Candida and Garlic
Garlic has a host of health benefits.
Importantly for combating Candida though, it contains anti-fungal substances that kill off the Candida yeast. Garlic
should be a part of any Candida treatment.
Garlic is perhaps the most ancient remedy there is. An Egyptian papyrus from 1500 BC lists 22 separate recipes and treatments containing Garlic! It has been used by doctors throughout the ages, particularly before the dawn of modern medicine. If anything, its use as a cure has declined, but its effectiveness is unchanged.
How does Garlic work?
As a powerful natural antiseptic, garlic can cure inflammations of the stomach and intestine, including the Candida yeast. But unlike other more powerful treatments, garlic destroys unfriendly bacteria while preserving and boosting the good bacteria in your digestive system!
Altough no tests have been performed on garlic and Candida in humans, a study on mice infected with the Candida yeast found that garlic completely eliminated a serious outbreak within 2 days.
How do you take Garlic?
Garlic
products are made from whole fresh garlic, fresh or dried garlic cloves, garlic powder made from the dried cloves, freeze-dried garlic,
or oil garlic extracts.
Each type contains different levels of the active ingredients, so make sure to read the ingredients. Here is a basic run-down of the recommended dosage for each type:
- Garlic cloves: 2 to 4 grams per day of fresh, minced garlic clove
- Garlic Tablets: 600 to 900 mg daily, freeze-dried garlic standardized to 1.3% alliin or 0.6% allicin
- Garlic Infusion: 4 grams in 150 mL of water/day
- Garlic Oil: 0.03 to 0.12 mL three times a day
Who should not take Garlic?
Although a natural remedy, concentrated garlic can still interact with other medicines, so always consult a health professional. Garlic has a blood-thinning property that can be very useful, but can also be dangerous to sufferers of hemophilia or platelet disorders, as well as pregnant women or patients about to undergo surgery.
Garlic Side Effects
Side effects from garlic include upset stomach, bloating, bad breath, body odor, and a stinging sensation on the skin from handling too much fresh or dried garlic. Handling garlic may also cause the appearance of skin lesions.
Other side effects that have been reported by those taking garlic supplements include headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle aches, dizziness described as vertigo (namely, the room spinning), and allergies such as an asthmatic reaction or contact dermatitis (skin rash).
Some people may suffer a mild allergic reaction to concentrated garlic. Others may have an upset stomach, body odor, bad breath, headache, loss of appetite or fatigue. It may prompt a skin reaction, such as a stinging in the hands.