Garlic
Health Benefits

Garlic: A Superfood for Health and the Immune System

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.
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.


Stomach Ulcer
Posted by Gregg McKenzie (London, UK) on 12/27/2007
★★★★★

Raw garlic virtually instantly cured stomach ulcer! Once I knew I had a duodenal stomach ulcer I check the net and read of many cures but none so obvious as garlic. The nausea of five weeks went away in two hours and the next morning my appetite had fully returned! Eight crushed cloves a day for eight days (on bread under humus or pesto) - miraculous!


Boils
Posted by Margaret (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) on 11/27/2007
★★★★★

I have had recurring boils since 1996 under the breast area and over all of the abdominal region and ocassionally on the inner thigh region. Application of active magnesium was helpful but painful. Garlic hi-dose of 20,000mg did reduce and clear but 2 are still stubbornly remaining as scars and do reappear if I stop garlic for a few months. But the recurrence is controlled with ingestion of garlic again. But my abdominal area is covered by the ugly spots and scars.

Moles
Posted by Paul (Haywards Heath, UK) on 10/18/2007
★★★★★

re: garlic for superficial skin tumors -- I applied a slither of fresh garlic on a skin lesion abnormal but small skin growth under left eye for one week, appling for a duration of 5 mins untill it stung and was a little red...the lesion shrunk and has disapeared. senior operating department practitioner nhs.uk


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.


Angina - Warning
Posted by Doreen (Long Beach, California) on 12/13/2011

Another cardiologist found that Co-Q10, magnesium, D-ribose and L-Carnitine work wonders on heart patients of all levels, he even said that some of t hem were on the waiting list for heart transplant and got off of it after taking those supplements together... He calls them the "Awesome Foursome". The cardiologist's name is Stephen Sinatra. You might want to read about it, I found it to be amazing!


Angina - Warning
Posted by Kathy (Benton, Ar) on 01/07/2012

Garlic. Since my last post I have been crushing the garlic instead of chopping it. I allow it to sit for 10 minutes for the Allicin to work and take it in one teaspoon with water. I do this 2x daily. Heating the garlic removes its potency. Taking crushed or chopped garlic too soon after crushing or chopping prevents the allicin from doing its job. There are many places on EarthClinic to read how to take garlic. There are many websites to read how to take garlic.


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.)


Immune System
Posted by Mark (Rochester, NY) on 01/25/2007
★★★★★

Oh, what raw garlic can't cure..... It's not that garlic cures infectious ailments both inside and outside the body it boosts your life giving auto immune system.... We were born with a system that is quite amazing to say the least. The auto immune system is working overtime in today's world.... Genetically, to know who you are is more important whereas everyone is so different yet totally the same when it comes to environmental hazards. We live in a quagmire of toxicity whether it be through the air, food or drink we take in..... Speaking of taking in, use raw garlic (chewed with food) as a spring, and fall seasonal pre-maintenence ritual .... Give your auto immune system a much needed break and detoxify yourselves today. Thank you, Mark

Ps....What inspired me to write this story ? I was at the dentist 8am Tuesday morning [1-23-07] ..... with a tooth abscess. The pain was incredible......Guess what ? Yep, Garlic. I couldn't do any garlic treatments the past few days on account of my social life so I had to wait until today to crush 14 cloves of raw garlic into a jar filled half way with (good water) not tap water. I would swish the elixir around the infected area....press garlic pieces into the infected area with my tongue.... I feel less pain as we speak. "I ain't got no tooth insurance" so, (I'm sure to cancel the appointment now) but I believe than if I got the bill in the mail from a scheduled appointment next week I would be in much worse pain both physically and financially. Garlic is quite amazing....


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


Weight Loss
Posted by Mayra (Jersey City, NJ)
★★★★★

I used garlic for weight loss. It is excellent and burns fat.

History of Garlic
Posted by Charlotte (Essex, Clacton, England) on 03/01/2012

Am sure garlic is wonderful and have been taking it for a while for sinus but I found that after a bit I ached, was lacking in energy, was totally worn out some days, had headaches, brain fog etc and in some ways felt worse. I then investigated and found that garlic can cause under active thyroid of which these are the symptoms So now taking it again but with an iodine supplement of natural kelp to counter act that. Also trying ACV with mother every day and tinctures of goldenseal, eyebright, mullein and licorice. Yes others might try one thing for a bit and then try something else but I have had this blessed problem for ages and am sick of it, and unable to work while like this.


History of Garlic
Posted by Kislany (Europe) on 03/25/2014
★★★★★

Just to comment on the garlic taste. I love raw garlic, however due to hubby's job, he can't eat garlic at all as he can be called at work any time. So I avoided as much as possible eating garlic as I know how bad it can be for someone who doesn't eat garlic to be near someone who does.

Today I had an idea to add a clove of garlic to my regular juice, which usually contains carrots, celery, ginger and parsley leaves among others. Much to my surprise, there was no garlic taste, no garlic breath or smell at all. Hubby didn't feel it (and I even kissed him 'for test' purposes). Finally now I can consume garlic every day. It's wonderful for so many things, I never want to be away from at least one clove..or two or three of garlic a day.


