Uses of Garlic, the Stinking Rose

Historical, Mythical, and Practical Facts About The Popular Garlic Plant

Garlic and humanity go back a long way. It’s believed to be one of the first wild plants domesticated by early humans. First found in the mountains of Central Asia, this pungent member of the Allium family has been used to repel vampires, restore virility, cure leprosy, and keep scorpions at bay.
To call garlic “versatile” is an understatement. Here are some of the more unusual uses and beliefs associated with what the Greeks called “the stinking rose.”

1. A Clove for Courage
The Greeks and Romans believed that garlic increased courage.
Greek commanders fed garlic to soldiers before battle, perhaps making their breath as lethal as their weapons. Roman soldiers also ate garlic for courage, but their commanders went a step further. Romans planted fields of garlic in conquered countries. They wanted the courageous effect of garlic to transfer from the garlic field to the battlefield – hopefully to Roman soldiers only, not their enemies.
2. Strength in Numbers (of garlic cloves, that is)
Many cultures believed that garlic increased strength and stamina. Greek Olympic athletes chewed it for stamina before competition. Both Greek and Roman soldiers ate garlic before and during battles.
The Egyptian laborers who built the pyramids ate it as part of their daily ration. One year, unusual flooding on the Nile caused a shortage of garlic, so prices rose. Looking to cut costs, the Pharaoh stopped supplying it to the laborers. He was forced to reconsider when the workers revolted and threatened to stop building, thereby making garlic the world’s first recorded union organizing tool.
3. Bread, Wine, and a Clove of Garlic?
Garlic was also used to impart a different kind of stamina, mainly to men.
Ancient Indian writings called it an aphrodisiac, as did Aristotle. The Talmud (a collection of Jewish laws and customs) instructs husbands to eat garlic before the Sabbath begins on Friday and then go make love to their wives. In one Middle Eastern wedding custom, the bridegroom slides a clove of garlic into his pocket before the wedding in order to insure a successful wedding night.
4. Everybody Calm Down
Of course, not every culture and tradition wants a veggie version of Viagra.
Monks in ancient India avoided garlic. Not because of the smell, but due to garlic’s stimulating properties and ability to arouse passions. Those double dangers meant that teenagers and widows were also forbidden to indulge. Many Hindus still avoid garlic because they believe its stimulating effects keep them from reaching a high spiritual plane.
5. No Wooden Stakes Required
People since ancient times have used garlic to repel evil and as protection against warlocks, witches, werewolves, and vampires.
The most famous example of this is a movie cliché: garlic braids hung in the doors and windows of every Transylvanian home. Children in some areas wore garlic necklaces to protect them from the evil eye and witches. Greek midwives crushed garlic in the birthing room before a child was born, then gave the newborn a garlic necklace immediately after birth to protect it from the evil eye.
6. Garlic, The Miracle Plant
Many of these superstitions probably stem from garlic’s healing properties. Ancient people thought evil spirits caused sickness, so garlic’s medicinal properties may have made it appear to be a magical plant that protected the wearer from harm. Other cultures viewed garlic as a medical treatment many different diseases.
For instance, Sanskrit medical texts from two thousand years ago detail garlic’s medical uses. Ancient physicians used garlic for a diverse assortment of aliments including arthritis, intestinal worms, and ear infections. Physicians in the Middle Ages used it to treat smallpox. When the British arrived in India, they named leprosy the “peelgarlic” disease because lepers used peeled cloves to treat their affliction.
7. Russian Penicillin
Garlic’s curative properties became more than anecdotal during World War I when British doctors used garlic juice on battlefield wounds to prevent infection. Russian physicians did the same during the Second World War and supplemented soldiers’ diets with garlic and onions to prevent disease.
In fact, garlic was such an effective antibiotic that was nicknamed “Russian Penicillin.” It’s still used in Russia to treat many ailments and for preventive care. Public health educations programs promote garlic and onions as disease preventatives – and not just because they help repel germ-carrying people.
8. Ticks and Flies and Fleas No More!
Garlic’s most repellent feature – the smell – is a plus when people look for natural ways to protect animals from flies and parasites.
Studies have found that concentrated garlic kills ticks within thirty minutes. Dehydrated garlic is used as a nutritional supplement in pet food to repel fleas and ticks. Some horse owners rub down their equines with a garlic mixture to keep flies away.
Garlic rubbed on humans also repels pests, but don’t try it unless you’re longing to try the lonely life of a hermit.
9. Add Some Spice To Your Garden
Gardeners spray a garlic mixture on plants to repel a different set of pesky creatures: deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and other four-legged garden predators who happily consume a whole season of vegetables in a single night.
It’s a great alternative for organic gardeners and environmentally conscious people who want to repel pests without harming either animals or the environment. A spray mixture of insecticidal soap, garlic, and hot pepper protects plants and flowers for days at a time. Just remember to reapply after rainstorms.
10. I Went To A Garlic Party
Garlic has long been a staple in many cuisines and has exploded in popularity in the United States during the past few decades. Garlic lovers gather by the thousands at festivals held worldwide.
The town of Gilroy, California held its first garlic festival in 1979. Since then, over 3 million people have attended the annual event, indulging in such delicacies as garlic wine, garlic ice cream, and garlic sushi. Other festivals celebrating garlic include Garlic Fest in Fairfield, CT, the CARP Farmers’ Market Garlic Festival in Ontario, and the Romanian Garlic Festival in Copalau.
Interest in garlic continues to grow as more people learn about its many uses and benefits. The faint voices of ancient physicians echo over time as modern researchers make almost weekly announcements about the beneficial effects of garlic.
We’re finally catching on to what our ancestors already knew thousands of years ago: garlic is great!

