Tulsi means "the incomparable one" in Hindi and is known as "holy basil" in honor of its religious use. The plant has been revered for its medicinal properties in India for centuries. In fact, many practitioners of Hinduism grow the tulsi plant in their homes and wear necklaces of 108 beads carved from tulsi stems to provide them with spiritual protection and nourishment and also to aid enlightenment. Tulsi tea is highly fragrant and different varieties may smell and taste of peppermint, licorice or lemon. The plant grows in India, Malaysia, Australia and western Asia.
Adaptogen
Tulsi tea is considered an adaptogen, which increases the body's resistance to a variety of outside stressors by stimulating a self-regulating response. For example, tulsi is said to regulate increased blood pressure and heart rate due to the adrenaline response associated with noise stress. Additionally, tulsi is said to modulate the central nervous system thereby alleviating depression and other nervous disorders, according to the Maimes Report on Holy Basil.
Cold and Flu Treatment
Tulsi tea has been used anecdotally to treat colds and flu because of its purported antimicrobial, expectorant, anti-inflammatory and adaptogenic properties. Its anti-inflammatory actions help the body recover from infection-related inflammation, which includes symptoms such as sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. The adaptagenic action of tulsi helps the body balance itself and recover from illness more quickly.
According to traditional use, tulsi, which can increase antibody production because of its antimicrobial properties, acts as a mild expectorant. This means it can help heal coughs associated with colds and flu. Tulsi tea is particularly useful for sick children because it has pleasant taste, particularly when prepared with honey.
Dosage
To prepare tulsi tea, steep 2.5g of tulsi leaves in about one cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Drink daily.
Warning
There have been few clinical trials on the effects of tulsi and a qualified practitioner should be consulted before use. In experiments with mice, tulsi showed sedative effects and adverse reactions when taken with acetaminophen. Additionally, users of tulsi tea should be aware that the herb lowered the motility and count of sperm in laboratory trials with mice.
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