Medicinal Uses of Garlic
I’ve been looking through my new book ‘Peterson Field Guides Eastern/ Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs’ for familiar plants that I can use for home remedies. One of the first plants to pop out at me was garlic. According to this guide, garlic does not exist outside of human cultivation. It is believed to have originated in the Asian steppes and has been in cultivation for over 7,000 years.
To use, peel cloves and eat raw, make into tea, syrup or tincture or cook into foods. It is best used raw, since the active chemical, allicin, is more potent uncooked. It is believed to be useful in treating colds, coughs, earaches, fevers, bronchitis, shortness of breath, headaches, congestion, high blood pressure, diarrhea, gout, rheumatism, dysentery and arteriosclerosis.
Experimentally, garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol. It also has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and diuretic properties. Clinical studies suggest that garlic does help gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, heart ailments and arteriosclerosis.
All information is taken from the Peterson Field Guide Eastern/ Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs. It is not intended to take the place of medical attention. If you suffer from any of these ailments, and you choose to use these home remedies, you do so at your own risk. In addition, you may find yourself socially unacceptable… 
