Common name: Garlic
Botanical name: Allium sativum
Family: Liliaceae or Lily

History
The first mention of garlic we find in scriptures from the
Sumerians of Abraham's time. They were followed by the Egyptians,
Hebrews, Greeks and Romans. During the building of the pyramids
the Egyptians spent what would be today about 30 million US dollars
on garlic to feed it to the workers who build the pyramids to keep
them strong and healthy and control the spread of epidemics.
It was also the treatment of choice for the nobles of Egypt.

We find it mentioned by such great Greek physicians like Dioscorides
and Hippocrates. The Greek poet Homer (830 B.C) mentions garlic
just in his 'Iliad' for the treatment of 147 different wounds.
Pliny the Roman physician and naturalist mentions 62 diseases,
which can be treated with garlic. In the Roman Empire it was given
to the soldiers for strength, to the gladiators for endurance,
nobilities used it in their wine as antidote against poisoning,
physicians used it during surgeries as a disinfectant, it was also
given to the animals to prevent gas if they ate to much grain.

The Vikings always took it with them on their lengthy voyages.
From the Danish, Irish and Russians, garlic was used for colds and
cough's for centuries.

Garlic is mentioned in several Old English vocabularies of plants
from the tenth to the fifteenth centuries. During World War II
garlic was used by the British and Russian to control infections
and speed the healing of wounds.

Nutrition
Garlic is a tremendously nutritious health food and a miraculous
healing plant. Incorporated in the daily diet it is one of the most
beneficial and natural seasonings and flavor enhancers, there are
on this planet. It enriches the diet and improves health, prevent
disease and prolongs life. It fulfills, more then any other food, the
requirement of Hippocrates' that "Our food should be our medicine
and our medicine should be our food." Extensive studies around the
world on people over the age of 100 that are in excellent health,
conclude that they use garlic extensively in their daily diets.

Garlic research is taking place in almost every developed country.
Areas of interest include cancer, diabetes, heart disease and
stroke, antibacterial properties, anti-fungal use and much more.
These studies have shown that garlic is almost miraculous at
preventing a variety of disease. The studies were made with raw
garlic, juice and an extract made from aged garlic.

People with low blood pressure should limit the intake of garlic
to not more than one clove a day, because of its blood pressure
lowering effects.

Healing
So far research and clinical observation have identified the
following active factors in garlic:

Allicin is believed to be responsible for garlic's antibacterial
and anti-inflammatory effect. It is also the factor that causes
the typical garlic smell.

Alliin is a sulfur containing amino acid, which according to
Russian studies gives garlic its antibiotic effect.

Diallyldisulphide and allylpropyldisulphide are the ingredients
that give the cholesterol and lipid lowering effect to garlic.

Anti-hemolytic factor found in Kyolic, an aged garlic juice from
Japan, is beneficial in anemia treatments (not found in fresh
raw garlic).

Allithiamine is formed by the action of Vitamin B1 on alliin.
Garlic is a source of biologically active compounds of Vitamin B1.

Selenium normalizes blood pressure, protects against infection
and prevents platelet adhesion and clot formation, which gives
garlic the anti-artherosclerotic properties.

There are also anti-arthritic, sugar regulating, antioxidant and
anti-coagulant factors found in garlic.

Garlic has altogether 35 sulfur containing compounds, plus
ultra violet radiation (Gurwitch rays), which have a rejuvenating
effect on all body functions.

Japanese studies have shown that Kyolic, an extract from aged
garlic, is effective in protecting the body from the toxic effects
of metal poisoning.

The fungus Aspergillus flavus found in such foods as rice,
grains, corn, beans and sweet potatoes can cause aflatoxins.
This fungus is known to cause cell mutations that eventually lead
to cancer. The components ajoene and diallyl sulfide found in raw
garlic and Kyolic neutralize the fungus and prevent it from
binding to the cell DNA matter.

Some scientific literature testifies that the high amount of sulfur
protein found in garlic protects the liver from the damage of
poisoning of industrial chemicals.

Garlic is the only antibiotic that can actually kill infecting
bacteria and at the same time protect the body from the poisons
that are causing the infection. Even the forefather of antibiotic
medicine, Louis Pasteur, acknowledged garlic to be as effective as
penicillin and late studies showed similar activity to a more modern
antibiotic, chloramphenicol.

Another once common, and apparently returning disease, tuberculosis
was treated with garlic very successfully as the invading organism
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is sensitive to several of the sulfur
components found in garlic. The vapor from freshly cut garlic can
kill bacteria at a distance of 20 cms!

Cultivation
Garlic likes moist, sandy soil, but can also be grown in sandy, loam
or clay. It likes sunny places and should be kept free of weeds. When
planted in February or March, the bulbs should be ready for harvest
in August. In cold and wet areas it will take about a month longer.

Feeding suggestions for parrots:
Some birds like to chew on the whole clove. For smaller birds it has
to be cut in little pieces. It can be puréed and put into cooked food.
The powder from capsules can be spread over cooked and fresh food
or soaked and spouted seeds. There is also a liquid Kyolic which can
be used in water or directly in the birds beak.

References
The Healing Benefits of Garlic by John Heinerman, PH.D
The Miracle of Garlic by Paavo Airola, PH.D
The Complete Garlic Book by Peter Josling
Herbal Medicine by Sharol Tilgner, N.D.

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/garlic06.html

www.beaktreats.com E-mail: gudrun@yourparrotplace.com

All Articles Reprinted with the Kind Permission of The Author Gunrun Maybaum
Bird Nutrition and Herb Consultant

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