Holy Basil For Anxiety

Holy basil is a many branched, erect stout and aromatic herb known for its many medicinal properties. It can grow up to the height of about two feet and is hairy all over.  The plant has tender and usually smooth leaves that can be up to an inch in length. The herb itself is bitter and pungent.

Holy basil's botanical name is Ocimium basilicum. It is a native herb grown in many parts of India, South Asia, and the Middle East. It has a rich history and has been grown for thousands of years in the Mediterranean region. Holy basil is also found growing wild in tropical and sub-tropical areas all over the world.

This herbal plant has many medicinal properties. The leaves can be made into an effective tonic and is also known to sharpen memory. They also promote the elimination of phlegm from the bronchial tube. The leaves can be used to strengthen the stomach and induce profuse perspiration to release heat from the body. It is also known to purify the blood and helps in preventing several common ailments.

Holy basil leaves are also long regarded as an anti-stress agent. Recent studies have shown that the leaves of this versatile plant can provide significant protection against stress. The most popular effect of holy basil and the reason for its rapidly growing popularity is in its positive effect on the brain. It has been found to have similar effects to a variety mood enhancing pharmaceuticals such as stimulants and anti-depressants.

An ancient habit of chewing about twelve leaves of holy basil twice a day will be enough to prevent stress. Basil as an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety herb also works best if made into tea. For added effect, it can also be mixed with chamomile and ginger to make a very inviting beverage.

Holy basil's many medicinal properties have made many companies take notice of its appeal as an herbal supplement. The herbal plant has already been made available in tablet form as well as tea preparations. Part of the success of holy basil as an herbal supplement may be due to a special extraction process used by manufacturers to extract the herb's medicinal compounds. The extraction process is also known as supercritical extraction.

Supercritical extraction is an effective means of pulling out a plant's biochemical ingredients without using toxic solvents like hexane or acetone. And although residual levels of these toxins are quite small in conventional extraction methods, slight traces of such toxins can remain in the herbs after the manufacturing process.

Heat is usually being used to help remove the toxic deposits from the herbal compounds. The problem with heating the herbs to extract the chemical compounds is that it can easily change or distort a plant's delicate biochemistry and, in effect, it's potency or medicinal properties.

And because supercritical extraction does not use solvents and instead makes use of harmless carbon dioxide, the use of heat for extraction is avoided. Most importantly, supercritical extraction also allows the retention of a broad spectrum of the plant's other constituent biochemical parts, so that more of the plant's original properties are made available.

Holy basil can also be used as a spice for your food. As a member of the mint family, this herb will not only make your recipes tastier, they can make your food healthier to. Try to add some holy basil in your lifestyle and you will be able to see the difference.

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