I recently met a garlic farmer who introduced me to a wonderful chemical in garlic called “allicin.” He explained how there were two chemicals in the garlic, “allinase” and “alliin” which remain separated within each garlic clove. They are there to protect the garlic from pathogens in the soil. When the garlic is attacked by microbial pathogens these two chemicals are mixed, which creates allicin.
I was told that allicin was anti-bacterial, and could help you fight off a cold or illness just as it was getting started. Shortly after meeting this farmer, I began to get a cold. I decided to try his technique.
It goes as follows:
When you think you’re getting sick, crush a clove of raw garlic. Leave it for 10 minutes for the chemical reaction of allinase and alliin to reach its peak. Take the garlic raw (I ate it on a cracker, which helped to shield my tongue from its spiciness!) He warned that I should take it promptly after the 10 minute mark, as the allicin has a half-life (meaning it becomes less potent as time passes).
So, with nothing to lose and a larder full of garlic, I took the remedy. I had 3 days of not feeling quite myself. On the second day, I felt the worst; a bit achy with a sore throat, so I took two doses. I didn’t get the cold! The children all have it, and Rob’s been fighting it too. His solution was to drink kraut juice. The jury is out as to whether his remedy was as effective, but I like to think the garlic pulled ahead! As the one who wakes several times a night to feed the baby, I consider it a resounding success to be the healthiest one of our bunch!
I looked up allicin online to see if there were other benefits to taking it. Research shows it to be lipid-lowering, good for anti-blood coagulation, anti-hypertension, anti-cancer, and an antioxidant in addition to its anti-microbial effects!
Nature is beautiful.
Yes, garlic is a natural antibiotic! Wonderful remedy.
Awesome! I’d heard about garlic being beneficial but not this specific way so I’ll keep this in mind as the husband’s got the gnarly cold right now but is a few days into it. We’ve got him dosed up on elderberry syrup, vitamin c and echinacea along with the broth and hot tea, which combined seems to be keeping it from getting to that gross “box-of-kleenex-used-in-one-night” stage. Plus I change out his pillowcase each day, my latest solution, to keep it from becoming a germ factory 🙂 The worst part is no kissing though! I told him it was that or he had to sleep in the basement LOL.
I like your plan! If I could keep up with the extra laundry of swapping pillow cases, I’d try that…but I think it’s beyond my capabilities right now!!
I use garlic a lot for its anti-bacterial properties! I used it most recently to help me get over mastitis. Nature is amazing and beautiful.
Did you use the same method of consuming a raw crushed clove? Just wondering if there are other ways!?
I sid consume it raw. I minced it, added it ti water, and drank it. It was nasty, actually. I don’t know why I didn’t think to eat it on something…!