What is Tulsi? - Natural Health News

Tulsi, often referred to as holy basil, is an herbs that has been used in India to treat cold, flu, and coughs for thousands of years. According to Ayurveda Tulsi brings lightness and purity to the body as it cleanses the respiratory tract of toxins and relieves digestive gas and bloating.Tulsi leaves contain a rich source of Essential oil which is a strong antiseptic against many kinds of disease-causing organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

It also has antioxidant properties that make it an effective agent for reducing the damaging effects of stress on the body. Various animal studies have shown that Tulsi protects healthy cells from the toxicity of chemotherapyand radiation. Tulsi is also great for people suffering from depression as it seems to affect the neurochemistry of the brain in a way similar to antidepressant medications.

To use Tulsi it is recommend that it should be grown by people themselvesfrom seeds or cuttings. Everyday a few fresh leaves should be eaten to acquire the health benefits of it. It can also be used in cooking and in making freshly brewed tea. If Tulsi is not easily available then common sweet basil can be used in its place as it appears to have many of the same medicinal properties.

Benefits of Tulsi

The regular use of tulsi provides the following benefits:

It has very powerful germicidal, fungicidal, anti-bacterial and anti-biotic properties that are great for reducing fevers
It helps increase sensitivity to insulin thereby lowering blood sugar and treating diabetes effectively
It regulates blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels making it very good for preventing heart problems
It beats stress by keeping the stress hormone-cortisol levels under control
It reduces uric acid levels and is a great diuretic and detoxifier
It has anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties that have been shown to impede the progression of breast cancer and oral cancer