Managing Stress with Tulsi
About this author
Prof. Marc Cohen is the Founding Professor of Complementary Medicine at RMIT University, Immediate Past President of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow with the Monash Institute of Health Services Research.
Tulsi (Holy Basil): An ancient herb for modern times
Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), also know as Holy Basil, has been considered a sacred plant in India for over 5000 years and is regarded in Ayurveda as an ‘elixir of life’ that is believed to relieve stress and promote longevity. In India, Tulsi is often worshipped as a deity and in many traditions a household is considered incomplete if it doesn’t have a Tulsi plant.
Amongst herbalists Tulsi is considered an “adaptogen“, which is a herb that enhances the body’s ability to “adapt” to different forms of stressors (environmental, physical, mental, and emotional). The unique chemistry of Tulsi is highly complex and contains hundreds of beneficial compounds known as phyto-chemicals. Working together, these compounds possess adaptogenic properties that promote general health and support the body’s natural defence against stress and disease.
While the restorative and medicinal properties of Tulsi have been known in India for thousands of years, it is only recently that Western science is beginning to unravel the mechanisms that lead to its many benefits. Through a series of animal and human experimentation, Tulsi has been found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and has been found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve glucose metabolism and aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients.
While Tulsi does have specific medicinal uses, consuming Tulsi is similar to many other practices derived from Ayurveda in that it is most useful when included as part of everyday lifestyle. Tulsi can be consumed as a delicious and health promoting tea.
Increasing pressures at work and poor work/life balance have led to workplace stress making life tough for working Australians. Figures show nearly one fifth of adults say they have used some type of medication to help manage their condition and it is only recently that the costs of ‘presenteeism’, whereby workers turn up for work but are unproductive due to an ongoing stress and illness, are being recognized as greater than the costs of absenteeism.
Choosing to replace other beverages with Tulsi tea may be an effective way to enhance resilience to many modern day stressors and lead to long term health benefits and enhanced productivity.
The benefits of Tulsi tea go far beyond specific health benefits for those drinking it. Tulsi is harvested in India by Organic India, the first company in the world to commercially cultivate Tulsi. Organic India utilizes organic and fair-trade practices that enhance the health of the environment as well as providing sustainable economic benefits for the local communities producing it. As one of the world’s very few vertically integrated organic food companies, Organic India is responsible for growing, harvesting, processing, storing and shipping Tulsi in accordance with international organic food standards and is therefore involved in certification from the field to the store.
Founder and President of Organic India Bharat Mitra states that “Organic India is about creating a business modality that is of service to all. To the environment, to the farmer, to the end consumers.” In cultivating Tulsi, Organic India is actively involved in regenerating the soil, reducing the use of agricultural chemicals and teaching local farmers how to become healthy, sustainable and profitable. Organic India’s Director of Human Resources, Linda Dean adds that “Organic India demonstrates that you can run an economically sustainable and viable business with spiritual principles of integrity, honesty and doing the right thing by everyone at every level.”
So to help ease the stress of work and slow down the pace of modern life, take a moment to experience the benefits of Tulsi and Tulsi Tea.
