Chances are, if you open your spice cabinet, you will find a bottle of Basil. It is popular in a lot of Italian dishes. Fresh basil is used in pesto and also in tomato sandwiches, but did you know it can be used in first aid and for other medical problems as well? It’s true! While your sautéing the Basil in your kitchen, you can also be using to improve your overall health, too!
1. It’s First Aid Ready
You can make the fresh leaves into a poultice to draw out toxins from nasty bug and snake bites (Also Louise Tenney’s Today’s Herbal Health). It has a natural anti-toxin component that will pull out the poisons from these types of bites.
Take a hand full of fresh basil and mash it until it forms a sticky pulp. Apply small amounts to the bites. If you want to do it another way, you can also use the essential oil, If you have it handy.
1 tbsp olive oil
2 Drops of Basil Essential Oil
2 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil
2 Drops of Peppermint Essential oil
2. Got Gas? Juice it!
The pure juice from the basil leaves can help rid your system of gas from indigestion and other stomach problems. If you can’t stand the taste of it, you can add the leaves to the following juice recipes:
Number 1
1/2 cucumber
1/2 cup watermelon
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/8 cup basil leaves
3 sprigs of parsley
1/4 cup red apple
Number 2
Three carrots
Three stalks of celery
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup green apple
1/2 Pear
1/8 cup basil leaves
3 sprigs of parsley
(Add filtered water if this juice recipe is too thick.)
Juice and be sure to mix the juice well before drinking.
3. It’s good for headaches, too!
A little of lemon mixed with fresh basil leaves can help take care of that pesky headache. You can also make an herbal oil to rub into your temples for when you need it.
4 ounces Olive or Coconut oil
2 ounces of the dried organic Basil leaves.
Place the above ingredients in a crock pot on low overnight. Strain out the plant material and store
the oil in a dark glass container. To use, just rub the oil into the pressure points closest to the pain:
the base of the rear of the neck, your temples, or the bridge of your nose.
4. It’s an antihistamine!
If you look at, it treats bug bites by fighting the histamine response in your body, but it also helps to combat histamine and immune responses to pollen, too! You can brew it in a tea, or use ground basil in capsules to help you live through the spring months.
5. diabetic friendly!
You’re probably reading that thinking I am stating the obvious, but if you’re regulating your diabetes through diet and are not dependent on insulin, it can help you better regulate your blood-sugar. This is the Holy Basil, which is related to the Basil we cook with.
6. It can help improve your skin.
Yep, boiling the leaves and placing your face over the steam can help to open and cleanse pores. It can also help to firm and tone your skin to bring back its natural elasticity. You can also use the herbal oil above as well. Just a few drops in your favorite night cream should do it.
And to think, we were just adding it to tomatoes and tomato sauce!
Be blessed and stay healthy!
The Herb Chick
The Herb Chick 