Garlic Central News

The Connecticut Post reports that the 14 year old Notre Dame High School Garlic Fest will no longer take place.

The annual garlic festival, founded by Notre Dame's principal the Rev William Sangiovanni, has been scrapped for financial reasons. Over the last few years costs have been rising - $45000 last year before the festival even opened - whilst takings have gone down.

Sangiovanni is reported to be trying to think of other occasions at which he can wear his famous garlic hat.

News.co.au reports on research that appears to confirm a piece of garlic folklore - that its beneficial effects extend to the bedroom.

It's been known for some time that garlic can help to defend against heart attack by improving circulation. Now Dr Joerg Gruenwald of Berlin University reports that the same effect can possibly improve male sexual performance. Gruenwald said:

"A lot of men with heart disease will have impotence but not realise poor circulation and narrowing of the arteries in the groin is to blame.

"Garlic can help. A good flow of blood to the groin means a man should not have a problem with sex."

Unfortunately normal levels of garlic consumption are unlikely to make a significant difference. Instead he suggests considering garlic supplements.

The Guardian reports that South Africa's Health Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, has been widely criticised for comments regarding the treatment of AIDS victms.

At a news conference in Cape Town the Minister - dubbed "Doctor Garlic" - refused to be "pushed" into meeting WHO targets for the use of retro-viral drugs, claiming that too little was known about their side-effects. Instead she extolled the virtue of a diet including garlic, lemon skin and beetroot.

Leonard Okello of Action Aid said:

"It is a shame that a minister of health who is expected to provide leadership should be spending time arguing rather than taking action. Every medicine has some side effects - even food has side effects - and the anti-retrovirals are being improved all the time."

The Telegraph reports on new research into the effectiveness of garlic in reducing the risk of heart disease.

The research, presented at the American Heart Association, showed that powdered garlic consumption cut the build up of arterial fatty deposits (nanoplaques). A reduction in such build-up could lead to a reduction in the risk of heart disease.

The findings still need to be verified through clinical trials.