GOOT - Garlic Oil Ointment [Treatment]

[healthybratt]

I'm confused as to why using a press does not entail getting out the whole clove. I peel my garlic, and then press it, then I use the cleaner to get out the rest of the clove and I add it in to whatever I am preparing. If done this way, is it still a problem?

Someone else mentioned earlier that using a press also may make the combo more concentrated (if measured after pressing rather than before) and may be more likely to burn the skin.

[SC]

I'm confused as to why using a press does not entail getting out the whole clove. I peel my garlic, and then press it, then I use the cleaner to get out the rest of the clove and I add it in to whatever I am preparing. If done this way, is it still a problem?

I do NOT recommend using a garlic press to make Goot. You want the full clove to be in the mix as much as possible.

A garlic press doesn't allow for this. Also, this would require many more cloves to equal 3 tablespoons than would mincing. IMO, this would be far too potent to put on skin -- especially sensitive skin -- and possibly lead to a burn.

It has to do with the measurements. Goot is for 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tbsp coconut oil and 3 tbsp of MINCED garlic. If you are running the garlic through a press, it will measure differently. You will end up with much more garlic if you are doing 3 tbsp of pressed garlic versus 3 tbsp of minced garlic. This will throw off the ratio of garlic to oil.

[Julia]

What exactly is the purpose of the olive oil? I was thinking about leaving it out next time because it's expensive and I end up throwing a lot of GOOT out at the end of three weeks when it "expires." Plus I thought then I could leave it on the changing table or whatever to have when I need instead of keeping it in the fridge so it will be solid. Or is it refrigerated to keep it more fresh? Anyway, I was wondering if the only purpose of the olive oil was to liquefy the coconut oil.

[SC]

If you don't refrigerate Goot, the minced garlic won't keep. Olive oil is a moisturizer and skin protectant. The recipe will only require 3 tablespoons of the oil every three weeks. Also, Coconut oil is much more expensive than olive oil. However, coconut oil is an antimicrobial that works in concert with the garlic. If you remove the olive oil from the ointment, then you will have less ointment, use it more quickly and increase the expense of each application. Additionally, you will increase the ratio of garlic to oil as you will only have 3 tbsp of garlic and 3 tbsp of coconut oil (a 1:1 ratio). This could be irritating as it will be a greater strength of garlic.

[Julia]

Interesting, so the olive oil is good for the skin. Isn't the coconut oil a moisturizer and skin protectant also? I'm not on board yet with ordering the nice coconut oil; I'm still buying it from WalMart, so it is quite a bit cheaper than olive oil ($2.50/32 oz or so vs. about $9 for the olive oil). What if you put some vitamin E or rosemary or thyme in the GOOT as a preservative? Would it need to be refrigerated? I can't help tinkering with recipes for some reason  .

On the expiring of the GOOT - I had a jar that was pretty old but it was still sitting in the fridge. My three year old had what I decided was a yeast infection and I didn't have time to make a new batch right then, so I used the old stuff. It worked! I'm not saying you should never make new stuff but you might as well always have some in the fridge, even if it's old!

[SC]

Interesting, so the olive oil is good for the skin. Isn't the coconut oil a moisturizer and skin protectant also? I'm not on board yet with ordering the nice coconut oil; I'm still buying it from WalMart, so it is quite a bit cheaper than olive oil ($2.50/32 oz or so vs. about $9 for the olive oil). What if you put some vitamin E or rosemary or thyme in the GOOT as a preservative? Would it need to be refrigerated? I can't help tinkering with recipes for some reason  .

On the expiring of the GOOT - I had a jar that was pretty old but it was still sitting in the fridge. My three year old had what I decided was a yeast infection and I didn't have time to make a new batch right then, so I used the old stuff. It worked! I'm not saying you should never make new stuff but you might as well always have some in the fridge, even if it's old!

The coconut oil (organic, extra virgin) is also an antimicrobial which will fight yeast, fungus and help fight against bacteria.

