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This evocative phrase refers to
garlic, a herb that has had its place in medicine for centuries, and
I believe the "rose" appellation refers in part at least to the
beauty of its results!
For years we referred to folklore to
describe garlic's attributes, and I could add on a personal note the
fact that almost everyone who comes to me and brags of never
catching cold, goes on to tell me they take garlic regularly. Some
of them obviously don't mean they take deodorized tablets of it,
either! Now, however, science has stepped in to validate many of the
claims made for garlic.
Worldwide, literally thousands of
studies have been done on garlic. Most recently, much attention has
focused on garlic and cholesterol, and one combined
Australian/British study found that after 6 months, cholesterol had
been lowered by 10% and blood pressure by an average of 8%, in
patients with initial high readings. Other studies have shown that
garlic inhibits the ability of LDL to accumulate in smooth muscle
tissue, and can lower serum levels of triglycerides.
(Brown DJ, Foster S: Phytotherapy: Herbal medicine
meets clinical science: Part II. America's Pharmacist 6:31-48,
1997).
Garlic's beneficial effect on heart
health leads me to speculate that the lower levels of heart disease
in Mediterranean cultures may be due in part to the amount of garlic
they consume! (lain, A.K. et al.
1993. Can garlic reduce serum lipids? A controlled clinical study.
Am J Mcd 94:632-635.)
There is a great deal of recent
research also on garlic's effects against viruses, bacteria, and
fungi. I often suggest strong garlic preparations in conjunction
with other remedies for Candida Albicans, knowing of studies that
show it helps clear Candida from the blood, and inhibit its growth
in the kidney. (Odds, FC. Candida and
Candidosis.1988. Bailliere Tindall, Philadelphia, Pa. p. 312. Sandhu
DK et al. Sensitivity of yeasts isolated from cases of vaginitis to
aqueous extracts of garlic. Mykosen. 1980; 23:691-98)I
have found, too, that continuing to use it regularly, often prevents
recurrence of the infection. In the unexpected benefit department,
a double blind Swedish study, published in the Lancet, found that
Marines taking Garlic were 21% less likely to be bitten by the ticks
that carry Lyme's disease!
Very interesting to people who are
taking every precaution to protect themselves against our modern
health scourges, are the studies showing the connection between
garlic and immuno-protective properties. I tend to pussyfoot around
this kind of thing, because I don't want to be accused of
sensationalism, but we simply cannot ignore the large number of
studies that show garlic as being positively protective against
certain kinds of cancer, most specifically stomach and colon. ( Gastro- intestinal
Oncology Section, U. of Texas.)
Studies in 2005 concentrated on the
apparent ability of garlic to inhibit bastric cancer. When you
over cook foods, a chemical called PhlP is produced, which is
carcinogenic. A component of ordinary garlic called DAS (diallyl
sulfate) has been proven to inhibit these killer PhIP enzymes.
Scientists at Florida A&M University
infused human breast epithelial cells with both DAS and PhIP. At
every stage of study in the test, the PhIP did indeed increase,
sometimes to 40 times as much. . However, the garlic DAS preventedit
from becoming carcinogenic, in effect it became harmless.
The study was presented at a 2005American Association for
Cancer Research meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
In one study of 52,000 women in Iowa, garlic use was
a defining element in who did, and who did not, develop colon
cancer. In another, residents of Gangshan County, in China, who eat
up to 20gms of garlic daily, have the lowest gastric cancer death
rate in the country, while residents of Quixia County, who rarely
eat garlic, have the highest. I wonder what the comparative birth
rates are - the smell of garlic isn't conducive to romance!
Which brings me to the reason why
many people in this country eat less than 20 gms of garlic a day: the
smell. There is encouraging news here! When garlic is called, "phew"
need not be chosen. Some of the formulas on the market now have been
produced under rigorous supervision to preserve the active part of
the garlic, but to eliminate the smell: one just has to be careful
to choose a company one can trust.
However, do not neglect including
this flavorful bulb in your cooking! When you cook meat at high
temperature, you cause a chemical known as PhlP to be released, one
which is suspected in cancer. Garlic contains Diallyl sulphide,
which has been shown to inhibit PhlP.
As a last thought: King Tutunkhamen's tomb was filled with the treasures he would need to
flourish in the afterlife - and among them were 6 bulbs of garlic.
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