The magic herb Basil

Basil is an herb native to India, known and used since three millennia ago and which has enjoyed a rapidly spreading worldwide. In India, about the basil plant is said to Krishna and Vishnu, and The good Hindus do not go to bed without a branch of basil placed on the chest, designed to take them during sleep in heavenly realms. The Romans and later to Italy, basil was considered grass love and fertility, flowering of being celebrated by festivals and the true rituals. In Greek and virtually all Orthodox Christian countries, basil is almost the same meanings as in India, is considered sacred plant. Holy water is made with basil, and a whole bunch of basil spread holy water to drive away Evil or places for sanctification. Also, basil is make icons to attract divine protection of the house and its occupants. But beyond the spiritual and magical dimension, basil has a very important quality - that healing, that we do still.

Preparations of basil

Powder

Is obtained by grinding the coffee grinder electric inflorescences dried basil, followed possibly by sieve for sifting flour. A teaspoon of powder (about 1.5 grams) is held for several minutes under the tongue, then swallow with water. Take on an empty stomach 3-4 times per day.

Hot infusion

It uses natural therapy (although not the wealth of combined infusion of active ingredients) for antispasmodic effects, very important in treating disorders of the digestive and respiratory diseases (bronchitis, whooping cough, viral respiratory infections). It is made simply by scalding a teaspoon of flowering stems and chopped with a cup of boiling water, then leave a quarter hour to infuse and filter. Drink as hot, so antispasmodic effect, hyperthermia and relaxing to be up.

Combined infusion

As the name suggests, combines cold extraction with hot infusion, helping to preserve the active ingredients. Prepare as follows: 2-3 tablespoons chopped basil leaves flowers and leave to soak in a cup of water over night, when filtered, macerate set aside and the remaining powder with another scald ½ cup hot water 20 minutes, then leave to cool and filter, combine the two extracts, drink before meals with a quarter of an hour. Dose - 3 cups per day.

Tincture

Fill half a jar of basil herb powder, filling the rest with alcohol of 50 degrees. Is closed tightly and let soak for eight days and then filtered through gauze tincture, and stored in small bottles, dark.

The volatile oil

Synonymous terms are volatile oil and ethereal oil, aromatic oil or essential oil. It is a preparation that is obtained only by industrial processes (by stripping steam) and is found in herbal stores and pharmacies. Use only oil that is specified as basil can be used for internal use. Administered, usually by 3 drops dissolved in a teaspoon of honey or put in a tablespoon of water, 2-4 times per day, in the course of 5-14 days. For children between 8 and 12 years, the dose is halved, and those between 5 and 8 years, give one drop, twice a day.

Therapeutic baths

Two handfuls of basil leaves to soak in a pot with 3-5 liters of lukewarm water for 12 hours (from morning to evening), then filter. Macerate got set aside and the remaining plant still scald a quart of water, let infuse for 15 minutes, then filter. Pour both preparations obtained in the bathtub, over hot water. Usually the bathrooms with basil lasts 20-30 minutes, with physical and mental tonic, helping the body fight infections and dodging us especially for diseases associated with cold or moisture.


Diseases prevented by basil

* Food poisoning - a study in 2004 shows that putting a single drop of essential oil of basil in a liter of drinking water that is consumed throughout the day, we provide shelter for many bacterial infections from food taken . Especially during the hot season, they produce tox
food infections, translated by symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever. The basil and spicy foods is recommended, especially in summer because volatile substances in foods preserved unaltered basil longer protect us from infections and digestive tract.

* Atherosclerosis - one of the secrets of Mediterranean cuisine beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system is even basil. Along with oregano, he is the main spice used in flavoring sauces for pasta, a salad of many types of pizza. Antioxidant substances contained by basil prevent plaque formation in arteries and keep blood vessels elastic.
* Heart - experimental medicine studies show that daily administration of basil, the herb or spice as introduced in food, prevents heart attacks. Not only that basil protects coronary arteries by cholesterol deposits, but also help keep blood pressure under control and has a very complex action in the central nervous system, protecting the entire cardiovascular system adverse effects of stress.
* Asthma - consumed as food, in salads, in sauces or in soups, basil protects the respiratory allergy reactions, largely prevents relapse lung infections, protects the airways from inflammatory processes that lead to asthma.
* Radiation - two active ingredients of basil and vicenina orientina (both soluble flavonoids), protects cells against mutagenic action of ultraviolet radiation, beta and gamma radiation. Therefore, in summer, when we are vulnerable to sunlight, but when we are exposed to radiation from other sources, daily administration of basil is very useful to prevent cell mutations, malignant processes. Take basil powder, 4-8 grams each day, in the course of 30 days.
* Infection with papilloma viruses cancer - a study by a team led by Dr. T. Dasgupta, published in 2004 in "Journal of Phytomedicine" Experience shows that animals infected with strains of papillomavirus with high carcinogenic potential and treated with basil leaves had a much lower rate of occurrence of the tumors from the control group.