Garlic.....and you thought it was just for fending off vampires!

People feel strongly about garlic. They either love its lingering aroma or hate its pungent odor. It's no wonder, then, that folkloric shamans prescribed a necklace of garlic to ward off vampires.
Love it or hate it, garlic can help protect your body from more than a mythic pair of sharp teeth.
Even ancient practitioners recognized its beneficial qualities. More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates, father of diagnostic medicine, listed garlic as a worthwhile treatment. Today scientists know from a battery of studies that garlic contains several properties that may keep the cardiovascular system healthy. Garlic is particularly effective against low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), the "bad" cholesterol that can damage the arteries and threaten the heart.
Without getting too technical, tiny LDLs can form plaque on the arterial walls after they have been oxidized by "free radicals," renegade molecules in the body that damage the cells and provoke disease. When this happens, special cells migrate to the area and start gobbling up the LDLs. Eventually, these cells eat so much that they become "foam cells," which are deposited in arteries as plaque. The plaque, in turn, can create atherosclerosis, blockages that lead to heart attack and stroke.
Garlic is such a great antioxidant that it stops the creation of these foam cells by acting early on in the process, preventing free radicals from oxidizing the LDLs.
Clinical research also shows that garlic may encourage the formation of "good" cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), which are too large to stick to artery walls. Instead, the HDLs help to sweep out LDLs as they flow through the system and clean out the LDLs already creating plaque on the arteries.
Like aspirin, garlic has certain qualities that thin the blood. By preventing platelets from banding together, garlic may keep the circulatory system healthy. Garlic can do this without any of the discomfort or other problems associated with aspirin.
For the same reason, garlic can help a person who is feeling weak get back on his or her feet. By improving circulation, garlic can allow a person to get the exercise he or she needs, which in turn can lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Garlic is also useful in preventing other problems. Several scientific studies have shown that garlic may eliminate many of the symptoms associated with yeast infections, which include fatigue, disorientation and depression. But be careful! Yeast infections can erupt after lying dormant for years and be accompanied by other medical problems. You may need to stop consuming alcohol and eliminate sugary foods, yeast and mold from your diet. Be sure to consult a physician in the case of a yeast infection.
Garlic's renowned pungent smell comes from its sulfur-rich compounds, which are excreted through the lungs. But even garlic haters can take heart in the knowledge that garlic may be taken as a supplement known as Kyolic, which has a slightly altered chemistry and leaves no lingering smell to drive off loved ones. A dose of 1200 mg to 1600 mg of Kyolic every day should be sufficient to keep both heart disease -- and vampires -- at bay.
With exercise and a good diet, garlic can help reduce body fat, one of the greatest enemies to good health. If you are at risk for or already have atherosclerosis or any other forms of cardiovascular disease, consult your physician for treatment.
-- Health and peace.
©1996-2005 WebMD

Ahhh.....the power of herbs!

Cooking with herbs has taken on new importance with our awareness of reducing salt and fat in the diet. Herbs can add interesting flavors to foods when salt and fat are reduced in a recipe. Because herbs are so popular, they are being sold fresh at local farmer's markets and grocery stores, and are often grown as part of a kitchen garden by the homeowner.

Selection

Herbs are best harvested in the morning, after the dew has evaporated, but before the sun has warmed them. The oils that give herbs their aromas and flavors are volatile (readily escapes from the leaves, seeds and stems if injured.) Therefore, herbs need to be handled very gently, and should never be "stacked" or handled in such a way that they may be bruised. Select just enough herbs to be used, dried or frozen, the same day. Herbs should look fresh and clean, be free of disease, not discolored or damaged.

Storage

Since the flavor and aroma of herbs deteriorates quickly after picking, be prepared to use them immediately. If you must store them for a few hours, keep them in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag. When you are ready to use them, wash the herbs gently under cool (not cold) water and pat dry between paper towels.
For long term storage, herbs can be dried. Store the dried herbs in air-tight containers out of the direct sun.

Serving

Once you have used fresh herbs in cooking you will be spoiled! Their special flavor and aroma contributes greatly to the enjoyment of food.
There are no rules when cooking with herbs. Start to experiment using small amounts of herbs and see what you like. The following ideas may help you get started:

A good general rule of thumb is not to mix two very strong herbs together, but rather one strong and one or more milder flavors to complement both the stronger herb and the food.
In general, the weaker the flavor of the main staple item, the lower the level of added seasoning required to achieve a satisfactory balance of flavor in the end product.

Dried herbs are stronger than fresh, and powdered herbs are stronger than crumbled. A useful formula is: 1/4 teaspoon powdered herbs = 3/4 to 1 teaspoon crumbled = 2 teaspoons fresh.
Leaves should be chopped very fine because the more cut surface exposed the more flavor will be released.
Be conservative in the amount of an herb used until you're familiar with its strength. The aromatic oils can be strong and objectionable if too much is used.
The flavoring of herbs is lost by extended cooking. Add herbs to soups or stews about 45 minutes before completing the cooking. But for cold foods such as dips, cheese, vegetables and dressings, herbs should be added several hours or overnight before using.
For casseroles and hot sauces, add finely chopped fresh or dried herbs directly to the mixture.

To become familiar with the specific flavor of an herb, try mixing it with margarine or butter, let it set for at least an hour, and spread on a plain cracker.
Try herbs as a flavoring in vinegars or "butters." Use one cup of "bruised" leaves for every 2 cups of white wine vinegar. Allow to steep two weeks. Use 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh herbs to 1/2 cup margarine, butter, cottage cheese, low fat yogurt or cream cheese.