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 remedy for a wide range of internal and external ailments.

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, which grows in fields, and cultivated garlic, which grows in gardens. Garlic is considered hot-tempered and was one of the favorite vegetables of our forefathers in Egypt. During various periods, it was a common dish among Jews who called themselves “garlic eaters.” Ezra the Scribe even 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 numerous vitamins and essential active ingredients. The Talmud mentions it as a remedy for tooth and gum pain, for disinfecting and healing wounds, and for treating swelling and hemorrhoids. It can eliminate waste from the body, fortify the immune system, and strengthen overall health. Historically, garlic was used against arteriosclerosis, and people concerned about heart attacks would consume several cloves daily. It was also employed to prevent vascular aging and enhance blood circulation.

Garlic contains multiple antibiotic substances that help combat various diseases and infections. It aids proper breathing, reduces blood pressure, and lowers fever. In the past, it was used to treat infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis, and is also excellent for lung ailments, whooping cough, and rheumatism. For 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 highly effective for ear infections. To help dissolve kidney and urinary stones, soak crushed garlic cloves in water for a day, then drink three cups daily.

Additionally, eating garlic induces sweating, relieves discomfort, enhances appetite, strengthens eyesight, quenches thirst, and improves voice clarity. In cases of blood in the 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 lower rates of death and heart attacks compared to 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 can stimulate the liver and help prevent malignant tumors such as colon cancer.

Despite all its benefits, it is important to avoid overconsumption, as garlic can harm the stomach and eyes. People with hearing impairments should avoid garlic entirely, as it may be detrimental. Even those with digestive or stomach problems should exercise caution, as garlic stimulates gastric juice secretion. Maimonides considers garlic harmful if eaten in excess and advises consuming it only in small amounts and during the rainy season.