The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Colds
Posted by Esther (Lymanville, Pennsylvania) on 11/08/2007
★★★★★
Chewing raw garlic, which is hard on the stomach and bad for the breath, vs drinking garlic tea, which is neither, is very effective against colds.
To make the garlic tea, chop a garlic clove or two into a cup, add boiling water, followed by lemon and honey to taste.
The garlic will settle to the bottom.
Be sure to spoon it up and chew well when you have drunk the liquid.
Drink a cup of garlic tea frequently, at least once a day, when everyone around you is passing a cold back and forth, or at the first hint of a scratchy throat or runny eyes and sniffles. I am religious about this, and have not had a cold in years.
Colds
Posted by Laura (Seattle, WA) on 10/16/2007
★★★★★
I've been using garlic for years for a variety of things. Usually I use it for colds. At the first sign of a cold, chop up 4 cloves of raw garlic and eat. I prefer to use it as a garnish on an already garlicy type food like soups or spaghettie, it helps make the taste not so obvious. Keep up with 4 cloves a day, then reduce the number as your symptoms decrease. This can stop a cold from manifesting, or it will shorten and weaken your colds. I used to have chronic bronchitis after every cold, now I haven't had it in years. I also only get one cold a year usually. Yeah, I don't smell great but I'm not missing so much work!
I will also use raw garlic juice on rashes and bug bites. It stops the itching immediately, and I pretty much use it for anytime I might need a phytoncide.
Colds
Posted by Jane (Los Angeles, California) on 04/07/2007
★★★★★
I noticed that when I came down with a cold - I would always start to crave raw garlic. So I thought I would try it the next time before the cold took hold. It worked like a charm! Now I use it every time I feel a cold or flu coming on.
It has to be raw garlic. I chop a few large cloves (as much as I can handle) finely and sprinkle it on buttered toast or in my food. You should be sure to chew the garlic to release the essential oils. I continue this once or twice a day until I'm better - could take a few days to completely get well - but I have managed to fend off every cold since I discovered the "garlic cure." (this is good for colds and flu except if you are coming down with a stomach bug - in which case it could aggravate your stomach.)
Colds
Posted by Jim (Magnolia, TX) on 09/17/2006
★★★★★
Garlic for colds. When a cold first starts, place a whole clove between the cheek an teeth. It will shorten the effects of the cold.
Colds
Posted by Samin (Monroe, LA)
★★★★★
When I feel a cold coming on with symptoms of a sore throat & or sniffles, I blend 1-2 cloves of fresh crushes garlic & 1/2 cup of spring or distilled water. I drink it once in the morning on an empty stomach & again in the evening for at least a week. Bye , bye cold & discomfort. Oh by the way, it is disgusting but oh so good for U.
Cough
Posted by Susan (USA)
★★★★★
8 to 10 of garlic juice mixed with 2 TBSP of honey four times a day cures a persistent cough
Coughs
Posted by Ken (Chicago, IL) on 07/14/2008
★★★★★
I can vouch for this one. I caught a cold last month that went into my chest. Though the cold faded, I'd had a nagging cough ever since then; keeping me up at night, awful fits in public, etc. Lozenges and expectorants helped, but didn't stop the cough. After 2 days of drinking the garlic tea (twice a day) my cough is completely gone and I feels tons better - I'm still drinking it! It definitely feels good for what ails you ... and for what doesn't!
Cysts
Posted by Humberto (USA) on 01/10/2008
★★★★★
I had a cyst behind my ear. I would pop it and white stuff came out that smelled really bad.
1. I cut a clove of garlic and smeared the juice on it.
2. I put a cut clove on it with a band aid and left it on for 15 minutes.
3. I minced the garlic and put some juice on it.
(DANGER) 4. I made garlic paste with extra virgin olive oil. Crushed/minced up garlic, add extra virgin olive oil. Put it in a glass jar. It turns into a paste (like jam or jelly). I left it on for 1 hour. I made a mistake. I should had left it on for only 15 minutes. I burned my skin.
