GRAEDONS | People's Herbal Pharmacy Will garlic ward off colds?

Q. I have been eating two cloves of raw garlic every day at my evening meal. It may be a coincidence, but I have not had a cold in more than 10 years, and I don't get sick for any other reason either. I'm 84 years old and am shooting for 120.
A. Garlic has a long history of medicinal use. As far back as Hippocrates, healers used it for toothaches and chest pain. Grandmothers have been administering garlic for centuries to overcome colds and other respiratory infections.
Although there is no scientific evidence to validate garlic's power against viral infections, eating two cloves daily may keep others so far away that they can't give you their colds.
Q. Some time ago you wrote about a person who had taped a bean to the inside of his wrist at bedtime as an aid against insomnia. By pushing on an acupressure point, it gave him a decent night's sleep. What I would like to know is whether you use the same bean over and over or a new bean every night.
A. That reader told us that he taped a dried kidney bean between the two tendons on the inside of his right wrist. He located a spot the width of three fingers from the wrist crease.
According to our research, this is an acupressure point called the "Inner Gate." Pushing on it is supposed to relieve anxiety and promote sleep. You should be able to use a dried kidney bean many times without replacing it.
You may also want to investigate 1st Choice Sleep Band, which has a plastic button embedded in a Velcro strap. It stimulates a different acupressure point. For more information, visit www.acuband.com.
Q. I am very sensitive to arthritis medicines. Ibuprofen gives me heartburn, and aspirin makes my ears ring. I really liked Vioxx because it did neither, but now it is gone. My doctor says Celebrex is a problem because I have high blood pressure plus a history of heart disease in the family.
My chiropractor recommended a combination of fish oil, glucosamine and magnet therapy. What can you tell me about these weirdo approaches?
A. While fish oil, glucosamine and magnets are not considered mainstream, there are scientific studies to support their use in treating arthritis. Fish oil has measurable anti-inflammatory activity, and glucosamine has been shown to relieve arthritis symptoms (Annals of Pharmacotherapy, June 2005).
Magnet therapy remains far more controversial. A study in the British Medical Journal (Dec. 18-25, 2004) suggested that this approach was better than placebo for hip and knee pain.
We are sending you our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis, with more information on these and other approaches to pain and inflammation. Anyone who would like a copy may download it from our Web site, www.peoplespharmacy.com, or send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. AA-2, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies" (St. Martin's Press).
& copy; 2005 King Features Syndicate Inc.