Posts Tagged ‘Herbs’
Basil, The Undisputed Kings of The Kitchen
Basil herbs is actually derived from a Greek word which means “King” (or basileus). Some origins of the word suggest that ancient Greeks and Romans associated the word and thus the herb as something malicious. Some myths concluded that one must yell and curse before any herb plants would grow from the seeds. While that was proven to be untrue, it’s hard to deny that basil herbs are still a rather pungent spice, if not particularly angry.
In later times, basil came to represent love, and men in Italy would give women a sprig of basil as a romantic gesture. When it comes to cuisine, basil is usually identified with Mediterranean food, along with Italian and Thai specialties. However, did you know that this herb actually came from India? Yes, it was Vishnu and Krishna’s own personal choice.
Getting Your Basil to Grow
Basil herb plants grow as perennials in some tropical regions and are often used as annuals in temperate zones. The first and most important thing to understand about basil herbs is that the plant is very sensitive to temperature. It is best grown in warm and sunny weather. In fact, it’s more preferable to keep pots or gardens indoors rather than expose it to outdoor weather.
As far as soil goes, they prefer well drained soil along with good quality compost or well rotted manure. Basil requires a steady water supply to grow as well as adequate drainage. A lack of light as well as any sort of drought will quickly wilt the plant. In addition, gardeners will have to mulch just the right amount so as to maintain the soil, but not do so prematurely. When the plant starts to flourish it’s time to cut the stems back and cut off the flowers.
Removing the flowers is something that has to happen, that’s what gives basil to the world. If yiou get the opportunity, try the flavor of basil leaves just before the plant flowers.
The Many Uses of Basil
Although basil herbs do posses antviral & antibacterial benefits they’re not generally used as a homeopathic extract, they are best known for their benefits to cooking. Part of the mint family they do actually aid digestive processes as well as brewing a pot of tea.
With more then 60 varieties of basil, they say that there are many more yet to be unearthed. The most common of the variety used in the kitchen is sweet basil although lemon basil is a common ingredient for some soups & sweets. The basil family includes many varieties including, cinnamon, African blue & Opal.
Some of the basil available at retail outlets has been out for the ground for a long period and has lost its oomph. The benefit of having your own herb garden is your basil will be super fresh & full of flavor.
With fresh basil in your kitchen, your cooking will take on a new dimension!
Herb loving maniac & all round good guy Peter Williams, lives for herbs alone… so for more great information about the secrets of basil herbs check out What Are The Healthiest Herbs?
Tags: basil, cooking, culinary, eating, Food, gardening, Growing Herbs, Health & Fitness, Healthy Food, herb gardening, Herbs, indoor gardening, recipe
Siberian Chaga Used in Russia as Cancer Drug
If you discover a black, cancerous mass on a birch, you may be looking at a Siberian chaga mushroom. It can also, less commonly, be found growing ash, beech, elm or hornbeam.
In Europe and Asia, chaga has been used for centuries to treat cancers of the heart and liver, digestive ailments, and tuberculosis. [121]
The traditional use was to peel the black skin of the mushroom and then boil it into a tea. Being a compact and easily portable medicinal made it very valuable to healers throughout history.
Modern research on chaga has mainly focused on its potential application as an anti-cancer remedy. In Russia, this usage was already approved as early as 1955 to treat lung, stomach, breast and cervical cancers. [122]
One modern study from 1998 showed that chaga extract did in fact inhibit growth of cervical cancer cell lines under lab conditions. [123] Another study from 1995 reported that an isolate of the active compound betulin first inhibited growth of melanoma cells in a lab, and then killed them. [124, 25]
Other research papers also confirm that some of the active compounds of chaga help retard the growth of cancer cells. [125, 126]
Although traditional healers used to peel off the black outside (probably because it looked unappetizing), the skin actually contains 30% betulin, a highly prized medicinal compound, [127] while the inside is rich in fungal lanostanes. So both parts would be valuable in preparing the tea.
Even better are chaga extracts that are made with not only the whole mushroom but also the mycelium, because the mycelium contains higher levels of medicinal proteins than the fruit body of the mushroom.
