Allium Sativum

AKA Garlic. Village Panacea. Poor Man’s Treacle. Da Suan . Stinking Rose

Family | Amaryllidaceae AKA Lilly

Where it grows | Across America! California actually grows more garlic than any other state, predominately central areas of the State.

Herbal Actions | Antimicrobial, Antiviral, Antifungal, Cholagogue, Hypotensive, Warming, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Expectorant

Body Systems | Immune, Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Digestive Systems

Parts Used | Bulb

 Energetics |Pungent, hot and dry

 Medicinal Uses |

Respiratory: Effective treatment for antibiotic-resistant pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, recurrent colds, bronchial asthma, whooping cough and influenza

Digestive: Increases secretions of mucosa, stimulates metabolism, builds up natural bacterial flora and helps to eliminate pathogens

Cardiovascular: Reduces cholesterol levels, relaxes the arteries and helps to prevent the peroxidation of fats thereby protecting the body from atherosclerosis, thrombosis, hypertension, heart attack and stroke

Immune: Cancer preventative properties

Contraindications | Hot stomach & liver, hepatitis, pancreatitis and hiatal hernia

Preparation Methods | Best used fresh preserved in honey or oil or used in capsules and tinctures; drying alters the active ingredients

Dosing Guidelines | For folks in good health, 1 clove a day is suggested. For folks with acute conditions, 1 clove 3 X per day is recommended or up to three 500-600 mg capsules a day (it is not recommended to use the odorless variety). Tincture; 10-20 drops several times per day

Jewish take on it | As it says in the Talmud, “Ezra made ten regulations...That they eat garlic on the eve of Shabbat, on account of the mitzvah to have sexual relations. As it is written [Psalms 1:3]: “He shall be like a tree…that yields its fruit in its proper time,” and Rav Yehuda taught…. this verse refers to a person who has sexual intercourse on every eve of Shabbat. The rabbis taught that garlic has five qualities: It satiates and warms the body and brightens the face, it increases semen, and it kills parasites in the intestines. Others add that it instills love and so eliminates jealousy.” (Bava Kamma 82a)

Jewish Expressions |

Yiddish: az men est nisht kayn knobl, shtink men nit.

English: If you don’t eat garlic, you won’t smell bad.

Meaning: If you’re a truthful person, you have nothing to hide.

Sephardic Jews: al ajo ke se le vaiga,

English: Let it go to the garlic

Meaning: a play on the linguistic similarities between ojo, the Judeo-Spanish word for “eye” and ajo, meaning “garlic.”

References | Medical Herbalism, David Hoffmann . Herbal Therapy and Supplements by Merrily A. Kuhn and David Winston. The Earthwise Herbal by Matthew Wood . Talmud, Bava Kamma, translated by Talmudology . The Nosher Picture from: https://www.acsh.org/news/2015/10/31/garlic-bad-for-vampires-good-for-real-people