Tulsi also known as a basil leaves, is quite common plant in an Indian households. Here are top 10 health benefits of basil leaves or tulsi.
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Here are top 10 benefits of basil leaves or tulsi.
Considered sacred by many religions, the tulsi or basil plant is revered for its celestial properties. Besides praying to plant, a number of people advice including the leaves and roots of the plant in various medical decoctions. With an enormous benefits right from the clear skin to dissolving kidney stones, tulsi or basil leaf is tonic for an entire body.
Cures fever:
Tulsi or basil leaves has very strong germicidal, anti-bacterial, fungicidal, and anti-biotic properties that are great for resolving fevers. It has possible to cure any fever those caused due to common infections to those caused due to malaria as well. In ayurveda, it is strongly recommended that person suffering from a fever should have decoction made of tulsi or basil leaves. In case of fever boil a few leaves of tulsi or basil with powdered cardamom in a ½ litre of water (The proportion of tulsi to cardamom powder should be in the ratio of 1:0.3). Let it decrease to ½ its total volume. Mix this decoction with sugar and milk. Sip every 2 to 3 hours. This remedy is particularly good for children.
Beats diabetes:
Leaves of holy tulasi or basil leaves are packed with an antioxidants and essential oils that produce an eugenol, methyl eugenol and caryophyllene. Collectively these substances help to pancreatic beta cells -cells that store & release insulin function properly. This in turn helps to increase sensitivity to an insulin. Lowering ones blood sugar and treating diabetes efficiently. An added advantage is that antioxidants present in the leaves help to beat the ill effects of a oxidative stress.
Protects the heart:
Tulsi or basil leaves has powerful anti-oxidant component called Eugenol. This compound helps to protect the heart by keeping ones blood pressure under the control and lowering his or her cholesterol levels. Chewing few leaves of tulsi or basil leaves on an empty stomach everyday can prevent and protect heart disorders.
Beats stress:
Tulsi or basil leaves helps to maintain the normal levels of the stress hormone – cortisol in body. The leaf also has a powerful adaptogen properties also known as anti-stress agents. It helps to sooth the nerves, regulates the blood circulation and beats a free radicals that are produced during an episode of stress. People who have high stress jobs can chew about twelve leaves of tulsi or basil leaves twice per day to beat stress naturally.
Dissolves the kidney stones:
The basil being great diuretic and detoxifier is great for the kidneys. Tulsi or basil leaves helps to reduce the uric acid levels in the blood, helps to cleanse the kidneys, the presence of acetic acid and other components in its essential oils helps in breaking down the kidney stones and its painkiller effect helps to dull down the pain of kidney stones. To relieve kidney stones one must have the juice of tulsi or basil leaves with honey, every day for 6 months to help wash out the stone from the kidney.
Beats cancer:
With strong anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties tulsi or basil leaves has been found help to stop the sequence of breast cancer and oral cancer caused due to chewing tobacco. This is because its compounds restrict the flow of blood to tumour by attacking the blood vessels supplying it. Have the extract of tulsi or basil leaves every day to keep these conditions at bay.
Helps to quit smoking:
Tulsi or basil leaves is known to have very strong anti- stress compounds and is great to help to one quit from smoking. It helps by lowering the stress that might be involved in trying to quit smoking, or stress that leads to an urge to smoke. It also has cooling effect on throat just like menthol drops and helps to control the urge to smoke by allowing the person to chew on something. Ayurveda relies heavily on tulsi or basil leaves leaves as smoking end device. Keep some leaves with and chew it at whatever time the urge to smoke arises. Another plus is that the antioxidant property of the leaves will help to fight all damage that arises out of years of smoking.
Keeps the skin & hair healthy and glowing:
The basil leaves has an influential purifying properties. When eaten raw, it purifies blood giving the skin a beautiful glow, and prevents the looking of acne and blemishes. Its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties are very effective in preventing the breakouts on acne prone skin. Ayurvedic doctors say that this basil leaves can cure difficult of skin conditions like those caused due to ring worms and even leucoderma. Apart from all this, it helps in reducing an itchiness of the scalp and helps to reduce hair fall. Mix the powder in a coconut oil and apply regularly to scalp to prevent a hair fall. Eating tulsi or basil leaves leaves, drinking the juice, or adding its paste to the face pack can help to cure skin and hair conditions.
Heals a respiratory conditions:
Tulsi or basil leaves has immunomodulatory which helps to modulate immune system, antitussive suppresses cough center, reducing the amount of cough and expectorant properties helps an expel phlegm from chest, that make it great relief for coughs, cold, and other respiratory disorders including a chronic and acute bronchitis. Another great property of this leaf is that it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help to beat an infection causing respiratory problem. It also relieves a congestion since it contains strong components like camphene, eugenol and cineole in its essential oils. Its anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties also help to treat an allergic respiratory disorders.
Cures a headache:
Tulsi or basil leaves helps to alleviate headaches caused due to sinusitis, allergies, cold or migraines. This is because it has pain relieving and decongestant properties, that help to relieve the pain and resolve the root cause of condition. If suffering from a headache, make bowl of water that has been boiled with the crushed tulsi leaves or tulsi extract. Cool the water till it is room temperature or tolerably hot. Place small towel in it, wring out an excess of water and place this on the forehead to treat headache. Alternatively could dip towel in plain warm water and add few drops of tulsi extract to towel for immediate relief.
These are just some benefits of plant, other benefits include treatment for a common colds, itchiness of skin, treatment for insect bites, curing common conditions of an eye and as herbal remedy for a bad breath. So the text time feel ill, try having few leaves of tulsi or basil leaves. To know more about health benefits of various everyday ingredients, check out our natural remedies page.
Here are top 10 benefits of basil leaves or tulsi.