Summary
Posted by Kathryn (Raleigh, North Carolina, Usa) on 12/02/2011

WARNING! I had an upper respiratory bacterial infection (green and yellow mucus secondary to a virus) and read a number of posts here about raw garlic and, not wanting to chew it, I put raw garlic packs under my feet (chopped several large cloves and put them on plastic wrap and wrapped each foot, put socks over) and left the first pack all afternoon. I didn't notice a problem. I decided to do it again and leave them overnight. The next morning I awoke to find that the mucus was clear again, BUT I had very itchy, swollen, bright red feet. The itching nearly drove me crazy and I scratched... Big mistake. By the next day the arches of my feet were covered in large blisters, the itching is even worse, and my feet look and feel almost identical to when I had an emergency room level drug reaction to Keflex last year (before it was over I looked like I had third degree burns in all the intriginous skin areas and it took five months to heal -- the dermatologists at Duke had never seen anything like it... they thought it was a fungal infection and only a skin biopsy confirmed the drug reaction).

I came back here immediately and read more about garlic and saw somewhere a post from a mother who said her daughter's skin blisters when it's exposed to garlic. Since I've eaten raw garlic in green smoothies every day for the last year I didn't think it could be the garlic; perhaps a reaction to the plastic wrap (I'm multiple chemical sensitive and react to all sorts of things). So the night before last I put one slice of garlic on my forearm and covered it in paper tape for sensitive skin. In the morning it seemed fine... At first. By evening a red patch had appeared and I felt a slight itch. By the next day the spot was swollen and red and definitely itching. I've been treating my feet with ACV, magnesium oil, and triamcinolone acetonide (prescription topical steroid I was given for the Keflex reaction), so I put that on the arm spot that day each time I did my feet (every three hours). This morning the arm spot is still red, swollen, and itches and has a small blister.

Never again will I put raw garlic on my skin. When asked if I have allergies I will list a topical allergy to raw garlic.

My QUESTION is: Should I continue to eat raw garlic? I'm not certain yet, but it seems to me that I have a fit of intense itching shortly after drinking even a small glass of green smoothie with raw garlic.


Summary
Posted by Jackie (Orlando, Florida) on 12/07/2012

is the garlic remedy good for kids too my seven year old is sick with the cold.


Garlic Side Effects
Posted by Benard (Bahrain) on 05/31/2019

I am struggling with lower abdominal crimping and constipation after I ate raw garlic and honey to clear a sore throat, My GE doctor ordered for a ct scan but apparently it showed nothing. I have lost 15kg in 5 months and now am searching for an alternative to my pain and diving weight, please anyone with an opinion should share.

General Feedback
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 12/18/2013

Personally, I think garlic (and onions! ) are awesome. I use them in cooking and as medicine and find them to be very effective and safe. (Others might not find the garlic breath to be safe! )

Both have a long history of being used as food and medicine.

Some things I wonder about these studies...regarding airline pilots...was the garlic used in tests processed? If it was processed or not grown organically, there may have been other factors (like chemicals) that were what affected the reaction time of the pilots. Again, I haven't seen the studies, but I wonder what is behind them. We have seen effective and safe, natural things become banned from use. Comfrey is a plant that is currently being criticized. If we lose the rights to use plants for medicine by way of law or fear, the medical field and the drug companies do benefit from this.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents on garlic and onions! I will look forward to hearing other thoughts on this.

~Mama to Many~


Garlic Tea
Posted by Nicole (Atlanta, Ga) on 09/02/2013
★★★★★

I woke up this morning with a head cold, thanks to my nieces. Today is Monday and I have a business trip that starts on Saturday so checked Earthclinic for a home remedy to clear it up before then Had taken ACV but really help. A week before travel, I always start Emergen-C to boost the immune system; taking that helped a bit. However, I cut up 3 cloves of garlic and added them (after sitting for 15 minutes) to my hot tea and started to feel relief almost immediately. I will definitely repeat this until everything is cleared up and make my nieces drink some too.


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!


Chewing Raw Garlic
Posted by Nanyunja (Kampala, Uganda) on 04/20/2011

Hello I was wondering if sliced garlic when swallowed work! Thanks

Chewing Raw Garlic
Posted by Liz (Boston, Ma) on 04/21/2011

Absolutely! In fact, taking it that way yields the most benefits. Chop up a clove (but be sure to let it sit for about 10 min's after chopping), put it on a spoon and swallow/wash down with plenty of water.


Sore Throats
Posted by Jrod (Boston, Ma - Massachusetts) on 11/19/2012

I get strep every year. heres what works for me. Mix this well:

1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cayene pepper
4 crushed or microplaned cloves of garlic.
take 1/2 tsp for every waking hour.

Don't wash down with water, tea, etc. Honey helps to suspend garlic in affected area. Cayene helps to bring blood to area to get immune system going. cured in 2 days- true story



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