What is Garlic Good For?

Garlic is one of our main ingredients in the kitchen often used in our food for a good flavor and aroma. Besides providing a good taste there are many other health benefits of garlic.

Garlic is one of the oldest medicinal plants. It not only helps us to fight off the cold, but also in fighting heart diseases and to control hypertension. It also plays a vital role in lowering the cholesterol and also prevents you from having a stroke by preventing clots from forming ( Bayan et al., 2014, Gebreyohannes and Gebreyohannes, 2013).

The aroma for which garlic is mostly preferred is due to the presence of sulfur in it. And sulfur helps you to fight off all major illnesses.

The sulfur in a fresh garlic is about 1000 times more effective as antioxidants. Because of this, garlic has the ability to reduce the radicals present in the body ( Török et al., 1994). 

Tip: Consuming garlic regularly can prevent cold or flu, premature aging and heart disease. 

BENEFITS OF GARLIC

CAN PREVENT ALZHEIMER'S

The antioxidants present in garlic may help prevent brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia ( Mattison, 2018).

ANTICANCER

The organosulfur compound from garlic has shown anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo studies ( Bayan et al., 2014). One study found that garlic prevents the development of stomach cancer: Dutch Research ( Dorant et al., 1996). Garlic also reduces the risk of prostate cancer ( Gebreyohannes and Gebreyohannes, 2013).

REGULATES BLOOD GLUCOSE

Similarly, the presence of a volatile sulfur compound in garlic has shown to have a suppressive effect on diabetes mellitus ( Bayan et al., 2014).

PREVENTS HEART ATTACK

Platelets and fibrin play a vital role in blood clotting, however, an excess of fibrin in the blood may lead to a heart attack. Garlic has an ability to reduce excess amounts of fibrin and its production than aspirin ( Fukao et al., 2007). 

BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM

An abundant amount of sulfur, amino acid along with other compounds in garlic help to boost the immune system ( BH, 1991).

TREATS HAIR LOSS

Allicin a sulfur compound, one of the effective compounds to treat hair loss is found in high amounts in garlic which may help to control hair fall. 

PREVENT ACNE

Besides sulfur and allicin garlic is rich in zinc, and calcium which is beneficial for healthy skin and can be used as a natural remedy to banish the blemishes on the skin. The antioxidants in garlic can kill bacteria and prevent acne. 

ANTI-FUNGAL

Another active compound found in garlic is Ajoene which is an effective topical antifungal agent ( Ledezma and Apitz-Castro, 2006). Garlic hinders the growth of fungal diseases as equally as the drug ketoconazole ( Shams-Ghahfarokhi et al., 2006). 

PAIN-KILLER

Garlic also works as a painkiller, especially for the joints. However, taking it on regular basic serves as a natural remedy for chronic pain.

WEIGHT LOSS

Garlic is a thermogenic substance which means that it produces heat in your body. In order to normalize the body temperature, our body requires energy. In this process, it burns some calories from your body and as a result it can result in weight loss ( Mattison, 2018).

Side Effects of Garlic

Garlic is likely safe for most people. And no severe side effects were observed however, it is associated with minimal side effects ( Bayan et al., 2014).

Skin Irritation: Raw garlic is possibly unsafe when applied to the skin because it may cause skin irritation.

Foul Odor: Garlic has a strong smell due to the presence of sulfur. It causes bad breath.

Skin Rashes: Garlic contains an enzyme called alliinase, which usually causes skin rashes.

Headache: Consumption of raw garlic may trigger a headache.

Vomiting and heartburn: Consumption of abundant amounts of raw garlic may lead to vomiting and heartburn.

Bleeding disorder: Garlic reduces the excess amount of fibrin which may increase the risk of bleeding. Garlic might also interfere with blood pressure. Due to this reason, you must stop garlic consumption at least two weeks before any surgery.

Stomach or digestion problem: Raw garlic can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and may upset your stomach. Therefore, you should avoid eating garlic if you have any digestion or stomach problems.

You may also like this article: "These foods can reverse aging"

REFERENCES

BAYAN, L., KOULIVAND, P. H. & GORJI, A. 2014. Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 4 , 1.

BH, L. 1991. Effect of odor modified garlic preparation on blood lipids. Nutr.

BOND, O. 2017. Garlic Treatment for Warts.

