Drink
Garlic morning shot
One clove of garlic, crushed, ten minutes of rest, then into a glass of water with lemon.
The ten minutes are not optional, and it is the only thing you need to remember about the whole recipe. Allicin does not exist in a whole clove. It forms when the cell walls break, and the reaction takes time. Drink it immediately and you drink the taste of garlic.
It is sharp. There is no way to make it pleasant, and you should know that before you start.
And let me say it plainly, because it is in the safety section too: if you suspect parasites, get a stool sample taken. Then you know what you are dealing with, instead of guessing in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 150 ml water
Equipment
- Garlic press or the flat of a knife
- Glass
- Spoon
- A straw
Method
- 1
Crush 1 clove of garlic, let sit 10 minutes, stir into water or lemon juice.
Dosage
One glass in the morning, for no more than 1-2 weeks at a stretch.
Crush the garlic and let it sit 10 minutes before stirring it in. Set a timer.
Rinse your mouth with water afterwards, and wait half an hour before brushing.
Shelf life
Drink immediately. Allicin breaks down within hours, and a saved portion does not work.
Safety
If you suspect parasites, get a stool sample taken by your doctor. It is quick and unpleasant for two minutes, and then you know what you have. Actual intestinal worms are treated with medication that works in a single dose, and it is not something to be guessed at.
Raw garlic on an empty stomach stings for many and can cause heartburn, nausea or loose stools. With reflux or ulcers, leave it be.
Garlic is blood-thinning. If you take anticoagulants, or face surgery within two weeks, ask your doctor.
Garlic can lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes and take medication, watch out.
Not as a permanent course. A couple of weeks at most, then a break.
You will smell of garlic for the rest of the day. Allicin leaves the body through the lungs, and no amount of brushing removes it.
Persistent abdominal pain, blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss or fever belong with a doctor, not a morning glass.
How the herbs work
Garlic contains alliin and the enzyme alliinase, kept apart inside the cells. When the clove is crushed the two meet, and allicin forms. The reaction takes about ten minutes, and that is why the rest matters.
Allicin is strongly antimicrobial and has shown activity in laboratory studies against bacteria, fungi and certain parasites. That is why garlic has been used against intestinal worms for millennia.
But note: laboratory studies and millennia of use are not the same as documented effect against a specific parasite in a specific gut. Garlic is a reasonable supplement. It is not a diagnosis, and it is not a treatment.
The lemon contributes vitamin C and makes it marginally easier to get down.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.