Garlic – Nature’s Remedy

Garlic has long been prized as a natural remedy. Garlic contains allicins, which have natural antibiotic properties. It doesn’t just ward off vampires, it can kick out a cold and cure an ear infection! It’s tasty, cheap, and generally safe for home use. Health Eagle has discussed garlic and heart health before, and now we offer you some old fashioned home remedies, as well.

Can garlic cure the common cold? Many researchers are now saying chicken soup will help you survive a cold, and garlic has been fingered as the reason why. An old home remedy for coughs is to crush one clove of fresh garlic into a spoonful of honey or vinegar. Take in the morning, and then again at night. You should be sniffle free in a day or so.

The honey does a good job of masking the taste, but you still shouldn’t try it on an empty stomach. The vinegar will take some of the bite out of garlic. Take your pick – sweet or sour!

Another effective home remedy, supported only by decades of anecdotal evidence, is garlic oil. To make garlic oil, simply put some olive oil in a pan, and crush a few cloves of garlic into it. Gently heat the mixture and cook for a few minutes, then let it cool and steep for several hours. Strain the oil and keep it in the fridge. Garlic oil is used topically on fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot, or as ear drops to cure an earache. It’s pretty potent stuff, so don’t use it on broken skin or if you have eczema!

Eating garlic seems to be helpful as well, so if you do get a scratchy throat or drippy nose, make some garlic bread, a plate of pasta, and feel better soon!