Health & Fitness

Analysis of ACE2, the main receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to bind and enter cells, across 410 vertebrate species reveals that many are potentially susceptible to infection by the novel coronavirus. They include a number of endangered and threatened species, notably apes and old world primates. The study could also reveal potential intermediate hosts and animal models for the virus.

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For most women with early breast cancer, a single dose of targeted radiotherapy during surgery is just as effective as conventional radiotherapy, which requires several visits to hospital after surgery, according to new findings.

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Inserting genetic material into the body to treat diseases caused by gene mutations can work, scientists say - but getting those materials to the right place safely is tricky. Scientists now report that the lipid-based nanoparticles they engineered, carrying two sets of protein-making instructions, showed in animal studies that they have the potential to function as therapies for two genetic disorders.

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Scientists have developed a vaccine that targets the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can be given in one dose via the nose and is effective in preventing infection in mice susceptible to the novel coronavirus. The investigators next plan to test the vaccine in nonhuman primates and humans to see if it is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 infection.

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Researchers may have come one step closer toward understanding how the immune system contributes to severe COVID-19. In a new study, researchers show that so-called natural killer (NK) cells were strongly activated early after SARS-CoV-2 infection but that the type of activation differed in patients with moderate and severe COVID-19. The discovery contributes to our understanding of development of hyperinflammation in some patients.

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New research provides insight into how limited testing and gaps in surveillance during the initial phase of the COVID-19 epidemic resulted in so many cases going undetected. 

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Sending a 'selfie' to the doctor could be a cheap and simple way of detecting heart disease, according to researchers. Their study is the first to show that it's possible to use a deep learning computer algorithm to detect coronary artery disease (CAD) by analyzing four photographs of a person's face.

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New nanoscale devices, made of synthetic proteins, have been designed to target a therapeutic agent only to cells with a specific, predetermined combinations of cell surface markers. They operate on their own and search out cells they were programmed to find. The hope is that they might guide CAR T cancer therapy, and other treatments where precision is critical, through a sort of molecular beacon.

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Chess requires playing ability and strategic thinking; in roulette, chance determines victory or defeat, gain or loss. But what about skat and poker? Are they games of chance or games of skill in game theory? This classification also determines whether play may involve money. Economists have studied this question and developed a rating system similar to the Elo system used for chess.

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More than other factors, strong feelings of germ aversion and pathogen disgust are significantly associated with concern about COVID-19 and preventative behavior, according to a new study. The findings are part of a year-long examination of how behavior and social attitudes change, and what factors influence those changes, when people in the United States are faced with the threat of widespread disease.

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If and how babies recall what they have learned depends on their mood: what they've learned when feeling calm is inaccessible when they're acitive and vice versa. This was shown in a study with 96 children aged nine months.

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Self-collected saliva and deep nasal swabs collected by healthcare providers are equally effective for detecting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study.

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Since COVID-19 emerged late last year, there's been an enormous amount of research produced on this novel coronavirus disease. But the content publicly available for this data and the format in which it's presented lack consistency across different countries' national public health institutes, greatly limiting its usefulness, Children's National Hospital scientists report in a new study.

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Researchers have developed a new three-dimensional imaging technique to visualize tissue damage in severe COVID-19.

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A research project has successfully reproduced the pathogenesis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) from human iPS cells in vitro. Although cysts derived from renal tubules have been previously documented, this is the first derivation of cysts from collecting ducts, which is more closely related to the pathogenesis of the disease. This research is expected to lead to a better understanding of disease states and the development of new treatment methods.

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The brain plays a major role in controlling our blood glucose levels. In type 2 diabetes this glucose metabolism brain control is often dysfunctional. A group of scientists has now shown that in men a genetic variant of the gene DUSP8 can increase the risk for T2D by impairing our brain response to the hormone insulin.

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A study of more than 300,000 couples in Sweden finds marriage to a spouse who grew up exposed to parental alcohol misuse increases a person's likelihood of developing a drinking problem.

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If your bed partner complains about your loud snoring, it might be a disruptive nuisance — or something more serious. High-volume snoring punctuated by snorts, gasps, and brief pauses in breathing is the hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea.

Although this condition occurs most often in men over 40 who are overweight or obese, it can affect people of all ages and sizes. The resulting daytime sleepiness — a direct result of not getting enough high-quality sleep — can leave people moody and forgetful. Even more worrisome: car accidents are two to three times more common in people with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea also can boost blood pressure and may increase the risk of clogged heart arteries, heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, and stroke.

What is the STOPBANG test for sleep apnea?

The easy-to-remember acronym STOPBANG can help you decide whether it’s wise to talk to a doctor about having a sleep study to determine whether you have sleep apnea. It helps to have input from someone who sees you sleep.

Sleep monitoring can be done at home

Diagnosing sleep apnea is less complicated that many people realize. In the past, diagnosing this condition always required an overnight stay in a sleep lab. “Today, about 60% to 70% of sleep studies for suspected sleep apnea are done using home-based tests,” says Dr. Sogol Javaheri, a sleep specialist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. If your symptoms suggest moderate to severe sleep apnea and you don’t have any other significant medical problems, home sleep monitoring is almost as accurate for detecting apnea as a night in a sleep lab, she says.

So, if you suspect you have sleep apnea, ask your doctor for an evaluation. Or if your health insurance allows you to see a specialist without a referral, you can start there instead. “Sleep specialists are better versed in insurance-related barriers, and they know how to order testing to avoid problems and delays in care,” says Dr. Javaheri.

For the test, you’ll get a small, lightweight monitor, a belt you slip around your midsection, a small finger clip that monitors your oxygen, and an airflow sensor to place under your nose. These sensors and devices measure your oxygen saturation, heart rate, and airflow, as well as the movements of your chest and abdomen and your position while you sleep.

One main advantage of home-based testing is the cost, which runs between $150 and $500, compared to testing done in a sleep laboratory, which usually tops $1,000. But the best part about home sleep test is the convenience. You sleep in your own bed, not an unfamiliar hospital bed, and you do the test based on your schedule. However, you’ll need to borrow the monitor from a hospital sleep lab, and you may have to wait a few weeks to get it. Later, if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, home-based tests also provide an easy way for a physician to check how well your treatment is working.

The post Worried about sleep apnea? Home-based testing is now the norm appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

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Bill Gates has built a global empire around his technologies and "philanthropic" endeavors, the magnitude of which is now becoming increasingly clear. His sheer wealth has allowed him to become a veritable superpower in his own right. He's not only risen to become the largest funder of the World Health Organization and the unelected global COVID-19 health czar but he's also a secret powerbroker of the global food system.

As revealed in the AGRA Watch report,¹ "The Man Behind the Curtain: The Gates Foundation's Influence on the UN Food Systems Summit," published August 2020, Gates wields powerful influence over global food and agriculture policy through his funding of a large number of organizations involved in agricultural development and policy making.

Gates-Funded Organizations Defend Gates-Funded UN Envoy

While Gates is just one man, his clout is significantly leveraged and magnified by the fact that he funds such a large number of companies and organizations that can then do his bidding on the sly.

When you see long lists of groups, you automatically think there are many players in the game when, in fact, Gates is the singular thread running through most or all of them. The AGRA Watch report² makes a perfect case in point with the story of Agnes Kalibata.

Kalibata is the president of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an organization funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In December 2019, Kalibata was appointed special envoy to the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit by the secretary general of the UN, Antonio Guterres.

In response, 176 civil society organizations and farmer groups from 83 countries urged Guterres to withdraw the appointment of Kalibata due to her clear conflicts of interest with corporate actors. A second statement, signed by more than 500 academics and organizations, also opposed Kalibata's appointment to, and her organization of, the Summit.

That's significant pushback, illustrating there's widespread concern about Kalibata's appointment. Coming forward in her defense were a dozen individuals representing development banks, academic institutions and the private sector.

They urged Guterres to retain Kalabata, citing her leadership qualities and work ethic, among other things. However, of those 12 defenders, "11 had past or current connections to the Gates Foundation," AGRA Watch says, adding:³

"In some instances, the organizations were directly funded by the Gates Foundation, and in others, the Gates Foundation funded specific programs in which the signers had played roles. One organization was funded by AGRA, which is funded by the Gates Foundation."

Gates' Undue Influence Over UN Food Systems Summit

In other words, while it may look like Kalabata had support from a dozen separate and independent individuals or groups, in reality, there are really only two voices speaking in her defense. It's just that Gates' voice is magnified times 11. What's more, his name is never actually mentioned, so to the uninitiated, it would appear he has nothing to do with it at all.

"These findings illustrate the influence of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) on global food and agricultural policy. AGRA Watch has continually documented the role of the BMGF in influencing agricultural development, which has grown immensely in recent years," AGRA Watch writes.

"The Gates Foundation seeks to exercise influence not only through its funding of projects and shaping of expertise, but also in funding the governance platforms that determine food and agricultural policy. This role of the BMGF in driving policy decisions based on its proprietary and technological model of agricultural development is often overlooked …

In this report, we have demonstrated just some of the connections between the Gates Foundation and those who have supported Kalibata's appointment as head of the UN Food Systems Summit.

While hundreds of civil society organizations called for her removal, only twelve signatories were willing to support her appointment, almost all of whom were direct beneficiaries of the Gates Foundation. This raises critical questions about the role of Bill Gates in shaping the agenda of the UN Food Systems Summit as well as its outcomes."

The following graphic, included in the AGRA Watch report, illustrates the direct and indirect funding ties between the Gates Foundation and the UN Food Systems Summit's special envoy, Kalibata.

Gates Foundation's Revolving Door to Monsanto

AGRA Watch has raised concerns about the Gates Foundation's influence on the agribusiness for many years.

For example, among its many research reports⁴ is the 2010 report "The Revolving Door: Monsanto-Gates Links,"⁵ which details the direct links between the Gates Foundation and Monsanto representatives Rob Horsch, Florence Wambugu, Don Doering,⁶ the late Sam Dryden and Lawrence Kent. Another 2010 report, "Gates Foundation Links to Monsanto and GE Crops Development in Kenya," points out:⁷

"AGRA Watch formed in 2008 to challenge the Gates Foundation's participation in the problematic Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and to support sustainable agro-ecological alternatives already practiced in Africa.

We have witnessed acceleration in the push for genetic engineering (GE) as a 'solution' to hunger in Africa, a criminalization of GE's opponents as eco-imperialists unwilling to accept scientific advancements, and a misplaced reverence for philanthropic support for corporate solutions to global food issues. Corporate interests are clearly exhibited in the AGRA agenda, as seen below."

Gates Foundation Isn't in It to Solve Real-World Problems

In its 2014 report,⁸ "Three Examples of Problems with Gates Foundation Grants," AGRA Watch highlights why Gates' massive investments in global food production have failed to solve any of the very real problems we face. First and foremost, many of the solutions that he backs are "Band-Aid solutions" that in fact worsen the root problems.

Examples include the funding of the development of genetically engineered (GE) foods designed to be higher in certain nutrients. The problem is that these crops then end up replacing local diversity with just a few GE varieties that don't even take local conditions into account. So, by pushing for "fortified" crop varieties, malnutrition actually deepens, as biodiversity is reduced.

Secondly, "a stubborn focus on yield" is at odds with research showing that low yield or insufficient production is not causing world hunger. "There is ample evidence today that the problem instead is poverty and lack of access, which is deepened by destruction of local food systems and commercialization of food," AGRA Watch notes, adding:

"Grants by the Gates' Foundation and AGRA continue to focus on yield, priming Africa for a system suited to the needs of the profit-seeking, yield-oriented commercial farmer rather than the peasant or small farmer producing diverse crops for a local community."

A third problem highlighted in the report is Gates' funding of European and American research organizations and scientists rather than African ones, even though the programs are being implemented in Africa.

According to AGRA Watch, "This may not be a result of conscious intentions but of a deeply embedded structural bias that casts African scientists and scientific institutions as not qualified or legitimate enough to receive grant funding."

