Medical Information

Cold and flu season is here. Every year beginning around September we start seeing advertisements in front of every pharmacy telling you to get your flu shots for the upcoming season. The unfortunate thing about the flu vaccine is that it is always a step behind the actual flu. The flu virus mutates and changes slightly from year to year. So the particular strain of flu that passes through this year, will almost always be different from the one that came through last year.




Scientists can try to guess what strain will be coming this year, but that is very difficult to do beforehand. So vaccine makers typically base their vaccine on the most recent flu strain that has passed through. But last year's virus is not the same as this year's virus. So the flu vaccine you are taking this year may not be the right type for this year's particular flu strain.



A co-worker of my wife would get her flu shot every single year. And every single year like clockwork she would come down with the flu about a week after getting the shot. This went on for the entire 10 years my wife worked there. When my wife pointed out that correlation her co-worker replied "well, just think how bad my flu would have been if I hadn't gotten the flu shot."



Apparently she never noticed that my wife rarely got the flu (twice in those ten years) and when she did she was usually over it in one or two days. And my wife never got the flu vaccine.



My wife did, however, use a lot of garlic. She used it in her cooking, used it by itself and used it in some simple home remedies as well. Garlic has proven to be a wonderful antiviral and antibacterial herb. To date there is no virus that has mutated to become immune to garlic. Yet, the flu virus mutates every year to become immune to last year's flu vaccine.



Here is a spectacular home remedy dealing with the cold and flu if you catch it. An added benefit of this remedy is that it will also heal any sore throat associated with the cold or flu very quickly.



Ingredients:



2 cloves of garlic pressed or mashed



A spoonful of honey



to teaspoon of cayenne pepper



Mix these together to form a paste. Then eat the paste directly from the spoon. You will be tempted to wash this down with water as it is pretty hot with the cayenne pepper in it. Don't do it. Endure the heat and let it sit there for at least 15 minutes, longer is even better.



This is why it works. The honey is there to make it taste better and also to make sure the mixture stays on your throat. That is why you don't want to wash it down with water. Keep it in place so that it can do its job. The cayenne pepper will stimulate the cells in your throat and the heat it creates will cause blood to flow to the area. The increased blood flow to your throat will heal it faster as the blood brings all of its white blood cells. The garlic is a great antiviral and antibacterial agent as we've discussed above.



Make up this paste and use it three times a day. Even more often for a severe sore throat. It will clear it up within a day or two in most cases. Also, don't get too concerned about the exact measurements for the herbs. I never measure. You really can't mess this one up as long as you have all three ingredients. However, you definitely want to error on the side of putting too much cayenne and garlic in, instead of too little. Even though it is really hot, it is the active ingredient for healing the sore throat. And garlic is the active ingredient for curing the cold or flu itself. So don't skimp.



Happy winter, and may you never have another cold, flu, or sore throat again.



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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerem_Edward

Garlic, being the staple herb of a Mediterranean Diet, is one that we can call a wonder herb. Garlic is essential in all dishes due to its medicinal and healing properties and for more than 5000 years, garlic is considered to be one of the oldest cultivated herbs because it is believed to give physical strength. Garlic is also known to cure other diseases such as bacterial vaginosis. Planting your own garlic in your backyard should be fun and exciting. It helps you reduce the cost of buying it from the market and it is a great hobby. Besides, you are sure of its chemical components because you planted it and for sure, you will only use organic fertilizers. Not only are you helping yourself but you are also helping the environment.


Choosing the Garlic Type

There are several types of garlic that you can choose from and each variety has a distinct flavor. One popular variety is the Softneck garlic. This is the most common type and it is highly likely that this is the one you see in a produce store. It is called Softneck because it has a multi-layered parchment that covers the entire garlic bulb and this parchment continues to the neck and will show you a soft stalk that people braid as part of making the garlic enticing or decorative.

Another good option is the artichoke garlic. This breed or variety is very easy to grow and has a milder flavor than the Softneck garlic. This type of garlic also has larger, but fewer, cloves per bulb. The good thing about this garlic is it can be stored for as long as eight months. One thing that sets this apart is the purple spots on its skin.


Planting and Harvesting Garlic


To get started, gently remove the garlic's outer skin and separate the cloves from each other. Make sure you do this gently so as not to damage the garlic. Choose the coves found on the outside part of the bulb and plant these cloves in the ground. Make sure that the location is a place where there is direct sunlight for no less than six hours per day. You also need to ensure that the area is not flooded during rainy season.


Dig about 10 inches deep in the soil and add compost, preferably chicken manure. Place the garlic about two inches deep and guarantee that the soil is somewhat loose. Each clove should be six to eight inches apart. Every two weeks, apply organic fertilizer and water the garlic regularly. Pluck out weeds that grow with it using your hands, not a shovel.


You will know that it is time to harvest when the green tops are already dry yellow. The length of time to get to this stage is three to four months. Carefully dig one bulb and check if it is ready for consumption.


How to Store Garlic


The great thing about garlic is that you can store it for months. After harvesting, wash the garlic and hang to dry in a well-ventilated area. Do not use a blow dryer or anything. You need to dry the garlic in the natural process because this enhances the flavor. Once dry, it is option to store the garlic in a paper bag or an egg carton but never in a plastic bag because this will develop molds. Do not freeze garlic because it will change the flavor and the texture. Do not store the garlic in a refrigerator because it diminishes the power of its chemical compounds. However, if the garlic is already minced, it is advised to refrigerate the garlic and cook it the soonest possible time.


Ray Darken has provided more at this link on the subject of Garlic. For related healthy recipes, read about the Mediterraneanean diet recipes club and while you are there download his free Mediterranean diet report.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Darken

Garlic is being considered as one of the best body sanitizers. Garlic as a bacterial vaginosis treatment is valuable and simple to mix with your diet. It is known to be the most flexible detoxifier around and it is comparatively economical and is almost always readily available.




For a lot of years, garlic has been utilized as one of the most valuable cures for a number of ailments, chiefly in the countries in the Mediterranean. For nearly centuries, these same individuals have utilized garlic as a treatment for such a extensive range of illnesses and health conditions such as feminine health issues.



If you are suffering from itching, vaginal odor and discharge, you can use garlic as bacterial vaginosis treatment. It can be utilized as a topical agent to heal the irritations,


One of the best means to utilize garlic in treating bacterial infection in the vagina is to enfold a clove of garlic in gauze and place it inside the vagina. Fasten the gauze firmly with a string and leave the string out hanging so that the "packet" may be detached anytime with ease. Mix garlic oil to apple cider vinegar or distilled water and utilize as a douche.



This will act rapidly to combat the harmful organisms and eradicate the condition. Garlic as bacterial vaginosis treatment is also used to heal the irritated skin and lessen the inflammation due to its antiseptic properties. Garlic may sting a little so it is most likely best to apply it directly to the problem area.



Do you want to totally get rid of your recurrent bacterial vaginosis and stop it from ever coming back to bother you? If yes, then I recommend you use the techniques recommended in the: Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom guide.

By Sheen Chu
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheen_Chu