Too Much of a Good Thing

Trey Smith

I like garlic. Not only does it make other foods tastier, but the compounds in garlic offer numerous health benefits. Many folks in the health care field will tell you that adding even a modest amount of garlic to your diet is good for your heart, lungs, blood and digestive system.

I have a weird relationship with garlic. There are days when I can consume a fair amount of it and suffer no ill effects. There are other days, however, when even a small amount seems to upset my lower intestinal track. Two nights ago I added some raw garlic to a veggie submarine sandwich and I've felt cruddy ever since.

The night before last I got very little sleep because I was belching garlic for hours on end. I felt really puny yesterday and I hardly ate a thing. About all I got down was crackers, juice and water. I'm not feeling that much better today!

This episode simply serves as a reminder to me that, while unhealthy things are bad, good things can be bad too. Yes, garlic can be a very beneficial part of my diet as long as I remember to eat it in moderation. When I stub my toe on it -- as I evidently did this past week -- it will stub me right back!

(Burp)