Other researchers have found chaga extract to be potently anti-viral. Two studies in 1996 found it to have an inhibitory effect on both influenza [127] and HIV. [128] Perhaps it does so by helping to stimulate the body’s natural immune functions, something that was first confirmed in 2002 and then again in 2005, [25, 129] and which may also help explain the historical use of chaga mushroom as an anti-inflammatory. [130]
Furthermore, alcohol extract of chaga mushroom has been found to lower blood sugar levels. [131] Chaga also demonstrates significant antioxidant properties that help protect the genetic integrity of the cells. [132, 133]
As an interesting aside unrelated to human health, a Quebec arborist uses a chaga poultice to cure chestnut blight. The trees later even become immune to the blight and resistant to future infections. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
Dr. Markho Rafael has worked in the natural health field since finishing Chiropractic College in 1996. He currently specializes in medicinal fungi in partnership with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC, a U.S. business offering Siberian Chaga Mushroom Extract and much more. For the scientific references to this article, go to the Chaga Extract page and click on any number indicating a reference.
Tags: AIDS, breast cancer, cancer, diabetes, disease, herbal, Herbs, hiv, medicine, Nutrition, skin cancer, Supplements, wellness, women's
Why You Should Grow An Herb Garden
Herbs are loved by the gardeners who grow them because of their flavors, their scents and many other qualities that only herbs have. There are reasons herbs have been used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes in every culture. Another good thing about them is they are not difficult to grow, they just need a little love and care. There are many reasons why you should grow herbs.
There is a difference between culinary herbs and spices. The main difference between an herb and a spice is where it is from on a plant. Herbs are the leafy green part of the plant, spices are the other parts like roots, barks, fruits and seeds. Herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that, like spices, they are used in small amounts and provide flavor rather than eaten as food. The botanical definition says that an herb is a plant that doesn’t produce a woody stem.
The debate between what is an herb and what’s a spice is continuing. Some people say that there is no difference. Some culinary herbs are shrubs, one example is rosemary, some herbs are trees. Botanical herbs, by definition cannot be woody plants. Some plants are used as both a spice and a herb, examples of this are dill seed and dill weed or coriander seeds and coriander leaves.
It is easy to grow a garden for the kitchen by planting herbs in pots, with the added benefit that you can take them inside during the winter. There are many herbs that will thrive in pots, some do much better than others. Some are better to grow in a container because they are going to take over the entire garden if you let them grow openly.
Why mess around going to the supermarket when you may have fresh herbs growing out your back door. Herbs are best when picked and used right then. There is no way you can buy an herb in the supermarket that will ever be this fresh.
Some herbs have medicinal value, they contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body. Throughout history they’ve been used to treat sicknesses. Many plants are being scientifically studied to find if the advantages claimed for these plants are valid.
Some herbs can serve as a pest control. Examples are mint, spearmint, peppermint, and pennyroyal. Planting these herbs around a house can help keep bugs away such as flies, mice, ants, flees and ticks. Unlike insecticides, these plants are not known to be harmful to children or pets.
Basil is one of my favorite plants to grow, it grows almost anywhere, it can be grown on the kitchen windowsill all year round. Fresh basil is always best, it can be used in many dishes and makes a great winter tea. When you cook with basil, add it as the last ingredient because it loses nutrient worth quickly when heated. In Hinduism a type of Basil called Tulsi is worshiped as a goddess for its medicinal value.
Parsley is really easy to grow as long as you water it well in hot weather. It is a great plant to start your herb garden with, it is nutritious and great in Italian dishes and casseroles, sauces, scrambled eggs and as a garnish. It is frost tolerant and flourishes in hot summers and wet winters. Grow your parsley in full sun or part shade in fertile, free draining soils. You can harvest parsley at any point during the year.
No garden would be ideal without garlic, it is easy to grow and has many uses. Garlic is easy to store for later use by freezing or preserving. Be careful to not over water your garlic, particularly in cooler weather. The ground should have good drainage and in dry and hot weather it should have some shade. Garlic is sensitive to over fertilizing.
Sage is great in salads. Almost all of the flavor comes from its new shoots, it is suggested to not let sage get too woody by keeping the plant trim. When you trim the plants new shoots will be encouraged to grow. It is best to crop sage after it blooms.
Lavender, lemon verbena can be grown to make a potpourri. Mint, lemon verbena, chamomile, bergamot, hibiscus sabdariffa makes a great tea.
By Palti Shipard, visit Herbs by the Ounce and Herbal Medicine.
Tags: Herbs
What is Solgar Celadrin, and how does it work?
In the fight against Arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, Celadrin is a relative newcomer. With a blend from essential fatty acids that will not react with oxygen after treatment, they’re soluble with water and fat. The source of the fatty acids is tallow oil from bovines. Celadrin is made up of a very special blend of 8 cetylated fatty acids (including myristoleic, myristic, and oleic acids) and as a generic chemical name, it is known as cetyl myristoleate.
