Store Your Fresh Basil

How to Select and Store

Whenever possible, choose fresh basil over the dried form of the herb since it is superior in flavor. The leaves of fresh basil should look vibrant and be deep green in color. They should be free from darks spots or yellowing.

Even through dried herbs and spices like basil are widely available in supermarkets, you may want to explore the local spice stores in your area. Oftentimes, these stores feature an expansive selection of dried herbs and spices that are of superior quality and freshness compared to those offered in regular markets. Just like with other dried herbs, when purchasing dried basil, try to select organically grown basil since this will give you more assurance that it has not been irradiated (among other potential adverse effects, irradiating basil may lead to a significant decrease in its vitamin C and carotenoid content.)

Fresh basil should be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel. It may also be frozen, either whole or chopped, in airtight containers. Alternatively, you can freeze the basil in ice cube trays covered with either water or stock that can be added when preparing soups or stews. 

Dried basil should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in

 a cool, dark and dry place where it will keep fresh for about six months.

Enjoy your day.         

History of Basil

Basil now grows in many regions throughout the world, but it was first native to India, Asia and Africa. It is prominently featured in varied cuisines throughout the world including Italian, Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian.

The name "basil" is derived from the old Greek word basilikohn, which means "royal," reflecting that ancient culture's attitudes towards an herb that they held to be very noble and sacred. 

The tradition of reverence of basil has continued in other cultures. In India, basil was cherished as an icon of hospitality, while in Italy, it was a symbol of love.

Have a great day.

Uniqueness of The Basil Herb

Description

Basil is a highly fragrant plant whose leaves are used as a seasoning herb for many different types of foods. Basil has become one of the most recognizable herbs ever since pesto, the mixture of basil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese, has become popular.

Basil has round leaves that are oftentimes pointed. They are green in color, although some varieties feature hints of red or purple. Basil looks a little like peppermint, which is not surprising since they belong to the same plant family.

There are more than 60 varieties of basil, all of which differ somewhat in appearance and taste. 

while the taste of sweet basil is bright and pungent, other varieties also offer unique tastes: lemon basil, anise basil and cinnamon basil all have flavors that subtly reflect their name. The scientific name for basil is Ocimum basilicum.

Have a healthy day.

'Basil' A Natural Anti-Inflammatory

Anti-Inflammatory Effects

The eugenol component of basil's volatile oils has been the subject of extensive study, since this substance can block the activity of an enzyme in the body called cyclooxygenase (COX). 

Many non-steriodal over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), including aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as the commonly used medicine acetaminophen, work by inhibiting this same enzyme. (In the case of acetaminophen, this effect is somewhat controversial, and probably occurs to a much lesser degree than is the case with aspirin and ibuprofen).

 This enzyme-inhibiting effect of the eugenol in basil qualifies basil as an "anti-inflammatory" food that can provide important healing benefits along with symptomatic relief for individuals with inflammatory health problems like rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel conditions.

You cannot go wrong with this herb plant, if you have never tried it, give a try,  I love it.

Have a healthy day.

Thank You Jesus!

I give you thanks on 'Thanks Giving'  dear Lord of Host.

 

Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for:

1. Drawing me to prayer and power,
2. The salvation of my soul,
3. Baptizing me with the Holy Spirit,
4. Producing spiritual gift upon my life,
5. The fruit of the spirit working in me,
6. The wonderful gift of praise,
7. All the ways You have intervened in my affairs,
8. Your divine plan for my life,
9. You will never leave me nor forsake me,
10. Bringing me to a place of maturity and deeper life,
11. Lifting me up when I fall,
12. Keeping me in perfect peace,
13. Making all things work together for good for me,
14. Protecting me from the snares of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence,
15. The wonder-working power in Your Word and in the Blood of the Lamb,
16. Giving Your angels charge over me,
17. Fighting for me against my adversaries,
18. Making me more than a conqueror,
19. Supplying all my needs according to Your riches in glory,
20. Your healing power upon my body, soul and spirit,
21. Flooding my heart with the light of heaven,
22. Always causing me to triumph in Christ Jesus,
23. Turning my curses into blessings,
24. Enabling me to dwell in safety,
25. All the blessings of life,
26. Your greatness, power, glory, majesty, splendor and righteousness,
27. Silencing the foe and the avenger,
28. You are at my right hand and I shall not be moved,
29. You are trustworthy and You will help your own,
30. Not allowing my enemies to rejoice over me,
31. Your wonderful love,
32. You are great and greatly to be praised,
33. Delivering my soul from death and my feet from stumbling,
34. You are my fortress and refuge in time of trouble,
35. Your faithfulness and marvellous deeds,
36. Your act of power and surpassing greatness,
37. Dispersing spiritual blindness from my spirit,
38. Lifting me out of the depths,
39. Preserving me and keping my feet from slipping,
40. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and he is safe.

AMEN!!!

Sleep Deprivation

There is  definitely an obvious link between sleep and exercise because over and over again, it is noted that people who exercise during the day tend to fall asleep quicker and much longer than people who are less active with no exercise during their day. 

 If you are experiencing sleep deprivation there are a few things you can try to help you get sufficient sleep at nights such as:

·        Time your exercise 5-6 hours before bedtime; a drop in body temperature helps sound sleep.

·        Exercise vigorous enough to break a little sweat

·        Stick with it, to see improvement in your sleep.

If you are interested in improving your sleep, you might want to consider exercising at least 4 times per week.

Have a blessed day.

Avoid Memory Decline

Study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and published online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that zinc could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. (clumping in the brain).

 It is noted that the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease comes from proteins losing function (cell death) 

The study analyzed the affect zinc had on yeast cells when there was either an excess or deficiency of 

zinc. The researchers noted that yeast cells and human cells share several similarities.

The team found that a shortage of zinc causes cellular stress, which in turn causes proteins to become defective and begin clumping together. They also found that when there is an excess of zinc “protein chaperones” are created that get rid of the dangerous reactive species that damage the proteins, and help prevent them from clumping in the brain.

Some foods that are high in zinc include, oysters, shitake mushrooms and spinach. The researchers also noted that zinc also helps boost your immune system, balance blood sugar and control you metabolism.

If you are interested in minimizing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and enjoying other health benefits, you might want to consider adding zinc to your diet.

Have a healthy day.

Memory Boost

A lot of people seem to be concerned about being forgetful, surprisingly, some are in their teen years, twenties, thirties, and upwards. Why is this happening? For the most part it could be a deficient in some vitamins. And for the most part, these can be derived from foods we can eat regularly. 

Memory loss or forgetfulness can be reversed or regulated by making sure you have more vitamin K in your diet daily, its that easy. Vitamin K can be found in many different foods including spinach, broccoli, brussels sprout, romaine lettuce, collard greens and parsley.

If you are interested in boosting your memory performance, then you might want to add more vitamin K to your diet if you have not been doing so. Here's a quick recipe i use quite often.

1 cup chopped broccoli, 1 cup chopped Brussels sprout, 2 cloves chopped garlic, black pepper, 1/2 tsp.turmeric, olive oil and salt..

Heat olive oil in sauce pan throw in garlic, turmeric, sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Saute a couple seconds then add Brussels sprout and broccoli. Saute for about 5 min. That's it, ready to eat with rice or whatever you like. You can always do quick stir fry or lightly steamed some of these greens especially when you are in a hurry and or if you don't like eating raw vegetables.