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Wednesday, February 28, 2018

How to Grow Chili Peppers at Home

Red and Green Chili Peppers
Growing chili peppers takes about six months so you should plant them by May, although starting early is recommended so the plant will ripen just in time for summer. Here's a simple step-by-step guide for growing chilies adapted from The Telegraph:

Fill a multicell seed tray with rich organic soil, firm it down and moisten with water. Place a seed in each cell, then lightly cover with soil.

Use a very fine hose to water it gently and then cover with cling film and keep in a warm area of your home. The soil should be moist but not soaked.

After about two to four weeks, when there's a first sign of growth, move to a warm place with plenty of light — but it shouldn't be in direct sunlight. Water the plant from below to strengthen the roots, and check daily to ensure the surface is moist.

When the seedlings sprout a second set of leaves, transplant to 7-centimeter (2.75 inches) pots with moist soil and use liquid tomato for weekly feeding.

Once the plants reach 12 centimeters (4.72 inches), transplant to larger pots, and fill with soil to approximately 1 centimeter (.39 inch) from the top. You should support the plants using a cane when they reach 20 centimeters (7.87 inches).

•  When the plants reach 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), pinch out the growing tips right above the fifth set of leaves in order to encourage bushiness. Transplant to another pot if needed and make sure to check the plant daily for aphids.

•  When the flowers appear, gently dab a cotton bud into every flower to pollinate.

•  Cut off the first chilies while still green to encourage fruiting all season long (July to October). Allow the next fruit to turn red if you want a rounder flavor.

Article Source: Mercola.com 

 

Health Benefits of Chili Peppers

Whole and Sliced Red Chili Peppers.
Known for their hot flavor, chili peppers (Capsicum annuum) are primarily used for culinary purposes, as a spice added to various dishes and sauces.  The chili is a fruit pod of the capsicum pepper plant belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Cayenne, jalapeno, habanero and serrano peppers are some of the most popular varieties of chili peppers.
Chili peppers were first cultivated by ancient farmers in Central and South America, regions whose cuisines are famous for their piquant flavor. Today, chili peppers are grown all over the world, but Mexico, China, Spain, Nigeria and Turkey are among the largest commercial producers.

Chili pepper contains a bioactive plant compound called capsaicin, which is responsible for its hot and spicy kick.  Capsaicin is concentrated in the seeds and white inner membrane; the more capsaicin it contains, the spicier the pepper.  Whether eaten fresh, dried or powdered (known as paprika), chili peppers can put fire on your tongue and perhaps even a tear in your eye.

What Makes Chili Peppers Healthy?

Capsaicin offers more than just a pungent oral sensation in your mouth — experts say the endorphin rush it causes makes this chemical compound an effective remedy for pain and other medical conditions.

Dr. Ashwin Mehta, director of integrative medicine at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, said, "It's used for all kinds of arthritis pain, as well as for neuropathic pain and dermatologic conditions that have a painful itch." Aside from pain relief, capsaicin has shown promise in weight loss by helping reduce calorie intake and shrinking fat tissue. Chili also offers these benefits:

• Helps Fight Inflammation — Capsaicin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it has shown potential for treating inflammatory diseases and cancer. In fact, a research published in Future Oncology indicated that it can suppress the growth of human prostate cancer cells.
• Boosts Immunity — Chili peppers are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is essential for maintaining healthy mucous membranes to help protect the body from invading pathogens (microorganisms that cause disease). Chili is also rich in vitamin C, and this helps the body produce white blood cells that fight germs.
• Helps Reduce Insulin Levels — Another known benefit of eating chili peppers is how they help with blood sugar level management. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that the regular consumption of chili may help reduce risk of hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels in the blood).
• Protects Your Heart — The compound capsaicin can help reduce triglycerides, cholesterol and platelet aggregation. Some studies have shown that it may assist the body in dissolving fibrin, which prevents the formation of blood clots.Additionally, cultures that use hot peppers regularly in cooking have significantly lower heart attack and stroke rates.
• Prevents Sinusitis and Relieves Congestion — Another health effect of the compound capsaicin is its ability to address nasal congestion by helping clear mucus from your nose. It has antibacterial properties as well, and can help fight chronic sinus infections. Aside from capsaicin, chili also contains other beneficial bioactive plant compounds, including:
Capsanthin. This is the primary carotenoid (antioxidant) in red chili peppers, giving them their red color and typically accounting for up to 50 percent of the spice's antioxidant content.
•  Lutein. Most plentiful in immature (green) chili peppers, it has been shown to help maintain and improve eye health.
•  Volaxanthin. It is the main carotenoid found in yellow chili peppers, which accounts for 37 to 68 percent of their total content.
•  Sinapic acid. Also known as sinapinic acid, this antioxidant is known for its neuroprotective potential.
•  Ferulic acid. This compound has shown promise in protecting against diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The Other Uses of Chili

Chili doesn't just offer culinary and health uses; it can also be used for self-defense. Oleoresin capsicum (OC), extracted from red hot chili peppers, is the active ingredient in pepper spray. OC is an inflammatory agent that makes the eyes and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory swell. Pepper spray causes breathing difficulties, runny nose, pain in the eyes and temporary blindness.

The capsaicin in chili can also be used to repel insects and wild animals, which is the reason it is often used as natural pesticide for gardens. If you want to use it to help repel pests, just mix 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder in a quart of water and add two drops of liquid dish soap. Take note that some plants are sensitive to chili powder sprays, so you need to test it first on a few leaves.

Article Source: Mercola.com  


Monday, February 12, 2018

Two New Forum Features Debut in SFI

White calculator on top of spread out dollar bills.
SFI is a very dynamic business and changes take place as a matter of routine. Here now are the latest.

New Feature #1

To streamline interaction at the forum and reduce clutter and unnecessary posts, we've just added a set of three new buttons--Thank, Congratulate, and Agree)--to every post.

So, instead of having to create a whole new post just to thank, congratulate, or agree with an author's post, just click the appropriate button instead.

Counts of each such action will also be reflected inside the circle beside each action. So if 193 fellow forum members agree with your post, you'll see "193" inside a circle beside the word "Agree." Hence, you'll always be able to see, at a glance, what forum members think of your post...or how many are thanking or congratulating you.

New Feature #2

Gratuitous liking of posts has become an issue on our forum. There are simply WAY, WAY too many likes being given for posts that add little to no value whatsoever. This activity defeats the whole purpose of the Likes program--which is to identify posts for readers that should be read or that contain meaningful information.

So, effective immediately, the Like button (thumbs-up icon) will not appear on any posts of less than 25 words.

Could this be circumvented? Could people simply just change from writing 3-word meaningless posts and try to expand them into 25-word meaningless posts? I'm sure some will try to exploit this new policy, but it will not be tolerated, and you WILL be banned if we see a pattern of it.

That said, you can still write posts of less than 25 words, of course. Just know that you won't be receiving any likes on these posts.

Bottom line: If you want to just say "thanks" or "congratulations" to someone, use the new THANKS or CONGRATULATE buttons. If you simply want to show that you agree with someone's post, use the new AGREE button. By doing these things, you'll help us keep our awesome forum tidy and enjoyable to use for all!

Meanwhile, if you want to elaborate, add reasons for why you agree with an author, or just make a longer statement, we encourage you to do so. Just make sure you're doing it because you've "got something to say," and not just because you're hoping to collect a few likes.