Celadrin, with no known side effects/bad reactions, it is said to be safe. With more than 100 million Celadrin pills prescribed, there have been no reports of bad side effects. A sample that large is significant.
Celadrin has been tested in clinical trials, unlike other all-natural supplements. According to clinical trials. Celedrin is proven effective in slowing down or completely eliminating the joint and cartilage inflammation that can cause arthritis and other painful diseases. Celadrin seems most effective when used with other supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin according to some tests.
If you have a long medical history or take many medications on a daily basis, you should be aware that Celadrin is an ingredient that is all-natural. Mobility of joints is greatly increased when supplemented by Celadrin to enhance joint lubrication. The joints rub together when this fluid decreases or wears down, causing tremendous pain. Celadrin has shown to provide relief to deep muscle and tissue injuries.
Those with bulging disks in their backs, arthritis, or painful joints all suffer from the friction of bones rubbing against each other once the normal fluid pocket has leaked out.
Celadrin comes in both a topical and oral form. You are able to take it by mouth as it comes in the form of capsules, tablets and soft gels. This product is also available as a cream for topical use. Patients have reported that using Celadrin cream in areas where they are hurting have felt relief in just a half hour after first applying it. Clinical research has proven that Celadrin can reduce inflammation. Patients can get the same healing benefit with whatever works for them, that would be with oral or topical formulations, as this shows its equally effective, this is what the studies are showing.
Celadrin has shown to produce many benefits including decreasing inflammation and promoting cartilage rebuilding. The advantages of Celadrin to sufferers of joint, muscle and tendon pain make it worth the effort of looking into.
Tags: arthritis, health care, herbal remedy, Herbs, natural, pain, supplement, vitamins
Grow Your Own Medical Herb Garden
Herb’s garden kits are very popular these days with everyone concerned about eating healthy and organic.Is it worth the effort to grow your own fresh herb garden? Are fresh herbs really that much better? There only one way to find out: try. Many people want to know which herb garden plants will grow best inside your home.When you create a windowsill herb garden your plants are all in one place and can be set in easy to carry containers or pots.Organic herb gardening is a wonderful way to add beauty to your landscape or to your kitchen and sun room.With some basic knowledge about herb garden plants you can get started growing your own plants to use for whatever you want. If you can grow a medicinal home herb garden, you can save a lot of money on remedies.
Echinacea is a member of the botanical family asteraceae commonly known as asters.Echinacea is the name of a plant native to north american that has been used by native Americans for centuries to treat infections.The use of echinacea on wounds, infections, snake bites, insect bites and stings are beyond the miracles of modern medicine ever.Echinacea has, for a while now, been one of the more popular herbal supplements, and one of the easiest ways to take it is as in an echinacea tea .Echinacea is one of the oldest health products ever to be discovered because of its powerful healing properties.Raising echinacea herb in your herb garden is very important if you are using herbal medicine. It endorses echinacea is a very useful and one of the most recommended anti cancer herbs.Echinacea has been used to treat colds and flu because of its boost to the immune system.In the united states, echinacea is consistently in the top ten herbal medications sold.
Ginseng is a multi goal herb that is known for its anti anxiety properties.You can take herbs to reduce your allergic reaction: try echinacea, ginseng, licorice, yellow dock or nettles.Herbs for strengthen of the immune system include astragalus, echinacea, garlic, ginseng, wild cherry bark and horehound.Anti viral herbs, like garlic, ginseng or echinacea all work against infectious viruses.Although ginseng is an oriental medicinal herb, it is used quite a lot in korean cuisine.
Chamomile tea: if you make up your mind to grow an herb garden, then planting chamomile is a splendid plan if you desire medicinal tea.Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis): chamomile tea is used for insomnia and restlessness. Herb’s description chamomile is one of the oldest garden herbs, with wispy 2 to 3 pinnate leaves and terminal peduncles supporting single flower heads.
Oregano is well suited for a window sill herb garden for the factor that of its ideal size and amazing taste.T here is much more to oregano than cooking, it is also used in essential oil. Civilizations have relied upon oregano oil as a therapeutic herb since antiquity.Oregano is a medicinal herb known for its antioxidant and anti microbial properties.
Echinacea, oregano, olive leaf extracts and astragalus are typically used to support the lymphatic and immune system.Some of the best antiviral herbs include astragalus, schizamnia, oregano, echinacea, garlic, elderberry, mullein, licorice, and green tea.Other herbs that are practical in treating a yeast infection include barberry, cinnamon and olive leaf. To read more about herbs goto www.goldmines24h.com/Herbs/
Learn more about Herbs. Stop by Goldmines24h.com where you can find out all about Echinacea and what it can do for you.
Tags: Echinacea, ginseng, herb, Herbs, oregano
Master Herbalist Schools
For the last two years I have been rigorously examining Master Herbalist Colleges who also offer degrees such as a Holistic Health Practitioner and here is my review.
In this Master Herbalist review, I’m going to speak about three online colleges that offer holistic courses and what you should be looking for in a naturopathic college. The accredited online colleges are:
Global College of Natural Medicine ( GCNM ), The Natural Healing College, and Clayton College of Natural Health
Clayton College – Is a School Of Naturopathy that various holistic courses, but from my understanding they require you to mail in your tests, which can be quite time consuming because you will have to wait for them to mail your tests results back. Their Holistic Health Practitioner courses are also quite expensive…they also do NOT help you get a job and have no internship program.
Global College of Holistic Medicine – They offer a medium range of holistic courses, but from my understanding, they require you to mail in your tests, which can be quite time consuming because you will have to wait for them to mail your tests results back….Also the so called Bachelor’s Degrees tuition will cost you a lot of money. GCNM will NOT help you get a job after you graduate and do not offer an internship program.
Natural Healing College -NHC offers a vast range of holistic courses, but they DO NOT require you to mail in your tests. Your tests results are instant which means you can complete your online degree fast!
Another Great thing about the Natural Healing College is that their Masters Degree program is a Fraction the price of the other schools such as Clayton College of health medicine. We should also mention that, their School Of Naturopathy is probably the best on the planet and they will also help with Internships and getting you a job.
Once you have completed your academic requirements from the Natural Healing College they will help you get into a great Internship program and will help you land a job or open your own practice or Career In Nutrition And Holistic health.
This article is only my opinion from my many hours of research. To me the best choice to become a Master Herbalist is the Natural Healing College. The other colleges are too expensive and give less for more money.
Visit the number one Master Herbalist School. Earn your degree online today. Visit the Master Herbalist Colleges
Tags: colleges, education, Health, Herbs, online college, school
How To Prepare Cheese Sauce
Cheese sauce may be a very problematic sort of sauce to make if you are not chary. It is necessary that you follow the directions on any specific recipe you utilise, as this will be vital in making sure that your cheese does not clump or your milk curdle without combining into your cheese.
Basic Ingredients for cheese sauce:
Butter Flour Milk Cheese
Notes on Ingredients:
You may utilize numerous different sorts of cheese when you make cheese sauce. Notwithstanding, its advocated that you abstain using cheeses that have been frozen, as they tend to behave various than fresh cheeses when exposed to extreme heat. Cheeses that have been frozen similarly have a slightly distinct flavor.
Preparation:
All of your cheese should be grated prior to heating the butter and flour and boiling in the milk. Failure to do so will result in your cheese sauce being ruined.
Cooking Methods:
There are several methods of making cheese sauce. The sort you utilise is ofttimes verified by the sort of cheese that you are basing your sauce from. Insure you check your recipe on how the cheese needs to be melted into the butter, flour and milk.
As a general rule, your milk, butter and flour will need to be fairly thick and at a boil before you add your cheese. This will let the cheese to blend into your milk without clumping. If you use excessively low of a heat when you introduce the cheese, you may end with your cheese and milk never adequately combining.
There are some cases where you may not want the cheese to fully combine into the sauce. In this case, you will want to utilize a non stick pan and cook your sauce at a lower heat. This’ll allow the cheese to melt into the sauce, but will nip in the bud the cheese from fully blending into the milk. While it requires a great deal of stirring and care to inhibit it sticking to the pan, you can get the flavor of the cheese into the milk and empty the excess cheese. This type of sauce tends to be used as a base for soups, as it is much thinner. Often, the flour will not be used to preclude the sauce from becoming too thick.
Uses:
Cheese sauce can be employed as a topping for vegetables, a component in soups, and even as a dipping sauce. It can also be utilised over tacos and as a part of Mexican cuisines.
Learn how to make Gourmet Sauce at home today
Tags: cheese sauce, cook, cooking tips, food sauce, gourmet food, gourmet sauces, Herbs, home, sauces, Women