DORANT, E., VAN DEN BRANDT, P. A. & GOLDBOHM, R. A. 1996. A prospective cohort study on the relationship between onion and leek consumption, garlic supplement use and the risk of colorectal carcinoma in The Netherlands. Carcinogenesis, 17 , 477-484.

FUKAO, H., YOSHIDA, H., TAZAWA, Y.-I. & HADA, T. 2007. Antithrombotic effects of odorless garlic powder both in vitro and in vivo. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry, 71 , 84-90.

GEBREYOHANNES, G. & GEBREYOHANNES, M. 2013. Medicinal values of garlic: A review. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 5 , 401-408.

LEDEZMA, E. & APITZ-CASTRO, R. 2006. Ajoene the main active compound of garlic (Allium sativum): a new antifungal agent. Revista iberoamericana de micologia, 23 , 75-80.

MATTISON, L. 2018. Raw Garlic's Health Benefits Prove Hippocrates Was Onto Something.

SHAMS-GHAHFAROKHI, M., SHOKOOHAMIRI, M.-R., 
AMIRRAJAB, N., MOGHADASI, B., GHAJARI, A., ZEINI, F., 
SADEGHI, G. & RAZZAGHI-ABYANEH, M. 2006. In vitro antifungal activities of Allium cepa, Allium sativum and ketoconazole against some pathogenic yeasts and dermatophytes. Fitoterapia, 77 , 321-323.

TÖRÖK, B., BELAGYI, J., RIETZ, B. & JACOB, R. 1994. Effectiveness of garlic on the radical activity in radical generating systems. Arzneimittel-Forschung, 44 , 608-611.

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Camu Camu - Vitamic C Powerhouse

What Is Camu Camu?

Camu Camu or technically known as Myrciaria dubia is a shrub and fruit species that grows in swampy or flooded areas of the Amazon rain forests of Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia and could be the next promising food. The shrub bears large berries that can look like cherries. The fruit and leaves are used as a medicine. These berries turn out to be one of the rich vitamin C fruit, for they have more of this vitamin in them.

Camu Camu is also used as an antioxidant and immune system stimulant. Camu Camu is used for viral infections including herpes, cold sores, shingles, common cold , cataracts and glaucoma. Other uses include treatment of asthma , “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), chronic fatigue syndrome, depression , gum disease ( gingivitis ), headaches , and osteoarthritis .

Although this fruit contains powerful flavonoid with health benefits, such as amino acids, gallic acid, ellagic acid, potassium, etc. it comprises more natural Vitamin C than any other known botanical in the world.

What is vitamin C?

Vitamin C is one of the most well-known vitamins, but do you really know what it is and what it does? Most people associate it with orange juice, assume that it will help you stay healthier, and know little else about this famous and fascinating vitamin. The truth is that Vitamin C is necessary for all humans. It also helps protect other fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids in the oxidation process. First of all what is Vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin. Vitamin C is essential for your body to create collagen and it is a powerful antioxidant ( Nobile and Woodhill, 1981 ). Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients for advancing immune functions and it helps in fighting the pathogens and oxidative stress ( Dr. Victor Marchione, 2016 ). Unlike the oil soluble vitamins such as A and E, Vitamin C cannot be stored by your body. Since Vitamin C is not stored by your body, we need to get it from our diet or from supplements. Your body is unable to manufacture vitamin C, so you should ensure that you get enough from the foods you eat and nutritional supplements.

It also has been used to treat iron deficiency and can present and cure scurvy. So what happens if you don’t consume enough Vitamin C? In extreme cases, it can cause the disease Scurvy. Rarely seen today except in alcoholics who don’t consume many other calories, it causes mobile teeth, bleeding gums, purplish colored wounds, joint pain, muscle deterioration, and a wealth of other problems. Those who think they may not be getting enough Vitamin C, the good news is that it is readily available in the form of many common foods, fruits and supplements.

Sources of vitamin C:

Vitamin C is available from many different sources. Generally, Acerola, acai and oranges are the super foods known for their extremely high vitamin C content, but camu camu contains even more vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a very important nutritional component. Be sure that your body gets enough of it!

