When I say I put garlic in everything, I truly mean everything. Even my nose. Keep reading to see what I mean.
Most people keep garlic around – either fresh or minced – to add to their meals and cuisine. It’s true that there may be no sweeter scent than that of fresh garlic and chopped onion simmering on the stove.
But what if I were to tell you that garlic may be more than just great for your tastebuds?
Across history, garlic has not only been used for its flavour but also its healing properties. There are even some cultures across the globe who have not used the curious vegetable in food, but instead purely for its medicinal qualities.
Let us know which of these healing benefits surprised you the most!
1. Toothache remedy
Both fresh garlic and garlic oil work to subdue tooth sensitivity and nerve pain. Simply cut a clove into a manageable size and apply it to the affected area, or apply the oil using a dropper.
2. Athlete’s foot and fungus reliever
With natural anti-fungal properties, garlic makes the perfect addition to your next foot bath or rinse and can appease discomfort and itching. By boiling your garlic cloves before adding them to your foot bath, you can calm some of that infamous odour.
3. Cold & flu cure
By combining garlic cloves and honey, you can soothe stubborn sore throats. Having a background in musical theatre, I can attest to this. On the nights where I didn’t think it would be possible to get a single note out of my voice, I headed to the dressing room, tilted my head back and squeezed a bottle of honey into my mouth allowing it to coat my throat. Oftentimes, sore throats come with inflammation and friction – which the honey alleviates. The heat from the garlic then goes in and soothes the pain. It’s the perfect duo.
4. Acne treatment
As previously mentioned, garlic is a natural anti-inflammatory, which means that it’s a perfect addition to your skincare routine to tackle pesky breakouts. Simply peel a clove of garlic, cut it in half and apply the moist flesh to your breakout for about one minute. Be sure to wait at least ten minutes before rinsing off your skin.
5. Mosquito repellant
If you sneer your nose at garlic’s pungent odour, so do mosquitos and other insects. Add a couple of tablespoons of minced garlic into a bowl or dish in your backyard or spray a mixture of minced garlic and water around the perimeter of your property and watch as the pests disappear.
6. Decongestant
If you’re prone to nasal and sinus congestion, this one is for you. After a violent allergy attack in May of 2020, I was left deeply congested into my ears. So much so, that even now every time I yawn or swallow, I hear clicking and popping in my inner ears.
I’ve been prescribed a nasal steroid, took prednisone, and even had a small surgery to put tubes into my eardrums, and nothing worked. Finally, I saw this hack and figured it was worth a snot – pun definitely intended.
Cut a clove of garlic into two nostril size pieces and put one up each nostril respectively. Sit for half an hour, remove the garlic, blow your nose and watch the magic happen. When I tell you, the garlic pulls the congestion from deep in your skull, I’m not kidding.
It’s worth mentioning that doctors and other professionals don’t suggest doing this often because the garlic can be abrasive to your nose and cause irritation. Once every 3 to 4 weeks is plenty.
What's your favorite way to use garlic? Let us know in the comments!
SOURCE: https://californiagrown.org/