For those of us that like to tinker with recipes (and I am one of you) GOOT is a great temptation. Since I am of your tribe, I know that nothing I say here will keep you from it. LOL!  So, I will just say this, after years of tinkering with the formula, I've not found a better one. I find that the simplest remedies are often the best for two reasons: (1) you have the items on hand (2) you use them more often.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't play around with it. Just know that if you do, you won't really have GOOT as your final product -- it will be your own version of something else. When you substitute something other than the organic, extra virgin coconut and olive oils, and the organic garlic cloves -- you've made something different. IMO the benefits will not be as great and you might quit using it when the genuine article would have had a better chance of working. If you're going to take the time to make the stuff, you may as well get the greatest benefit.

Just my $.02

[Whiterock]

The cheap stuff from Wal-Mart is not antimicrobial. It has been over processed. A good clue is that it doesn't have a strong coconut smell. I used it for cooking for a long time before finding NOW brand virgin coconut oil at our local herb shop ($8 for 12oz, or $11 for 20oz). The cheap stuff is better than shortening or canola oil, but if you use it in GOOT just be aware that the only thing it's going to add is the ability to firm-up in the fridge.
WR

[Julia]

I thought the coconut oil helped carry the garlic to the bloodstream.

[SC]

I thought the coconut oil helped carry the garlic to the bloodstream.

The property of raw garlic is that it will penetrate when placed on the skin. This is why you taste the garlic when you chop it up, even though you didn't eat any. The garlic has penetrated the skin of your hands and is already in your bloodstream. This also works when garlic is applied to the sole of your feet. GOOT will already be a benefit to whomever makes it -- before it's even applied!

GOOT is a good treatment for systemic conditions that manifest as skin irritations. The olive oil soothes the skin, as does the coconut oil with the added benefit of being an antimicrobial. The garlic addresses bacteria both on and in the body.

HTH

[MQM]

I made some GOOT last night for the first time, and my husband told me I could not sleep in his bed if I used it.  So after I took a shower, I had him sniff me to see if I could sleep in his bed.   

I want to use it again today but I have to wait until after I run errands.

[sixweechillens]

I made up my first little batch of GOOT about two days ago. Is it supposed to melt reallly fast and drip? I had a spot on my calf I was putting it on, but it melted instantly and ran down my leg to my sock.  I just used a little bit, too. Has anybody else had trouble with this? 

[Simply Kristen]

I made up my first little batch of GOOT about two days ago. Is it supposed to melt reallly fast and drip? I had a spot on my calf I was putting it on, but it melted instantly and ran down my leg to my sock.  I just used a little bit, too. Has anybody else had trouble with this? 

Did you put it in the fridge for an hour before using it?
That will harden the GOOT and make it easier to work with.

[4myhoonie]

I made up my first little batch of GOOT about two days ago. Is it supposed to melt reallly fast and drip? I had a spot on my calf I was putting it on, but it melted instantly and ran down my leg to my sock.  I just used a little bit, too. Has anybody else had trouble with this? 

sounds like maybe you could just use less.  i always have to hurry with it, so it doesn't drip on something. 

[sixweechillens]

Yes, I did put it in the fridge... overnight, in fact. I guess I was just a little surprised because I thought it would be thick, like ointment. Also I just realized that I had pressed the garlic instead of mincing it... but I didn't put in a whole 3 T. because I got tired of all the pressing! Maybe I used 2.... anyway, I'll mince it next time. One more thought.... does anybody else dislike smelling to the ceiling of garlic?? 

[herbalmom]

Yes, I did put it in the fridge... overnight, in fact. I guess I was just a little surprised because I thought it would be thick, like ointment. Also I just realized that I had pressed the garlic instead of mincing it... but I didn't put in a whole 3 T. because I got tired of all the pressing! Maybe I used 2.... anyway, I'll mince it next time. One more thought.... does anybody else dislike smelling to the ceiling of garlic?? 

The trick is to have everbody else you know use it at the same time so everybody else smells like garlic & nobody notices that you do too.

[Julia]

Why exactly do you put garlic on feet? Is there another place that's comparatively good to put GOOT? My kids are always barefoot (maybe this should be in the redneck thread) and even if I  get them to sit still for a while to be sure the garlic has soaked in, I still have greasy feet running around, which is good for the hardwood but not for the carpet . If they are wearing socks and shoes, then it's a matter of getting them all off and on every time I want to put GOOT on, or just putting it on at morning and night, which doesn't seem to be enough when they are sick. Plus, I always wonder if it's soaking into the sock more than into the skin.

