Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive. Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.[1] A bulb of garlic, the most commonly used part of the plant, is divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. Single clove garlic (also called Pearl garlic or Solo garlic) also exists—it originates in the Yunnan province of China. The cloves are used as seed, for consumption (raw or cooked), and for medicinal purposes. The leaves, stems (scape), and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are also edible and are most often consumed while immature and still tender. The papery, protective layers of “skin” over various parts of the plant and the roots attached to the bulb are the only parts not considered palatable. Thanks Wikipedia!!
O! and another fun fact China produces over 12million tons of garlic a year compared to America’s measly 221,000 tons. China makes about 24 times as much garlic a year compared to it’s closest garlic competitor India. Not bad if you ask me.
Enough of the wikipedia – the reason I’m sharing these gems of information about this lovely edible wonder is because of it’s impact on my life as of late. Aside from the noteworthy advantages it affords me in battles against Asian vampires it also seems to have granted me immunity from many of my skin troubles.
It all started about a month or so ago when I found this nice noodle shop at the bottom of my office building that has a nice bowl of beef noodles for a mere 8rmb + raw garlic cloves in a small cup on the side of the table which I gorge myself on. By the way this is the base unit I now valuate any purchase I make with – by the number of bowls of noodle I can purchase for the amount of RMB being requested for a product or service. Is this book worth 20 bowls of noodles? Is that bike really worth 150 bowls of noodles?? Silly perhaps, but hey it keeps my boat afloat in low times 
Anyway ever since I’ve been eating garlic regularly I’ve notice my skin is reluctant to break out. Miraculous! I notice similar results when I consumed lemons several months however lemons aren’t cheap and I got tired of spending post meal times puckered up like a sour patch kid. Vinegar is next on the list of ingredients to include regularly in my diet – methinks my hypothesis about an overgrowth of yeast in my digestive track is beginning to make more sense. I’ll have to look into that again.
. Clarification on 
