Miracles of Garlic

At age sixty nine, my father still has black hair, not a trace of white hair on him. No, he does not dye his hair.  His blood pressure is as normal as it can be, and his cholesterol levels are healthy. My father does not have diabetes or any heart condition; he doesn’t even wear prescription glasses. I and his doctor can attest that my father’s health is above average when compared to other sixty nine years old men. I remember one occasion when everyone in my house got infected with chicken pox; my father was the only one not to get infected. In another occasion, there was an episode of pink eyes in the street where my family lives. Many people were infected but my father. I have many family members who suffer from asthma, including myself, my brothers and sisters. If this could be an inherited problem, I decided to ask my father why all his children, and other family members, suffer from asthma and he does not. To him, the answer was simple: “Garlic.” That’s right, consuming garlic can improve a person’s health dramatically. My father eats two raw garlic cloves every day. He has been doing it for at least forty years.

The health benefits of garlic are numerous. These benefits derive from the garlic’s components. According to thecalorycounter.com, one clove of garlic contains twelve milligram of potassium (Calories in Garlic). That’s a large amount for a clove of garlic. A person that eats raw garlic every day can assure that his heart and kidneys stay healthy. In fact, webmd.com confirms that “Potassium is a mineral that's crucial for life. Potassium is necessary for the heart, kidneys, and other organs to work normally.” (Vitamins and Supplements). Eating raw garlic has the benefit of consuming potassium naturally versus trough processed foods. Another benefit of consuming potassium, through garlic, is that it keeps blood pressure normal. This statement is reinforced by webmd.com “Low potassium is associated with a risk of high blood pressure…” Incredibly, garlic also reduces the risks of cancer, stroke, arthritis, digestive disorders, and infertility.

A specific group of garlic chemicals are called organ sulfurs. The Linus Paulin institute at Oregon State University reports that organosulfurs in garlic have anti-inflammatory properties. (Garlic and Organosulfur Compounds). Additionally, these compounds have antioxidants properties. If eating garlic renders the benefits of consuming antioxidants, then eating garlic prevents, vision loss, and cancer. About consuming fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants, the Harvard School of Public Health notices that “studies showed that people with low intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables were at greater risk for developing these chronic conditions than were people who ate plenty of these fruits and vegetables.” (Health Benefits of). Eating garlic is also beneficial for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. The Linus Paulin institute at Oregon State University confirms that organosulfurs in garlic have these properties (Garlic and Organosulfur Compounds).

Based on the health benefits from eating garlic, many diseases can be prevented and many people’s health can be improved. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that heart disease is responsible for the death of about six hundred thousand Americans every year; it is the leading cause o dead for men and women, and about nine hundred thirty five thousand Americans have heart attacks. The CDC also reports that twenty million Americans have chronic kidney disease. Sixty eight million Americans have blood pressure, one hundred thirty thousand people suffer from a stroke every year, fifty million Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis, and fourteen million Americans have vision impairment. The website cancer.org reports that there were one point six million new cases of cancer in the United States in the year 2012, and increase by one hundred thousand from the previous year. (Cancer Facts).

These statistics are high. However, many of these diseases can be prevented or minimized by eating garlic. Garlic is easy to obtain and inexpensive. If we start consuming garlic we will become healthier at a very low prize and without many medical bills.

To conclude, my father is living proof of how eating garlic can improve a person’s health. The benefits of eating garlic can prevent many diseases that millions of Americans suffer. The statistics are too high to ignore the fact that everyone is at risk of developing some of the diseases mentioned above. To prevent chronic diseases, eating garlic is the easiest way to do it.



Works Cited


"Antoxidants: Beyond the Hype." The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.

" Calories in Garlic - The Calorie Counter." The Calorie Counter. The Calorie Counter, n.d.
Web. 8 Jan. 2013.

"CDC - DHDSP - Heart Disease Facts."Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. United States Government, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.

"CDC - National Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet 2010 - Factsheets - Publication - Diabetes
DDT." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. United States Government, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.

"CDC - National Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet 2010 - Factsheets - Publication - Diabetes DDT." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. United States Government, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.

"Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University." Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State
University. Oregon State University, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2013.

"Potassium Supplements: Benefits, Potassium Deficiency, Dosage, and More." WebMD - Better information. Better health.. Web MD, 9 Dec. 2010. Web. 8 J