I love tulsi

One goal for me this year is to harvest more of my own herbs for herbal teas and skin preparations. I decided it was time to snip of the tulsi and dry it. My house smells divine! I drink a cup of tulsi every morning and find it refreshing and grounding. So great when something that tastes so good makes me feel good too! It has a pretty flower and is perennial in frost free climates.

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum or O. tenuiflorum) is also known as Holy basil or 'hot' basil due to its peppery taste. It is sacred in Hinuism and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

There have been studies to back up the benefits of tulsi, these have shown:

🌱Stress support or adaptogenic benefits as well as anxiolytic actions

🌱Analgesic (pain relieving) and antelthelmic (anti-parasitical) actions

🌱Anti-inflammatory properties

🌱Anti-cancer support

🌱Cardiovasular benefits with lowering cholesterol and, from the seed, blood pressure lowering and decreasing platelet aggregation

🌱Antimicrobial actions when tested in the lab

🌱Reducing mercury toxicity

🌱Immune boosting

🌱Wound healing benefits

🌱Protective of gamma radiation

🌱Thyroid and blood sugar balance support

As always, consult with your naturopath, medical herbalist or health practitioner to see if tulsi may be of benefit to you and for any contraindications.

Drying tulsi in bunches