Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

[LC_Dave]

A collegue at work has told me a story about her father.

She says that her father sufferred from chronic athsma and could not sleep most nights.

Told about the healing properties of garlic, he took a heavy dose. He was eating a whole bulb of garlic a day for 6 to 8 months.

She describes him as cured of his athsma. But perhaps he has greatly improved his condition ?

Has anyone heard of tales like this ? I have athsma. I am taking suppliments at the moment in pill form.

Do you think there is any basis in this ?

[kkat55]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

I'm not sure about the garlic, but my Dad really believed in it.

However, my DH has asthma and it seems as long as he takes his Vit C he doesn't have any problems, but if he skips or I stop giving it to him, it starts acting up again.

I've been giving him 2,000 mg in the morning and then 2,000 again in the evenings.

Dr. Atkins has a book on supplements that is very handy with these types of things. If you don't have it, try your library or Ebay. It is very informative.

Best wishes on your LC adventure!

[fiddlejen]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

I have asthma. One of the benefits of Atkins is that it really improves asthma.

Garlic is a decongestant and also a good germ-killer. Asthmatics tend to get bronchitis; many asthmatics have a sort of chronic bronchitis. Garlic is good for that. (If you don't mind the garlic breath.)

On the other hand - my personal experience has been: I found that - to prevent bronchitis and lessen asthma in general - at the slightest sign of cold or congestion, I need to take over-the-counter decongestant IMMEDIATELY and continue until the congestion is gone. (I use sudafed - not good for Atkins, and now they're pulling it from the stores - but, the point is: decongestant.) But decongestant medicine does tend to have other side effects like raising blood pressure. Whereas garlic is a decongestant and kills germs, and its main side effect is simply to drive people away... thus giving the asthmatic extra breathing space!

(I personally have lots of allergies. I find that, sometimes, if allergies are acting up I can only tolerate fresh garlic - like, fresh chopped from the clove that minute - and, at such times, other forms of garlic can actually cause me to wheeze.)

[LC_Dave]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

I'm taking Garlic Suppliments at the moment:

http://www.gnc.com/sm-natural-brand-...i-2133198.html

I wonder if this is as effective as actual Garlic ?

[fiddlejen]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

My personal experience with garlic is that nothing is as effective as fresh garlic. But that could just be me.

(btw parsley helps some with the dragon breath. although I don't think anything could overcome a whole bulb of garlic! also, I've found that even several cloves at once, while a very effective decongestant and antibiotic, tends to be pretty hard on the stomach.)

[fiddlejen]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

(Oh, in my first reply I went off track from what I wanted to mention.)

A really good supplement for asthma is magnesium.

A few years ago I was watching "Trauma Life in The ER," (you know, the show where they went into real emergency rooms with cameras). A guy came in with asthma so bad, they were getting ready to put an oxygen tube down into his lungs and they weren't even sure that was going to save him. They had tried all the regular astha treatments. But one of the doctors said, sometimes magnesium will do the trick. So they gave him magnesium - I think through an IV by this point - and almost immediately he improved, and appeared to be breathing almost fine within a short period of time.

Anyway, after that I started taking magnesium supplement. (I think I'm using magnesium citrate.) It also has helped the asthma incredibly. Myself I find it more useful than garlic. (And, it doesn't cause dragon breath!)

I take it at night because it's a relaxer, and with calcium because they both absorb better that way. At first I took an individual magnesium but then I found a nice calcium-magnesium supplement that I liked.

[LC_Dave]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

(Oh, in my first reply I went off track from what I wanted to mention.)

A really good supplement for asthma is magnesium.

A few years ago I was watching "Trauma Life in The ER," (you know, the show where they went into real emergency rooms with cameras). A guy came in with asthma so bad, they were getting ready to put an oxygen tube down into his lungs and they weren't even sure that was going to save him. They had tried all the regular astha treatments. But one of the doctors said, sometimes magnesium will do the trick. So they gave him magnesium - I think through an IV by this point - and almost immediately he improved, and appeared to be breathing almost fine within a short period of time.

Anyway, after that I started taking magnesium supplement. (I think I'm using magnesium citrate.) It also has helped the asthma incredibly. Myself I find it more useful than garlic. (And, it doesn't cause dragon breath!)

I take it at night because it's a relaxer, and with calcium because they both absorb better that way. At first I took an individual magnesium but then I found a nice calcium-magnesium supplement that I liked.

That is interesting. I also take magnesium, as I was told by someone it was good for athsma!

So we are on the right path then!!

[kkat55]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

Speaking of magnesium...I've read somewhere (Dr A's book?) that it can make you sleepy so it was recommended taking it at night before bed...

My MIL said that switching it from morning to evening made her sleep better.

We go on and off the magnesium so I can't say for sure if this works or not (the sleeping bit).

Best wishes on improving your health!!

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

I don't know. But I'm an almost everyday garlic eater and I don't have any asthma! So could be true.

When I lived in France we had an very old lady who was our maid, she used to swallow a whole clove of garlic every single morning with a big glass of water. She was old when I was there at the age of 11, she is still kicking so I guess its good for something!

Plus when you stink pretty like garlic nobody gets close enough to give you their cold germs! That's another plus!

Garlic rocks!

[Bren]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

In his vita-nutirents book Dr. Atkins suggests garlic in anyway that is convenient. He suggests an extract of aged garlic, either in capsule or as a liquid. He recommends 2,400 - 3,000 mg daily. He also makes reference to its array of benfits being staggering.

[kkat55]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

Dave,

Have you had time to read Dr. A's book on Vita-Nutrients yet? I love it!

[LC_Dave]

Re: Heavy Garlic to alleviate Athsmatic symptoms

Dave,

Have you had time to read Dr. A's book on Vita-Nutrients yet? I love it!

Kat, I haven't had time to go through it thoroughly, but I was pretty dissapointed in the info a asthma.

Bugger all actually!