The surprising direct result from all this is that garlic does attack
bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungus.
Thus it is strongly indicated for any clearly infectious ailment
assaulting the body. It is probably not sufficient although that
needs to be thoroughly investigated. A large dose of garlic is a
daunting option but it surely needs to be better understood.
Can you imagine a bowl of strong chicken soup with several roasted
garlic cloves cooked into it with a touch of miso perhaps? Perhaps
the key to chicken soup was always the garlic.
The good news is that the direct benefits of using garlic are no
longer lacking scientific support at all.
Medical researchers
suggest that garlic may prevent the common cold
Wednesday, August 08,
2012 by: Donna Earnest Pravel
(NaturalNews) The
U.S. National Library of Medicine released a review in March
2012 of all available clinical trials involving garlic's
effectiveness for the common cold. The intent was to explore
clinical evidence for the popular belief that garlic "is good
for" colds in humans.
Garlic has been
scientifically proven to possess anti-microbial properties
Traditional,
anecdotal, and even clinical research supports the fact that the
allicin contained in garlic has both anti-bacterial and anti-viral
properties. The medical journal Applied Microbiology and
Biotechnology published a clinical study in 2001 stating that
garlic has "a wide spectrum of actions." Garlic kills
bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungus. The researchers
commented that because of the popularity of natural and herbal
treatments for a variety of illnesses and conditions, interest in
medicinal plants is now at the forefront of investigation in the
field of pharmacology.
Garlic has positive
effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems
In addition to its
anti-microbial properties, garlic has positive effects on the
immune and cardiovascular systems. The Journal of
Nutrition published a 2006 critical review which discussed the
effectiveness of garlic in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
The medical journal stated that scientists have established that
cardiovascular disease is helped by the consumption of garlic on a
regular basis. Garlic lowers "bad" cholesterol levels,
lowers blood pressure, and provides antioxidants.
Of particular interest is the comment made by the authors in the study regarding mixed reviews in some clinical trials involving garlic. The researchers noted that many of the studies were conducted improperly, affecting outcomes. Conflicting evidence was due to several factors: a variety of garlic preparations were used, there may have been mistakes with subject (patient) selection, the study was not properly randomized, or the duration of the trial was too short.
Of particular interest is the comment made by the authors in the study regarding mixed reviews in some clinical trials involving garlic. The researchers noted that many of the studies were conducted improperly, affecting outcomes. Conflicting evidence was due to several factors: a variety of garlic preparations were used, there may have been mistakes with subject (patient) selection, the study was not properly randomized, or the duration of the trial was too short.
Garlic "may"
help prevent the common cold
Regarding clinical
evidence that garlic either prevents or treats the common cold, only
one clinical study was performed "correctly," according to
the authors gathering evidence for the venerable Cochrane Database
for Systematic Reviews. In this study, 146 participants took garlic
daily for three months. The study was randomized and placebo
controlled. Other controls included no treatment for colds at all, or
using other forms of treatment. Participants in the garlic group had
fewer colds than those in any of the other groups. The length of the
colds were roughly the same in all groups, between four and five
days. The conclusion of the clinical trial was that daily
consumption of garlic "may" help to prevent colds, but
larger studies need to be done to confirm the possibility.
There are no randomized, controlled, and properly conducted medical studies to show if garlic either reduces the severity or length of a cold when a person begins to take garlic at the beginning of a cold
Sources:
Pubmed.gov,
"Antimicrobial properties of Allium sativum (garlic)."
Harris JC, et al. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2001
October; 57(3): 282- 6.
Pubmed.gov, "Garlic and cardiovascular disease: a critical review." Rahman K. and Lowe GM. Journal of Nutrition. 2006 March; 136(3 Suppl): 736S- 740S.
3 Summaries.
Pubmed.gov, "Garlic
for the common cold." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews:
Plain Language
About the author:
This article is provided courtesy of Donna Earnest Pravel, owner and senior copy editor of Heart of Texas Copywriting Solutions.com. Get free weekly tips on natural healing and herbs by visiting her blog, Bluebonnet Natural Healing Therapy.
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