Primarily found in the Indian subcontinent, Holy Basil is a plant that is considered to have a number of medicinal properties. A major part of the Ayurvedic treatment patterns are based on the various uses of holy basil and the fact that it helps improve the overall well-being of an individual. Known in its native country as ‘tulsi’, it may also be known in other parts of the world as Green Holy Basil, Krishna Tulsi, Parnasa, Barandra and Brinda. Holy basil is considered to contain a high amount of antioxidant properties that play a huge role in removing any harmful free radicals from the body. Free radicals are the primary contributors to the acceleration f disease development as well as aging. Moreover, holy basil also contains some traces of what is known as adaptogens – which help significantly in fighting the effects of ongoing stresses as well as balancing the nerves, mind and emotions.
Apart from the fact that holy basil reserves some special significance in the Hindu religion, it is also widely used in a number of home remedy treatment options – most of which had been first developed in the Indian subcontinent. Fevers and common colds, or instance, can be easily treated with the help of holy basil being infused into a tea. The rainy seasons such as the monsoons in India being along a number of fast spreading diseases such as malaria and dengue fever; against which prevention can be taken by simply making a habit of drinking a daily cup of tea made from the tender leaves of holy basil. Holy basil is a very common constituent of many of the expectorants that help deal with coughs and a bad chest – meaning that simply chewing on a few holy basil leaves will prove to be very effective when it comes to treating problems like a cold and flu at home. Respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, asthma and influenza can all be treated to a certain extent with the help of basil leaves. While each of them have different treatment preparations while the amount of time taken for the illness to be relieved will differ from patient to patient as well as instance to instance, holy basil will play a very significant role in the overall efficiency of the treatment. Preparations are of prime importance and in the case of influenza, one should prepare a decoction of cloves, common salt and the holy basil leaves – boiled in about half a liter of water up until only half the original volume of water remains in the pot. Because of the fact that basil is known to help reduce levels of blood cholesterol; it can also be very beneficial when it comes to dealing with a number of heart and cardiac diseases. Stress levels in the body are significantly brought down when there is an increase in the intake of holy basil leaves because of the presence of ‘adaptogen’, also known as anti stress agents. Skin disorders are a common problem all over the world and given the fact that aesthetic beauty is becoming an increasingly important factor in the social acceptance that an individual faces, it helps to known that holy basil leaves are also beneficial in the treatment of a number of skin affecting conditions such as ring worm and leucoderma. Dried holy basil leaves can be powdered and mixed with mustered oil in order to create toothpaste that can be used on a regular basis and is considered to be extremely beneficial when dealing with teeth disorders.
There are no reported side effects or risks associated with the intake of holy basil although it should be avoided immediately after surgery because it does tend to slow down the process of blood clotting.