Five Awesome Organic Foods that Pack More Punch than Supplements

Without a doubt, supplements are needed in today’s society. We’re on the go. It’s difficult to get everything our bodies require in a day. Sometimes, no matter how hard we work at it, we’re still deficient in something, and not all of us can afford a personal trainer. Supplements can help provide total wellness though getting these essential nutrients from the food we’re already eating is usually best. Here’s a look at five awesome organics that are loaded with what your body craves, so you can receive the benefits as nature intended.

Kale

Along with spinach, kale often tops the list of healthy greens, though kale is lower in oxalates, so nutrients are absorbed better. For each 100-gram/ 50-calorie portion of kale consumed, you’ll receive:

Vitamin C (200% of the RDA)
Vitamin A (300% of the RDA)
Vitamin K1 (1000% of the RDA)
Calcium
Copper
Magnesium
Manganese
Potassium
Vitamin B6
Fiber (2 grams)
Protein (3 grams)

Try Kale: People often have an easier time incorporating kale into their diet when it’s in a smoothie. Try mixing it up in a blender with juice and berries.

Garlic

There are more than 200 varieties of garlic, and the cloves are known for containing allicin. Interestingly, it seems to work like a natural defense system for the plant, fighting off fungi. Allicin is a favorite among those who seek natural cures because it’s believed to have antimicrobial and antibiotic properties. It’s been touted as a cure for infections, an aid for acne, and some studies have suggested that it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. On top of this, garlic contains:

Calcium
Copper
Manganese
Potassium
Selenium
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C

Try Garlic: While garlic comes in nearly everything these days, it’s almost always cooked. Freshly chopped garlic can be added to cool pasta or spread on bread with butter, but it tends to flow better when added to fresh-made salsa or guacamole.

Blueberries

Antioxidants are high on the list as to what makes blueberries an awesome organic food. They’ve been linked to everything from cancer prevention to memory enhancement, and they’re 100% tasty. On top of this, blueberries contain all sorts of other things that lead to a healthier body, including:

Calcium
Folate
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Phosphorous
Potassium
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Vitamin K1
Zinc
Fiber (3.6 grams per cup)

Try Blueberries: A recipe isn’t needed for blueberries because they’re fantastic on their own. However, they can also be tossed on top of cereal or mixed into a smoothie.

Eggs

A single egg can contain more than five grams of protein, making it a staple on tables around the world. Though it was once believed that the cholesterol found in eggs led to high cholesterol in the blood, experts now say that trans fats and saturated fats, which are commonly consumed with eggs, pose a far bigger risk. Considering the whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals that are found in eggs, they’re worth including in ones’ diet.

Biotin
Calcium
Cephalin
Folate
Iodine
Iron
Lecithin
Phosphorous
Selenium
Thiamine
Vitamin A
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B5
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Zinc

Chocolate

Cocoa and dark chocolate rank high on the list of antioxidant-rich foods. One of the problems is that it’s often diluted and loaded with sugar. Milk chocolate, which is commonly consumed, isn’t as healthful as dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa content. In addition to the antioxidants, cocoa has:

Copper
Fiber
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese

Try Cocoa: Organic cocoa powder can be added to a smoothie to make it feel even more like a dessert. Dark chocolate squares can be eaten as-is, or melted over blueberries for a truly decadent treat.

Conclusion

Each of the foods listed here can be incorporated into a diet with ease, as there are versatile and organic varieties found in most modern markets. While their non-organic cousins contain the same nutrients, organic options don’t contain the pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones that a person doesn’t need. Moreover, several of the items detailed here landed on the Environmental Working Group’s list of foods that contain high amounts of pesticides when grown conventionally.

If you don’t have easy access to organic produce, you might consider purchasing yours online through a delivery services such as Organics Live. If they don’t deliver in your area, chances are, someone else does.

Our featured image comes from this Beet Pickled Eggs + Kale Salad recipe.

Sources:

Are Chicken Eggs Good or Bad for My Cholesterol? – Mayo Clinic

Foods You Can Grow and Store All Winter – The Lowdown on Storage Crops

Eating local is something many of us strive for, but it can be easier said than done. We are at the mercy of the growing season for whatever local fresh produce is available and at the mercy of our work schedules for the time to track it down.

Farmers markets and local farm stands are a great place to find in-season fruits and veggies during a good part of the year, but busy schedules and weekend obligations can make regular market shopping difficult. The reality for many of us is that quick trips to the grocery store on the way home are what we can manage.

Some stores will carry local produce when they can, but most of the year it is imported from other regions. Additionally, prices are often higher for local because small farmers can’t offer stores the same wholesale margin as giant corporate farms. Those of us who garden can only enjoy meals from dirt to plate for so many months before the growing season ends.

Still, we know how important it is. We know that buying from local farms strengthens our local economy. We know we reduce our impact by supporting sustainable agricultural practices and reducing the distance our food travels to reach us. This is why we need to know more about storage crops.

Storage Crops to the Rescue!

Storage crops are foods that will last most of the year under the right conditions and include foods like potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic, root vegetables, winter squash, and pumpkins. The right conditions may seem daunting and mysterious, as root cellars have become something in our grandmother’s stories of the past, but just because you don’t have a root cellar doesn’t mean you can’t keep storage crops through most of the winter.

I have used my garage, pantry, attic, and closet to store local staples and had great success. Sure, some things only make it to April, but there’s enough produce growing again by that time that it really doesn’t matter. You can make the most of a single trip to the farmers’ market or a local farm stand in the fall and stock up a store of these crops at excellent prices. It takes a little planning, but there are many creative ways to keep your food supply local year round.

Potatoes

People have been raising families on potatoes for centuries. They’re versatile, they’re nutritious, and they’ll keep for months. They are easy to grow and don’t require a lot of garden space. There are even creative options like vertical potato cages that allow you to keep layering as the foliage climbs upward. If you don’t have room for gardening, or have a larger family than you can grow enough potatoes for, many farmers offer them at discount bulk prices as a storage crop. The important basics are storing them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place; 50 to 60 degrees is your target temperature. Cellars and basements are ideal, but covered boxes in the garage, or bins in the bottom of your kitchen cabinets will keep them for quite a while. You can make a lot of different local meals centered around potatoes in the middle of the winter, which makes them a storage crop staple. Depending on the variety of potato, storage conditions, and outside temperatures, potatoes will keep up to 6 months.

Onions

Let’s face it. Almost every recipe calls for onions, so stocking up on your own local supply of this vegetable is going to take you a long ways towards a more local year-round diet. Much like potatoes, farmers will offer discounted prices on bulk quantities in the fall, so calculate how many onions you think you might use per week and do the math to find out how many pounds you need. Onions need cool, dark, well-ventilated storage conditions, but unlike potatoes they need to stay a little more dry. I like to store my onions in baskets, mesh bags, or hanging braids in my attic. Garages are also a fine place, but cellars and basements can lead to spoilage. Under the right conditions, onions will keep up to 6 months.

Garlic

Garlic is one of those foods that doubles as a medicine and overall health booster, so I try to put it in as many dishes as I can. Garlic is easy to grow and doesn’t require a lot of garden space, and I have managed to grow my entire garlic supply for the year for quite a while now.

This year I planned ahead and grew extra to plant as the following year’s garlic seed so I wouldn’t have to buy it. Garlic can be grown, cured, and braided for hanging storage, or it can be purchased from a farmer in bulk. You want to store it pretty much the same way as onions. Because it can be stored hanging in long braids, it doesn’t take up much room and adds a festive look to your storage area. You can easily get away with never buying garlic from the grocery store again. You can easily get away with never buying garlic from the grocery store again. Under the right conditions, hardneck garlic varieties will keep up to 10 months and softneck garlic varieties will keep up to a year.

Winter Squash and Pumpkins

I heard something in the news recently about the expected canned pumpkin shortage for the coming year because of this past spring’s wacky weather in the Midwest, so now is a better than ever time to start buying and storing local pumpkins and winter squash. This is a fun crop to stock up on, because it can involve an October trip to the pumpkin patch. Usually farms with a u-pick pumpkin field will also offer a variety of squash in their farm stand. As long as there is a stem left on them and they are kept below 60 degrees, with low humidity, squash can keep until the following summer in your garage, attic, closet, or sometimes just sitting out on your kitchen counter. They are more prone to spoilage than the other storage crops, so it is important to sort them regularly and eat the ones that don’t look like they’ll make it. The great bonus thing about having a lot of storage squash is that every time you cook one, you can roast the seeds as a healthy snack. Depending on the variety, storage conditions, and outside temperatures, pumpkins and winter squash will keep up to 8 months.

Storage Crops are Winter Staples

Once you get in the habit of planning winter meals around the storage crops you have on hand, you will find yourself with a delicious, nutritious, local and seasonal diet. Potatoes provide plenty of potassium, iron, B6, and fiber. Onions are high in Vitamin C, B6, essential minerals, and fiber. Garlic is rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, selenium, antioxidants, and Vitamin C; and also provides anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. Winter squash and pumpkins are a straight up superfood, offering high levels of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, antioxidants, polysaccharides, and fiber. Let’s also not forget the seeds, offering a powerhouse of nutrients in a tiny, crunchy package.

There are even a few other veggies that will keep as storage crops with a little ingenuity. Root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, turnips, and beets will keep for months in the refrigerator or a bucket of moist sand. Apples can keep for months if stored in a cool place and sorted regularly for rot.

Remember that the lack of a root cellar is not holding you back. There are a lot of storage options that mostly fit the criteria and will give you months of local meals. Now that you know the low-down on storage crops, it’s the perfect time of year to get out there and stock up. You will thank yourself for it in January.

Sources:

Things You Should Know About Garlic – DIY, Recipes, Other Tips

Most know about garlic’s antimicrobial properties. A healthy diet rich in raw garlic is the best defense against fungal, bacterial, viral, and parasitical infections. Garlic may also be used topically to treat vaginal yeast infections and athlete’s foot.

WWI soldiers used crushed garlic on infected wounds suffered in battle. Hippocrates, considered by many to be the “Father of Medicine,” also used garlic to heal cancerous tumors. Garlic’s history is as rich and plentiful as its benefits. It is a truly amazing herb and one that many naturally minded healthcare practitioners will tell you is one of nature’s most incredible plants.

Be forewarned, garlic does burn the skin. It’s not pleasant, but the results are amazing. Here’s a personal story about treating a spider bite with garlic:

In Los Angeles there was a spider with a bad attitude in our apartment. He bit me nine times over the course of four nights. I do not know what kind of spider it was, but he was nasty, and five of those bites got very infected.

I’m not one to get infections easily, but the spider that bit me was a potent little bastard! The bites were on my left arm near my elbow. I couldn’t move my elbow and I was starting to look like an Ebola virus victim. One of the bites was so bad that there was almost a third of a cup of green and greenish yellow, thick, oozing puss that I spent 5 hours carefully extracting, only to have it fill up the next day. I was taking tons of supplements and eating well; I was doing everything I could to ensure I did not get an infection, but this toxin the spider bit me with was unrelenting.

I was also using some of the most potent herbs I knew of, putting them directly into the huge hole left behind from the puss extraction. During the third time (seven days after the bite) of removing the puss (I was cutting open my arm and literally digging into the infection, scooping out this nasty pussy junk), I noticed streaking. Blood poisoning. So I decided to take drastic measures. I knew it would burn me badly, but I filled up the hole with garlic. I shoved a total of four large minced cloves into the infection, which gives you an idea of the massive size of the hole that was there on my arm just below my elbow. Then I bandaged the wound.

It itched so badly that night, but my whole arm hurt and itched so much already that the garlic itch didn’t matter to me. I taped my hands in my sleep so my fingers wouldn’t claw off the bandage while scratching in my sleep.

The next day I awoke to a huge purple welt. It was three times the diameter of a quarter, and it looked like something had eaten a huge chunk of my arm. It was ghastly! But it was also uninfected! I had no itch, and very little pain right there, unlike the other bites.

The other bites had to be drained for infection a few times, even well after the wound closed. I did not do the garlic trick with them, as the scar that I thought might be permanent was massive and disturbing to look at. It took a month for the other spider bites to heal, and it took 6 weeks for the garlic wound to completely heal leaving a very large scar.

But here is what I found most interesting. Today, one year later, every single spider bite left a scar, except the big one. The one I put the garlic into is less visible than the others. As massive and nasty as it was during the slow healing process, the permanent damage done was less than that of even the relatively insignificant other bites.

Garlic Potency – Allicin

A sulfur-based compound called alliin and an enzyme called alliinase are separated in the garlic’s cell structure when garlic is whole. Cutting garlic ruptures the cells and releases these elements, allowing them to come in contact with each other and oxygen to form a powerful new compound called allicin, which not only adds to the number of garlic’s health-promoting benefits but is also the culprit behind its pungent aroma and gives garlic its “bite.”

Allicin is garlic’s strongest antimicrobial component. This is also why researchers tell us that slicing, chopping, mincing or pressing garlic before cooking will enhance its health-promoting properties by releasing more allicin. Avoid boiling or cooking whole garlic cloves as this deactivates the enzymes.

By chopping garlic more finely, more allicin may be produced. Pressing garlic or mincing it into a smooth paste will give you the strongest flavor and may also result in the highest amount of allicin. Let it sit for five to ten minutes before eating or cooking. If cooking is required, do not expose to heat for longer than five minutes.

The processes used to create garlic tablets destroy allicin. Fresh garlic is best, but if you need to take it as a pill, don’t take garlic in tablet form. Use powdered capsules instead.

Garlic and Cancer

When garlic is a regular part of the diet, it has been shown in studies to help prevent cancer of the prostate, bladder, colon, stomach and breast.

One study of 40,000 postmenopausal women showed a 50% reduction in colon cancer.

Fingernails and Cuticles

Garlic strengthens nails and can heal cuticles. While ingesting garlic has a positive effect on skin and could, therefore, help cuticles, and possibly promote nail growth, people usually use garlic topically to enhance nail growth and repair cuticles.

Here’s a recipe for garlic infused nail polish.

Make sure to use nontoxic nail polish! Here are a few:

Piggy Paint, non-toxic, odorless, kid-friendly, kid-colored, water-based formula.
Honeybee Gardens, an alternative to solvent-based nail polish, water-based, odorless, removes with rubbing alcohol.
No-Miss, does not contain the three-to-avoid above, and also does not contain camphor.
Acquarella, water-based system of nail polish, conditioner, remover and moisturizer.
Suncoat, water-based nail polish that has been recognized and honored from the Canadian Health Food Association Expo.
Gaiam, created by New York City’s first organic spa, our non-toxic nail polish is free of known carcinogens.

Check out more nontoxic nail polishes at care2.com.

Alternatively, you can also soak nails in garlic oil, or apply garlic oil to nails regularly.

For damaged cuticles that don’t want to heal, take crushed garlic, apply to the cotton of a Band-Aid and wrap the finger. The way to do this is to open the Band-Aid wrapping, place the Band-Aid on a table or counter, place garlic in a “U” pattern to lineup with the cuticle line, and then put the finger, nail down, onto the Band-Aid and wrap the finger. It’s a little easier with help, but it’s not too difficult to do alone. It will itch for about 20 minutes. One finger is pretty easy to manage the irritation, but multiple fingers can get pretty difficult to bear. Leave it on for a minimum of 3 hours – 8 hours max. Once the Band-Aid is removed, let the skin air out for a few hours at least, but if there’s the potential to damage the cuticles again, wrap them up in new Band-Aids.

Different Kinds of Garlic

Garlic can be broadly classified into two groups known as hardneck and softneck. Hardneck garlic may be broken down into three types, the purple stripe, porcelain, and rocambole. Within the softneck classification there are artichokes and silverskins. Hardneck varieties tend to grow and thrive better in regions with colder winters.

Hardneck cultivars tend to have are richer, spicier, and generally have a more complex flavor. Hardneck varieties, due to their plumpness and fairly regular clove shape and thicker skin, are considerably easier to peel. Softneck garlic is usually milder. Much of the softneck garlics are used in processed products and for garlic powder for seasoning. The cloves of softneck cultivars are also more difficult to peel due to irregular shape and tight, thin skins.

Pest Control with Garlic

Germs, parasites, and most animals don’t like garlic. If you have a garden that you want to protect or a pet you need to keep flea free, it’s easy to make a garlic spray that you can apply directly to plants and animals.

Garden Protection Recipe

1 whole bulb of garlic
1 small onion
1 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper
1 quart of water
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap

Chop all ingredients finely (or crush, or use a food processor), and put in blender with water. Blend at a low speed until well mixed and then strain. If you blend at too high a speed, you may have nothing to strain, and the mixture may be too thick for a spray bottle, but it depends on the sprayer.

Put liquid into a spray bottle and add dish soap. Mix well.

Use a spray bottle to liberally apply to plants, all over, including the top and underside of leaves.

Flea Control Recipe

1 whole bulb of garlic
1 small onion
1 lemon
1 quart of water
10 drops of peppermint oil clove oil or any other essential oils that pests don’t like.

Chop all ingredients finely (or crush, or use a food processor), and put into a blender with water. Blend at a low speed until well mixed and then strain. If you blend at too high a speed you may have nothing to strain, and the mixture may be too thick for a spray bottle, but it depends on the sprayer. Spray pet before it goes outside, and regularly if there are fleas in the house. Avoid spraying near the pet’s eyes.

Other Garlic Health Benefits, Tips, and Tricks

Garlic might help prevent hair loss! Massage garlic oil into scalp.
Garlic is definitely a low calorie food with 4 calories per clove.
If you put a slice of garlic over a splinter and cover it with a bandage, it will help the skin push it out.
Garlic has its own day of recognition! April 19 is National Garlic Day.
Garlic is rumored to ward off mosquitoes and other vampires.
Garlic helps babies gain weight while they are in the womb.
Rub garlic on a cold sore to get rid of it.
Put a slice on a skin tag and cover with a Band-Aid to get rid of it.
Garlic is high in iodine – good for the thyroid.
Garlic is high in vitamin C.
Garlic doesn’t need to be refrigerated.
Avoid CHINESE GARLIC!
Garlic helps to regulate blood sugar.
There are 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide.
Garlic has been grown for more than 5000 years.
To quickly peel an entire head of garlic, put it in a jar and shake until the cloves come loose and the skin comes off.
Grow a new bulb from any clove that sprouts.

Shillington’s Total Tonic, and Blood Detox are two of my favorite garlic recipes.

Menu

Garlic is my go-to herb for many ailments, and I eat it every single day. I put it in my salads and in the foods I cook. I eat it raw and cooked, but more often raw. I use it to reset my gut flora, I use it to detoxify my body, and I use it to make food taste better, but it does so much more.

Related Products:

Three Super Immune-Boosting Herbs

(NaturalNews – Dr. David Jockers) Life on Earth is a stressful endeavor for all living things. This stress provides an adaptive stimulus for plant and animal life to become stronger and more resilient. Certain herbs have adapted over centuries to have incredible immune-enhancing properties. Garlic, oregano and ginger are a few powerful immune-enhancing herbs.

All life in nature must protect itself continually from the elements and environmental stressors. This includes dramatic shifts in weather, microorganisms, UV light, etc. Herbs and plants have adapted with powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities to give them a survival advantage. When we consume these herbs, we benefit from the immune-enhancing adaptations.

Garlic:

Garlic is a pungent herb and one of nature’s natural antibiotics. Due to the powerful sulfur-containing nutrients and immune stimulators within garlic, it is classified as a superfood herb. Consumption of garlic daily may be one of the best defenses against infection and inflammatory-based disease.

Garlic contains over 100 biologically active components including alliin, allicin, alliinase and unique sulfur compounds. When garlic is crushed or chewed, it forces the allin and allinase enzyme together and causes a chemical reaction to produce allicin.

Allicin and sulfur-based compounds act as powerful antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal agents that have an incredible immune-stimulating effect.⁽¹⁾ Additionally, garlic is also used to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and help prevent/reverse cancer.^{(2, 3)}

Researchers have found garlic to be more powerful at destroying pathogenic bacteria than the popular antibiotics penicillin and tetracycline. It is also very effective against viruses and yeasts like Candida. Garlic is also very potent at destroying tumor cells in the stomach, colon, breast and prostate among other regions.⁽⁴⁾ The sulfur compounds are also effective at detoxifying heavy metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum.⁽⁵⁾

Oregano:

Oregano oil is an extraordinarily powerful natural antibiotic. Oregano has been found in a recent study to be significantly better than all of the 18 currently used antibiotics in the treatment of MRSA staph infections.⁽⁶⁾ The strong phenol antioxidants destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses and yeasts.

The USDA ranks oregano’s antioxidant capacity anywhere from 3 to 20 times higher than any other herb. Oregano has four times the antioxidant power of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges and 42 times greater than apples.

Oregano oil has been classically used as a disinfectant, an aid for ear, nose and throat/respiratory infections, candidiasis and any sort of bacterial or viral condition. Additionally, it works to suppress inflammatory mediators and cancer cell production.⁽⁷⁾ Oregano oil is more potent than the dried herb; however, the dried version still contains many powerful health benefits.

Studies have shown that carvacrol, a phenol antioxidant within oregano, has powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity when applied to food or taken in supplement form. Oregano also contains rosmarinic acid which has very strong cancer-fighting properties.

Ginger:

This incredible superfood herb is 13th on the antioxidant list. Ginger is composed of several volatile oils that give it its characteristic flavor and odor: zingerone, shogaols and gingerols. These oils are powerful antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic agents. In addition, it inhibits cancer cell formation while firing up our body’s own inborn ability to destroy the cancer cells formerly present.⁽⁸⁾

Ginger is classified as a carminative (reducing intestinal gas) and an intestinal spasmolytic (soothes intestinal tract) while inducing gut motility. Ginger is known to reduce fever-related nausea, motion sickness and feelings of “morning sickness.” Additionally, it helps aid in the production of bile, making it particularly helpful in digesting fats.⁽⁹⁾

Ginger is also an important part of a de-inflaming, natural pain-relief program. One compound called 6-gingerol has been shown to significantly inhibit the production of a highly reactive nitrogen molecule, nitric oxide, that quickly forms a dangerous free radical peroxynitrite. Additionally, ginger helps protect the body’s stores of glutathione, which is a potent antioxidant and free radical destroyer.⁽¹⁰⁾

Sources:
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
10) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
http://truthwiki.org/garlic
http://truthwiki.org/oregano
http://truthwiki.org/ginger

Five Best Fruits and Vegetables for Heart Health

When talking about best foods for heart health, most people tend to focus the discussion on fat, saturated versus trans-fat or healthy omega-3s. Of course, the type of fat in your diet does make a difference in the health of your heart, but there are a lot of other foods that can also help keep your heart healthy in slightly different ways. Fruits and vegetables contain no fat, but provide powerful nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber to improve cardiovascular health. Here are the five best fruits and veggies to keep your heart healthy.

1) Strawberries. Two recent studies have found that consuming fresh strawberries may reduce cholesterol and oxidative stress that lead to cardiovascular disease. Both studies required participants to consume a diet rich in strawberries before testing different factors in their blood to determine the effect of the increased strawberry consumption. One of the studies, from the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, required that participants eat 500 grams of fresh strawberries daily for 30 days. During that time the participants’ LDL cholesterol fell an average of 13.7% and triglycerides were reduced by approximately 20%. The reason for this drop may be the anthocyanins in the strawberries, a group of phytochemicals that reduce free radicals.

2) Raisins. These tiny dried grapes may be a great snack for people looking to lower their blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. A paper recently presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Scientific Sessions found that when raisins were eaten as a snack participants’ blood pressure was about 4.8-7.2% less than participants who ate other snacks. It is believed that the potassium, fiber, and antioxidants in the raisins helped lower participants’ blood pressure.

3) Broccoli. This cruciferous vegetable contains a sulfur-based compound called sulforaphane, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Sulforaphane is a isothiocyanate, a group of compounds responsible for the health benefits found in all cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. This group of compounds has been shown to reduce inflammation, help improve blood pressure, and may even reduce the damaging effect of free radicals on the heart.

4) Garlic. Garlic, onions, chives, and shallots are all part of the allium family of vegetables and have shown extensive health benefits, especially when it comes to cardiovascular disease. Garlic, specifically, has been shown to decrease LDL, increase antioxidant levels, and reduce hypertension. It may also reduce enzymes involved in LDL formation and the synthesis of other types of fats in the body.

5) Yams/Sweet potatoes. These powerful potatoes are consistently on the list of “superfoods” due to their high fiber, beta carotene, vitamin B₆, and potassium content. Fiber helps reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the blood stream, by trapping cholesterol and fat in the digestive system so it is unable to be absorbed. Deficiencies in vitamin B₆ have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, which may be related to the role it plays in decreasing levels of homocysteine. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant which may help reduce inflammation and lower cardiovascular risk factors.

Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet

If I were allowed only one herbal remedy to treat medical conditions, it would be raw, organic garlic.

Garlic is nature’s antibiotic and more. Garlic kills (removes, eliminates, reduces) bacteria, colds, flus, viruses, parasites, inflammation, warts, fungi, and plagues.

The Benefits of Garlic

Kills kidney infections
Kills urinary tract infections
Inhibits leukemia
Kills and expels worms
Increases insulin production
Kills athletes foot (apply externally and take internally)
Dramatically lowers cholesterol
Helps with weight control and weight loss
Reduces and regulates blood sugar
Reduces high blood pressure
Kills cancer cells (has been proven in numerous lab studies)
Treats acne (apply externally and take internally)
Soothes psoriasis (apply externally)
Kills cold sores (apply externally)
Removes heavy metals from the body
Strengthens the immune system
Kills strep throat
Kills tooth infections

Things to Know when Using Garlic

Garlic Breath

If you stink when consuming raw garlic this should quit happening when the digestive system gets healthier. Garlic + toxins = stink.

When the toxins are all gone, so is the stink. It is very beneficial when your eyes water while cooking with garlic or onions. The properties that make your eyes water actually cleanse and help kill eye infections. Garlic is great for just about every health condition.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Chopping Garlic Before Eating

Two components of garlic, a sulfur-based compound called alliin, and the enzyme alliinase, are kept separate within garlic. But when the cells are ruptured these elements are released, allowing them to come in contact and form a powerful new compound called allicin. This compound is responsible for many of the health benefits garlic is known for, along with its pungent smell and bite. The more the garlic is chopped (minced, pressed, etc.), the more allicin is produced. After cutting the garlic, let it sit for a couple of minutes to allow the chemical process to take place.

Personally, I take a different approach to receive the same results. To maximize the effectiveness of garlic, try chewing it for at least one minute while breathing in and out of your mouth. Chew for as long as you can, continuing to let the air in as you go.

How Cooking Affects Nutrients

Heating garlic without letting it sit has been found to deactivate the enzyme that is responsible for the formation of alliicin. However, if you have allowed your garlic to sit for 5-10 minutes, you can cook it on low or medium heat for a short period of time (up to 15 minutes) without destroying the alliicin. This is because letting it sit not only ensures the maximum synthesis of the alliicin, but also makes it more stable and resistant to the heat of cooking. – The Worlds Healthiest Foods

Cooking for:

5-15 minutes — minimal loss of nutrients
15-30 minutes — moderate loss of nutrients
45+ minutes — substantial loss of nutrients

Garlic Burns

Yes, it can actually burn you. When using garlic topically, be cognizant of this and remove garlic when finished with treatment. Don’t leave raw garlic pieces on the skin too long. When using garlic to remove a splinter for instance (see below) you may want to check every 15 to 20 minutes to make sure the skin is not burning.

Garlic left on an open wound can burn within a few minutes.

Personal Story from Michael Edwards

In Los Angeles there was a spider with a bad attitude in our apartment. He bit me nine times over the course of four nights. I do not know what kind of spider it was, but he was nasty, and five of those bites got very infected. I’m not one to get infections easily, but the spider that bit me was a potent little bastard! The bites were on my left arm near my elbow. I couldn’t move my elbow and I was starting to look like an Ebola virus victim. One of the bites was so bad that there was almost a third of a cup of green and greenish yellow, thick, oozing puss that I spent 5 hours carefully extracting, only to have it fill up the next day. I was taking tons of supplements and eating well; I was doing everything I could to ensure I did not get an infection, but this toxin the spider bit me with was unrelenting. I was also using some of the most potent herbs I knew of, putting them directly into the huge hole left behind from the puss extraction. During the third time (seven days after the bite) of removing the puss (I was cutting open my arm and literally digging into the infection, scooping out this nasty pussy junk), I noticed streaking. Blood poisoning. So I decided to take drastic measures. I knew it would burn me badly, but I filled up the hole with garlic. I shoved a total of four large minced cloves into the infection, which gives you an idea of the massive size of the hole that was there on my arm just below my elbow. Then I bandaged the wound.

It itched so badly that night, but my whole arm hurt and itched so much already that the garlic itch didn’t matter to me. I taped my hands in my sleep so my fingers wouldn’t claw off the bandage while scratching in my sleep.

The next day I awoke to a huge purple welt. It was three times the diameter of a quarter, and it looked like something had eaten a huge chunk of my arm. It was ghastly! But it was also uninfected! I had no itch, and very little pain right there, unlike the other bites.

The other bites had to be drained for infection a few times, even well after the wound closed. I did not do the garlic trick with them, as the scar that I thought might be permanent was massive and disturbing to look at. It took a month for the other spider bites to heal, and it took 6 weeks for the garlic wound to completely heal leaving a very large scar.

But here is what I found most interesting: today, one year later, every single spider bite left a scar, except the big one. The one I put the garlic into is less visible than the others. As massive and nasty as it was during the slow healing process, the permanent damage done was less than that of even the relatively insignificant other bites.

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Growing Garlic

This amazing herb is easy to grow and is the best organic pest repellent you can have in your garden. Growing it interspersed throughout your yard will keep away unwanted visitors. In the fall, plant cloves with the tips pointing up, four inches deep, and six inches apart in direct sun. Watch them pop up in the spring and harvest when the tops start to turn brown. Hang them in bundles or braids in a dry place. Next year, plant the biggest cloves to keep improving the strain, and then eat the smaller ones.

Companion Planting

Garlic, in close proximity, will benefit cabbage, cane fruit, fruit trees, roses, and tomatoes. Keep away from beans, peas, sage and asparagus.

When planting garlic around vegetable companions, scatter the onion and garlic plants to minimize infestation by onion/garlic pests such as onion maggots.

The Garlic Game

When everybody in the house is sniffling, coughing and blowing their noses constantly, its time to play the garlic game. First you get the game materials together. Every player needs one large glass of water and a handful of peeled garlic cloves. Spin a clove to see who goes first. The first player puts one clove of garlic in their mouth and chews as fast as he or she can, then swallows it down with a sip of water. Player 2 does the same. The first one to refuse garlic loses and has to eat 3 cloves or stay sick as a penalty.

Whoever eats the most garlic wins. Anyone who eats an entire bulb is the ultimate winner. However, I do recommend you have some food in your stomach before playing this game, as raw garlic on an empty stomach can cause nausea and vomiting.

You may think that chewing raw garlic is intense and hard to do, but try it. It’s not as bad as you think, and it’s nowhere near as intense as our chili pepper contest.

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More Things Garlic Can Do

This miracle herb has a few more tricks up its sleeve:

Treat Alopecia

Thanks to the allicin, garlic (and onions for that matter) have been shown to reduce hair loss and help regrow hair. Slice garlic and let it set for a couple of minutes to maximize the allicin. Take the sliced garlic and rub on the scalp, squeezing as you go for the most benefit. You can also infuse oil with garlic and massage it into your scalp.

Remove a Splinter

Place a slice of garlic over the opening of the splinter entry and cover with a bandage.

Glass Repair

For cracked glass, rub some crushed garlic clove juice on the crack. Wipe away any excess.

Got Any Other Garlic Tricks?

It’s a powerful substance. Be careful, use common sense, and listen to your body when treating ailments and conditions with garlic. It’s an amazing herb and should be treated with the respect it deserves. If you know of anything else we should include in this garlic article, please let us know by leaving a comment.

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