Stephanie Lapinsk -Health & Fitness Advisor- Mom, and Entrepreneur: Healthy Living Thursday!

Good morning! I decided to start mixing it up a little, as I come across interesting topics, and health issues that maybe happening around us. Today I am going to talk about Garlic. What it is, what it can do for you, and the health benefits and risks.

When looking for information I went on to the overview page of Web MD and found...

How does it work?

Garlic is an herb. It is best known as a flavoring for food. But over the years, garlic has been used as a medicine to prevent or treat a wide range of diseases and conditions. The fresh clove or supplements made from the clove are used for medicine. Garlic produces a chemical called allicin. This is what seems to make garlic work for certain conditions. Allicin also makes garlic smell.

Possibly Effective For:

High blood pressure. Some research shows that garlic can reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure by as much as 7% or 8%. It also seems to lower blood pressure in people with normal blood pressure. Most studies have used a specific garlic powder product (Kwai, from Lichtwer Pharma).
“Hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis). As people age, their arteries tend to lose their ability to stretch and flex with age. Garlic seems to reduce this effect.
Colon cancer, rectal cancer, and stomach cancer. Eating garlic seems to reduce the risk of developing these cancers. However, garlic supplements don’t seem to offer the same benefit.
Tick bites. Scientists have compared the number of tick bites in people who take high doses of garlic compared to people who do not take garlic. High doses of dietary garlic, over about a five-month period, seem to reduce the number of tick bites.
Fungal infections of the skin (including ringworm, jock itch and athlete’s foot). Ringworm and jock itch respond to treatment with a garlic gel containing 0.6% ajoene (a chemical in garlic) that is applied to the skin. A garlic gel with a higher concentration of ajoene (1%) is needed to be effective against athlete’s foot. In fact, garlic gel with 1% ajoene seems to be about as effective against athlete’s foot as the medicine Lamisil.

Side Effects: (I copied and pasted this entire section, not wanting to miss side effects)

Garlic is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth. Garlic can cause bad breath, a burning sensation in the mouth or stomach, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting, body odor, and diarrhea. These side effects are often worse with raw garlic. Garlic may also increase the risk of bleeding. There have been reports of bleeding after surgery in people who have taken garlic. Asthma has been reported in people working with garlic, and other allergic reactions are possible.

When used on the skin, garlic is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Using as a thick paste (poultice), garlic can cause damage to the skin that is similar to a burn.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Garlic is LIKELY SAFE in pregnancy when taken in the amounts normally found in food. Garlic is POSSIBLY UNSAFEwhen used in medicinal amounts in pregnancy and breast-feeding. There isn’t enough reliable information about the safety of using garlic on the skin if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side, and avoid use.

Children: Garlic is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth and appropriately for a short-term in children. But garlic is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in large doses. Some sources suggest that high doses of garlic could be dangerous or even fatal to children; however, the reason for this warning is not known. There are no case reports available of significant adverse events or mortality in children associated with taking garlic by mouth.

Bleeding disorder: Garlic, especially fresh garlic, might increase bleeding.

Stomach or digestion problems: Garlic can irritate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Use with caution if you have stomach or digestion problems.

Surgery: Garlic might prolong bleeding. Stop taking garlic at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery.