benefits of basil

Benefits of Basil

61. History and Spiritual Significance
In Hinduism, holy basil is worshiped as the incarnation of Lakshimi, the wife of Vishnu and one of that religion
62. How to Grow Holy Basil
It prefers warm soil, so dont plant seeds until after the last frost of the season and when the average daily temperature is 65 to 70 Fahrenheit. Alternately, you can start with a small plant and transplant it to the garden or pot to have a head start.The holy basil plant prefers sunlight, so dont place it in a shady spot. A little afternoon shade would be okay, but full sun is best. Be cautious that it gets plenty of water, as drying out in the hot summer sun could mean certain death.
63. A note on harvesting
The flowers of your tulsi plant will bring plenty of bees to the garden, so if you want to harvest without risking a sting, head out to your garden first thing in the morning. Clip those parts higher than 5 inches and without flowers for the best leaves. Careful not to harvest more than you need as over-harvesting can harm a not-quite-established plant.
64. Health Benefits of Sweet Basil
Sweet basil, like most herbs, is loaded with health benefits. In addition to being a rich source of vitamin K, beta carotene, and iron, the plant is known to harness anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The majority of the great benefits of basil can be attributed to its volatile oils and flavonoids - powerful, plant-based antioxidants that reduce inflammation, help fight aging, and promote healthy arteries.In basil essential oil, the volatile oils within the plant have been shown to have incredible antibacterial properties.
65. Growing Sweet Basil
Basil is a little more finicky than other plants in your herb garden, like thyme and mint. It prefers warm weather, so you wont want to plant it until after the last frost of the season. The plan also does well both in the ground or in pots.There are several varieties. While some can grow to be as tall as 6 feet, most gardeners find their sweet basil to rest under 3 feet if that. If you want to ensure a smaller basil plant, simply keep it in a pot, which will restrict root growth.Sweet basil can be started from seed (you don?t need to buy a small plant from the garden center).
66. Using Sweet Basil
The easiest way to use basil is to eat it. Its delicious and has a sort of spicy-sweet licorice flavor. It tastes amazing in salads and especially with a sun-ripened tomato. While sweet basil is most often included in cooked meals, youll get the most benefits when you eat it raw, though combining it with other foods won?t lessen its impact.You can also add basil to a salad vinaigrette. Simply combine it with extra virgin olive oil, a bit of garlic, and some apple cider vinegar for a healing combination that can be splashed on salads or used on bread.
67. Scientists prove that holy basil heals neuropathy caused by surgery
The researchers severed the sciatic nerve in the rats' paws, then measured the resulting neuropathy. Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) extract was then administered for ten days following the surgeries. The scientists observed that holy basil extract reduced the effects of nerve degeneration, helped to make nerve receptors more sensitive to stimuli, and aided in motor control after the surgery.
68. Holy basil oil may be useful in the treatment of acne
Researchers wanted to study the anti-bacterial activity of oils made from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), and hoary basil (Ocimum americanum). Hoary basil had no anti-microbial effects against acne at all in vitro. However, both sweet basil oil and holy basil oil did. While sweet basil oil was found to be more effective against acne than holy basil oil, both herbs were found to be suitable for a skin care treatment of acne.
69. Basil is a Natural Anti Inflammatory Herb
Basil was recently shown to reduce swelling and inflammation in arthritic patients by about 73 percent, which is on par with commonly used drugs for arthritis.Basil actively inhibits the same enzyme that anti-inflammatory drugs do, including Ibuprofen and Tylenol. Except you won't fall over dead from eating too much basil, as was recently publicized is what often happens from consuming too much Tylenol.Basil is anti-bacterial and protects against pathogens, even those that have become resistant to antibiotics. Basil also guards against free radical damage, while protecting your cells and chromosomes from radiation damage. Of course, anyone who uses a cell phone or computer is regularly exposed to radiation.
70. Basil can be easy to add to your diet
Basil can be easy to add to your diet. Making your own fresh tomato basil soup or pasta sauce is easy and can be done in just minutes. Actually, the recipe for the soup and pasta sauce are the same, but for the pasta sauce, just pour the thick soup over whole wheat pasta.