Holy Basil Benefits

In India, the green-leaved tulsi is regarded as the God Laksmi, and the purple-leaved one as the Lord Krishna. Holy basil is not only cultivated for religious purposes, but also for its endless medicinal values which are known for thousand of years in the Indian subcontinent.

The scientific name of the holy basil plant is Ocimum sanctum, and it is believed that merely going close to this plant can protect a person from several infections. The plant can attain a height of 30-60 cm bearing hairy stems accompanied by green leaves, sometimes purple, which are strongly scented.

In India, the holy basil leaves have been known to be an excellent remedy for fever. This quality of the leaves come from the fact that the plant is an excellent antibiotic, germicide, fungicide, and an disinfectant. It is also known to treat many allergic reactions.

The extract of this plant serves as an amazing remedy to relieve congestion and various respiratory problems. It also helps reduce the risk of developing severe lung disorders due to smoking, tuberculosis, lung cancer, etc.

Boil some leaves in water and drink the solution when it is lukewarm. This helps in treating sore throat.

Patients affected by renal stone notice great improvements when they consume a mix of basil leaf juice and honey. It has been studied that consuming this potion regularly for a period of 6 months may actually cause the stones to be expelled via the urinary tract.

The vitamin C and eugenol content of the plant acts as a protective shield for the heart against the damage of free radicals. To add to this, eugenol is known to bring down the levels of cholesterol in blood.

The plant is a natural adaptogen or anti-stress agent. Several studies showed that consuming the leaves of this plant provides substantial amount of protection against stress. The consumption is not only limited to ill people, even healthy individuals can chew the leaves.

It helps get rid of about 99% of germs and bacteria in your mouth. It acts as an excellent and cost-effective mouth freshener, while being an effective remedy for mouth ulcers. One can also keep a check on his dental health by making a toothpaste out of the dried leaves of this plant.

Simply mix the leaves with mustard oil and use it as a herbal toothpaste twice a day. Bad breath, gum problems, tooth decay, plaque, tartar, and other dental disorders can be kept at bay with its use.

A decoction of holy basil can be mixed in the bathing water. Regular use will keep away various skin infections. Even applying a paste of crushed tulsi leaves on the infected area will keep away various skin disorders.

Most kinds of insect bites and stings can be cured by applying fresh juice of this plant. However, the treatment must be repeated a number of times. Even sore eyes and symptoms of night blindness can be relieved by putting two drops of the juice of this plant onto the eyes daily at bed time.

Use of holy basil also helps treat eye disorders like cataract, macular degeneration, glaucoma, vision defects, opthalmia, etc. In case of conjunctivitis or other eye infections, washing your eyes with cool decoction of these leaves helps relieve the symptoms.