Gates' Specialty: Philanthrocapitalism

Additional observations can be found in the AGRA Watch article⁹ "Philanthrocapitalism: The Gates Foundation's African Programs Are Not Charity," published December 2017, in which philanthrocapitalism is described as "an attempt to use market processes to do good," but which is inherently problematic "as markets are ill-suited to producing socially constructive ends."

Put another way, Gates' brand of philanthropy creates several new problems for each one it solves. As noted in the article, advocates of philanthrocapitalism:

"… often expect financial returns or secondary benefits over the long term from their investments in social programs. Philanthropy becomes another part of the engine of profit and corporate control. The Gates Foundation's strategy for 'development' actually promotes neoliberal economic policies and corporate globalization:

'It is ... likely that Bill Gates, who has regular access to world leaders and is in effect personally bankrolling hundreds of universities, international organizations, NGOs and media outlets, has become the single most influential voice in international development.

Closer examination of the BMGF is critical given that its influence is vast, indeed greater than most donor governments. The BMGF provides more aid to global health than any country donor and is the fifth largest donor to agriculture in developing countries.

In 2013, only 11 countries spent more on aid than the BMGF, making it the world's 12th largest donor. The Gates Foundation has become a bigger donor than countries such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland and Italy.'¹⁰"

Gates' Medical Plan: Global Immunization and Surveillance

One of the reasons many are now becoming aware of just how powerful Gates has become is because of his frequent appearances as the COVID-19 expert du jour. It's an odd choice, considering his complete and total lack of formal medical training. It's particularly perplexing in light of how the opinions of actual medical doctors, award-winning scientists and researchers who conflict with his views are being scrubbed off the internet.

Gates has repeatedly stated that life cannot go back to normal until and unless we vaccinate the entire global population against COVID-19. This, despite the fact that scientists and medical researchers have discovered a variety of safe, simple and inexpensive strategies to prevent and treat COVID-19.

The fact that Gates' irrational and scientifically unsound opinions are shaping pandemic responses around the globe while real medical professionals are being censored by mainstream media and social media platforms is proof positive that we're no longer operating from a base of science and medical truth.

Instead, the whole world is expected to fall into line with the self-serving agenda created by Gates and his many allies in technology and medicine. In an April 30, 2020, GatesNotes post,^11,12 Gates even states he "suspect[s] the COVID-19 vaccine will become part of the routine newborn immunization schedule" — a nice little piece of predictive programming, if you ask me.

Mind you, the mRNA vaccines being developed against COVID-19 will alter your genetic expression, turning your body into a viral protein factory. Is it really wise to consider using such a novel vaccine on newborns? In a sane and rational world, the answer would be a resounding no. Unfortunately, we now live in a world run by Gates' goons, and thus reason and logic have largely vanished from the equation.

In predictable Hegelian dialectic problem-reaction-solution fashion, the problem of COVID-19 led to illogical and ill-conceived pandemic responses such as mask mandates and house arrest of healthy people, followed by the "ultimate solution" of a hastily thrown together vaccine using novel mRNA technology.

Radical as all of that may seem, Gates' plans for the world do not stop here. He's also pushing for the implementation of a vast, global surveillance system to track and trace everyone's infection and vaccination status. He's even funding the contact tracing group Partners in Health, along with George Soros. (The William J. Clinton Foundation has also funded Partners in Health in the past.¹³)

Not surprisingly, Gates' recommendations end up benefiting himself most of all. As discussed in "Bill Gates — Most Dangerous Philanthropist in Modern History?" the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donates billions to the very same companies and industries that the Foundation owns stocks and bonds in.

Using nonprofit money to advance research for companies you're invested in is illegal, yet he's been getting away with this for many years. At the same time, his Foundation gets tax breaks for the charitable donations it makes money from.

Remember, he has "donated" tens of billions of dollars over the years, yet his net worth hasn't dropped — it has doubled, and this is largely because his donations are treated as tax deductible investments. It's philanthrocapitalism at its finest.

