Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used since ancient times for both medicinal and culinary purposes. It contains volatile oils that are packed with several sulfur-rich compounds that give it a typical pungent odor.
Garlic is highly effective in lowering bad cholesterol and improving heart health.[1] Allicin, a compound present in garlic, exhibits antibacterial (Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria), antifungal (particularly against Candida albicans), antiparasitic (including major intestinal parasites such as Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia) and antiviral activities.[2]
A study showed that oral treatment with garlic significantly lowered the growth of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria that is responsible for many persistent and recurrent urinary tract infections, and reduced its virulence (ability to cause infections).[3]
Garlic For Heavy Metal Detox
The sulfur compounds present in garlic can protect against organ damage resulting from heavy metal toxicity.
A study done in employees of a car battery plant (excessive exposure to lead) that lasted for four weeks found that garlic reduced lead levels in the blood by 19 percent. It also decreased clinical signs of toxicity, including blood pressure and headaches.[4]
The three doses of garlic each day outperformed the drug D-penicillamine in symptom reduction.
How To Take It
- Crush two cloves and add eight ounces of hot water to make a cup of garlic tea. Steep the tea for 10 minutes. Drink it three times a day for a week to get rid of heavy metals from your body.
- You can also add two to three finely chopped raw garlic cloves to salad dressings, soups, and other foods.
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References:
1. Rahman K, Lowe GM. Garlic and Cardiovascular Disease: A Critical Review. J. Nutrition. March 2006, 136: 3.
2. Ankri S, Mirelman D. Antimicrobial properties of allicin from garlic. Microbes Infect. 1999 Feb;1(2):125-9. Review. PubMed PMID: 10594976.
3. Harjai K, Kumar R, Singh S. Garlic blocks quorum sensing and attenuates the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2010 Mar;58(2):161-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2009.00614.x. Epub 2009 Sep 18. PubMed PMID: 19878318.
4. Kianoush S, Balali-Mood M, Mousavi SR, Moradi V, Sadeghi M, Dadpour B, Rajabi O, Shakeri MT. Comparison of therapeutic effects of garlic and d-Penicillamine in patients with chronic occupational lead poisoning. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2012 May;110(5):476-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-7843.2011.00841.x. Epub 2011 Dec 29. PubMed PMID: 22151785.
