How to Use Garlic Against Stress and Toxins for a Better Mood

In addition to being a tasty addition to many recipes, garlic is also a common natural treatment for a variety of medical conditions.^{[1]XResearch source} While it doesn't work the same way for everyone, garlic is safe for most people to use. You may be able to use garlic to relieve stress and toxins so you can improve your mood by incorporating it into your meals, making it into tea, or using herbal treatments. However, check with your doctor before using garlic, if garlic doesn't help, and if stress is interfering with your life.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Incorporating Garlic into Your Meals

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Peel and chop the garlic. Remove the skin by first placing the bulb on a cutting board or hard surface. Then gently, but firmly, apply pressure with the palm of your hand at about a 20 – 30 angle. This will cause the layers of skin that hold the bulb together to separate. Garlic cloves are best either chopped or crushed and then allowed to sit for 10 – 15 minutes to allow for the activation of the allicin in the garlic. You can use a garlic crusher or the side of a large knife to crush the garlic.
- Always buy fresh garlic to use in food.
- Garlic added to food can relieve nasal congestion when taken daily.^{[2]XResearch sourceReader's Digest, Allergic Rhinitis, in <i>Curing everyday ailments the natural way</i>, p. 82, (2000), ISBN1-876689-78-1}
2
Cook the garlic over low heat. To maximize garlic's effects, use it as close to raw as possible. If nearly raw garlic is “too much” for you, add the garlic near the end of the meal's cooking time. Don't overcook the garlic, because it loses some of its potency with high and prolonged heat. Add it to sauces, rub it over meats and poultry, or add it to vegetables, mixing it in well.
- Garlic can be added to taste to just about any meal. In food, it is safe for children and pregnant or nursing women.^{[3]XTrustworthy SourceOregon State University Linus Pauling InstituteResearch center dedicated to promoting optimal health through cutting-edge nutrition research and public outreachGo to source}
- Avoid high-temperature stir frying of garlic.
- Don't use a microwave when cooking with garlic. This reduces the allicin produced.^{[4]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source}
- For a quick meal sauté garlic with vegetables. For example, sauté some fresh spinach and add the crushed garlic when the spinach is nearly done. Remove from heat and sprinkle lemon juice over the spinach-garlic mixture.
- You can add a variety of leafy greens in addition to spinach.
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3
Consider adding raw, completely crushed garlic to foods after cooking. An easy and delicious dish to make with raw garlic is hummus. Puree together cooked garbanzo beans, tahini (sesame butter), olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed garlic to make your own hummus dip.
- Garlic can be added to a wide variety of foods. Add the crushed garlic to mashed potatoes and simply stir it in.
- Add crushed garlic to the top of any meat about five to 10 minutes before the meat is removed from the heat. Heat makes the garlic more mild.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Garlic Tea

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Make garlic tea with honey. Making garlic tea is a simply way to use garlic medicinally. Place three whole, peeled cloves of garlic into a saucepan with 3 cups (710 mL) of water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.^{[5]XResearch source}^{[6]XResearch source}
- Add ½ cup (118 mL) honey and ½ cup (118 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Mix, drink half, and refrigerate the extra tea.
- Sip the tea three times a day.
2
Make garlic tea with ginger and lemon. Garlic tea is widely used in Mexico and Spain to treat colds and coughs. If you have a cold or upper respiratory infection, drink the tea four times a day for seven days. Place five peeled and crushed cloves of garlic into a saucepan with 4 cups (1 quart about 1 liter) of water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
- Add the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon and 1 teaspoon of raw grated ginger.
- Place back on the heat and simmer at low heat for 20 minutes, then strain the mixture.
- Refrigerate the extra tea. When you want more, warm up ½ cup (118 mL) at a time and sip it four times a day.
3
Make garlic and saffron tea. Saffron is used in traditional Persian/Iranian medicine to treat depression and lift the mood.^{[7]XResearch sourceAkhondzadeh, S., Tahmacebi-Pour, N., Noorbala, A.-A., Amini, H., Fallah-Pour, H., Jamshidi, A.-H. and Khani, M. (2005), Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother. Res., 19: 148–151.} Place three whole, peeled cloves of garlic into a saucepan with 3 cups (710 mL) of water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
- Add 1 teaspoon of saffron. Saffron has to be hand-picked so it can be expensive. Fresh saffron is best but choose the dried saffron over the powdered saffron.
- Saffron can cause uterine contractions, so pregnant women should not use saffron except under the advisement of a physician.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Add ½ cup (118 mL) honey then mix and refrigerate extra tea.
- To drink the extra tea, warm up ½ cup (118 mL) at a time and sip it three times a day.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Taking Garlic in Other Ways

