Of the 9 cups of vegetables you should be eating for optimal health, 3 of those cups should come from sulfur-containing foods, such as asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, kale, mushrooms, onions, Brussels sprouts, and radishes.
Sulfur is key because it nourishes mitochondria, removes toxins from cells, and helps create proteins and connective tissue necessary for joint, skin, and blood vessel health.
Garlic, a member of the onion family, contains high concentrations of sulfur compounds and allicin, which acts as an antimicrobial (helping you fight off both bacterial and viral infections) and promotes blood vessel health. There is compelling evidence that garlic supports brain function and can help prevent or reduce cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer. Furthermore, it has been used as a medicinal food for thousands of years across many cultures to treat infections, tumors, and health problems related to blood vessels.
Garlic is best eaten raw but still offers tremendous healthful benefits if cooked at a low temperature, such as simmering. (You lose about 30% to 50% of the nutritional benefits when you cook garlic, more if you fry it.) An easy way to use more garlic is to finely mince it and add it to vinegar (or lime juice) and oil (walnut, hemp, or flax) for salad dressing. It also makes a wonderful addition to soups and stews, which are often gently cooked, meaning more of the helpful sulfur compounds are retained. Be generous — use lots of garlic, onions, and leeks. They do many wonderful things for your cells and taste buds!
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I avoid onions and garlic because they give me stomach pains and rectal bleeding. Is this a symptom of illness that will improve in time, or is it likely to be a life-long problem? Are eating the sulfur-rich vegetables an adequate way to get enough sulfur in my diet?
Thank you Dr Wahl for sharing your experience, for clearly saying 9 cups, and not backing down from the importance of diet. I have just recently been diagnosed, and tearfully met you on TED…Despite the obviously skeptical corner of the world in medicine, I trust your suggestions and am grateful to have read this garlic boost tip. I sliced two cloves, and enjoyed them with 4 flax crackers. Though I have tingles, the heat feeling has subsided…I feel better and hope to sleep soundly. God bless you.