Garlic is an important medicinal herb that is readily available everywhere, unlike some of the other herbs mentioned on these pages.  It is one of the safest herbs, and as such can be taken often.  It does, however,  have its drawbacks, as we all know.  Bear this in mind when using remedies (especially internal ones), and cut back when family and friends start avoiding you.  

The lemon tree is one of the oldest cultivated fruit plants originated from India. Today, lemon trees grow in subtropical climates all over the world, especially in Florida and the Mediterranean. Though the fruit and its juice have a sour taste to it, lemon is actually a fantastic buffer in the body and can reduce hyperacidity in the stomach. Lemon juice and peels have an antiseptic effect and the leaves of the tree are used to reduce fever. In addition, lemons are rich in vitamin C which strengthens the immune system and acting as an antioxant, protects cells from radical damage.

Lemons as a therapeutic usage helps anti-inflammatory action. It helps the body cleanse itself by promoting perspiration and acting as a natural diuretic. Lemons also stimulate the appetitie, aids digestion, strengthens body defense system, relieves cramps and also dilates the blood vessels in the skin.

Lemons are known for useful remedies for gout, urine retention, athritis, vitamin C deficiency, inflammation of the mouth and throat, hoarseness, digestive disorders, asthma, nervousness, insomnia, heart palpitations and helps the system with diseases of the stomach, liver and intestines.

Some uses for lemons:

Infusions from lemon leaves;
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 3 tsp. of dried leaves and allow to steep for ten minutes. To reduce fever and relieve cramps, drink up to 2 cups per day.
Sweetened with honey, this tea helps coughs and asthma.
It is also a cure for insomnia. It promotes relaxation and deep sleep. Drink 1 cup before retiring at night.

Lemon Peels;
Relief from joint and nerve pains

The fragrant volatile oils found in the peel help relax blood vessels and produce an anti-inflammatory effect.

