Over three years ago (wow, I've been blogging here a long time!), I wrote about olive leaf extract as a natural antibiotic. However, I've discovered that as a natural antibiotic, fresh garlic works so much better for me, and I thought I'd share my discovery with you.
Here's the backstory. Friday morning, I woke up feeling yucky and just didn't have time for it -- and didn't want to go to the doctor where I would either be told: (1) it's a virus, thanks for your office visit; or (2) it's a bacterial infection, here's some antibiotics for you. What did my ancestors do before Doc in the Boxes? I went online to find out, and learned about garlic.
Garlic Is a Natural Antibiotic that Has Been Used for Thousands of Years
I learned that Louis Pasteur studied the antibacterial properties of garlic. I learned that Hippocrates dispensed it.
Additionally, I learned that modern researchers found garlic to have (go to link for citations)"...the broadest spectrum of any antimicrobial substance that we know of — it is antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiprotozoan and antiviral.” I also found out that unlike modern medicine's antibiotics, which are failing to conquer the new "superbugs," garlic remains a powerhouse against them.
What's in raw garlic?
Two things: Crushed, raw garlic has (1) allicin, a powerful antibiotic and(2) phytoncide, an antifungal compound. Other stuff, too, if you want to go read those medical studies (click the links). It has the stuff to get rid of what's ailing me, as well as having all sorts of amazing health benefits, like fighting against heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Wow.
So, garlic sounds like something I'm willing to try before I go see a medical health care provider.
Garlic in a Tonic - What I Did
Last spring, I wrote about tonics -- which were pretty standard stuff until Modern Medicine introduced us to pills and tablets. Personally, I think tonics are great. You know what's going into them, and you really do feel the benefits.
In that March 2010 post, I shared tonic recipes for Tonic Tea and Apple Cidar Vinegar Tonic as well as lots of links to long lists of tonic recipes. Today, I'm sharing my new Garlic Tonic recipe - and while it may not make you kissably-sweet, heck: it worked for me. I'm amazed and thrilled about this!!!!
Here's what I put together that got me back to 100% within three days time:
Reba's Garlic Tonic
In a Magic Bullet-type blender, I put the following:
8 peeled garlic cloves
Equal amount of fresh cubed ginger ( for pain, read about this tip here)
Big squirt of organic, local raw honey
Filled it 1/3 with Bragg's Apple Cidar Vinegar (read about ACV here)
Filled the rest with water
Pulverized the stuff. Then, I drank 2T in a cup of water or orange juice every 6 hours. With crackers, to keep that garlic from making me nauseous.
Friday, I felt bad. Sore throat, sinus headache, runny nose, swollen glands in my neck, watery eyes, fever, ear popping, grumpy, tired.
I adhered to this tonic regimen together with drinking Emerg-C four times a day (not at the same time).
Monday morning, popped up feeling FABULOUS. No symptoms. None.
Cost in time and money? Less than $10 and no lost time at a doctor's office. Folk remedy? Sure. But it worked like a charm for me, and I don't have any antibiotics in my system to worry about, thankyewverymuch.
Have a great day!!