[healthybratt]

Why exactly do you put garlic on feet? Is there another place that's comparatively good to put GOOT? My kids are always barefoot (maybe this should be in the redneck thread) and even if I  get them to sit still for a while to be sure the garlic has soaked in, I still have greasy feet running around, which is good for the hardwood but not for the carpet . If they are wearing socks and shoes, then it's a matter of getting them all off and on every time I want to put GOOT on, or just putting it on at morning and night, which doesn't seem to be enough when they are sick. Plus, I always wonder if it's soaking into the sock more than into the skin.

It's a good pathway through the skin into the body and it's probably less likely to burn than other more sensitive areas on the body, but you can rub it on anywhere that is comfortable and doesn't burn.  It'll get there.

[4myhoonie]

Why exactly do you put garlic on feet? Is there another place that's comparatively good to put GOOT? My kids are always barefoot (maybe this should be in the redneck thread) and even if I  get them to sit still for a while to be sure the garlic has soaked in, I still have greasy feet running around, which is good for the hardwood but not for the carpet . If they are wearing socks and shoes, then it's a matter of getting them all off and on every time I want to put GOOT on, or just putting it on at morning and night, which doesn't seem to be enough when they are sick. Plus, I always wonder if it's soaking into the sock more than into the skin.

i just put it on their feet at night and if they are really sick, their upper body in the morning. 

[4myhoonie]

Yes, I did put it in the fridge... overnight, in fact. I guess I was just a little surprised because I thought it would be thick, like ointment. Also I just realized that I had pressed the garlic instead of mincing it... but I didn't put in a whole 3 T. because I got tired of all the pressing! Maybe I used 2.... anyway, I'll mince it next time. One more thought.... does anybody else dislike smelling to the ceiling of garlic?? 

yeah, we get tired of the smell.  my kids have a cow when i put it on, and always want to know who is getting it!  but they get over it.  and usually the smell goes away or we get used to it, not sure which!    

[mexmarr]

Ok, I am going to make goot someday.... just as soon as I can get coconut oil.  My concern is this.  I am concerned about the goot making messes on everthing.  Will it get on the furniture, or carpet or their beds.  Will there clothes be full of grease stains?  If so, is it going to require tons of extra scrubbing to take care of.

I'm pregnant withtwo toddlers, and morning sick most of the time.  I can barely keep my dishes washed and laundry done.  I just can't bring extra work in intentionally.

I sure hope that my perspective on all the extra work it would be is wrong?  Is it?  I would like some specifics.  Thanks!

[4myhoonie]

Ok, I am going to make goot someday.... just as soon as I can get coconut oil.  My concern is this.  I am concerned about the goot making messes on everthing.  Will it get on the furniture, or carpet or their beds.  Will there clothes be full of grease stains?  If so, is it going to require tons of extra scrubbing to take care of.

I'm pregnant withtwo toddlers, and morning sick most of the time.  I can barely keep my dishes washed and laundry done.  I just can't bring extra work in intentionally.

I sure hope that my perspective on all the extra work it would be is wrong?  Is it?  I would like some specifics.  Thanks!

hi!  i don't find it to be a problem.  it soaks into the skin pretty quickly and yes their pjs do smell of garlic but we just wash everything as normal.  sheets every couple of weeks, etc.  it is such a blessing to me not to take my little ones to the dr. and remembering what a big pain it was to give antibiotics twice a day, and all the harm those do to their systems i much prefer to use GOOT!    my youngest just got a bad cold. he was miserable.  green snot, couldn't sleep, i'm sure it had went to his ears, though i didn't check.  i just mixed up the GOOT fresh and applied it twice a day.  he is almost well in 3 days!!!! PTL!  i just love this stuff! 

also, if you don't have the coconut oil, just use olive.  it should set up in the frig, i think and it's soooo easy to make!  do you have a pampered chef chopper or something similar? that's what i've been using to make mine and it works great.  then puree it in a mini food processor or blender and strain.  it's much better to use it without the coconut oil if you don't have any, than not to use it at all.  i just put it on their feet at night with socks, and if your kids would leave socks and slippers on in the day you could do that.  i totally understand your feeling tired and sick.  i hope the smell of it doesn't bother you!  i don't have nice furniture, so don't worry about it much, but i don't think it gets on anything.  HTH!   

