Beets, Berries, Cabbage, Watermelon, Grapes

LIVER
Dandelion Greens, Garlic, Beets, Broccoli, Lemons, Turmeric

INTESTINES
Bananas, Ginger, Turmeric, Asparagus, Pears, Fennel

PANCREAS
Broccoli, Grapes, Berries, Tomatoes, Garlic, Avocados

GALLBLADDER
Apples, Cucumber, Lemon, Leafy Greens, Beets, Sweet Potato


Source: Live Love Fruit

Delicious, Fresh, Raw Vegan Taco's

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This recipe is based on my love for mushrooms and zucchini (which makes up the base of the "meat") - it turned out insanely amazing, and leaves you feeling great! So enough talk, and more recipe. See below for the ingredients, and simple process to create your own fresh, raw vegan tacos! 


Ingredients:
"Meat"
1-2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped finely
2 medium zucchini's, chopped into little cubes
1 medjool date, soaked in water until squishy - blend the date in the soak water to make a sort of "sauce", and add 1/2 - 1 tsp taco seasoning* (I make my own homemade, see below for recipe), mix again

Salsa:
4 Tomatoes, chopped finely
1 Garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (aka. corriander)
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Taco essentials:
1 Head Romaine
1 Carrot, shredded (the "Cheeze")
1/2 long english cucumber, chopped into tiny pieces

Instructions:
Take the medjool date & taco seasoning sauce, and mix with zucchini and mushroom so it covers all the little pieces. Take this mixture and let it dehydrate in the dehydrator at a low temperature for a couple hours, or you can skip this step if you don't have a dehydrator and just let the flavours mingle for a couple hours in a covered bowl (it really doesn't matter if this mixture is more moist or dry, it will taste the same in the end)

To make the salsa, simply combine all the ingredients labelled under salsa, and let sit for an hour to let the flavours blend.


That's it! Now take your romaine taco shell, layer the "meat", cucumber pieces, salsa and "carrot cheeze" - this recipe is way up there on my favourite list! Give it a try!


Foods To Lower Blood Pressure

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If you suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), or consume a diet which places you at risk for developing high blood pressure, you are at risk for experiencing heart attacks and strokes as well as kidney failure. Most people have high blood pressure and don’t even know it until they get a heart attack or stroke!

Consuming highly processed foods like fast food with incredibly high sodium levels are extremely damaging and is often the main culprit in raising your blood pressure. Another factor that puts you at risk for high blood pressure is fat – that is, the highly saturated and trans fatty acids which clog your arteries and make it hard for blood to flow freely through your veins, causing build-up and thus, high blood pressure.

Foods that help reduce high blood pressure

(1) Garlic
You can change your cholesterol levels and naturally lower your blood pressure levels with garlic! In fact, most members of the allium family (onions, garlic, leeks, etc.) have been shown to reduce cholesterol, high blood pressure and the flu. Countries who consume large amounts of garlic have also been correlated with the lowest levels of cardiovascular disease.

(2) Kiwi
A recent study in 2011 found that just 3 kiwis a day may naturally lower blood pressure (opposed to eating just one apple a day). The study took place over 8 weeks, and at the end of the study, individuals who consumed the kiwis had significantly lower systolic blood pressure than those who ate only 1 apple a day. Kiwis are lutein-rich (an antioxidant), which helps beat free radicals which are often linked to high blood pressure. Kiwis are also one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits, as reported by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (along with grapes, and wild blueberries).

(3) Grapes
A study at the University of Michigan showed that grapes may help fight high blood pressure and heart disease (especially if you consume a salty diet). Grapes are incredibly high in antioxidants which fight off free radicals that normally lead to heart failure and hypertension. Grapes also lower inflammation in the body and allow the blood vessels to breathe and relax to prevent higher blood pressure.

(4) Leafy Lettuces
Eating green leafy vegetables on a consistent basis can help lower your risk for developing high blood pressure. Leafy greens are incredibly vitamin and mineral rich (with things like calcium, potassium, and manganese) which protects against heart disease and stroke. Lettuces are also nitrate-rich which has been linked to a reduction in blood pressure.

(5) Bananas
Bananas are very high in potassium which helps regulate blood pressure. Foods with potassium nitrate (like bananas and dates) have been reported to be even better than supplements using potassium chloride for lowering blood pressure, according to a UK study. Eating just two bananas a day can lower blood pressure by up to 10%!

(6) Watermelon

Citrulline in watermelon helps to normalize blood pressure. Eating up to 1/2 of a large watermelon per day can help lower high blood pressure, especially when the fruit is ripe, and when this antioxidant is at it’s highest levels. Citrulline is a type of amino acid that is converted into another amino acid, called Arginine (which people normally take to help lower their blood pressure). However, eating the more natural form of this compound is best, so make sure you eat the whole watermelon in it’s true, natural form!

Source: Live Love Fruit

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