Garlic as an antibiotic & anti fungal
Garlic as an antibiotic & anti fungal
Garlic is the only antibiotic that can actually kill infecting bacteria and at
the same time protect the body from the poisons that are causing the infection.
It is known that the most sensitive bacterium to garlic is the deadly Bacillus
anthracis which produces the poison anthrax. Even the forefather of antibiotic
medicine Louis Pasteur acknowledged garlic to be as effective as penicillin and
late studies showed similar activity to a more modern antibiotic,
chloramphenicol. Even the blood of garlic eaters can kill bacteria and it is
also reported that the vapour from freshly cut garlic can kill bacteria at a
distance of 20 cms!! Another once common, and apparently returning disease,
tuberculosis was treated with garlic very successfully as the invading organism
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is sensitive to several of the sulphur components
found in garlic.
http://www.mistral.co.uk/garlic/index.htm
Fights Microbial and Fungal Infections
Scientific research has also confirmed garlic’s role as a natural antibiotic.
Back in 1983, Lau noted in Medical Hypotheses (12:227-37) that “garlic extract
has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against many genera of bacteria and
fungi…Because many of the microorganisms susceptible to garlic extract are
medically significant, garlic holds a promising position as a broad-spectrum
therapeutic agent.”
One way garlic works is by promoting phagocytosis, the ability of white blood
cells to fight infections. Another is by stimulating other immune cells, such as
macrophages and T-cells to fight bacterial and viral infections and to scavenge
for cancer cells. One report, in Deutsche Zeitschrift für Onkologie (April
1989;21:52-3), described how garlic enhanced the body’s “killer cell” activity
against the AIDS virus.
Lau has also noted that garlic can combat Candida infections. In one study, he
injected an aged garlic extract into mice with Candida infections. After a day,
the Candida colonies numbered 400, compared with 3,500 among the mice given only
a salt-water solution. After two days, the garlic-treated mice were free of
Candida.
http://www.garlicfestival.com/
When the clove is cut or crushed, an enzyme contained within the plant cells
combines with an amino acid. This creates a new compound, called allicin, which
has been shown to kill 23 types of bacteria, including salmonella and
staphylococcus.
When garlic is heated, a different compound is formed that can prevent arteries
from clogging, and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The
blood-thinning quality of garlic may also be helpful in preventing heart attacks
and strokes.
Garlic may even prevent cancer because it contains vitamins such as C, A, and B
which stimulates the immune system to eliminate toxins and combat carcinogens.
For the same reason, it may also become a valuable treatment for AIDS. A study
in China showed that people with the highest levels of dietary garlic have a
reduced risk of stomach cancer.
It can also kill 60 types of fungi and yeast, among them are the common causes
of athlete’s foot and vaginitis. During a vaginal yeast infection, one clove of
garlic inserted into the entrance of the vagina will be as effective in
alleviating itching than the most expensive over-the-counter anti-itch creme or
suppository. Better yet, it’s much cheaper.
Experts split on the recommended daily amount of dietary garlic, from one to ten
cloves. However, most agree that fresh garlic is better than in supplement form.
Can too much of a good thing be bad? As with anything else, certain people will
experience a food allergy to garlic. While large amounts of raw garlic can be
irritating to the digestive tract and some people may experience flatulence, by
far the largest complaint about garlic is aesthetics. Many people avoid garlic
for fear of offending thy neighbor or hot date. For that, herbalists recommend
chewing fennel seeds, or that parsley garnish on your plate.
http://www.garlicfestival.com/
This entry was posted on Monday, August 10th, 2009 at 10:56 am and is filed under Foods. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
