NaturalMedications

Garlic Elixir

People all over the world have hailed garlic as an elixir of health.  Raw garlic, not cooked or dried, is most beneficial for health, since heat and water inactivate sulfur enzymes, which can diminish garlic's antibiotic effects.

Keep Garlic Elixir on your First Aid shelf, to ease sore throats and bolster your immune systems. Or sometimes, just take a dropperful because it tastes so good!!

To make your own Garlic Elixir, follow these easy steps:

1. Break apart the individual cloves (leaving the skins on is fine) and roughly chop the garlic with a knife or chop them up minimally in a food processor.

2. Fill whatever size jar you want to use two-thirds full of the chopped garlic.

3. Mix together your vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar is always best) and honey at a 1:3 ratio of honey to vinegar (we use organic, raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey). If your honey is too thick to mix, warm it in a saucepan over low heat until it becomes liquidy thin.

4. Pour the honey-vinegar mixture over the garlic until the jar is full. Use a plastic lid or cover the mouth of the jar with wax paper before securing the lid (the vinegar tends to rust metal lids).

5. Tend your brew every couple of days for the first week, then once a week after that. Poke it with a spoon to release air bubbles, then top it off with the vinegar.

6. After 6 weeks, strain out the garlic and enjoy – just in time to prepare your immune system for the shift to autumn!

Another less known benefit that garlic has is its aphrodisiac effect. Research has shown that garlic is capable of improving the blood flow through the veins and also the sexual performance in men.