In the winter, I developed numerous small red rashes on the backs of my hands, and they were incredibly itchy. My grandfather looked at my hands and said, “Looks like you’re about to get frostbite. Try my ‘secret remedy’ passed down from my ancestors.”
My grandfather took out a bottle and applied a little “medicine” to me. The “medicine” had a strong odor, resembling garlic.
“Grandpa, what is this medicine?” I asked curiously.
My grandfather explained it was garlic oil, made by mixing crushed garlic with glycerin in a 1:1 ratio. After applying the garlic oil, I felt a tingling sensation on the backs of my hands. My grandfather applied it every morning and evening, and within a few days, the rashes on my hands disappeared.
I only knew garlic as a common seasoning; I had no idea it could also have medicinal properties. My grandfather told me that garlic is a natural “antibiotic” with many wonderful uses. Garlic oil not only cures frostbite but also insect bites. If someone has a stomachache or diarrhea, drinking a sip of vinegar-soaked garlic will quickly heal. Some people also use garlic to prevent motion sickness and treat colds. Chickens fed garlic rice regularly can prevent illness. There used to be a saying: “Where there’s garlic, there’s no doctor.”
Why does garlic, seemingly so ordinary, have so many uses? My grandfather couldn’t explain, only saying it was a tradition passed down from generations ago.
I researched garlic in the school library and learned that garlic contains a sulfur compound called allicin. Allicin stimulates lymphocyte activity. As allicin concentration increases, lymphocyte activity increases, thereby boosting the body’s immunity. It eliminates metabolic waste, repairs damaged tissues, and protects the body from viruses, bacteria, and pollutants.
In fact, uncut garlic cloves don’t contain allicin. After the garlic is chopped or mashed, a chemical reaction occurs between alliinase and alliin in different layers, forming allicin. Allicin is destroyed by cooking or prolonged exposure to air. It is now widely used in various fields.
I didn’t expect that a small piece of garlic contains so much knowledge. There is knowledge everywhere in life.
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