Garlic health is more than just flavor. Discover how this powerful bulb can boost your immune system and overall health.
According to the University of Rochester, Garlic contains something called allicin. Allicin is actually the substance connected to the odor of garlic. Allicin is a strong antibiotic. It’s released when garlic cloves are crushed or chewed. Garlic has also been used as an antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal agent. It may help the body resist or destroy viruses and other microorganisms. It does this by boosting the immune system.
(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and this information is not meant to diagnose, treat, or take the place of your physician. This article is meant to share information and personal experience. Also, URMC states those on any blood thinners should use caution with garlic.)
When my children were growing up, garlic was part of my arsenal for getting my family well. I’ve made it a practice to crush about a half to a full teaspoon at a time, cover it in local honey and swallow without chewing. My children even learned to take it this way when they were young.
If you’ve never used garlic this way, be sure to test for allergies and garlic can also be too harsh on the stomach for some. If it irritates your stomach, some find that certain formulations in capsules are less upsetting.
We also learned, a clove in the ear seemed to alleviate an earache, but you have to be safe and not use a piece that could slide down the ear canal, or a piece with any sharp edges. Also, garlic may sting if it’s super strong, and some wrap it in gauze. (This practice is considered folk medicine, by the way.) Some use garlic oil drops for this. Those can be made at home as well. (*Recipe below)
In terms of prepping, and self-reliance, garlic is super easy to grow. You can easily buy a bulb (non gmo) and separate the cloves and plant them. They grow a beautiful flower head:
And once the flower begins to die back, you can catch the seeds several ways. I would often use a paper bag to cover the flower head with a rubber band and allow the seeds to fall and collect them this way. In early spring of the next season, I would plant the seeds without needing to buy more garlic bulbs. Then, dig up the bulbs in the ground for medicine and cooking.
Of course, garlic can be added to foods, and it’s recommended to add it towards the end of cooking, to keep most of its helpful properties from being cooked off and damaged by heat. Eating garlic regularly can help keep your immune system strong according to Dr. Josh Axe. (Dr. Axe has a great website for holistic and natural medicine research, and remedies for treating various things at home.)
If you would like to read more on the medical research done on garlic, (NCBI) National Library of Medicine has a great article here called: Antibacterial Properties of Organosulfur Compounds of Garlic (Allium sativum). There are several other articles and studies listed on their site about garlic.
If you would like to try your hand at garlic drops, here’s a simple, easy recipe:
GARLIC OIL DROPS:
- Preparation: Crush two garlic cloves, let them sit and steep for about 10 minutes to activate allicin, then mix with a small amount of warm (not hot) carrier oil like olive. Strain out the garlic and the oil is ready for use.
- Application: Several drops can be placed into the ear canal using a dropper. It’s important that the oil is not hot to avoid burning delicate ear tissues.
Ezekiel 47:12… and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