Gates Is Major Benefactor of Pandemic Fear-Mongering

The COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly Gates' biggest philanthrocapitalist project to date, and he stands to cash in big, as he's funding/investing in both therapeutics and COVID-19 vaccines.

In March 2020, the Gates Foundation announced¹⁴ a new partnership, dubbed "The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator," with Wellcome and Mastercard to "coordinate R&D efforts and remove barriers to drug development." According to the press release:¹⁵

"The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will play a catalytic role by accelerating and evaluating new and repurposed drugs and biologics to treat patients with COVID-19 in the immediate term, and other viral pathogens in the longer-term."

The Gates Foundation has also teamed up with Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Novavax. The vaccines, which will cost less than $3 per dose, are slated for delivery to low-income countries.^16,17

The funding is being funneled as an interest-free forgivable loan to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, founded by the Gates Foundation in 2000, which will then provide the needed capital to SII. Over the next five years, the Foundation has also pledged to provide Gavi with a total of $1.6 billion in additional funds.¹⁸

Gates' Attempt to Improve Education Was a Massive Failure

Having an overarching influence over technology, food and medicine (vaccines in particular) still doesn't adequately describe Gates' influence on our daily lives. He's also had a profound influence over education. The much-criticized Common Core curriculum was the Gates Foundation's attempt at remaking American education,¹⁹ and most parents can tell you how dumb that was.²⁰

Despite that abysmal failure, May 6, 2020, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state is partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop "a smarter education system" for the post-COVID world that will focus on online learning and permanently integrate technology into every aspect of civic life.²¹

The state is also partnering with Google, and Cuomo has asked former Google CEO Eric Schmidt to head a new panel to plan the state's technological infrastructure.²² As noted by The Intercept,²³ the surveillance apparatus that consumers have been railing against is now being rebranded as the answer to everyone's health concerns.

Gates Is the Most Visible Figurehead of Modern Technocracy

Whether preplanned or not, the COVID-19 pandemic is clearly being used to usher in highly controversial changes that are unmistakably totalitarian-building, including the private take-over of government through public-private partnerships.

Surveillance has become the biggest for-profit industry on the planet, and your entire existence is now being targeted for profit. Among those who stand to profit the most is Gates himself.

For a better understanding of what you're giving up by going along with the mainstream narrative that we need Big Tech to save us, see my article about social psychologist and Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff and her extraordinary book, "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism."

You also won't want to miss my recent interview with Patrick Wood, featured in "The Pressing Dangers of Technocracy." I've embedded that interview below for your convenience.

He paints a picture that can be hard to swallow, especially if you're just coming around to hearing about all of this for the first time, but it's really crucial that everyone begin to understand what we're facing. Time is running out. To have any chance of stopping it, we must understand our trajectory, and unite to change the course Gates and others like him have set for us.

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While investigating garlic (Allium sativum), researchers have observed a variety of cultures have come to use it in much the same ways.¹ Some references are found in Sumerian clay tablets dating back to 2600 BC. In ancient Egypt, the working class were given garlic to help support heavy labor and during the first Olympic Games in Greece, athletes used garlic to improve their stamina.

In ancient China, garlic was prescribed for digestion and to treat diarrhea. In India, it was used for general wound healing and to help allay fatigue, digestive issues, arthritis, heart disease and parasites. Recounting the historical uses of garlic across the globe, researchers wrote in Nutrition Journal:²

“Three ancient medical traditions in India i.e Tibbi, Unani and Ayurveda, made extensive use of garlic as a central part of the healing efficacy of plants. The leading Indian ancient medical text, Charaka-Samhita recommends garlic for the treatment of heart disease and arthritis for over many centuries.

In another ancient Indian medical textbook, Bower Manuscript (~300 AD), garlic was used for fatigue, parasitic disease, digestive disorder and leprosy.

With the onset of Renaissance, increasing attention was paid in Europe to the medical use of garlic. A leading physician of the 16th century, Pietro Mattiali of Siena, prescribed garlic for digestive disorders, infestation with worms and renal disorders, as well as to help mothers during difficult childbirth. In England, garlic was used for toothache, constipation, dropsy and plague.”

