One of the first things I started doing after my breast cancer diagnosis was eating 2 raw cloves of garlic a day. Now, before you go "eewwww," or "yuck," please consider this-- garlic, with it's potent compound allicin, shows promise as an anti-inflammatory as well as an anti-fungal agent. The little paper-covered cloves pack quite a punch when it comes to boosting the immune system, too.

My naturopathic doctor got me started on this kick the first time I met him. Dr. Mark suggested I crush two raw cloves of garlic, then chop them up into little pieces. The key is to then let it sit for 15 minutes to oxydize, then pop in the mouth with lots of pure, clean water and swallow. Chewing is optional, but it makes my eyes water like crazy, so I just swallow the little pieces down.

The big question is, does eating raw garlic make a person stink? It depends on your body chemistry. I've been told that I don't stink like garlic by everyone but my husband (who happens to have a very sharp sense of smell). And he doesn't think the smell is disarming. So I continue. How much you can eat without smelling like an Italian restaurant is up to you. Experiment by trying one clove a day, working up to two.

2 raw cloves a day. It won't hurt to try, and maybe it might help you ward off the sniffles (or something much bigger). For me, it's another way to boost my body's own ability to fight off my breast cancer without doing it any harm. Every little bit helps.

xoxo,

Stephenie

Eat two raw cloves of garlic every day.