The use of herbs is as old as humankind itself. In the Lascaux cave paintings in France, which date back to between 13,000 - 25,000 BC, animals and herbs are depicted on the walls. The ancient Egyptians, Indians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans all documented their use of medicinal herbs.
But of the thousands of plants that are mentioned throughout history, very few have been so beloved and revered as to be given the status of sacred. Holy basil, also called tulsi, is one such plant.
History of Tulsi
Native to southeast Asia, holy basil has been used for thousands of years in India’s ancient practice of Ayurvedic medicine. It has been adopted into many of Ayurveda’s spiritual rituals and lifestyle practices owing to its wealth of benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. Known as “The Incomparable One,” “Mother Medicine of Nature” and “The Queen of Herbs,” holy basil is revered as an “elixir of life.”
Hindus consider tulsi to be a manifestation of the goddess Tulasi and, still today in India, a Hindu household is considered incomplete if it doesn't have the plant grown in an earthenware pot in the garden or home.
Tulsi made its way to the West along early trade routes. Once in Europe, it became known as “sacred” or “holy” basil. In fact, its Latin botanical name, Ocimun sanctum, comes from the Greek word “okimon” for fragrant or aromatic herb, and “sanctum” for sacred.
The word basil, derived from the Greek word “basileus” or king, reflects how Christians labeled it as “The King of Herbs” instead of as the queen. Holy basil was offered in rituals, included in legends, and considered by many as a divine gift. Some Greek Orthodox churches even used it to create holy water.
Powerful Adaptogen
Why has this plant been revered by so many for so long? One answer may be that holy basil is a quintessential and powerful adaptogen. This is a type of herb that helps buffer the effects of stress on the body and helps bring us back into balance once stressors have thrown us out of whack.
The medicinal properties of tulsi have been researched in hundreds of scientific studies that confirm its numerous health benefits. It has been shown to:
- promote a healthy response to stress
- foster a healthy mood, a sense of calm, and feelings of emotional well-being
- nourish healthy cognitive function including focus and alertness
- support a healthy immune response
- help to maintain normal blood sugar levels
With this varied list of health support from a single plant, no wonder holy basil is so venerated worldwide!
Stress Remedy™
Organic holy basil extract is one of the principal ingredients in Stress Remedy. Some of the beneficial active compounds within holy basil include: ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, eugenol, and caryophyllene.
Our CO2/H2O extraction of holy basil within Stress Remedy concentrates the potency of these important compounds for maximum efficacy. On top of that, this premium extract is masterfully formulated with eight other adaptogens, nervous system tonics, and botanical mood-balancers for a synergy of stress resilience and optimal mental and emotional health support.
