Ocimum Sanctum or Holy Basil or Tulsi is synonymous with the Indian culture and everything it stands for! For centuries now, every Hindu household starts their day worshipping this holy plant.

This tradition is just one the examples of the wisdom our ancestors held. The main reason such a ritual exists around a plant as humble as Tulsi is surprisingly simple – they wanted tulsi to reach every Indian household.

The benefits of having a Tulsi plant at home are, in my opinion, brilliant! It is known to be anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antiallergy, antidepressant, anti-arthritic, etc. It improves respiratory health, immunity, fertility, circulation, and liver function. It is also used to treat heart issues, bronchitis, asthma, liver diseases, skin diseases and more. The plant itself repels insects and purifies the air around. No wonder Ayurveda calls it an “elixir of life”.

What is interesting to me, as a 21 st century Nutritionist, is the application of these benefits to our modern-day life. With lifestyle diseases soaring year on year, something like tulsi seems to be the need of the hour.

• Consuming the leaves seems blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar = reduced metabolic stress = better health.
• There is also evidence that shows that tulsi leaves have a positive impact on your heart health. They have a normalising effect on blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels.
• As we see rising prevalence of chronic stress and its impact on memory, emotions, anxiety, etc, scientists all over the world have been looking for ways of curbing this. Tulsi consumption has shown to improve brain function, memory and is an anti-depressant.
• Tulsi protects organs from damage that can be caused due to increased exposure to heavy metals and toxins. This exposure has increased largely due to air pollution, chemical release in the air and water, toxins in our body products, packaged food and even fresh produce which is now being injected to ripen faster or look bigger or taste sweeter or what not.

If these benefits were not enough, tulsi will also improve the lustre of your skin and the sweetness of your voice. It makes you beautiful inside and out.

Every home should have a Tulsi plant, ideally one on each window. And once you make this holy plant a part of your home, start consuming it every single day. Here are some great ways of making Tulsi a daily feature in your life:

• Chew on 1-2 leaves first thing in the morning
• Add tulsi leaves and maybe a sprig of the flowers
• Infuse your water with tulsi leaves.
• Soak the tulsi seeds in water for 30-45 minutes and then add them to your sherbets, nimbu paani or waters
• and drink daily. This will help in fat loss, reducing body heat and is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids.
• Make a decoction by boiling a handful tulsi leaves and flowers in water for 4-5 minutes. Strain and drink this.

The benefits will be very subtle, you may not even notice them. The consumption of Tulsi helps because the active compounds present, mainly Eugenol, work on restoring homeostasis (internal stability) in your body. The minute your homeostasis is restored, your body starts functioning the way it was designed to function.

Simply put, Tulsi restores your body’s default settings.