Nature's Blood Pressure Reducer: Garlic

Friends have told me many times that garlic was good for reducing blood pressure, but I hadn't seen that news in print until this week.

According to a Reader's Digest article, studies really do show that it's true. Garlic helps to lower blood pressure and thin blood - preventing heart attacks.

The interesting part was that they found that the garlic doesn't have to be raw. It can be baked or boiled for up to 3 minutes and still retain the same healing properties. AND if you crush it, it can cook for up to 6 minutes.

Combine that with a recipe tip I read recently saying "For best flavor, add garlic during the final few minutes of cooking," and it's all good news.

But there is one caution: The same article said that if you cook the garlic in a microwave, it loses all of it's health-giving properties. So... no microwaves if you're using garlic for heart health.