Thrive92017

14 MYTHRIVEMAG.COM

ulsi, also known as Holy

basil, is one of the most

sacred plants in India and

a favorite among Ayurvedic

practitioners for its antiseptic and

antibacterial qualities. It’s extremely

purifying, and is often kept around

homes and temples to purify the air.

Tulsi supports respiratory health and

immunity, so it’s especially helpful for

fighting off colds, flus and allergies.

It supports the colon and is one of the

top herbs for headaches and fevers.

Tulsi is also an adaptogen—an herb

that nourishes you when you’re

depleted and gives you energy when

you’re tired. because it supports the

nervous system, it’s a natural antidote

to a stressful world. Emotionally, tulsi

opens the heart and mind, invites

clarity and increases devotion—it’s

heartwarming!

The best way to take tulsi is as an

organic tea, which is easy to find in

most natural-foods stores (or grow

your own using the directions

below). Sometimes it’s combined

with other herbs and spices,

like ginger or licorice. You’ll

want to drink one cup daily for

preventive health; if you’re

dealing with an acute condition,

such as a cold or headache, you

could have two cups daily.

Tulsi is in the Lamiaceae (mint) family

along with the common sweet basil,

and, like sweet basil, it is easy to grow

and prolific. Here’s how:

Start the seeds indoors, and then

transplant them to an earthenware

pot or directly into the earth once

frost season is over. Tulsi grows best

in direct sunlight.

●

Water regularly and pinch off the

flowers to send more energy to

the leaves.

●

You can harvest the leaves a few

months into their growing time and

lay them out to dry on a screen

before using them for tea; if you cut

back the branches, you can

hang them upside down to dry.

Tulsi T ime

How to reap tHe benefits

of Holy basil

instagram: @kripalucenter

kripalu.org

Kripalu Ayurveda

t