Eat raw garlic to ward off illness

Raw garlic is a powerful natural "medicine" you can use when you feel the onset of sickness. It contains an antibacterial enzyme (allicin) that is activated after it is crushed and before it is cooked. To take advantage of the power of garlic, you simply need to peel a clove, pop it into your mouth, chew on it, and eat it. That is not for the faint of heart, however. If you're a first-timer, maybe give it a go by mincing the garlic, mixing it with a dab of olive oil, and putting it on a cracker before eating. You can gradually work on chewing the garlic by itself.

• Garlic

I wanted a natural remedy for a cold I felt coming on, and a quick search online led me to the garlic trick. Since we had some in our kitchen, I decided to give it a try. It worked so well that I've been doing it since then.