Is Garlic Good for Allergies?

Garlic is known for its pungent smell and hearty taste, but many don't realize that the culinary treat can help relieve seasonal allergies. While few can deny that the odor emanated from a clove of garlic can clear the sinuses, the spice can do much more than that, when incorporated into a healthy, balanced diet.

What Are Allergies?

• Allergies are the result of an overreaction of the immune system to an allergen which can be seemingly harmless. When the body is accosted by a foreign entity, like pollen or a certain food trigger, it can cause the release of antibodies, called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). When the body stimulates IgE, it causes the release of histamine to combat the allergen. It is the release of histamine which causes itchy eyes, itchy skin, inflammation, and irritation, as it is attempting to rid the body of the unwanted allergen.

How Does Garlic Help Allergies?

• Garlic is known for its antiviral properties. In Russia, for centuries it was known as Russian Penicillin, and used repeatedly for treating respiratory ailments. It is the immune-boosting properties that garlic possesses that make it an effective treatment for allergies. Including cooked garlic, aged garlic extract or a garlic supplement into your diet can help ward off heart disease, certain types of cancer, and yeast infection in women, as well as help fight off allergies. It is advisable to not use raw garlic for medicinal purposes, without physician's supervision.

  Generally, allergies are an immune response that has gone haywire. Since garlic attracts free radicals, such as allergens, it can safely remove toxins from the body without damage. Removing excessive toxins from the body can help alleviate seasonal allergies. Garlic can also help defend the body against bacterial infections, by improving the health of the immune system. This can mean congested sinuses won't move into bacterial infections, when garlic is used regularly.

  A few cloves garlic a week should be enough to combat allergies, without causing a pungent smell to the skin. If you are concerned with smell, try garlic supplements that reduce the smell of garlic on the skin.

Garlic Allergies

• While allergies to garlic are rare, there are people who are intolerant to the spice. Using garlic to combat seasonal allergies may not be the best course of action. Garlic allergy symptoms tend to be mild, so most individuals may not be aware that they are even sensitive. It is best to check with a physician who can test you for a garlic allergy, to ensure that you are not creating more harm to your immune system.

  Garlic allergies symptoms include gastrointestinal disruptions, stuffy noses, red, itchy rashes and coughing. Again, garlic allergies tend to be mild, to the point of being attributed to another condition. If an individual does have an allergy to garlic or is remotely sensitive, garlic should be removed from the diet.