“AUT (auto-urine therapy) is an ancient practice as it finds mention in many old texts of India such as Shivambhu Kalpa Vidhi and Damar Tantra. Shivambhu literally means water of Lord Shiva, a Hindu God. Urine therapists often speak of drinking Shivambhu, which means drinking the water of auspiciousness.”LifePositive.com
By: Eric Cho
You’d never think there was anything good in a pot of pee, right? Here’s news for you.
The use of urine for medicinal purposes can be traced to societies in ancient Egypt, China, Hindu and Aztec histories. Advocates also cite a prominent verse in the Bible: “Drink water from thine own cistern and the streams of thine own well.”
Urine therapy is also known as amaroli and it is an integral part of the Ayurvedic tradition of Yoga. Yogis who follow Ayurveda are advised to drink the urine they excrete between 4 and 6 in the morning because the hormones released are propitious in inducing the meditative state of mind.
The rationale behind urine therapy is quite simple and persuasive. Urine is believed to be a byproduct of blood filtration. It is NOT excess water that is released by the body. When blood filled with nutrients pass through the liver, the toxins are filtered out and are excreted as solid waste. The purified blood then travels to the kidney where excess nutrients are eliminated from the body. The medical name of urine is Plasma Ultrafiltrate. 95% of this liquid is water and the rest is a mixture of nutrients, urea, minerals, enzymes, antibodies and hormones.
Urine consists of urea, which is an antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral agent. Urea is produced when the body tries to balance the ratio of sodium chloride with water. Because of its ability to kill bacteria and limit inflammation, urea is often used in ointments and lotions.
Urine can be used internally or applied externally. For internal use, it is necessary to collect the morning’s first sample. A sterile container is used, and with a dropper the patient places anywhere between 5-10 drops under his tongue. The usual system is to use 1-5 drops on the first day, followed by 5-10 drops on the second day, 5-10 drops on the morning of the third day and 5-10 drops on the evening of the third day.
“Drinking urine is a good alternative wherever water is scarce. It not only satisfies the need for liquid, but also actually keeps the body healthy. Some time ago there was an earthquake in Egypt. A survivor was pulled out of the rubble in Cairo after being trapped for three days. The man had kept himself alive by, among other things, drinking his own urine and he was in excellent condition. I heard another story about a man who kept himself alive with his own urine for a week in a collapsed mine. At the time of his rescue, he looked fine and was in extraordinary health.” – Complete Guide to Urine Therapy Universal-Tao.com
Homeopathic urine therapy dilutes the urine with distilled water and this diluted solution is placed under the tongue till there is a reduction in symptoms.
Precautions are taken to ensure the purity and quality of the urine. The first urine of the day and the mid-stream urine is the best sample. Before collecting the sample, it is necessary to wash the genital area thoroughly. After taking the urine into the body, individuals should refrain from eating anything for at least half an hour.
For external application, new or old urine can be used. Since older urine has a higher concentration of ammonia, it is more effective against skin diseases and rashes. To make the urine old, it should be stored in a dark bottle and closed tightly and kept away from the sun for 3-4 days. A small amount of the solution is applied directly on the skin. It can also be sprayed on the skin or added to skin lotions, cream or moisturizers. Doctors advise against the use of soap immediately after applying urine on the skin.
Urine should never be injected into the body. Since urine therapy depends on the gradual introduction of urine into the body, a sudden introduction of urine into the bloodstream can cause damage.
Urine therapy is supposed to cure a variety of ailments ranging from Arthritis, Cancer, Hepatitis, Multiple Sclerosis, Eczema, Psoriasis, Diabetes, Herpes and adrenal failure. It is commonly used to combat venom from snakebites, jellyfish and beestings. Urine is the main ingredient in infertility drugs.
So, now you know there’s more to pee than what meets the eye!
“The medical community has already been aware of [urine's] astounding efficacy for decades, and yet none of us has ever been told about it. Why? Maybe they think it’s too controversial. Or maybe, more accurately, there wasn’t any monetary reward for telling people what scientists know about one of the most extraordinary natural healing elements in the world.”