pa href=”http://hinduism.about.com/od/ayurveda/a/tulsibenefits.htm”http://hinduism.about.com/od/ayurveda/a/tulsibenefits.htm/a br/15 Benefits of the Holy Basil (Tulsi) br/- MP Bhattathiry br/(Retd. Chief Technical Examiner to the Govt. of br/Kerala, India)/p pThe tulsi or holy basil is an important symbol in the br/Hindu religious tradition and is worshipped in the br/morning and evening by Hindus at large. The holy basil br/is also a herbal remedy for a lot of common ailments. br/Here’re top fifteen medicinal uses of tulsi. br/!–more–/p p1. Healing Power: The tulsi plant has many medicinal br/properties. The leaves are a nerve tonic and also br/sharpen memory. They promote the removal of the br/catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube. br/The leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious br/perspiration. The seed of the plant are mucilaginous./p p2. Fever amp; Common Cold: The leaves of basil are br/specific for many fevers. During the rainy season, br/when malaria and dengue fever are widely prevalent, br/tender leaves, boiled with tea, act as preventive br/against theses diseases. In case of acute fevers, a br/decoction of the leaves boiled with powdered cardamom br/in half a liter of water and mixed with sugar and milk br/brings down the temperature. The juice of tulsi leaves br/can be used to bring down fever. Extract of tulsi br/leaves in fresh water should be given every 2 to 3 br/hours. In between one can keep giving sips of cold br/water. In children, it is every effective in bringing br/down the temperature./p p3. Coughs: Tulsi is an important constituent of many br/Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants. It helps to br/mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma. Chewing tulsi br/leaves relieves cold and flu./p p4. Sore Throat: Water boiled with basil leaves can be br/taken as drink in case of sore throat. This water can br/also be used as a gargle./p p5. Respiratory Disorder: The herb is useful in the br/treatment of respiratory system disorder. A decoction br/of the leaves, with honey and ginger is an effective br/remedy for bronchitis, asthma, influenza, cough and br/cold. A decoction of the leaves, cloves and common br/salt also gives immediate relief in case of influenza. br/They should be boiled in half a liter of water till br/only half the water is left and add then taken./p p6. Kidney Stone: Basil has strengthening effect on the br/kidney. In case of renal stone the juice of basil br/leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months it br/will expel them via the urinary tract./p p7. Heart Disorder: Basil has a beneficial effect in br/cardiac disease and the weakness resulting from them. br/It reduces the level of blood cholesterol./p p8. Children’s Ailments: Common pediatric problems like br/cough cold, fever, diarrhea and vomiting respond br/favorably to the juice of basil leaves. If pustules of br/chicken pox delay their appearance, basil leaves taken br/with saffron will hasten them./p p9. Stress: Basil leaves are regarded as an ‘adaptogen’ br/or anti-stress agent. Recent studies have shown that br/the leaves afford significant protection against br/stress. Even healthy persons can chew 12 leaves of br/basil, twice a day, to prevent stress. It purifies br/blood and helps prevent several common elements./p p10. Mouth Infections: The leaves are quit effective br/for the ulcer and infections in the mouth. A few br/leaves chewed will cure these conditions./p p11. Insect Bites: The herb is a prophylactic or br/preventive and curative for insect stings or bites. A br/teaspoonful of the juice of the leaves is taken and is br/repeated after a few hours. Fresh juice must also be br/applied to the affected parts. A paste of fresh roots br/is also effective in case of bites of insects and br/leeches./p p12. Skin Disorders: Applied locally, basil juice is br/beneficial in the treatment of ringworm and other skin br/diseases. It has also been tried successfully by some br/naturopaths in the treatment of leucoderma./p p13. Teeth Disorder: The herb is useful in teeth br/disorders. Its leaves, dried in the sun and powdered, br/can be used for brushing teeth. It can also be mixed br/with mustered oil to make a paste and used as br/toothpaste. This is very good for maintaining dental br/health, counteracting bad breath and for massaging the br/gums. It is also useful in pyorrhea and other teeth br/disorders./p p14. Headaches: Basil makes a good medicine for br/headache. A decoction of the leaves can be given for br/this disorder. Pounded leaves mixed with sandalwood br/paste can also be applied on the forehead for getting br/relief from heat, headache, and for providing coolness br/in general./p p15. Eye Disorders: Basil juice is an effective remedy br/for sore eyes and night-blindness, which is generally br/caused by deficiency of vitamin A. Two drops of black br/basil juice are put into the eyes daily at bedtime./p pDISCLAIMER: These are only general guidelines as a br/first aid. It is always better to see a doctor br/depending upon the intensity of the case. The views br/expressed above are entirely those of the author./p pSuggested Reading br/Tulsi – the Holy Basil @ br/a href=”http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa062000a.htm”http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa062000a.htm/a/p pHoly Rudraksha @ br/a href=”http://hinduism.about.com/cs/ayurveda/a/aa022903a.htm”http://hinduism.about.com/cs/ayurveda/a/aa022903a.htm/a/p