Garlic Compounds May Inhibit SARS-CoV-2

Vietnamese scientists have been validating the properties of garlic, including identifying active components and their mechanisms of action. In one study published early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers evaluated 17 organosulfur compounds commonly found in garlic essential oil.³

The study included molecular docking to analyze the inhibition garlic may have on host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This receptor was identified as a crucial agent for SARS-C0V-2 to infect human cells. The 17 organosulfur compounds included in the study made up 99.4% of garlic essential oil.

The strongest activity against SARS-CoV-2 was found in two organosulfur compounds, allyl disulfide and allyl trisulfide, which represent 51.3% of garlic essential oil. The researchers wrote that the results of the lab study “suggest that the garlic essential oil is a valuable natural antivirus source, which contributes to preventing the invasion of coronavirus into the human body.”⁴

In a more recent study, researchers from Turkey also wrote about the effect garlic has on the release of the hormone leptin from adipose tissue. This hormone helps regulate satiety but also plays a role in boosting inflammatory cytokines. They concluded that garlic:⁵

“… may be an acceptable preventive measure against COVID-19 infection to boost immune system cells and to repress the production and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines as well as an adipose tissue derived hormone leptin having the proinflammatory nature.”

The effects it has on leptin levels and its potential to impact obesity have also been studied. In 2018, researchers analyzed the effect of a beverage made from dates, vinegar and garlic juice and found that participants who drank 500 milliliters a day for 10 weeks lost an average of 9.5 pounds (4.3 kilograms) and reduced their body fat ratio and serum leptin levels.⁶

Despite long-standing evidence that garlic has natural antiviral and antibacterial properties, some are diverting attention away from its use in helping prevent COVID-19, as they seek instead to concoct chemical solutions and pursue the development of a new vaccine.

The World Health Organization warns: “Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.”⁷

Garlic Is a Natural Antiviral

Food researchers have suggested that using a garlic water extract when preparing hamburgers could help reduce the growth of staphylococcus aureus in the burgers.⁸ The extract may be used as flavoring but it also has antibacterial properties against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Testing during the COVID-19 pandemic is not the first time garlic has been analyzed for its antiviral effects. In an earlier study from 1985, scientists looked into its effects against influenza B, herpes simplex and Coxsackie viruses, recognizing its centuries-old use to treat various infectious diseases.⁹ Lab testing showed activity against influenza B and herpes simplex.

In a human trial involving 146 participants, researchers separated the group in two to receive either a placebo or a garlic supplement once a day for 12 weeks.¹⁰ This was carried out during flu season and participants filled out a questionnaire to assess their health and cold symptoms on a daily basis.

The data showed that those in the intervention group were less likely to get sick, and if they did catch a cold they recovered faster. Those taking the placebo were more likely to get sick more than once in a 12-week period.

In a historical review of the literature, it was found that in addition to reducing high blood pressure, helping prevent diabetes and offering protection against cancer, garlic was active against a number of viruses, including flu, the common cold, HIV, herpes types I and II and rhinovirus.¹¹

Another study was conducted to test the effect of garlic powder tablets in preventing acute respiratory diseases in children.¹² The study took place over a period of five months and produced results showing that the infection rate was reduced by 2.4 times in the school children treated as compared to the controls.

The researchers went on to a second stage in which they compared 42 children ages 10 to 12 to 41 children who were given a placebo and 73 who were treated with benzimidazole. The results again showed garlic performed better than placebo at the same ratio and 1.7 times better than the benzimidazole. The researchers concluded:¹³

“The results of this study have demonstrated that garlic powder tablets Allicor are effective in non-specific prevention of acute respiratory infections in children and possess no side effects. Additionally, the commonly used ARD prevention with benzimidazole turned out to be entirely ineffective in placebo controlled study, so the development of new useful and safe efficient drugs like garlic-based preparations is of ultimate importance.”