[mexmarr]

  it is such a blessing to me not to take my little ones to the dr. and remembering what a big pain it was to give antibiotics twice a day,

  i hope the smell of it doesn't bother you!  i don't have nice furniture, so don't worry about it much, but i don't think it gets on anything.  HTH!   

Thanks for your imput!  We don't do doctor unless we absolutely have to, but my girls have taken turns being sick for the last 6 weeks.  It is getting old, and I am ready to nip it in the bud.

As for the smell.... Garlic is yummy, it my dh who wouldn't like it too much.  But he understands that, "no pain, no gain."  He'll put up with it willingly.

And furniture...  We moved to the US with none, and we got it all at the thrift store.  I don't know why I would even worry about it.  Nobody would notice another spot anyway! 

[petrimama]

In the past 2 weeks my batch of goot has cured:
1.  me of mastitis
2.  my friend & her son of a stomach bug
3.  an elderly woman of the flu
4.  my son of an ear infection
5.  2 of my friend's daughters of the flu
  Man that stuff goes a long way!  It works quickly, too!  Lovin' it!!  ~L

[MQM]

In the past 2 weeks my batch of goot has cured:
1.  me of mastitis
2.  my friend & her son of a stomach bug
3.  an elderly woman of the flu
4.  my son of an ear infection
5.  2 of my friend's daughters of the flu
  Man that stuff goes a long way!  It works quickly, too!  Lovin' it!!  ~L

So how often do you use it/reapply, all day long for how many days? How much do you use for each application? Does your entire house smell like an Italian restaurant?  DH would tolerate it if I served pizza and other wonderful Italian entrees every day.  (Unfortunately, I can't because he is on a very strict diet right now--but I keep reminding him that at least it smells like pizza which is his absolute favorite meal.)

I did use it on my DD on feet and chest, but her cold continued to worsen. (Same for me, except not as severe as hers, which sounds even more bronchial.)   I guess the way everyone talks about it, I assumed the efficacy of it was enough to see noticeable results.  But after applying it a few times and observing no visible improvement, I was kind of frustrated.

So I didn't bother using it yesterday except in the morning and last night she woke up during the night with a bad fever and had the worst trouble breathing--rattling in chest, short breaths--since her cold began.  If I had been convinced by experience that it was really helping, I would have applied it in the middle of the night also.  But because it didn't seem to make any difference the couple of times I used it, I didn't want to bother with slime, odor, and maintenance--towel under DD on bed, socks on her feet, endless handwashing to reduce odor, etc.  I ended up giving Tylenol and cooling her down with a damp cloth.  Her fever finally broke  around 6:30am and she was a little better today than yesterday.

Perhaps I should have "bitten the bullet" and gone through the trouble?  I really want this to work...seeing how the oils aren't cheap and I've got a whole batch of it in my fridge. Not to mention, I do not like OTC meds etc.  DH says if she isn't better by Friday, then I need to take her to the doctor.

Her breathing is much better tonight (so far), but I gave her an expectorant from the health food store with guaifenesin because DH and I thought she needed an expectorant to clear up the mucus once and for all.

Any thoughts?  For those of you who use it to treat colds, how quickly do you see improvement? 

[rosy]

When my children are about to get sick or are very sick I give them Sambucol and a clove of garlic with each meal(I grate it over their food, they can't see it and it enhances the flavor of the food so they eat better)  I can't say enough about Sambucol, it has done wonders with our viral illnesses.

[KatieMac]

I recently got my kids the Pediacare Gentle Vapors night light and I'm convinced it helped my son sleep through the night when he had his bad chest cold. The vapors actually smell good and they really permeate the room. Each refill lasts 8 hours.

I use garlic oil too...and I'm not sure if it helps. But it was just garlic oil, no garlic solids, and no coconut oil either. I am getting pretty sick of the smell of garlic...but I do want to keep plugging away.

