The Joys of Holy Basil, an Adaptogenic Herb!

There are a number of adaptogenic herbs that I love to use. Adaptogenic herbs help the body to deal with and respond to stress. I choose the herb based on the type of stress as you never know what life is going to throw at you. I primarily use Holy Basil when I am struggling with emotional stress. It is awesome as a tea after a long day. Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) is the English translation of an herb from India, where it is known as tulsi (Incomparable one in Sanskrit). I have used oil extracts, capsules containing dried tulsi, tincture, brewed tea, and grown my own plants. You can purchase the seeds here if you want to grow tulsi (I have had great luck with the Krishna and Rama varieties). Tulsi is an important herb in Ayurvedic medicine and has significance in the Hindu religion. The “Rasayana” of tulsi gives the human body what it needs for perfect health and aids on the journey to enlightenment. You can see it growing around Hindu temples in India. It looks similar to culinary basil, but has a spicier flavor like cloves.

Tulsi has been suggested to possess the following properties:

• Adaptogenic


• Analgesic


• Antidiabetic


• Anticancer


• Antifertility


• Antifungal and antimicrobial


• Cardioprotective


• Respiratory benefit

Tulsi has been used for thousands of years as a premier healing herb in Ayurveda, but it has only started to gain clinical data in the last few decades to support the benefits. Go to http://www.pubmed.gov/ and search Ocimum Sanctum and you will see that the growing clinical data is supporting the listed above uses. The studies are starting to establish a scientific basis for the therapeutic benefits of tulsi. If you want to get more specific in searching for the benefits of tulsi most of the above properties come from the Eugenol in tulsi, but it also contains uroslic acid, and rosmarinic acid.

I have found great benefit in using holy basil. You won't go wrong adding it to a stress management routine. I have primarily benefited from using holy basil to give me emotional endurance. Go buy some tea and join me in enjoying a cup of fresh brewed tulsi tea!