Your Brain Benefits From Raw Garlic

Garlic may offer protection to your brain as it helps fight age-related changes in your gut microbiome which are linked to cognitive function. This is according to researchers from the University of Louisville who presented their study at the American Physiological Society’s 2019 meeting.¹⁴

A high diversity of gut microbiota is associated with better health. Yet, as you age, this diversity can decline.¹⁵ The researchers used 24-month-old mice; this corresponds to about 56 to 69 human years. Some of the mice received allyl sulfide — a compound in garlic — and others got a placebo.¹⁶

The researchers discovered that the mice who got the garlic compound had better memory function and a greater expression of neuronal derived natriuretic factor (NDNF), which is a gene required for memory consolidation.

This link between gut bacteria and neurological health is not new. Scholars have found people with dementia have a different population and diversity of gut microbiota compared to others.¹⁷

Researchers have also highlighted the benefits of aged garlic extract (AGE) for brain health. In a 2017 study from Thailand, it demonstrated a strong anti-inflammatory effect and improved short-term memory in rats with Alzheimer-type disease.¹⁸

Garlic Supports a Healthy Heart and Blood Sugar Levels

With age your arteries stiffen. This happens to nearly everyone to varying degrees.¹⁹ In this short video, bestselling author Dr. Michael Greger, a Fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine and a general practitioner specializing in clinical nutrition, reviews the benefits of garlic associated with your heart.

Arterial stiffness leads to poor blood circulation in the microvasculature of the renal system and brain. This can increase the risk of stroke and renal failure. In a meta-analysis of the effect of garlic consumption, researchers found it helps optimize cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of coronary events.²⁰

In addition, Greger notes the blood-thinning properties of garlic are so pronounced that the American Society of Anesthesiology recommends that patients avoid all garlic in the week leading up to surgery.

However, if you’re a candidate for surgery and you want to go ahead and have your garlic, make sure it’s cooked first since cooking inactivates the blood thinning property. Greger suggests adding raw garlic to pesto, salsa and other dips.

Raw garlic also has an effect on high blood sugar, which is a symptom of Type 2 diabetes. According to “The National Diabetes Statistics Report 2020,” 13% of the U.S. population has diabetes and the number skyrockets to 26.8% for people over 65.²¹ A U.K.-based diabetes organization reports that:

“… scientists found that moderate amounts of garlic supplements could offer benefits to diabetes patients, and that raw or cooked garlic or aged garlic extract can help to regulate blood glucose and potentially stop or lower the effects of some diabetes complications, as well as fighting infections, reducing bad cholesterol and aiding blood flow.”²²

They caution, however, that excessive amounts should not be taken and that patients should check with their doctors on this and other measures to improve health.

Growing Garlic From Grocery Store Cloves

You can enjoy the benefits of harvesting your own garlic cloves or scapes from your garden free of pesticides and other chemical toxins. Growing a full head of garlic must be done outside since the plant needs the cold winter to produce the bulb.²³ Garlic plants have few requirements other than a sunny location with fertile soil.

The bulbs are planted in the fall before the first freeze.²⁴ You can use a good quality head or two of garlic from the store. Gently break it apart and use the larger outer cloves for planting.

Place them in the soil 3 inches to 4 inches deep and approximately 6 inches apart with the pointy side pointing up. Water the area gently and cover with 4 inches of straw. The following summer, keep the area weeded and watered until harvest time.

However, if it’s the scapes you’re after, then an indoor container will work just fine.²⁵ These are the gently curled green tops that sprout from the garlic clove after planting. If you’re aiming for a full head of garlic outdoors, trim them back like many gardeners do so the plant puts all energy into producing the head.

The green scapes have a gentle garlic flavor and can be eaten raw, sauteed or cooked. You may notice a bulge in the middle of the scapes. This is the unopened flower that is also edible. At the farmer’s market they are available in the early spring, but by planting your own bulbs indoors you can enjoy garlic scapes all year round.

You can plant three to four cloves in one small pot and harvest the scapes in about 10 days. If you’d like to keep greens at home, you’ll need to plant the cloves in succession since the greens do not grow back after clipping.

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