The History and Health Benefits of Garlic

The interest in Garlic's potential benefits has ancient origins. Garlic was referenced a number of times in the ancient medical texts of Egypt, Greece, Rome, China & India, each of them prescribed various medical applications for garlic. Hippocrates, the revered physician himself, prescribed garlic to his own patients to treat a variety of conditions. Garlic was one of the first "performance enhancing" agents recorded and were given to Olympic athletes in Greece. Modern science has confirmed many of the early beliefs of applications for garlic used by ancient cultures.

Garlic has been proven in recent studies to lower LDL cholesterol naturally, and is more effective in women than men. Coronary artery disease is a result of plaque buildup in the arteries, and in a continual study at Humboldt University, it was shown after 18 months of a 54 month study that garlic reduced the levels of atherosclerosis and inhibited new plaque growth. Garlic also helps prevent cancer, especially of the digestive system; it also prevents certain tumors from growing and reduces the size of others. In demographic surveys it was shown that using garlic in a variety of ways inhibits cancer cells from multiplying, actually slowing down the process and in some cases may actually reverse it in early stages!

Garlic is also a very powerful natural antibiotic and in emergency situations can be crushed and applied to the site of an open wound to kill bacteria such as staph and strep. These strains of bacteria cannot become immune to garlic's effect as it has modern synthesized antibiotics because garlic kills in a different way. This method works because crushing the garlic releases sulfenic acid which converts to the allicin, the powerful antibiotic compound that kills bacteria. Chewing garlic is also considered crushing it so it works much the same way when swallowed to help reduce infections quickly including yeast infections of the candida species (the most common).

A few other highlights of garlic's many health benefits are it lowers and helps regulate blood pressure; it helps prevent blood clots from forming, which in turn reduces the possibility of suffering a stroke. Garlic helps remove heavy metals such as lead and mercury from the body and it has anti oxidant properties.

Garlic is most effective in the applications mentioned when it is fresh and has not yet been exposed to excessive direct sunlight and/or heat nor has gone to seed. I have been eating garlic that was pickled at the peak of it's freshness for a couple years now and the difference it has made in my energy levels is wonderful. At the end of the article I will list a couple places where you can find and buy fresh, crispy, tasty flavored pickled garlic's. I also noticed about 2 months after I began eating pickled garlic regularly that the problems I was having with severe adult acne breakouts lessened and I seemed to be able to ward off colds like a real warrior. I have also met a few other people that swear by the effects of garlic in their lives also. Studies have shown that regular consumption of garlic in several varieties is very beneficial to ones health and I can tell you from personal experience it is true. I encourage you to do your own research on garlic and its many benefits for yourself; I guarantee you will be amazed at what you discover. One website I found of significant garlic information and was a lot of help when looking for tips on how to grow, harvest, store, prepare, use and order garlic is (http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/index.htm). He also sells pickled garlic, but I never ordered pickled garlic from this site.

As mentioned earlier you can order fantastic flavors of pickled garlic at the following places.

The Garlic Lady - (www.garliclady.com) they have delicious pickled garlic, the barbecue/smoked flavor is to die for, and Big River Emporium - (www.benjacklarado.com/). I have tried both of these and they are good, but the The Garlic Lady has a larger selection of pickled garlic flavors as well as better prices, also my order always arrives quickly.