Monday, July 6, 2009

GARLIC - Poor Man's Treacle

In the era of Elizabethan , 16th Century, the Latin word for antidote, theriaca, had become the English word 'treacle', meaning cure-all. Garlic became known then as 'poor man's treacle'.

Garlic not only healed poor peasants, but also healed Pharaohs, ancient Greek heroes, China emperors, India maharajahs and soldiers during World War 1.

In the Ebers Papyrus from 1500 BC, garlic is listed as being used in 22 medicinal formulae. Egyptians were referred as 'the stinking ones' because of their love for garlic.

Greek soldiers chewed garlic before battle. Greek athletes ate garlic before competition. Both the Greeks and Romans loved garlic a a medicine.

Although the upper class hated its smell, physicians of these cultures used garlic to treat infections, wounds, leprosy, digestive problems, heart problems, tapeworms and the common cold. This was sound medical practice. The peasantry, however loved it and view it as a cure-all.

Over the centuries though, the upper class resumed using garlic medicinally. By World War 1, British, French and Russian medical officers were using garlic to treat infected battle wounds. Thousands of years of medicinal use suggest garlic has some significant healing powers, which are diverse and dramatic.

Dosage
Equivalent to 2000-5000 mg of garlic bulb daily.

The best known of healing properties is its capacity to relieve the common cold. Garlic can prevent attack by the common cold virus and reduce its duration. It goes beyond this though and acts against more exotic infections.

No comments: