In the last issue of Darpan Magazine, we discussed treatment and nutrients vitamin D, omega-3 fish oils and magnesium. In this issue we will discuss two of my favourite herbs – garlic and green tea.
Allium sativum, otherwise known as garlic, has been around for thousands of years dating as far back as Egyptian times. It has been used for medicinal purposes, cooking and even as a form of currency. So is it worth chowing down on garlic and offending your friends? Well within the body, garlic is converted into its active component ‘allicin.’ Studies have shown that this medicinal ingredient has been especially effective against infections particularly of a bacterial or fungal (yeast) nature.
Garlic is a herb that is particularly good for your cardiovascular system. It stops blood from being sticky and so helps to reduce blood clots in your blood vessels. It can also help to reduce high cholesterol levels. If you already have plaque formation (cholesterol build-up) within the arteries, it can in some cases, stop small pieces of plaque breaking off and blocking off smaller arteries, thus preventing a stroke or heart attack. Some studies have shown that it helps to reduce blood pressure by up to 8 percent.
Garlic and onions are a great combination in your diet since the sulfa compounds within them have been found to have anti-diabetic properties. It is also a great herb for maintaining your current health. For those who have developed stomach ulcers due to bacteria called H. pylori, garlic may help in that it has been shown to kill this type of bacteria. By ingesting garlic on a regular basis it can also be used to prevent parasitic infections and so it’s a great choice for anyone travelling to areas where such infections are prevalent for example the Tropics or Asia including India.
A recent study has shown that another garlic derivative, S-allylcysteine may be a potential therapeutic agent in the battle against some types of liver cancer. It also functions as a very good antioxidant and a great source of magnesium, which as discussed previously also helps to reduce blood pressure. By eating 1-4 cloves of fresh, wild, uncultivated garlic, you can gain some of the benefits of this wonderful herb in particular it has been found to be effective for reducing blood pressure in this manner. The trick is getting enough garlic into your diet without your spouse knowing and being told to go sleep on the couch!
The active ingredients of garlic can be processed in several ways and some methods of acquiring the extract are better than others. The best way to go about this is to use a particular type of garlic known as “Aged Garlic Extract,” which has been fairly extensively studied as having beneficial effects on health. The dosage of garlic extract can be from 500-1500 mg per day and of course is best prescribed with the knowledge and guidance of your health care provider.
The one thing that I do every day is drink lots of green tea. I drink at least 4 cups of tea each day and sometimes as much as eight. Just like garlic, green tea has been used for its traditional medicinal properties for over 4,000 years in Asia and is made from a plant called Camellia sinensis.
Over the last several decades with the advances made in scientific research, we now have an understanding as to how this herb interacts with human physiology and has such positive effects on our health. The most important compounds in green tea are the polyphenols and a compound known as epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG). These are thought to have thermogenic properties and so may aid in weight loss. In fact, one study found that by combining green tea with resistance exercise was a better way of decreasing body fat and increasing muscle than just exercise alone.
Green tea also helps to lower LDL cholesterol which is thought to be the “bad” cholesterol. It has also been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in particular prostate cancer. Just like garlic, the EGCG in green tea also has antifungal properties such as with Candida (yeast) infections. Some studies have also found that EGCG has antibacterial effects against for example Staphyloccocal bacteria, and even can kill viruses such as HIV, Influenza and hepatitis viruses. Green tea also contains an amino acid called L-theanine and this seems to balance the caffeine in green tea. Caffeine can sometimes make a person feel anxious and agitated.
L-theanine tends to have the opposite effect and can calm a person down. In fact it is of particular benefit in those of us who have high stress, as it also tends to help prevent blood pressure from rising too high. In addition, green tea is a potent antioxidant and helps reduce inflammation in the body. A recent study on green tea extract was done on mice and it showed that green tea extract reduced the formation of cholesterol plaques in arteries and helped inflamed blood vessels to heal. It has also been found to be beneficial in preventing periodontal disease.
Though you can get EGCG and L-theanine in capsules, I like to get these from my green tea. There are many types of green tea and some have stronger flavours than others and for some people it may take a few weeks to become comfortable with the taste of green tea, particularly if you like a regular cup of tea with refined sugar in it (this by the way is a big ‘no no’ in my books)! If you must have something sweet in your tea, then might I suggest using a natural sweetener known as Stevia. This natural sweetener does not tend to have some of the long-term side effects caused by many artificial sweeteners.
So there you have it, my favourite five nutrients for good health. There are many more of course but I believe that these should be on the top of everyone’s shopping list, and should help build your foundation of health and wellness.
Recap of 5 Favourite Nutrients
Vitamin D
The Why:
Build better bones
Improve your mood
Reduces migraines
Helps decrease weight
Possibly aid in prevention of many types of cancers
The How:
Get plenty of sunlight, eat salmon and mackerel, eat eggs and foods/drinks fortified with vitamin D
You can supplement with vitamin D3 between 2000-4000 units per day
Omega 3 fish oils
The Why:
Keeps all of the cells in your body healthy
Helps reduce cancer
Reduces depression
Reduces the inflammation associated with autoimmune disease such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis
Helps control blood sugar in diabetics
Helps reduce blood pressure and high cholesterol
Reduces the chance of blood clots
Helps reduce the risk of heart attacks
The How:
Eat eggs and freshwater fish such as wild Atlantic salmon.
Supplement with Omega 3 fish oils (mixed tocopherols) or a vegetarian source of EPA/DHA 1-3gm per day
Magnesium
The Why:
Reduces chronic pain including fibromyalgia and migraines
Helps asthma
Builds strong bones
Reduces blood sugar in diabetics
Treats constipation
Helps reduce heart failure
The How:
Eat meats, halibut, mackerel, rice bran, nuts, seeds, tofu and green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and Swiss chard
Supplement with magnesium citrate 200-600mg daily
Garlic
The Why:
Reduces the chance of blood clots
Reduces bacterial or fungal infections
Reduces blood sugar in diabetics
Reduces heart disease
Reduces high blood pressure
The How:
Eat 1 to 4 cloves of wild uncultivated garlic per day
Supplement with Aged Garlic Extract 500-1500 milligrams per day
Green tea
The Why:
Might help weight loss
Reduces high cholesterol
Reduces heart disease
Helps reduce high blood pressure
Reduces bacterial, viral and fungal infections
May help reduce or treat cancer
Helps reduce anxiety
The How:
Drink 4 to 8 cups of open leaf green tea per day. Supplement with EGCG standardized extract 250-500 mg daily and L-theanine 200 mg twice a day, and also perhaps a polyphenol supplement
By Dr. M. Gosal, MB ChB, MSc
