A Favorite Herb: Holy Basil/Tulsi
Every single night I drink tulsi rose tea. I even take it with me when I travel, that’s how much I love it. Tulsi is a sacred Ayurvedic herb that also goes by Holy Basil. It’s latin names are Ocimum tenuiflorum (or Ocimum sanctum L.) I’ll just call it Tulsi and explain why it’s also called, “Elixir of Life” given all it can do in the body for healing practices. I, personally, like the calming aspect of it.
Tulsi is in the mint family but it doesn’t taste minty. Not to get nerdy but in human, animal and cell studies, it has been shown to be adaptogenic, metabolically supportive, modulatory to the immune system, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective (liver), antimicrobial, and have antidiabetic effects(1).
Whew! That’s a lot!
It has an affinity for the digestive system and nervous system which means it can help calm a stressed out person and their stressed out GI tract. It can help with overall digestion and reduce gas and bloating. It also seems to calm the mind as it’s classified as a nervine (for the nerves) but is also uplifting. Uplifting is different from stimulating. Before bed I don’t want to be stimulated as if I had caffeine but I do want to feel calm and happy after a busy day. Warning, if you’re feeling flighty and ungrounded, you might NOT want to use Tulsi which might be too uplifting.
You can actually use Tulsi throughout the whole day, especially on THOSE days when you need some calming happiness in a pinch. <As a side note, L-theanine is another great calming ingredient from tea that can be nice to use during a stressful day.>
Both are generally considered safe even if you’re taking anti-depressant medications.
Herbalist David Winston (2) reports that Tulsi is a helpful option for stagnant depression. This is the type of depression that usually occurred due to a situation, and you haven’t been able to move on from it since. You might start the sentence with, “I’ve been depressed ever since____.” Or, “I can’t seem to move on from _______ and it really affects my mood.”
Tulsi is also usually considered an adaptogen - this means it’s been classified to help the body combat and handle stress better. While it can’t single handedly help you with stress, it’s a nice tool to have in your toolbox for crazy days.
I historically do Tulsi as a tea as the leaves are the preferred way to take it. I have seen it as powders or mixed in stress supplement blends. If you’re looking for a new tea to try, look for organic Tulsi teas online or in stores.
Citations:
Jamshidi N, Cohen MM. The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM. 2017;2017. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9217567
Winston D, Maimes S. Adaptogens : Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press; 2019.