Camu Camu as Vitamin C Powerhouse:

Camu Camu fruit contains many nutrients such as fatty acid, protein, beta carotene however it’s considered as the richest source of vitamin C compared to any other food or fruit on the earth even more than the mighty orange. Generally oranges are known for their high vitamin C content. While comparing the amount of vitamin C in a camu camu with an orange: Camu Camu consists 30 times the amount of vitamin C than an orange( Pinedo-Panduro and Penn, 2008 ); this translates to 1,787.5% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C for every 100 grams of camu camu. Oranges often have 1,000-3000 parts per million of vitamin C whereas, camu camu berry can reach concentrations of up to 50,000 parts per million ( Dr. Edward Group DC, 2013 ).

A tablespoon of camu camu powder can give way more vitamin C we need for the day. This remarkable high amount of vitamin C from camu camu serve us with many health benefits and because of its benefits people are taking camu camu powder instead of regular supplement.

In a study, carried out with 20 male smokers, one group drank camu camu juice and other took vitamin C tablets daily for a week. The research concluded with decrease in some markers for antioxidants and oxidative stress on camu camu group whereas, no changes seen on another group ( Coles, 2014 ).

The relatively high amount of vitamin C in the camu camu berry has evolved very active discussions concerning possible benefits of vitamin C therapy. Indeed one of the most popular advocates in this regard is Dr. James Duke, he has explored large-serving vitamin C therapy and its potential application ( Dr. Edward Group DC, 2013 ).

The natural plant being recorded as the highest source of vitamin C is better choice over synthetic vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, liver, lungs, lymphatic and urinary systems. It has the advantages of being non-irritating to sensitive stomach. One or two grams of camu camu per day is as effective as five to six grams of synthetic vitamin C. No other source of Vitamin C can supports, strengthens and energies the body as much as this natural plant source.

Side Effects of Camu Camu

Very less or little side effect known till date of camu camu. However it may interact with Chemotherpy treatment.

References:

1. COLES, T. 2014 Camu Camu Benefits: 11 Things You Need To Know About The Fruit.
2. DR. EDWARD GROUP DC, N., DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM 2013. What Is Camu Camu?
3. DR. VICTOR MARCHIONE, M. 2016. Camu Camu: Vitamin C -Rich Berry Powder Can Benefit Your Health.
4. NOBILE, S. & WOODHILL, J. M. 1981. What is vitamin C? Vitamin C. Springer.
5. PINEDO-PANDURO, M. & PENN, J. 2008. Camu-camu: A sustainable option for agroindustry in the Peruvian Amazon. FAO Non-wood News, 17, 52.

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Castor Oil

7 BENEFITS OF CASTOR OIL

From the African continent, through the Mediterranean basin and even in the Indian sub-continent, for several thousands of years, castor oil has been known to have numerous benefits and has been used for many purposes ranging from industrial, pharmaceutical and even medical uses. 

What is castor oil?

Castor oil is obtained from the seeds of Ricinus communis ( 1) plants which are usually found in the tropical regions of the world. These plants are also grown in temperate regions as ornamental herbs and used recently for biodiesel production. Ricinus communis seeds also known as castor beans contains a toxic component known as ricin, however as the seeds are processed via cold pressing ( 2) to obtain the oil, it is completely neutralized making it very safe for use for different purposes. For instance, in ancient Egypt, it is used as a natural therapy against eye and skin irritations while the Indians, in ancient times, used castor oil for skin care, as an antibacterial agent and also to quell disturbances of the digestive system. It is usually administered by either topical application or consumed orally to effect faster healing and naturally give a boost to the immune system of the sick individual. That’s not all; it is also added to foods as additives and used as industrial lubricant due to 
its high viscosity.

Benefits of Castor Oil

The different benefits of castor oil are tied to its chemical composition, based on research findings ( 3) it is known to contain high amounts of ricinoleic acid which is unique and rarely found in other triglyceride fatty acids. The following are some benefits of castor oil: 

Enhances immune function 

Castor oil has been proven to boost the production of lymphocytes which are responsible for the immune system of the body as it helps in fighting microbial cells, toxins, as well as other threats to the body system. Once the number of lymphocytes, are increased in the body they are dispersed to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, thymus gland, the villi of the small intestine. All these have been proven by research findings ( 4). For instance a research study ( 5) published in the Journal of a Naturopathic Medicine where 36 subjects were observed for the effects castor oil packs had on them. The oil packs were placed on a mapped area of the skin which measured 12” by 12’’ of the upper part of the right side of the abdomen. The oil packs were applied in this area and removed after 2 hours, during the experiment, blood samples of these subjects were taken and analyzed before and after the application of the castor oil. It was observed that the functioning of the lymphatic system increased significantly, compared to others who were not subjected to such treatment.

