This may end up sounding like an ode to garlic, and for good reason....when it comes to health, garlic is a major powerhouse of healing!
I think most people know that garlic is healthy, but did you know that it helps prevent and treat many conditions, including:
atherosclerosis ["hardening of the arteries"]
high blood pressure
high blood sugar
liver disease
immune system disorders
arthritis
colon polyps [1,2]
As if that's not enough, garlic also helps your body detoxify [3,4] and fight infection.
The prebiotic fiber in garlic feeds the beneficial bacteria in your GI tract, thus helping maintain a healthy balance in your gut... where roughly 70% of your immune system is located.
Most of the health benefits from garlic are due to sulfur compounds such as allicin, which is formed by an enzymatic process when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed or chewed.
To maximize the phytonutrient content of your garlic, chop or crush it then allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to adding to food or any cold-busting remedies you like. Garlic crushed in this manner may be consumed with local honey to help fight colds, but the garlic still must be chewed.
The best way to consume garlic is fresh [2-3 cloves twice a day], but organic aged liquid and freeze dried garlic is available.
References:
Tanaka S et al. J Nutr 136(3 Suppl):821s-6s.
Chiavarini M et al. Public Health Nutr 2016; 19(2):308-17
Cha CW Study on effect of garlic to the heavy metal poisoning of the rat J Korean Med Sci 1987 Dec:2(4):213-24
Petkov V Higiena 1960, 6, 11-14. Petkov V Chimpharm 1965, 2, 5-13.