Another Great Garlic Recipe

My partner has a collection, a rather large collection, of shot glasses. He's not really that big on drinking shots, but just picks them up when he travels. We also have a refrigerator covered in magnets from places near and far. Now he's moving on to masks and objects d'art for our house. With all that going on, I have to be careful what I bring home from my travels. One of my favorite things to collect while traveling are recipes. The following recipe is adapted from the Parsley Garlic Relish from the Stinking Rose Restaurant in San Francisco. I've made it for years and enjoy it on crusty bread, with any meat dish, with pasta or even by the spoonful. Bon appetite!

Parsley-Garlic Dip

Parsley 2 Bunches - for variety, try 1 bunch flat and 1 bunch curled
Cilantro 1 Bunch
Garlic 4-10 cloves to taste - start on the low end and work your way up
Olive oil - 2 Tbsp-1/2 cup - start with less, taste and adjust upwards - the amount of oil will also vary based on how you want to use the dip.
White vinegar - about 2 Tbsp
Rice vinegar - about 1 Tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp+ to taste
Pepper - 1 tsp+ to taste
Brown sugar (optional) - 2 tsp

Finely chop or food process greens and garlic. Mix all ingredients well. Serve at room temperature with meat, on crackers, mixed with beans dishes or pasta.

Garlic is Not Just For Repelling Vampires

I just read a great article in the New York Times confirming what my grandfather told me 30 years ago that GARLIC will repel colds and flu's. I'd rather smell of GARLIC than have a long lasting flu infection. GARLIC'S component allicin plays a role in fighting bacterial and viral infections. The first recordings of GARLIC used medicinally dated back 5000 years in Southwest Siberia. Hipocrates (460 BCE) used garlic for a variety of infections and intestinal disorders. There are many other uses medicinally for GARLIC - lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides (Arun Bordia, MD Cardiologist) assists the body in dissolving clots and reduces high blood pressure. Amazingly interferes with the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells (Lau MD, PhD - microbiologist).

Dosing the amazing bulb: one clove a day keeps the doctor away. Fresh, local and organic is always the best. Break one clove away from the bulb and crush it which releases the peel and activates the healing properties (the enzyme allinase comes in contact with alliin which converts to allicin which converts further to diallydisulphide the antibacterial sulfur fragrant compound). Then chop, dice or squeeze the whole herb. Add GARLIC to eggs in the morning, salads at lunch , soups at dinner it can be eaten any time of day. GARLIC comes in many usable forms, raw cloves, dried powder, oil extract, capsules, tincture, juice (1/2 teaspoon thinned with water up to three times daily (Lust) and syrups. Recipe for the H1N1 epidemic:

Dr. Ziment's Garlic Chicken Soup for Colds and Coughs
1 quart homemade chicken broth
1 garlic head (15 cloves) peeled
5 parsley sprigs, minced
6 cilantro sprigs, minced
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
1 teaspoon curry powder
hot red pepper flakes to taste, sliced carrots, bay leaves (optional)
Place all ingredients in a pan without a lid. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes
Strain soup blend up the solids to a puree and return to the soup
Sever hot be sure to inhale the aroma during preparation (lung hydrotherapy)
just don't cough into and don't forget to wash your hands!

Warming Sock Treatment

It feels so good to be back at home in the Pacific Northwest. I spent 10 days this month traveling in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan visiting family and friends. During my trip, I got to talk a lot about acupuncture and naturopathic medicine as these therapies are not so common there. We're really lucky to have a naturopathic school in Portland and have so much access to powerful, natural remedies. One of the treatments I found myself describing often was the Warming Sock Treatment.

I prescribe the Warming Sock Treatment or the Warming Throat Compress fairly often for common colds, head and/or chest colds, sinus infections, sore throat, insomnia or circulation problems and sometimes even as a tonifying treatment. For colds and flu, this treatment will often help me feel better in one night, although it is recommended to repeat the treatment several nights in a row for best results. This treatment increases circulation, bringing immune system cells into contact with infectious antigens and often increasing the body's temperature to fight infection thermogenically.

When I feel the first signs of a cold coming on, I often do this treatment in conjunction with immune boosting herbs and vitamins and don't end up getting sick. Try it the next time you're feeling a seasonal bug and see how it works for you.

Warming Sock Treatment Instructions

1. Be Warm
You should be warm, dry and comfortable before doing this treatment. Some people take a warm shower or warm foot bath before starting their treatment. This is especially important if your feet feel cold or you tend to be chilly. A warm cup of tea, soup or broth will also help from the inside out.

2. Wet Cotton Socks
Wet a pair of thin cotton socks and wring out excess liquid. I suggest using anklets so that only the foot is wet or wetting only the foot portion of a longer sock. When you first start this treatment, you may like to use tepid water to wet the socks, but as you get used to it, you can use cooler water temperatures for a more intense experience. Put the damp socks on.

3. Dry Wool Socks
Put on a pair of wool socks over the damp cotton socks. Thick hiking socks of other fibers also work, but breathability is very important.

4. Go to Bed - Stay Warm
Put on your warm pajamas and get into bed. Use plenty of blankets so that you stay warm and do not get chilled during this treatment.

In the morning, you should note that your socks are dry and hopefully that you feel a bit better! If you have a sore throat from illness, exposure or even too much speaking, try this modification:

Warming Throat Compress
1. Be Warm
2. Dampen a bandanna - wrap around neck.
3. Wrap a dry scarf around neck, covering bandnna.
4. Go to bed - Stay Warm.

Feel free to share your experiences with the Warming Sock Treatment or Warming Throat Compress in the comments section!