Improves digestion

Due to its ability to increase the movement of the intestinal muscles, it is effective against constipation, enhancing digestion ( 6) and ensuring the bowels are well cleared. But how does castor oil do this? When castor oil is consumed, it is broken down to liberate ricinoleic acid, which exerts a purgative effect on the intestine. A research study ( 7) also showed that elderly persons who consume castor oil rarely have symptoms of constipation and indigestion, when compared to those who don’t consume castor oil. 

Serves as a natural skin moisturizer

Due to the high concentration of ricinoleic acid in castor oil, it acts as a humectant ( 12) as it has the capacity to prevent dryness of the skin whenever it is applied on the skin. Studies ( 8) have shown that it keeps the outer layer of the skin moist; hence it can be used as natural moisturizers in place of chemically synthesized products. This property explains castor oil’s vast application in the cosmetic industries as it is used in the production of skin hydrating cosmetic products ranging from lotion, cleansers, and makeups.

Improves blood circulation

The effective circulation of blood to all parts of the body is a function of a vibrant lymphatic system. There is a tendency for blood, fluids as well as toxins to accumulate whenever the lymphatic system is compromised leading to edema and other severe complications. Several research studies ( 9) have proven that castor oil has positive effects on the lymphatic system, it is also vital to enhancing the proper flow of blood in the body as well as the proper functioning of vital organs of the body like the heart. 

Effective against skin infections and accelerates the healing of wounds 

Apart from the moisturizing effect castor oil has on the skin, it also possesses antimicrobial properties ( 10). Therefore it is effective against skin infections caused by different microorganisms ranging from Staphylococcus aureus which is known to cause serious bacterial skin infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Propionobacterium acne which causes acne, and fungi like Candida albicans. That’s not all ,castor oil has been shown via research studies ( 11) to encourage the growth of tissues thereby hastening the healing process and minimizing the risk of wound infections. 

Due to its moisturizing effect, it keeps skin well hydrated preventing cornification or the accumulation of the dead layers of the skin which drags the healing process. According to research findings, ointments that contain castor oil are effective against pressure ulcers, burns which otherwise usually take time to heal.

Conditions the hair and keeps the scalp healthy

Many people use castor oil as a natural hair conditioner( 12). The application of castor oil on the hair on a much more regular basis has been proven to condition the hair, making it more flexible less brittle and lessens the risk of hair breakage. It also lubricates the shaft, keeps the scalp healthy as it prevents the occurrence of dandruff, sebaceous dermatitis, scaly red patches that usually occur on a dry skin. It remains an ideal oil to ensure that your hair glows, remains soft and moist and all these have been traced to the anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties of the castor oil. 

Improves hormonal function and enhances libido

The endocrine gland which is responsible for the production and regulation of hormones in the body functions properly when the right kind of fatty acids such as the ones produced castor oil is assimilated into the bloodstream. Castor oil improves the functions of the hormones by ensuring a balance in hormonal activity ( 13). Also since castor oil improves blood circulation as well as regulates hormones, it enhances the sexual drives and ensures that sexual organs function perfectly. With this regulatory property, it eliminates mood swings, depressions, fatigue as well as lightens the symptoms of Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Regardless of the numerous benefits that castor oil has, care must be taken in its use, professional advice can be sought for to avoid severe complications such as diarrhea, vomiting or allergic reactions arising from the excessive consumption or usage of castor oil. Castor oil has also been known to induce labor in post-date pregnancies according to a study in " Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of Midwives." ( 14)

References:

1. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/castor_oil
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282641536_EXTRACTION_AND_CHARACTERIZATION_OF_CASTOR_SEED_OIL_FROM_WILD_RICINUS_COMMUNIS_LINN
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015816
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19853843
5. https://drprincetta.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Castor-Oil-Packs-Immunomodulation.pdf
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384204
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21168117
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3141305/
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755111/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4942971
11. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/castor_oil#section=Therapeutic-Uses
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596646/
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16053495
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28750937

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