Garlic use

Garlic health benefits and medicinal properties have long been known. Garlic has continuously been considered a herbal “wonder drug”, with a reputation for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague! It has been used extensively in herbal medicine. If garlic had been created in the laboratory instead of by nature, it would probably be a high-priced prescription drug.

Garlic has been used throughout the centuries, for treating various illnesses. The most important and unique feature is its high content of organo-sulfur substances. Garlic contains at least four times more sulfur than other high sulfur vegetables such as onion, broccoli and cauliflower. Most important for the taste is allicin, which is produced enzymatically to sulfur. If the garlic cells are damaged; its biological function is to repel herbivorous animals. Allicin is deactivated therefore, minced garlic changes its aroma if not used immediately. In general, a stronger tasting clove of garlic has more sulphur content and hence more medicinal value.

Heart Disease and Blood Clots

Fresh cloves contain an antioxidant compound that gives garlic its characteristic aroma, which may explain why garlic may be helpful for reducing blood clots and artery plaque and modestly lowering cholesterol. When eaten daily along with other heart-healthy foods, garlic can help lower heart disease risk by 76 percent.
Garlic’s blood-thinning properties are helpful, but if you’re already taking a blood-thinning drug such as Warfarin (Coumadin), or you have a blood or platelet disorder or are going into the hospital for surgery or to have a baby, talk to your doctor before consuming large amounts of garlic.

Coughing

Garlic’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, due to the sulphur content make it a superb treatment for coughs and other throat irritations. Garlic may also reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infections.

Diabetes

Garlic is considered to regulate blood sugar levels by increasing the release of insulin in diabetics. Therefore an effective remedy is to include garlic in your daily diet.

High Blood Pressure

Clinical studies have shown that people with high blood pressure who consumed garlic daily for up to five months lowered their blood pressure levels as effectively as patients taking prescription blood pressure drugs.

High Cholesterol

It keeps the cholesterol levels in our blood in good balance. It does this by lowering serum cholesterol levels while raising ‘good’ HDL-cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that taking 600-900mg of garlic everyday lowers cholesterol levels and reduces arterial plaque formation by 5–18%. Therefore, an effective natural remedy is to include garlic in your daily diet.

Toothaches

Garlic’s antibacterial, analgesic, and anesthetizing properties can help cure toothaches. Simply put some garlic oil or a piece of crushed garlic clove directly onto the affected tooth and the gum for instant relief.

Warts

Garlic’s ability to fight infections and bacteria makes it an effective cure for warts and other skin problems.
Take a fresh clove of garlic and cut its tip off.
Rub the cut area of the clove directly onto the wart for a few seconds.
Repeat this each night before going to bed until the wart disappears.
If you feel any kind of irritation or strong burning sensation, simply rinse the area with water.

Cancer

Numerous case-control/population-based studies suggest that regular consumption of garlic (particularly unprocessed garlic) may reduce the risk of developing several types of cancer, including gastric and colorectal malignancies.
Lau, a researcher at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine, has identified three ways garlic protects against cancer: by directly inhibiting tumor cell metabolism, by preventing the initiation and reproduction of cancer cells, and by boosting a person’s immune system to more efficiently fight cancer cells.
John Milner, Ph.D., of Pennsylvania State University, University Park, recently studied how aged garlic powder protected against nitrosamine-induced cancers in laboratory mice. Nitrosamines are formed when processed meats, such as bacon and bologna are eaten.

Dosage

Garlic products are made from whole fresh garlic, fresh or dried garlic cloves, garlic powder made from the dried cloves, freeze-dried garlic, or oil garlic extracts. The usual daily oral dosage is 4 grams of fresh garlic or 8 milligrams of garlic oil per day, which is equivalent to approximately 18 mg of alliin (9 mg of allicin). For high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries, typical doses range from 600 to 900 milligrams daily. For high blood pressure, take 200 to 300 milligrams 3 times daily. Garlic oil can be made by crushing cloves and steeping in olive oil for one to two weeks. Refrigerate and use to massage into affected areas of arthritis, rheumatism, sprains, strains, and chest infections. The garlic oil will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two years.

Supplements

Not all garlic supplements have the same effect. As most regular supplements contain a mixture of alliin and the enzyme alliinase, which combine to produce allicin. If the capsule coating breaks open too soon, the stomach acid deactivates the alliinase enzyme, and the allicin is not produced. This means that there is no therapeutic effect. But, a novel type of patented technology means that a completely new group of garlic supplements, such as Allimax, can now be produced.

15 Spiritual and Physical benefits of meditation

The most significant benefits of meditation

Eastern philosophies have recognized the health benefits of meditation for thousands of years. Meditation lowers blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and delivers an overall improvement in your ability to concentrate. And the best part about meditation is you don’t need to be a Buddhist monk to experience the many health benefits of meditation.

The studies on the health benefits of meditation are numerous and the benefits proven seem endless as well. It has been stated that long-term mediators experience 80 percent less heart disease and 50 percent less cancer than non-mediators and that females who meditate have an average of 47 percent more DHEA, the youth-related hormone, than those who don’t. This hormone helps heighten memory, lower stress levels, preserve sexual function and maintain weight.

Various benefits from research studies indicate that meditation:

Improves both Physical and Emotional Responses to Stress. With stress playing a role as a contributing factor in major modern killers – there’s no time like now to get yours under control. A study conducted at the Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand found that after meditation, serum cortisol levels were significantly reduced, serum total protein level significantly increased, and systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and pulse rate significantly reduced. Read related article for stress reduction from meditation.

Improves Concentration. Meditation, according to Penn neuroscientist Amishi Jha and Michael Baime, director of Penn’s Stress Management Program, is an active and effortful process that literally changes the way the brain works. Their study is the first to examine how meditation may modify the three subcomponents of attention, including the ability to prioritize and manage tasks and goals, the ability to voluntarily focus on specific information and the ability to stay alert to the environment.

Decreases Blood Pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 out of 3 American adults have high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure increases one’s chances of developing heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. According to a study conducted at the University of Kentucky meditation is an effective treatment for controlling high blood pressure with the added benefit of bypassing possible side effects and hazards of anti-hypertension drugs. The study’s lead author, Dr. James W. Anderson, professor of medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, associated meditation with approximate reductions of 4.7 mm systolic blood pressure and 3.2 mm diastolic blood pressure and said that blood pressure reductions of this magnitude would be expected to be accompanied by significant reductions in risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Read related article on meditation for physical health.

There is a long list of studies and results that indicate superior benefits of meditation which help conditions as:

Allergies
Anxiety disorders
Asthma
Binge eating
Cancer
Depression
Fatigue
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Pain
Sleep problems
Substance abuse

Please feel free to contact us about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these or other medical conditions. Meditation isn’t a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it can be useful in addition to your other treatments.

Different types of meditation

There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques with meditation components. But all share the same goal of inner peace. Techniques such as:

Observation meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions but let them pass without judgment. This Technique can also be incorporated in daily life by living in the ‘now’ and accepting for what is.

Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells (using incense), sights, sounds and textures. This Technique can be led through by a guide or teacher.

Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts. Transcendental meditation is a type of mantra meditation in which you achieve a deep state of relaxation to achieve pure awareness.
Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (chee-kung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.

Kung Fu. This is a form of the gentle side of Chinese martial arts. A series of self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.

Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.