Tulsi (Holy Basil)

 

Tulsi

Tulsi: 

The following information is from: Renter, Elizabeth. "Holy Basil Benefits: Growing Your Own Medicine."   

In Hinduism, holy basil is worshiped as the incarnation of Lakshimi, the wife of Vishnu and one of that religion’s most important deities. It is called “The Incomparable One” and “Mother Medicine of Nature” among other things, and can be seen growing outside of Hindu temples.

    Not only found in temples, you will see tulsi being cultivated outside of most Indian homes and in courtyards. In worship, it will be placed on an altar and held in reverence during meditation and prayer.

    Though the herb has likely been growing in India the longest (an estimated 3,000 years), it was also prized by healers of ancient Greece and Rome and continues to be prized throughout the world as a plant that can heal the body, mind, and spirit. But all potential spiritual benefits aside, the herb undoubtedly brings numerous health benefits to the table.

    In Ayurvedic medicine, holy basil has been used for thousands of years. However, it is just in recent decades (and especially the past few years) begun gaining popularity in the West.The plant is said to be an adaptogen. Adaptogens essentially adapt to serve the body where it needs them most. Typically, adaptogens are characterized as stress-busters, and this is where we will find the majority of research on tulsi.

    While all scientific research on the plant has been done on lab animals and not reproduced in humans, case after case of anecdotal evidence and thousands of years of use can’t be wrong.

Holy basil has numerous beneficial properties including:

Adaptogenic (anti-stress)                                                    
Antibacterial                                                                                              
Anti-fungal                                                                                              
Antioxidant                                                                                      
 Anti-inflammatory

These properties alone can account for many potential benefits including increased sense of well-being, increased immune function, and disease prevention.

Known benefits of holy basil include:

Memory booster                                                                                             
Fever reduction                                                                                 
Cough soothing                                                                                            
Sore throat relief                                                                                   
Soothing to bites, cuts, and scrapes                                                      
Headache treatment                                                                             
Increased kidney function                                                                          
Balanced emotional health                                                                      
Clearing acne                                                                                        
Possible blood sugar regulation

    Both as a general health tonic and as a treatment for specific maladies, tulsi has been the go-to herb for millennia. Experience holy basil benefits today – by growing your own!

    Growing Tulsi: Tulsi is an excellent addition to any herb garden and can do well in either pots or in the ground. It prefers warm soil, so don’t 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 don’t 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.

    As it grows it will develop flowers. To encourage a larger, bushier plant, you can pinch off these blossoms. However, most sources say that letting the plant flower won’t affect its healing potency much.

    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.

    Using Holy Basil: Most practitioners will use holy basil in a tea, and this is the easiest way to reap holy basil benefits. Simply cover 2 teaspoons of fresh tulsi leaves with 8 ounces of boiling water, then cover and let steep for about 5 minutes before straining the leaves off and drinking.

Renter, Elizabeth. "Holy Basil Benefits: Growing Your Own Medicine." Natural Society. N.p., 06 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 June 2015.