Nature's Antibiotic

Garlic is well-known for its many medicinal properties and has rightly earned the title "nature's antibiotic." For thousands of years, humanity has used garlic as a general miracle cure for various internal and external disorders.

Today, garlic is found all over the world and is widely used as a spice in many types of dishes, whether raw, cooked, or fried.

There are many varieties of garlic, including wild garlic that grows in fields and cultivated garlic that grows in gardens. Garlic is hot-tempered and was one of the favorite vegetables our forefathers ate in Egypt. During various periods, it was a common dish among Jews who called themselves "garlic eaters." Ezra the Scribe ordained eating garlic on Shabbat evening because it "brings love and removes desire" (Jerusalem Talmud Megillah, Chapter 4, End of Halacha 1), and also "brings love and removes jealousy" (Baba Kama 82a).

Garlic contains many vitamins and essential active ingredients. It is mentioned in the Talmud as a remedy for tooth and gum pain, for disinfecting and healing wounds, and for curing swellings and hemorrhoids. It can eliminate waste from the body, fortify the immune system, and strengthen the body. In the past, it was used against arterial sclerosis, and a person fearing a heart attack would consume several cloves of garlic a day. It was also employed to prevent vascular aging and enhance blood circulation.

Garlic contains numerous antibiotic substances that combat various diseases and infections in the body. It helps with proper breathing, reduces blood pressure, and lowers fever. In the past, it was used against infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis. It is also excellent for treating lung diseases, whooping cough, and rheumatism. In case of intestinal worms, it is recommended to crush garlic, mix it with warm milk, strain, and drink. Crushed garlic cloves mixed with a little olive oil are very effective in cases of ear infections. To dissolve kidney and urinary stones, soak crushed garlic cloves in water for a day, and then drink 3 cups a day.

Additionally, eating garlic causes sweating, provides relief to the patient, enhances appetite, strengthens eyesight, quenches thirst, and helps in voice clarity. In cases of blood excretion through urine, it is recommended to drink water boiled with garlic for a week.

Interestingly, statistics from Italy and Spain, where garlic consumption is high, show that the number of deaths and heart attacks is lower than in England and the USA, where garlic consumption is lower. Researcher Michael Wargovich from the Cancer Institute in Houston, Texas claims, based on experiments with laboratory animals, that garlic has the power to stimulate the liver and prevent malignant tumors such as colon cancer.

Despite all the virtues of garlic, it is vital to avoid overconsumption, as it can harm the stomach and the eyes. For those with hearing impairments, it is advisable to avoid consuming garlic altogether, as it can be detrimental. Even those with digestive tract and stomach problems should avoid eating garlic, as it stimulates gastric juice secretion. Maimonides considers garlic bad for eating and believes it should be consumed only in small amounts and during the rainy season.