Hakimah’s Corner: The Health Benefits of Garlic
One old and trusty remedy is garlic. It has been around since Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him) came from Jennah and widely used by the Greeks, Africans and Romans. Thousands of Muslims have been using garlic and garlic oil for centuries. They believe it to be more effective than penicillin, and it has no side effects.
Health Benefits:
Garlic is known as one of nature’s most potent antibiotics. Garlic is a wonderful herb and hence a wonderful food for building and maintaining optimum health. It has the ability to stimulate cell growth and has a super rejuvenative effect on the entire body. Garlic helps to open up the blood vessels, stimulate circulation and helps reduce blood pressure – especially when Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum) is added. Garlic helps dissolve cholesterol in the blood stream. Its natural antibiotics are effective against bacteria while protecting the body’s normal intestinal flora. It contains many vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Much has been written on this important herb.
Some of the afflictions where excellent results have been reported with Garlic are as follows:
Asthmsa, bronchitis, cancer, candida, circulation, colds, digestion, fungus, heart, high blood pressure, infections, intestinal worms, liver, prostate, and yeast infection.
Aditional health qualities:
Respiratory ailments, nerves and sinus, putrefaction, acts on bacteria, viruses and internal parasites, purges the system of polutants, builds the immune system, stimulates the lymphatic system, prevents pneumonia, disentry, diarrhea and strep infections, arteriosclerosis, expectorant, increases the flow of bile.
Cooking with Garlic helps also but the active ingredient or parts can easily be destroyed by heat. There are 50 compounds in Garlic and 10 of them are active in reducing cancer, so, it is best taken raw. This leads to a problem of social acceptance due to the often objectionable smell. Most odorless Garlic tablets or capsules have the active compounds reduced or removed. This could cause the Garlic formulation (product) to be less effective.