Tulsi - O Holy Night, O Holy Basil

By Madam Potts

Combating the stress of the holidays? There’s nothing like a nice warm cup of tea to help you regain your focus and clarity. And while all teas and herbs, in their warmth, in the ritual, in their own way, have the ability to offer you soothing comfort, there are some that do this better than others.

Tulsi

There are a class of herbs called Adaptogens, which help the body cope (or adapt) with stress by way of toning the endocrine system. Our endocrine systems naturally release hormones as a response to stress. But we are on constant overload in our modern world of continuous stimuli, which brings on fatigue and chronic illnesses. No one is immune to stress and stress contributes to nearly 85% of all disease, pains and sicknesses. And while western scientists have only recently started to study adaptogens and their balancing effects on the body, the use of adaptogenic herbs has been popular for thousands of years in eastern medicinal practices like Traditional Chinese Medicine and India’s ancient system called Ayurveda. Some of these tension taming herbs include: ginseng, eleuthero, schisandra, licorice root and tulsi.

This last herb, Tulsi, is from India and is also known as Holy Basil. It is slowly gaining popularity here in the States, but can be hard to find. Tulsi is unique in flavor. It tastes like it already IS a blend, with its sweet, minty and spicy undertones.

Any herb that can be used to calm the mind, boost immunity, manage stress, provide relief from fever/flu and colds, increase strength and stamina and promote an overall sense of balance and wellness as Holy Basil does, is a truly special, perhaps even sacred herb.

Indeed Tulsi, or Holy Basil is sacred. In Hindu ceremonies, the Tulsi plant is offered to the god Vishnu, who is said to protect & preserve the world. What better symbol than an herb that protects and preserves our health.

So instead of being overwhelmed this holiday season, try drinking a cup a day. It is sure to have you feeling better and more relaxed inside and out!

Don’t forget to check out Madam Pott’s blog, Mad Pots of Tea!