When Garlic Attacks…

Garlic has been used in natural remedies for over 5,000 years and, high in sulphur, amino acids, zinc and vitamins a, b, and c, the herb is generally credited with health benefits from fighting off colds to reducing blood pressure.

However, as demonstrated by a report from the BBC last month, even garlic can be poisonous (to the living as welll as the undead...)

According to the report, a 50 year old woman from London suffered extreme stomach cramps and a suspected case of liver poisoning after an Italian meal, possibly caused by an over-sensitivity to garlic.

Health professionals have previously warned that high levels of sulphur found in garlic can cause inflammation in the gut by destroying natural bacteria. Whilst garlic is generally considered to do much more good than harm, you can have too much of a good thing, as Edith Maskell of Bromley Health Management explains:

"In our experience, many illnesses and diseases are caused because our bodies aren't handling the foods we eat as they should be. If you're allergic to a food it causes an instant, adverse reaction. But food intolerances are often a problem when we eat too much of a particular food and our bodies simply can't break them down properly. Then, basic staple foods like wheat, dairy and common herbs can literally be poisoning us. That's why it's important to eat a balanced, varied diet and be aware of foods which generally make you feel unwell, or 'bloated'."

For more information on screening for allergies and intolerances, contact Bromley Health Management.

Friday, 24 May 2002