The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels. Through this system, blood circulates throughout the body. All body organs and tissues need a supply of blood to receive nutrition and to remove waste products.

A major factor in cardiovascular disease is lifestyle. A poor diet, lack of excerise, and smoking all contribute to making cardiovascular disease the biggest killer in North America. Changing your lifestyle, and using supplements such as alpine wild garlic, can help you maintain your cardio health.

Benefits & Features

Benefits

• Helps maintain cardiovascular health

• Helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels

• Has all the benefits of regular garlic, plus more

• Displays antioxidant ability

• Activates macrophages to reduce the synthesis of LDL cholesterol and protect against plaques and blood clots

• Has antibacterial and antifungal properties for maintaining immuno health

• Increases microcirculation

Features

• Is odorless upon digestion

• Has high adenosine content

• Has high g-glutamyl peptide (GLUT) content

• Has never been domesticated

• Active substances are found in the leaves, not the bulbs

• 90-count capsules

What is AIM Bear Paw Garlic?

Bear Paw Garlic  is a unique form of garlic. It is not derived from Allium sativum, the species of garlic sold in supermarkets and used in garlic supplements. Rather, Bear Paw Garlic  comes from Allium ursinum, a wild species of garlic found in central Europe.

Unlike A. sativum, A. ursinum has never been successfully cultivated. (Apparently, the eighth-century ruler Charlemagne attempted to cultivate the plant for medicinal purposes, but there is no record of his success.) A. ursinum is found in areas of damp woods and wooded ravines and flourishes in the hills and mountains of central Europe. Its name is derived from the claim that bears, after awakening from winter hibernation, consume wild garlic to regain strength (ursinum is Latin for "bear"). Although most of us think of the distinctive garlic bulb and cloves when considering garlic, the active substances in A. ursinum are found in its green leaves.

Although largely unknown in the United States, in 1989, A. ursinum was called "the new star" of garlic in the German health journal Therapiewoche (Therapy Week) and, in 1992, was declared the European medicinal "Plant of the Year" by the Association for the Protection and Research on European Medicinal Plants. See allium ursinum for more information. See also Allicin and Garlic.

Process

A. ursinum is hand-picked in the spring during a one-week period. It is harvested in the alpine regions of central Europe, in particular Switzerland. Because it is wild and cannot be cultivated, only the leaves are cut; the bulb remains in the earth to ensure future supply.

Once the leaves are harvested, they are processed quickly. They are cleaned, washed, dried, and milled under low temperatures. During this processing, adenosine levels are monitored to guarantee at least 1,100 mg/kg.

How to use Bear Paw Garlic™

Take 3 capsules per day. You may take them at any time.

Shelf life is 4 years, sealed. Close tightly after opening and store in a cool, dry, dark place (70-75 ?; 20.1-23.8 ?). Do not refrigerate.

Q & A

Why have I never heard of A. ursinum?

Because it's wild! Because it has never been domesticated, A. ursinum has never made it around the world as regular garlic has. And because of this, it has not been subjected to the publicity of the "garlic wars":  the fight for a market share that has done so much to bring garlic to people's attention. It is, however, known in scientific circles and in Europe.

What is the difference between A. ursinum and A. sativum?

Both A. ursinum and A. sativum come from the same family and share the same active substances and benefits. However, the leaf is used in A. ursinum and the bulb is used in A. sativum. A. ursinum also has higher quantities of many of the active substances than A. sativum does and upon digestion has less odor. In particular, A. ursinum has more of the water-soluble substances.

Aren't allicin and other fat-soluble substances the only ones of importance in garlic?

No. Although allicin and ajoene are important, there is a wealth of research from Europe indicating that the water-soluble parts of garlic-adenosine, g-glutamyl peptides, flavonoids, and fructanes-are equally important, if not more beneficial than allicin. As well, allicin has known side effects and is also highly unstable.

What are these water-soluble substances?

We have briefly discussed adenosine and g-glutamyl peptides in this data sheet. Flavonoids are substances in plants that often have health benefits. Fructanes are significant because they are indigestible sugars known as oligosaccharides. Fructo-oligosaccharides encourage the growth of "good" intestinal bacteria. See FloraFood for more on beneficial bacteria.

Suggested Reading

• Clouatre, Dallas, Ph.D. Alpine Wild Garlic. San Francisco: Pax Publishing, 1995.

• Sendel, et al. "Comparative pharmacological investigations of Allium ursinum and Allium sativum." Planta Medica 58 (1992).

• Because Bear Paw Garlic ? shares many of the benefits of Allium sativum, any of the many books on this subject would be valuable.

• Bear Paw Garlic ? is a Cardio Health product. The complete Cardio Health line consists of CellSparc 360, and Bear Paw Garlic . Use these products to help yourself maintain cardiovascular health.

Ask About

• Bear Paw Garlic segment on the Quarterly Video Magazine.

• Audio interviews with Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D., and Harry Preuss, M.D.

• Alpine Wild Garlic book available from Pax Publishing