WARNING: Only leave it on for 15 minutes. The cyst is gone. The garlic killed it.
Cysts and Warts
Posted by Humberto (USA) on 01/10/2008
★★★★★
Months ago I got a small wart on my finger. I also killed that with garlic.
Dementia
Posted by Natural Cures (Los Angeles, California) on 06/22/2018
★★★★★
Natural remedies for Alzheimer and dementia: I think garlic is curative and so garlic pills can help improve our mental and physical health. Thank you for all the information it is very helpful.
Dogs and People
Posted by Sabina (Goshen, NY) on 04/30/2008
★★★★★
I've been giving my small and large dogs fresh garlic cloves, twice a week, for the past 30 years, and they all lived long healthy lives. I used to eat a clove daily and I never got a cold or flu. I gave up the daily garlic because it made me stink. Once I gave it up I began to catch virus. I now only take it if I feel as though I may be coming down with something.
Replied by Jp
(Monroe, Ny, Usa)
12/06/2010
Replied by Thenewguyintown
(Westwood, New Jersey, Usa)
12/07/2010
Ear Aches
Posted by Lynn (Mpls, Mn) on 01/20/2012
★★★★★
I have used garlic to cure my son twice now from ideas I got from this site. He had an earache, I did the clove in the ear. He would only keep it in for a little bit at a time, I just kept putting it back in until he fell asleep. The next day his earache and head congestion was gone. For the past 2 days he was complaining of sore throat and swollen glands. I took 5-6 cloves minced in boiling water for a minute. In a large mug, add honey, cayenne, capful of ACV and then arlic water with the cloves. I tasted it and it wasnt bad! One sip gave me some serious garlic breath. In a few hours he felt better. It works!
Ear Aches
Posted by Brigitte (Houston, Texas) on 01/11/2008
★★★★★
Garlic works to alleviate ear aches. You simply must be sure to take the garlic clove and expose the tender inner flesh by scoring the outer flesh of the garlic; then wrap the garlic clove in a light cotton gauze to prohibit the ear from making direct contact with the garlic clove and place this into the ear canal. Be sure that the garlic clove is large enough to prevent its becoming lodged in the ear canal. leave it there and you will find that the pain will disipate. I have used this remedy repeatedly with great success. When my oldest daughter was about two years old she found it so soothing that if the garlic fell from her ear she would pick it up and place it back in her ear all by herself. Garlic works to alleviate ear aches.
Replied by Vina
(Marian, Ohio)
10/04/2007
★★★★★
Ear Aches
Posted by Anonymous (USA)
★★★★★
Garlic for ear ache. one garlic tooth. heat not too hot. cut a piece from garlic wrap in a cotton ball with vick 's vapor rub then insert in ear. Not both ears. in no time you'll feel better.
Ear Infection
Posted by Nikki (Almeria, Spain) on 01/11/2008
★★★★★
As a child on holiday in Spain, I had a terrible ear problem, infection i suppose, but can't recall anymore than the pain, and the fact that the local spanish staff took me into hotel kitchen and placed a hottish clove in each ear. pain gone and problem solved in a very short spce of time.
Now living in Spain full time, I generally eat a lot of garlic , but havent recently which may account for not feeling too great recently, so I am about to try some of the above concoctions. I do take acv each morning with honey though, which i now LOVE...
I havent tried this.. but have read on various cookery sites that if you split open the clove and take out the centre bit that is the part that first starts growing, it prevents the garlic breath after effects.
Gazpacho soup ( cold ) which is heavy on garlic, with fresh red peppers ( lots of vt C), cucumbers, tomatoes, all lquidized with some olive oilis a recipe I am going to adapt and drink loads of in near future,possibly with some extra cayenne pepper added.
I will see how it goes and let you all know.