[4myhoonie]

i used it morning and night for 2 days and saw major visible improvement.  then continued to use it, though i think not long enough.  you have to remember it also makes a difference how strong the immune system is of the child you are using it on.  sambuccol is great too. 

katiemac~~do you use the childrens version of sambuccol?  i found the adult version to bother the tummy of my 1 year old.  would do the kids version next time. 

i don't bother with all the towels, etc.  the oils aren't cheap, no, but think how much you would spend if were using over the counter products, antibiotics, etc.  it really takes so little to make a batch.  i also put it down their backs.  then i just put on clothes and socks, like i would anyway.  in fact i think i will make all my kids wear it tomorrow afternoon, and bedtime.  they are all "slightly" sick, but not enough to make them miserable.   

keep it up 4 or 5 days.  in addition, try other things. sambuccol, immune boosters, tummy tune up, etc.  good luck!

[SC]

I know we live in a more is better society, but let's all just step back and think for a minute.

GOOT helps your body do what it was designed to do. It isn't a magic pharmaceutical drug. It is a herb mixed with specially formulated oils. I'm not sure where all of the staining and stuff on the bed linen is coming from. I've used GOOT a number of years now. My method is to rub it on the chest as I would an application of Vicks. I rub the chest until it the oil is mostly absorbed, put a t-shirt on the kid and send him to bed. If congestion isn't a major issue, just rub it on the feet, put on a pair of socks and send him to bed. The next morning you should have either a pair of socks or a t-shirt to wash.

As long as symptoms persist, I apply GOOT at least three times a day. That's easy for me to remember because we eat that often. Then I re-apply at bed time if we are really fighting a bad sickness. I don't wake a child up during the night if he is resting nicely. If he's coughing or sniffing, I may go in there and GOOT him.

Remember, within a few minutes of application GOOT is in the bloodstream and doing its work. I find that the key to success with GOOT is to act early and often. In other words, if I hear a little one sniffing, I put some GOOT on his chest before he runs out to play and repeat at the next meal and so on until he is no longer showing symptoms. I don't wait until the passages are completely clogged and a fever is raging. I act when I hear the first sniffle and monitor the symptoms carefully.

In the long run, I find that I actually use GOOT less often by using this approach. Their little immune systems get just the boost they need to fend off the little invaders and they seem to improve quickly.

It does have an odor, but if your whole house has a vibrant aroma, I'm wondering if the problem isn't that too much is being applied at a single application (you only need less than a tablespoon) with too much time being left between applications?

[MQM]

Hmmm...

About 3-1/2 weeks ago, we started getting colds, but it passed quickly for all of us except DD who seemed asthmatic for a day.  I used eucalyptus oil and a natural homeopathic cough syrup with ipecac and seemed to knock it out.  Then we were out of town for 4-1/2 days-- 2000 miles driving, 35 hours total--and were exposed to other illnesses and unfamiliar climates for 2 days in between--SIL, who was also there, has bronchitis--and the cold started up again for all of us (dh, kids, and me) last week when we returned, with a vengeance I might add.

We can't seem to shake it.  When I first noticed symptoms, I gave the syrup again, upped the probiotics, bought an echinacea herbal supplement formula for kids (echinacea/goldenseed formula for me), and have used eucalyptus oil consistently either on a damp cloth for them (DD and DS) to inhale, a few drops on their pillows and mine, in their baths, or in a room vaporizer.  It seemed to help relieve the congestion but now that it is in her chest, it doesn't seem to help much. 

I've given meringue for fevers.  We drink peppermint tea all the time.  I've added propolis and honey to it.  And sometimes I mix peppermint tea with licorice root tea.

Maybe I'll just use Nyquil like DH, who got better after 3 days. Although, he got to sleep for 3 whole days, too. 

you have to remember it also makes a difference how strong the immune system is of the child you are using it on.  sambuccol is great too.

We used a whole bottle of sambucol, between DD, DS, and me the last time we had a cold, and I didn't notice any benefit from that either.  The cold passed after 5-7 days as usual and symptoms persisted for the duration. 

I asked DH if he thinks our dc have strong immune systems.  He said with no hesitation, "Yes!"  How do you gauge strong, though? They've never had antibiotics, ear infections, strep, etc. (Breasted ds almost 15 mos. and dd 19 mos.)  Have only ever had common colds and stomach virus.  We eat mostly natural, unprocessed foods, supplement probiotics, avoid sugar, etc.  I know there are a lot of other factors, but by and large, I just don't see how they can't.

[herbalmom]

Meek & Quiet Mommy,
 
I would use GOOT on chests, back, & feet & check out the thread in men's health on bronchitis. HTH ~herbalmom