Occurrence and cultivation of the all-man armor
The plant occurs in almost all mountains in Europe and Asia. Especially in the Alps, but also in the Caucasus, the Urals and the Pyrenees. It can be found on mountain meadows and grassy, rocky slopes at altitudes between 1000 and 2600 m. The name All man's armor comes from the fact that the onion should offer men protection from evil spirits - like chain mail, also called armor. The doctrine of signatures also says something similar.
Since the root is covered with a "shell" made of fine hairs, it assumes that an amulet made of all man's armor is strong against stab and gunshot wounds. The yellowish-white blooming leek reaches a height of 30 to 60 centimeters. The onion is almost cylindrical and is also characterized by its garlic-like smell. Hence the name Mountain garlic, and this also explains its use as a spice plant.
The leaves are entire and lanceolate, with short stems and a total length of about 10 to 20 centimeters, with a width of about three to six centimeters. The plant blooms from June to August. The flowers form dense, spherical umbels and fruits are also formed, in the form of capsule fruits. These usually contain six seeds. Since it is a protected plant, the plant should be grown in your own garden if necessary.
Effect & application
The all-man armor is used both as a spice plant and as a medicinal plant, and in both cases the relationship to garlic is easy to see. Especially in spring, the all-man armor is often used because of its detoxifying, blood-cleansing effect. Less well known is the use for intestinal problems and flatulence.
Ingredients that are responsible for the effect are primarily the essential oils with sulfur. The plant is collected from March to May, before it starts to flower. The easiest way to use it is in the form of raw vegetables. Fresh on bread and butter or in a salad, the ingredients are still best contained. The taste is very similar to wild garlic, but the leaves are a little thicker and last longer.
It is also possible to put the leaves in alcohol and make a tincture that can be used internally. The tincture should be suitable for a spring cure to flush out the toxins stored in winter. So far, however, there are no studies that prove the actual effect in this regard. In contrast, the effects of close relatives such as garlic or wild garlic have been much better researched.
In addition, these representatives occur more frequently, which is why they are usually used when a blood-purifying, detoxifying or antibacterial effect is desired. Nonetheless, the man's armor has always been considered a magical plant, and it has always been described in connection with apotropaic acts. The all-man armor was also considered a protective plant for miners.
In addition to the antibacterial and blood-cleansing effect, the various essential oils should also cause irritation of the urogenital tract, which creates an aphrodisiac effect. In addition to its use as a diuretic, the all-man armor is also used in folk medicine against worms.
The round Siegwurz is an all-man armor that contains saponins in addition to essential oils. This representative is therefore mainly used in veterinary medicine. Otherwise, the modes of action and areas of application of the all-man armor have not been very well researched. It used to be more important in medicine and especially in superstition it played a major role. Today it is hardly used any more. As already mentioned, phytotherapy uses the relatives garlic and wild garlic more often. The all-man armor is also not used in homeopathy.
Importance for health, treatment & prevention
The plant is primarily used in prevention. Since it is also a spice plant, the all-man armor can easily be incorporated into the daily diet, which can certainly bring advantages. Used like garlic, it is suitable for seasoning meat, sauces and salads. Not only the taste benefits, but also your health. Because of the characteristic taste, salt can be saved, which in too high doses can lead to high blood pressure in sensitive people.
Added to this is the water-draining effect of the all-man harness, which also has a positive effect on blood pressure. Not only can hypertension be prevented in this way, all man's armor also counteracts the development of arteriosclerosis, the consequences of which are the most common causes of death in industrialized countries.
The antibacterial effect supports the intestinal function in particular. All types of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, worms, can be acted upon and the natural intestinal flora is spared. But also when used externally, all man's harness can counteract recurring rashes and pimples thanks to its antibiotic effect.
The studies for the effectiveness of the targeted treatment of certain diseases are lacking, but the all-man armor certainly works in the kitchen. Although there is a lack of impeccable evidence, there are many indications that the low doses have a preventive effect on the development of certain diseases, such as hypertension or arteriosclerosis.
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