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Take dried garlic as a supplement. No standards have been developed for children, but to treat a type of high blood lipid disorder, 300 mg of dehydrated garlic powder three times a day was safely taken by children.
- 2 – 7 gm of aged garlic extracts should be taken daily in divided doses. An example of this is the product Kyolic. Aged garlic contains some allicin (the “active” component of garlic), but not as much as other products. This is why you need to take much more of it.
- Dried garlic powder, such as Kwai and Garlicin, has not been well-standardized and does not contain a great deal of allicin, though some may be produced after digestion. Most of the clinical studies have been done using Kwai with dosages ranging from 600 – 1,200 mg daily in divided doses.
- Allicin powdered extract, such as Allisure, Allimax, Alliforce and Alli-C, are powdered extracts that contain significant amounts of allicin in a standardized form. Because of this standardization and the higher amounts of allicin in these products, you don't have to take much to get the benefits. Take 6 – 10 mg daily.
- 6 – 900 mg of garlic tablets or capsules should be taken daily in divided doses. These are generally the best choice for most people, as they provide a standardized or known amount of the active ingredient (allicin).
2
Take a garlic tincture. 2 – 4 ml of tincture (extracts in alcohol) should be taken daily. Tinctures will only contain a small amount of allicin but can be a good alternative for those that don't like garlic in their food.
- Do not use tinctures if you are in recovery from alcoholism. Tinctures use 95% alcohol to extract herbs.
- Garlic oil does not contain allicin because of the processing necessary to produce the oil
- Some products may indicate on the label an “Allicin potential”or “Allicin yield.” This is an attempt to standardize, but studies have indicated that this value is not exact or stable.
3
Add garlic to preparations to ease coughs and sore throats. Raw garlic can be added to a number of homemade remedies to reduce the severity of throat infections and coughs. For example, make a throat gargle by pouring 1 cup (237 mL) of boiled water over two chopped garlic cloves. Allow to steep for three hours, then strain and gargle.^{[9]XResearch source}
- For a cough, peel and crush two garlic bulbs and leave exposed for 15 minutes (this allows allicin to form). Crush in a mortar and pestle after the quarter hour has passed and stir into a small pot of runny honey. Allow to infuse overnight. One teaspoon of this mixture can be taken for coughs, colds, and sore throats when needed.^{[10]XResearch source} Be sure to label the honey for clarity of contents and purpose.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

When to Seek Medical Care

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Check with your doctor before using garlic as a home treatment. While garlic is generally safe, it's not right for everyone. Garlic can cause allergic reactions, and it interacts with certain medications, such as high blood pressure medications and blood thinners. Tell your doctor that you plan to use garlic as a natural treatment and ask if it's right for you.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Explain why you want to take garlic and how you hope it helps you. Your doctor may have additional recommendations for how you can get the benefits you want.
2
See your doctor if your mood doesn't improve from using garlic. While garlic might help you have a better mood, it won't work the same way for everyone. You may need additional help, especially if you have an underlying condition that makes you prone to stress. Fortunately, you have options for finding relief, and your doctor can help you figure out which treatment might work for you. Visit your doctor to find out what you can try next.^{[12]XTrustworthy SourceNational Health Service (UK)Public healthcare system of the UKGo to source}
- Let your doctor know if you'd like to stick with natural treatments. They'll help you create a treatment plan that fits your needs and preferences.
- Your doctor may recommend attending Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you learn new ways to manage your stress without medication.
3
Talk to your doctor if stress is interfering with your daily life. Stress is a normal part of life, but it can become harmful if you have too much. In some cases, stress can make it hard to live your life, but your doctor can help. Visit your doctor if your stress is causing you to experience the following:^{[13]XTrustworthy SourceCleveland ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitalsGo to source}
- Excessive anxiety
- Fears about things that likely won't happen
- Trouble keeping up with your routine and responsibilities
- Reduced performance at work or school
- Preoccupation with food
- Change in your sleeping or eating habits
- Desire to use alcohol or drugs to feel better or escape
- Feeling physically ill often
- Feeling detached from others
- Urge for self harm
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Increased dietary and supplemental use of garlic has been associated with lower risk of colon and stomach cancer and lower blood pressure.^{[14]XResearch sourceRied, K., Frank, O. R., and Stocks, N. P. Aged garlic extract lowers blood pressure in patients with treated but uncontrolled hypertension: a randomised controlled trial. Maturitas 2010;67(2):144-150.}^{[15]XResearch sourceDhawan, V. and Jain, S. Effect of garlic supplementation on oxidized low density lipoproteins and lipid peroxidation in patients of essential hypertension. Mol.Cell Biochem. 2004;266(1-2):109-115}^{[16]XResearch sourceTanaka, S., Haruma, K., Kunihiro, M., Nagata, S., Kitadai, Y., Manabe, N., Sumii, M., Yoshihara, M., Kajiyama, G., and Chayama, K. Effects of aged garlic extract (AGE) on colorectal adenomas: a double-blinded study. Hiroshima J Med Sci. 2004;53(3-4):39-45.}
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Garlic has also been shown in a number of studies to reduce cholesterol and serum lipids and decreases blood clotting, possibly reducing the risk of heart disease.^{[17]XTrustworthy SourceOregon State University Linus Pauling InstituteResearch center dedicated to promoting optimal health through cutting-edge nutrition research and public outreachGo to source}^{[18]XResearch sourceSuperko HR, Krauss RM. Garlic powder, effect on plasma lipids, postprandial lipemia, low-density lipoprotein particle size, high-density lipoprotein subclass distribution and lipoprotein(a). J Am Coll Cardiol 2000;35:321-6.}^{[19]XResearch sourceWarshafsky S, Kamer RS, Sivak SL. Effect of garlic on total serum cholesterol. A meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med 1993;119:599-605.}
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Warnings

Since garlic may cause bleeding, you need to stop taking it at least 2 weeks before getting surgery.^{[20]XResearch source}
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Speak with your doctor about possible interactions with medications, such as blood-thinners, protease inhibitors, and anti-platelet medications.
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Don't use garlic as a natural treatment if you have gastroenteritis, an ulcer, or are pregnant or nursing. Instead, check with your doctor.
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