Aged Garlic Wards Off More Than Just Vampires

Aged Garlic Wards Off More Than Just Vampires
Lynn Tryba

At the 2012 American Heart Association’s conference, one announcement made some interesting news. In a randomized, double-blind study involving firefighters, it was discovered that the group that took Kyolic Formula 110—which combines 300 mg of aged garlic extract and 30 mg of CoQ10—reported an 84 percent drop in mental stress. The firefighters were chosen because firefighting is one of the most high-stress careers; in fact, half of all on-duty deaths for firefighters are the result of cardiac arrest.

At the beginning of the yearlong trial, the mental health of the firefighters was assessed using a questionnaire; the researchers also evaluated the inflammation in the arteries of the subjects. It was discovered that the decrease in mental stress also correlated with a significant reduction in inflammation and coronary heart calcification for the firefighters, both hidden risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

“The real takeaway message is that nutritional intervention, specifically with aged garlic extract and CoQ10, can make a significant impact on reducing chronic psychological stress and risk factors [for atherosclerosis],” said Matthew Budoff, MD, one of the study’s authors.

Sources

“Beneficial Effects of Aged Garlic Extract and Coenzyme Q10 on Vascular Elasticity and Endothelial Function...” www.nutritionjrnl.com, Nutrition, 8/6/12

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Tags
garlic
stress / anxiety
heart health
coenzyme Q10

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Take Control of Blood Pressure

Take Control of Blood Pressure
Lynn Tryba
a woman checking her own blood pressure

Doctors often prescribe medications to help control high blood pressure. But lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise usually have positive effects. A number of supplements can also help.

Alternatives to Medications

“Blood pressure medications actually do save a lot of lives,” writes Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, a board certified internist and author of the popular free iPhone application "Cures A-Z."

“If you have elevated blood pressure, add (or continue) the medications to lower the pressure, and then use the natural treatments. After three months, you’ll often find that your doctor can taper you off your blood pressure medications and still maintain a healthy pressure.”

Dr. Teitelbaum advises:

  1. Losing weight: he suggests walking outdoors, since the vitamin D from sunshine can help lower blood pressure too
  2. Cutting out alcohol and caffeine.
  3. Supplementing with:
    • calcium
    • magnesium
    • potassium
    • coenzyme Q10
    • vitamin A
    • vitamin C
    • vitamin D

Additional Supplements

Recent research has shed light on some additional supplements that can help lower blood pressure:

  • Garlic

    Numerous studies have shown the health benefits of garlic, including its potential for preventing heart disease.

    In a recent study, aged garlic extract appeared to boost the effectiveness of antihypertension medicine in a group of people with treated but uncontrolled hypertension.

  • Mushrooms

    Oyster, maitake, and agaricus mushrooms and their extracts are among those that appear to help regulate blood pressure.

  • Fish Oil

    The omega-3 fatty acids in fish and fish oils have substantial positive effects on cardiovascular health. Reducing blood pressure is one of the many benefits.

Sources

Personal Communication: Dr. Jacob Teilebaum, 5/2012

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Contributor
The Taste for Life Staff
Tags
heart health
blood pressure
garlic
omegas / fatty acids
omega 3

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Roasted Garlic Spread

Roasted Garlic Spread
Prep Time
35 minutes
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 1 head of garlic
  • Olive oil
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Peel away any extra outer papery white layers. Leave white layers of the individual garlic cloves intact and keep each individual clove attached to the garlic head.
  2. Cut off top [q:1/2] inch of garlic head to expose tops of cloves.
  3. Place garlic head on large square of aluminum foil. Pour a drizzle of olive oil over top of exposed cloves, making sure each clove is properly coated. Wrap aluminum foil around garlic head to cover completely. Place on baking sheet.
  4. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until cloves are soft when pressed with a fork. Allow garlic to cool.
  5. Using your fingers or a cocktail fork, pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their individual skins. Mash with a fork and spread on toasted bread or use as a topping for baked potatoes.
Nutrition Info
Just garlic: 49 Calories, 1 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 4 g Carbohydrates, 0 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 0 g Fiber, 3 g Total fat (1 g sat), 2 mg Sodium, [nut:1] Vitamin B6

Supplements for Better Blood Sugar

Supplements for Better Blood Sugar
Mark Wallace
a bitter gourd on a cutting board

Sweet news! Many plants and their extracts can help treat or prevent Type 2 diabetes.

While effective, people on antidiabetic medications should discuss the use of any herb with their healthcare practitioner.

Botanicals for Blood Sugar

Well-known botanicals with positive effects on blood sugar include:

  • cinnamon
  • fenugreek
  • maitake mushrooms
  • turmeric

Three more to add to the list are bitter melon, garlic, and gymnema.

  • Bitter Melon

    Also known as ampalaya or bitter cucumber, bitter melon is available as tea, juice, powder, or capsules. It is not recommended for pregnant women. 

