Health Tips # 4 - Thulasi and its benefits

The herb "Thulasi" (or Brinda or Basil as it is known to few people) is well known for its action on lungs and associated problems. The lungs are affected due to cold, phlegm, cough, sneezing, runny nose etc.

In case of phlegm in chest, gather a handful of basil leaves, clean them and add a teaspoon of pepper to it. Add a glass of water and heat the combination. Reduce it to half glass, and then filter the water. Add honey to this water and drink it three times a day.

Another alternative is to take 1-2 teaspoon of thulasi leaf juice once every four hours.

In case of allergy that results in sneezing, runny nose etc the following preparation is found to be useful. Powder of dried thulasi leaves 100 gm, powdered clove 100 gm, powdered cardamom 100 gm all these mixed thoroughly and stored in a bottle. Take a pinch of this mixture to a teaspoon of honey and take it morning and night after food. Regular intake can cure this annoying problem.

For people suffering from asthma, thulasi leaves 6 nos, pepper corn 6 nos and vilva leaf 6 nos are taken together raw first thing in the morning. Chew the combination and swallow down the juice such that it passes down the throat slowly. This will help relieve the attendant uneasiness.

For smokers cough, thulasi is an excellent remedy. A handful of thulasi leaves, toothuvalai leaves and kandakathiri leaves are collected. Put all these leaves in a litre of water. Now add 5 gm each of dried ginger (chukku), pepper and thippili to this and heat it. Reduce it to half and then let it cool. Add honey and take it twice a day.

Do this for 21 days, preparing this combination fresh each day. This can help cure smokers cough.