Nature’s Answer to Stress ~ Holy Basil


by Mark Schneider,
Certified Nutritional Practitioner

Stress is an inevitable part of life, and for many people it seems impossible to manage. For the health-conscious among us, it often feels like the hardest challenge to overcome. After all, we can take charge of our health through proper nutrition and lifestyle choices, but the amount of stress we are confronted with in our everyday lives is less within our control. However, even if we can’t erase stressful situations from our lives, we can give our bodies the tools to defend our health from the damaging effects of stress. Perhaps the best tool we have at our disposal for meeting this challenge is holy basil, a little-known herb with big anti-stress benefits.

Revered as “tulsi” or “the incomparable one” in Ayurvedic medicine, holy basil is very effective at modulating the body’s physiological and psychological response to stress. Of primary importance is its ability to normalize the hormone cortisol, the chief culprit when it comes to stress-related illnesses. Here it is important to understand how stress affects us physiologically. When we’re under stress the body’s first response is called the alarm reaction, where the stress hormones epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol are produced and the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system revs up. This involuntary “fight or flight” response is a product of evolution and serves us well in realistically dangerous situations by readying us for physical threats where our survival is at stake.

However, it has not adapted so well to modern-day stressors of a more mental and emotional nature, and the result is typically an overproduction of stress hormones in the body, with excess cortisol being of particular concern. Cortisol functions to increase blood sugar and maintain adequate blood pressure in times of stress. Blood sugar rises to provide more fuel for energy, and our heart rate and blood pressure soar to increase the flow of blood to the brain for heightened awareness. Digestion is de-prioritized as blood travels away from the gastrointestinal tract to the large muscles of the arms and legs to provide more strength for combat or speed for getting away from potential danger. The problem is that everyday, non-life threatening situations often trigger this fight or flight stress response, which is both unnecessary and inappropriate. As a result, today’s fast-paced and chronically stressed-out society has most of us in a state of excess cortisol, which is worsened all the more by smoking, coffee and alcohol consumption, lack of exercise and insufficient sleep – lifestyle habits that often accompany stressed lives. When cortisol is continually elevated in the body, it can lead to high blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, tension, thinning of bones, and a weakened immune system.

This is what makes holy basil so valuable. It modulates the amount of cortisol released during stress. In doing so, it protects the body by preventing a full-blown stress response. It also helps to normalize blood sugar, because blood glucose levels correspond to cortisol levels. Chronically high glucose levels increase the risk of developing not only type 2 diabetes, but also obesity, since excess glucose may be stored as fat (especially around the waistline). High glucose levels also cause inflammation, which scientists have found plays a key role in the development of heart disease and cancer. Fortunately, in addition to its cortisol-lowering abilities, holy basil also contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and a rich supply of antioxidants for protecting against inflammation-related free radicals.

Furthermore, holy basil helps to relieve anxiety and depression. People who suffer from anxiety and depression experience more stress than normal healthy individuals. Holy basil demonstrates a calming and uplifting effect on one’s mental health, which can dramatically alleviate the impact of stress on one’s physiology.

When choosing holy basil, be sure yours is specifically Ocimum Sanctum, the kind studied in India. Seek a manufacturer who respects the importance of the herb and the extraction process to yield a highly concentrated, superior herbal extract of the highest purity and potency, without the use of chemical solvents. This process is called “supercritical extraction,” and the result is a holy basil product that offers superior stress protection for your health.



Source:
www.healthydirections.ca