Neurological Research and Desynchronization of Brain Waves
9. Neurological Research and Desynchronization of Brain Waves
The Common Objection
"Is there any contemporary neuroscientific or biochemical evidence that garlic alters the brain or impedes mental concentration?"
Clinical Observations by Dr. Robert C. Beck
In the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Robert C. Beck, a renowned American researcher and biomedical engineer, conducted clinical studies on human brain function and biofeedback. While studying flight simulator performance and EEG brain wave activity, Dr. Beck uncovered an unexpected finding regarding garlic consumption:
- Penetration of the Blood-Brain Barrier: Garlic contains the sulphone hydroxyl ion, a volatile organic chemical that easily crosses the protective blood-brain barrier.
- Desynchronization of Hemispheres: Consuming garlic caused noticeable desynchronization of alpha brain waves between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
- Impaired Reflexes and Concentration: Pilots and flight crews who ate food prepared with garlic showed significantly delayed reaction times (often doubled or tripled), reduced mental clarity, and attentional fatigue.
Because of these findings, flight surgeons and aviation authorities historically advised commercial and military pilots to avoid eating garlic before flights.
Why Chinese and Taoist Masters Banned Alliums
This scientific reality is not unique to India. In traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist meditation traditions, the "Five Pungent Roots" (Wu Hun—garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, and chives) were strictly prohibited for monks and meditators:
- They observed that garlic causes mental agitation (shen disturbance).
- It harms the subtle qi (prana) of the liver, kidneys, and lungs.
- It obstructs the flow of energy through the central meridian channels (nadis).
The Yogic Concordance
When modern neuro-electronics confirm that alliums desynchronize brain waves, they simply validate what the Vedic rishis observed millennia ago: garlic clouds the intellect (buddhi) and shatters the tranquil stillness necessary for deep meditation on God.