    Bitter melon reduces blood sugar and improves glucose tolerance, making it an effective supplement for people with Type 2 diabetes.

    How It Works

    Such individuals don’t produce enough insulin, so they have an impaired ability to convert sugar in their blood into energy in their muscles.

    Exercise is part of the treatment for Type 2 diabetes because it activates the enzyme AMPK, which helps move glucose from the blood into muscles and other tissues.

    In laboratory research, scientists have identified compounds in bitter melon that, like exercise, activate AMPK.

    Safety

    Diabetes drugs do the same thing, but they can have side effects.

    “The advantage of bitter melon is that there are no known side effects,” says Jiming Ye, PhD, who was involved in the study that identified bitter melon’s glucose-mediating compounds.

    “Practitioners of Chinese medicine have used it for hundreds of years to good effect.”

  • Garlic

    Garlic appears to lower glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity, but its benefits for people with diabetes may go well beyond that.

    How It Works

    Researchers fed garlic oil to rats with diabetes and saw beneficial changes associated with protection against heart damage.

    The changes appeared to be linked to garlic’s potent antioxidant properties.

    Garlic and Cardiomyopathy

    People with diabetes have a significantly heightened risk of death from heart disease.

    Among them is cardiomyopathy, which inflames and weakens the heart’s muscle tissue. It's a leading cause of death in people with diabetes.

    A recent study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that garlic oil has strong potential for preventing it.

  • Gymnema

    When taken in supplement form, gymnema can help lower blood sugar after meals.

    How It Works

    Gymnema leaf is believed to improve insulin release and glucose uptake.

Sources

"Garlic intake lowers fasting blood glucose . . ." by H. Li-quiong et al., Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015

"Herbal medicines for diabetes management and its secondary complications" by K. Shubham et al., Current Diabetes Reviews, 2021

"Hypoglycemic efficacy and safety of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus" by S.K. Kim et al., Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 8/20

"Organosulfur compounds in aged garlic extract ameliorate glucose induced diabetic cardiomyopathy" by V. Rani and K. Sharma, Cardiovascular and Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, 2/23

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Contributor
The Taste for Life Staff
Tags
blood sugar
garlic
bitter melon
diabetes

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Lite Miso Dip

Lite Miso Dip
Number of Servings
Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 8 oz. Mori-Nu Silken Lite Firm Tofu
  • [q:1/2] cup white miso
  • 1 tbsp. chopped green onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • [q:1/4] tsp turmeric
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
Directions
  1. Place all ingredients into a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Serve with chips, pita slices or veggies.
Nutrition Info
103 Calories, 5 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 6 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 7 g Total fat (1 g sat), 655 mg Sodium, [nut:1] Vitamin K

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic
Prep Time
15 minutes prep time
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lb fresh asparagus (medium width)
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Lemon wedges, as garnish
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 500°. Rinse asparagus and break off tough ends.
  2. In shallow roasting pan, place asparagus and coat with oil. Sprinkle with garlic and salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Roast uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes (depending on width of spears), shaking pan occasionally.
  4. Serve with lemon wedges.

Sweet Pea Dip

Sweet Pea Dip
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sweet peas
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 Tbsp chopped onion
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Combine the peas, cumin, onion, and garlic in the container of a food processor or blender.
  2. Process until smooth.
  3. Add lemon juice and olive oil, and process just to blend.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Blend for just a few more seconds, and transfer to a serving bowl.
  6. Serve with chips, crackers, or fresh veggies.

Sauteed Garlic Spinach

Sauteed Garlic Spinach
Ingredients
  • [q:1 1/2] pounds baby spinach leaves
  • 3 Tbsp virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • [q:3/4] tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Lemon
  • Sea or kosher salt
Directions
  1. Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make sure it's very clean.
  2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, but not until it's browned.
  3. Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper to the pot, toss it with the garlic and oil, cover the pot, and cook it for 2 minutes.
  4. Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the spinach is wilted.
  5. Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl and top with squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of sea or kosher salt. Serve hot.

Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
Number of Servings
Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients
  • [q:1/2] cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • [q:1/2] cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 celery stalks finely chopped
  • 1 carrot finely chopped
  • [q:1/2] teaspoon sea salt
  • [q:1/2] teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 dried bay leaf
Directions
  1. Heat oil in large pot, over medium-high. Sauté onions and garlic until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.
  2. Add celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Simmer covered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 45 minutes.
  4. Remove bay leaf
  5. Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Parmesan Crisps

Garlic Parmesan Crisps
Number of Servings
4 dozen crisps
Ingredients
  • [q:1/2] cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 2 tsp garlic salt
  • 4 six inch Pita rounds
  • 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tsp basil
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325º
  2. In a small bowl, mix butter (or margarine) with garlic salt until well blended
  3. Split pitas in half – crosswise – to make two rounds.
  4. Spread each round with the butter mixture
  5. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.
  6. Cut each round into 6 wedges.
  7. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp.
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