Interesting! I love eating garlic but garlic hates me -- I have a hot and dry temperament to begin with and garlic's heat tends to wreak havoc on my digestive system about 4-24 hours after eating it. My husband is more cold and dry and my mom runs towards the cold and wet, so they would do well to eat fresh garlic. Strangely, cayenne pepper doesn't have the same digestion-wrecking effects.

One trick I discovered for chopping fresh garlic (before I discovered I would have hell to pay by eating it) is putting some water on the cutting board while you are chopping it. Garlic otherwise is sticky and clings to the knife. A tablespoon of water works miracles and keeps everything loose and off the blade.