Common Cold Remedy

Dr. Tan, with whom I study, recommends this implausible remedy for common cold. I'm assured it is effective. You must do it early, when you first notice symptoms:

1 clove garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1 shot hard alcohol

You eat the clove of garlic, mix the lemon juice into a glass of water and drink it and the shot of alcohol. You can do this in any order, but you might want to do the garlic first, and follow it with the lemon water. Or you could chop the garlic into small pieces, and then swallow it like a pill using the lemon water. Go directly to bed, and when you wake the cold symptoms should be relieved or gone. You must do this in the early stage.

This NY Times Really? column may explain just why this implausible remedy works: the garlic. Anahad O'Conner sites a 2001 British study of 146 volunteers where 2 groups were given garlic capsules or a placebo during cold season (November-February). the control group (no garlic) had 75% more colds, lasting longer (5 days vs 1.5 day average for garlic group) and 3x as many virally challenged days as the garlic group. (This study was preformed by Peter Josling, who runs a website promoting garlic supplements).

Garlic has many purported virtues. Odes could be written extolling the virtues of garlic, from warding off vampires to a boon for longevity. Yogis love it and devouring it daily. The Delany Sisters of NY, who both lived to be over one hundred (you may recall their book, and subsequent Broadway play Having Our Say) attributed their longevity in part due to daily garlic, yoga practice and remaining single. (Women live longer if they don't get married, men live longer if they do).

I welcome a review of your experiences using this remedy. KB