Why you should consider avoiding garlic and onion to promote wellbeing
The staple ingredients in most worldwide cuisine, garlic and onion, are consumed by billions daily without consideration of the effect they have on our health. They can be harmful physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Past teachings recognised the attributes of foods we consume, and present day science has verified this knowledge.
Garlic and onion belong to the genus allium; which includes chive, leek, scallion and shallot. All alliums produce a sulfur molecule that is potent enough to travel from the cut vegetable through the air into our nasal passages and eyes. The purpose of this strong pungency is to repel animals and insects. As well as causing offensive breath and body odour, the consumption of these plants can induce agitation, anxiety and aggression. Reiki practitioners explain that garlic and onion are among the first substances to be expelled from the body during detoxification, together with toxins such as alcohol and tobacco.
Garlic and onion are erroneously praised for their antibiotic properties. They are in fact broad spectrum antibiotics, meaning they destroy both the harmful bacteria and the necessary beneficial bacteria present in our bodies, unable to differentiate them, therefore creating health issues. When the microbiome is out of balance it can lead to various health problems including immunodeficiency, heartburn, bloating, weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. Since neurotransmitters that play a key role in mood such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA are made by gut bacteria, our mental and emotional state are also impacted; an imbalance can cause anxiety and depression. Garlic and onion may have beneficial properties if used sparingly but they generally are not consumed in moderation. They have become the base for every meal and the digestive system is unable to cope.
As a healthy alternative, turmeric and ginger can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria found in food and are effective against the oral bacteria linked to inflammatory diseases, indirectly supporting the immune system. In contrast to garlic and onion, by the time turmeric and ginger begin to break down in the stomach and intestine, they no longer carry any antibacterial effect. This is why turmeric and ginger are not considered antibiotics, but garlic and onion can be because their antibacterial effect continues further in the digestive tract, impacting us negatively.
While researching human brain functioning, Dr Robert Beck found that garlic has a detrimental effect on the brain. Dr Beck found that garlic is in fact toxic to humans because its sulphone hydroxyl ions penetrate the blood-brain barrier, including the corpus callosum, and are a specific poison for brain cells. Dr Beck explained that as long ago as the 1950s it was known that garlic reduced reaction time by two to three times when consumed by pilots taking flight tests; the flight surgeon would remind pilots to avoid garlic 72 hours before flying an airplane. In the 1980s, while building biofeedback equipment Dr Beck discovered that the toxic effects of garlic desynchronize your brain waves. He noted that people would appear clinically dead on an encephalograph after having consumed garlic at lunch. Therefore, garlic affects concentration level and mental acuity.
In his book
Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science, Dr Eric Block explains that garlic cloves produce a chemical called allicin. This potent active ingredient passes right through the skin into the blood and kills bacteria. In 2007, Dr Block and his colleagues from Stanford University conducted a clinical trial to test the claim that garlic lowers cholesterol levels. 192 people under rigorously controlled conditions were given garlic or a placebo, and the result of the research was that the placebo was the most effective. This study provides thorough evidence that consuming garlic does not improve heart health.
In accordance with the
modes of material nature the natural world has attributes of the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance. According to Ayurveda, Indias traditional medical system, food is composed of three qualities of energy known as
gunas. They are called
sattvic (purity, tranquility),
rajasic (activity, agitation) and
tamasic (inertia, ignorance). The three
gunas are simultaneously present in nature and within ourselves, in varying proportions. However, to live consciously we can choose to cultivate the energy of
sattva (goodness) while reducing both
rajas (passion) and
tamas (ignorance), rising above the three attributes. As both garlic and onion have
rajasic and
tamasic qualities, the customary practice of consuming them daily as an ingredient in most meals is evidently not advisable. Buddhist, Jain, Taoist and Zen teachings instruct that garlic and onion should be avoided.
Intriguingly, an old Turkish legend explains that when the devil was cast out of the Garden of Eden, garlic sprouted where he first placed his left foot, and onions grew where he placed his right foot. The Roman lyric poet Horace described garlic as more poisonous than hemlock in his Epodes, possibly because garlic can carry the dangerous botulism bacteria.
For a balanced mind, what we consume must be harmonious and constructive to avoid lowering our frequency. Garlic and onion are foods that stir emotions and invoke passionate urges, making it difficult to distinguish between our desires and priorities. This is in direct conflict with practicing a mindful, conscious lifestyle. To succeed in meditation, it is necessary to limit the intake of substances that are excessively stimulating or confusing to the mind.
In the same way we are sensitive to food allergies and intolerances, surely it will favour our self development to recognise that which is inhibiting our personal growth or as I say a
spiritual allergy. If you have noticed any issue or stagnation in your physical, emotional, mental or spiritual wellbeing, it may be beneficial to eliminate garlic and onion from your diet and become aware of the positive changes you will experience.
- Space Apricity
Why Avoid Garlic and Onion
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