One of the most common garden crops is garlic. The healing properties of this plant were known and widely used in antiquity. Today, in medical circles, disputes about the appropriateness of using garlic in the treatment of various diseases are not abating, and among the people, as before, this plant is worth its weight in gold.
On the chemical composition of garlic
Regardless of whether you like garlic, the medicinal properties of this plant can not be disputed. The healing characteristics are due to the rich chemical composition, which can be described as follows:
- Essential oil, which is a complex of sulfur compounds - polysulfides. It is to them that garlic owes its sharp specific smell.
- A complex of vitamins, as well as macro- and microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the body. By the content of B vitamins and PP vitamins, garlic is significantly ahead of carrots.
- Allicin, which is formed by the action of enzymes and oxygen, is a powerful bactericidal component against which microbes cannot resist.
- Protein in garlic is found in larger quantities than in potatoes or cabbage. Interestingly, the ancient Egyptians knew this. They included garlic in the diet of pyramid builders in order to increase their performance.
- Garlic is rich in carbohydrates. Its calorie content is 106 kcal.
Can everyone eat garlic?
Unfortunately, not everyone can help garlic in the fight against various ailments. Medicinal properties and contraindications are two main points that fans of traditional medicine should be aware of. So, garlic treatment is prohibited in such cases:
- Sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions. Eating garlic or getting its juice on the skin can cause dermatitis.
- Pregnancy. Excessive use of garlic can cause a deterioration in well-being and increased toxicosis.
- Taking drugs to thin the blood. Garlic has a similar effect, and therefore the risk of developing internal bleeding increases.
- Epilepsy, as well as chronic diseases of the liver and kidneys, which are at the acute stage.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Garlic irritates the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines.
How does garlic affect the body
Have you ever thought about how garlic acts on your body? The healing properties are manifested even when you simply eat it or add it to your favorite dishes. Here are just a small fraction of the benefits garlic can bring to your body:
- The rich taste of garlic irritates the taste buds and stimulates the production of gastric juice. Thus, the patient's appetite is stimulated, and the process of digesting food is much faster.
- If you eat garlic all the time, you can lower your blood cholesterol. This is a good prevention of the formation of plaques in the vessels.
- Garlic helps alleviate the condition of migraines, insomnia and dizziness. It also improves memory in the elderly.
- Garlic is indispensable in the treatment of respiratory diseases. And recent medical studies have proven that this product is effective even in the treatment of tuberculosis.
- Garlic produces volatile, against which gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria are powerless. The antiseptic properties are so strong that the fetus can be used to treat purulent wounds and warts.
- Allicin helps to reduce the load on the vessels. This property is extremely valuable for people suffering from high blood pressure.
- Garlic is recommended for the treatment of intestinal parasites. As you recover, the functional condition and appearance of the skin improves.
Garlic tincture to strengthen blood vessels
For many centuries, people have been using vodka-infused garlic to strengthen blood vessels. The healing properties of this tool allow you to normalize the work of the cardiovascular system and prevent the development of serious diseases. The tincture is prepared as follows:
- 100 grams of garlic should be chopped to a pulp. You can do this with a blender or fine grater.
- Pour the resulting mass with vodka in a volume of 0.5 liters.
- Mix well and pour it into a glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
- For 4 weeks, the container should be in a cool place, where access to direct sunlight is closed.
- Every 3-4 days, the bottle must be shaken vigorously so that the garlic flesh does not settle at the bottom.
- Strain the tincture several times and pour into the bottle again.
- Drink a teaspoon of the product three times a day (it is advisable to do this immediately before meals).
Garlic to give vitality
If you combine the healing properties of garlic, lemon and honey, you can get a real "vitamin bomb." If you suffer from chronic fatigue, you have an exhausting job, you just need a remedy prepared according to the following recipe:
- without removing the peel from the lemon and without removing seeds from it, pass through a meat grinder;
- do the same with 6 cloves of garlic, previously peeled;
- mix everything with a tablespoon of liquid honey;
- transfer the product to a glass jar and send to the refrigerator;
- every morning after breakfast, eat a tablespoon of this energy composition.
We strengthen immunity
The healing properties of lemon and garlic help to actively resist colds. The following tool will help to build reliable protection against all kinds of catarrhal infections:
- Skip four lemons with peel and seeds through a meat grinder. If the particles are large, you can repeat this manipulation again.
- Divide the three heads of garlic into cloves, peel, then grate, grind in a blender or pass through a meat grinder to make a homogeneous gruel.
- Stir the lemon-garlic mass and pour it with two liters of boiled water.
- Place the container with the composition in the refrigerator or cellar and leave it there for three days.
- After several layers of gauze, strain the liquid and pour into small glass containers that should be stored in the refrigerator.
- During a cold epidemic, take a quarter cup of lemon-garlic drink three times a day before meals.
- After 5 days, take a 10-day break, repeating treatment throughout the fall-winter period.
Arthritis Treatment
The healing properties of onions and garlic help to cope with such an unpleasant problem as arthrosis. The most effective is characterized by such a tool:
- Pass five cloves of garlic through a meat grinder along with half a large onion.
- Place the gruel in an enameled pan.
- Place a large leaf of young aloe, a beeswax briquette (about the size of a matchbox), and a tablespoon of butter in a jar.
- Place the pot on the stove and simmer over low heat. Do not forget to stir constantly so that the wax and oil are well dispersed without forming lumps.
- When the mixture boils, remove it from the heat, cover and let it brew until it cools completely.
- Remove the cooked aloe leaf from the container, and use the rest of the mass to compress on the affected areas. It is advisable to leave it all night.
Garlic Slimming
If you monitor your health, there should always be garlic in your kitchen. The healing properties of this product help to maintain not only good health, but also a slim figure. For this purpose, use this recipe:
- Two pre-peeled cloves of garlic and a small ginger root (also peeled) pour boiling water in an amount of two liters.
- Wrap the container with a towel and a warm blanket and leave it in this form for two hours, so that the product is properly infused.
- You should drink this drink instead of tea until you reach the desired results. In this case, it is important to adhere to proper nutrition and not to forget about physical activity.
Garlic for rejuvenation
An indispensable source of nutrients (in particular, selenium) is garlic. The healing properties, recipes of healing compounds - all this is known to people from ancient times. But not everyone knows that garlic has pronounced anti-aging properties. To preserve the beauty and charm of youth for a long time, use the product prepared according to the following recipe:
- Pour two glasses of olive oil into a deep thick-walled pan.
- Five cloves of garlic must first be peeled and halved. Lay them on the bottom of the pan, turning the slices down.
- Put 3-5 peas of black pepper in the pan, evenly distributing them along the bottom.
- Cover the container with a lid or tighten with foil and place in the oven.
- Bake the product for an hour. In the meantime, sterilize the glass jar.
- When the product cools down, strain it well through a dense layer of gauze, pour into a previously prepared container and send to the refrigerator.
- The resulting garlic oil should be regularly applied to the face as a mask. The procedure lasts no more than a quarter of an hour.
- To enhance the anti-aging effect, you can season salads with this product and add to other dishes.
Conclusion
Since ancient times, garlic is considered one of the most valuable food products. The benefits and harms, healing properties of this gift of nature are known not only to traditional healers, but also to every mistress. It is enough just to chew a small clove of garlic so that the common cold recedes, digestion is established, and the bacteria that are in the oral cavity have lost their viability. However, if you decide to treat with garlic, consult your doctor to see if you have any contraindications.