Botanically, garlic is a bulbous herb that remains under the ground while the green long blades of leaves emerge and grow to the height of around 1 foot. It is thought to have originated in Siberia; the garlic is grown worldwide in mild climates. Known for its strong taste, it is used as a strong flavoring agent in meat preparation.
Stong source of organosulfur compounds
However, garlic is much more than a strong flavoring agent. The chemicals in it act as a heart protector. The pungent smell of the herb is for one sulfur compound: allicin, chemically called allyl thiosulfinate; the other 2 compounds that are of greater importance to health are diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine. Both are organo- sulfur compounds. The former is fat-soluble, while the latter is water-soluble.
Causes of heart attacks
Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, is a major health concern for people of middle or older age or younger people with a bad lifestyle.lt is due to one medical cause Atherosclerosis. Visco dilation or contractile nature of the arteries is dependent on the cell lipids and cell proteins. Bad lifestyles like smoking and excessive drinking or high blood sugar or cholesterol in the blood lead to high blood pressure, leading to damage to the arterial endothelium.
How LDL diffuses into the endothelium
The endothelium of the arteries suffers a nonobstructive disorder leading to hardening. Lipid metabolism leads to the production of low-density lipoproteins LDL and very low-density lipoproteins VLDL for transportation of the fats from the liver to the tissues and ultimately to the cells. The LDL is absorbed into the cell through the LDL receptors formed for the specific purpose to absorb the LDL, and the receptors are deactivated by an enzyme when the purpose is solved.
Excessive level of LDL is dangerous as it leads to a higher probability of blood coagulation, fibrin leading to stroke. The LDL diffuses inside the damaged endothelium and gets deposited in the inner walls of the arteries. These are further oxidised due to the presence of the free radicals and take a permanent position inside the wall as plaque.This is called atherosclerosis, hardening and narrowing the arteries leading to the restricted flow of blood and heart attack due to the complete obstruction of the flow.
Garlic intake protects the heart in three ways.
Rectifies the lip metabolism by regulation of enzymes generation
Garlic reduces the possibility of oxidation of the LDL deposition inside the arterial walls by reducing the generation of lipid and cholesterol enzymes, such as a malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase, glucose phosphate dehydrogenase, and glutaryl coenzyme in the liver.This reduces the chances of LDL forming a plaque inside the arteries.
Fibrinolytic action of garlic
Excessive deposition of LDL and its oxidation will lead to a high chance of blood coagulation, fibrin, or simply a clot that will completely cut off the blood supply in the cardiac arteries; there is an automatic mechanism that prevents the deposition of fibrin in the arteries when the mechanism is inhibited, clot forms in the arteries leading to fatalities.Intake of garlic prevents clots from forming, or it dissolves the clots at the very initiation stage. This fibrinolytic action is a unique life-saving property of garlic.
Prevention of platelets aggregation
Platelets are useful components in the blood to prevent bleeding from the injured areas of the body. This life-saving property of the platelets could turn into a life-threatening one due to certain chemical imbalances. The platelets adhere to the damaged walls of the arteries by aggregating together, thus creating a lump. Intake of garlic prevents the expression of the thromboxane, a chemical that activates the aggregation.
Best way to take garlic
Although garlic is a bit offensive in odour and taste, it is best taken with a glass of water early in an empty stomach. Uncooked garlic preserves all the nutrients in its natural form. If that is not possible , then garlic could be taken with a bowl of chicken soup.
Caution against excess consumption of garlic
Excess intake of garlic will lead to acidity and indigestion.It causes problems with the vision and alters the taste of milk of nursing women.
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