Tulsi, another name for holy basil, has a rich history dating back to ancient eastern uses 3,000 years ago. Mentioned in the Rig Veda around 1500 B.C., the sacredness of holy basil was celebrated in the Purana and is highly regarded in Ayurvedic medicine.
It’s suspected that tulsi is native to tropical Asia, although it now grows in many tropical climates across the globe. Historically used in these areas as medicine because of its widespread healing power, holy basil leaves are now regarded by most countries as adaptogen herbs (anti-stress agents) and have been used widely to promote health throughout the entire body.
In a separate article by Dr. Axe, adaptogens are described in the following way:
Adaptogens are a unique class of healing plants: They help balance, restore and protect the body. As naturopath Edward Wallace explains, an adaptogen doesn’t have a specific action: It helps you respond to any influence or stressor, normalizing your physiological functions.Naturopath Marcelle Pick of Women to Women reports that adaptogenic herbs can recharge your adrenal glands, helping you to respond to stress. Adaptogens include ashwaganda, astragalus, ginseng, licorice root, holy basil, some mushrooms and rhodiola.
Holy Basil Benefits
Today, holy basil is consumed mostly in supplement form or as tulsi tea and is used to treat:
Now let’s jump into the research to see how effective holy basil really is.
ACNE
Widely used for skin care, a team of researchers from Thailand conducted a study to determine the efficacy of holy basil essential oils against bacteria that cause acne. Essentially testing its antimicrobial capability, they discovered that a 3 percent concentration of holy basil oil is most effective against bacteria that cause acne.
Interestingly, it was also noted that the primary compound of holy basil oil is eugenol, the active ingredient in the powerful antimicrobial clove oil. One of clove oil’s uses and benefits is it’s widely believed to cure many skin disorders.
When implementing tulsi for natural acne treatment, consider using unrefined virgin coconut oil as a carrier because when melted, it’s more viscous and absorbs into the skin better than other oils.
CANCER
The journal Nutrition and Cancer published a fantastic review outlining the influx of research substantiating tulsi’s cancer-killing prowess that we have seen the past several years. This is the breakdown:
Holy basil possesses significant anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties that protect against fever, pain, stress and protect vital organs like the liver. Consequently, people who regularly consume tulsi are less likely to be immune-compromised and are less susceptible to developing cancer cells.
The phytochemicals in tulsi prevent chemical-induced skin, liver, oral and lung cancers because they increase antioxidant activity, alter healthy gene expressions, induce cancer cell death, prevent blood vessel growth contributing to cell growth and stop metastasis.
The extracts of tulsi protects against radiation-induced sickness and mortality and selectively protect the normal tissues against the destructive effects of radiation.
Additionally, it prevents radiation-induced DNA damage, which highlights holy basil’s widespread ability to promote healing.
Source :
http://theheartysoul.com
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