garlic photo by annilove via Flickr
Eating raw garlic might just be a cure for the common cold.
A nasty cough and sore throat bug has run through the local kid circuit over the past two weeks and last night I identified the first sign that I was catching it. Already, everyone in the weekndr house had succumb to this seasonal bug. Except for me, and the future did not look bright.
When I got home from work my throat started to feel raw and scratchy. That’s when I remembered some advice my brother gave me a few years ago as a home remedy to head off a sore throat or common cold: eat raw garlic. And that’s just what I did.
I peeled two cloves and began to chew. And I mean chew. The key to this home remedy is that you have to let the garlic juices thoroughly coat your mouth and throat, which won’t happen if you just pop the clove in your mouth and swallow. Literally, you can feel the spicy garlic neutralizing offending bugs and the pain just goes away. It causes a similar warming sensation when it hits your belly, but that goes away too.
When I woke up this morning no sore throat. No achy body. I can honestly say I avoided the common cold thanks to a pair of garlic cloves.
The downside is no one wants to get near me. Not only does my breath smell but I’m practically sweating garlic. It’s a small price to pay for good health.
Filed under: Food and Drink | Tagged: garlic, home remedy
last updated October 25, 2009
Update: Used raw garlic again last night to fend off a cough and sneeze. It worked! We also read that Project Runway host Heidi Klum eats a clove of raw garlic once a day to stay healthy. Another celebrity endorsement!
I must say that I couldn’t have found this article at a better time. A couple of days ago I started to feel my left nasal passage drip and once it hit the back of my throat, it started to sting. By the end of the night, both sides were dripping causing an “acidic” sensation onto my throat as it became more difficult to swallow and impossible to sleep. I knew I was headed for trouble for the next few days. I typically don’t get sick, but I think my immune system was low from my own negligence and too many “cheat meals” per day.
The next day I was fully clogged up with a head and chest congestion. I opted for an over-the-counter medication to alleviate the symptoms of sinus pressure, drippy nose, sneezing and slight dry cough, even though I am opposed prescription “meds”. I’m consider myself to be an alternative self-healer via natural herbs, nutrition and home remedies.
Needless to say, I remembered how garlic is a potent anti-bacterial against viral infection food. I headed straight to the local food market and purchased two large bulbs of garlic organic. I could not figure out how to ingest raw garlic without making a funny face and giving up. So, as usual, I googled raw garlic recipes. Although I didn’t find a single recipe that sounded appetizing, I ended up using my creative “foodie” instincts. I love cooked garlic in foods and the only other way I would eat it raw is with some Italian bread, but I needed to stay away from starchy foods and dairy during my detoxification processs.
I ended up with a raw salad that was quite enjoyable.
After a couple of bites, I experienced a tingly and warm sensation down my throat and in my stomach, which went away shortly afterward. I’m very excited to feel much better within minutes! It opened up my nasal passages for optimum breathing capability! And my sneezing and coughing subsided significantly.
Immune Boost Raw Garlic Salad
1/2 cup diced organic baby tomatoes
1/2 cup peeled diced organic cucumber
2-3 peeled garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with omega-3 DHA
You gotta try this! http://www.pompeian.com/oil_OlivExtraPlus.html
1tbsp chopped parsley
dash of dill weed
dash of salt or salt substitute
dash of pepper
This salad is pretty pungent, but great to help you breathe again!
Carmen Garcia
International Fitness Model
Fit Lifestyle Coach
Certified Fitness Trainer
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