4 Masters of Chi Reveal Their Secrets

4 Masters of Chi Reveal Their Secrets

Of all the ideas and practices available to us for finding good health, peace of mind and happiness in this crazy world, the Chinese and Daoist internal arts of Tai Chi, Qi Gong and energy meditation are unrivaled in their value in improving overall wellness and catalyzing personal transformation.

Masters of Chi are the stuff of legend, capable of performing amazing feats of healing, concentration, and strength, and their secrets are no longer so closely guarded in the Shaolin temples of China. Many dedicated teachers of these arts have spread throughout the world and share their expertise freely with Westerners, making their teachings available in print and in video, offering an immense body of knowledge and instruction on these practical transformative arts.

Referred to as ‘internal arts’ because they emphasize the inward direction of intention for healing, energy cultivation and physical development, there are an infinite number of exercises, techniques and teachings available for study.

In my personal journey of transformation and self-healing I have found tremendous benefit in many of the exercises, meditations and ideas offered by the 4 modern masters of Chi mentioned below. Their teachings encompass a wide variety of physical movements, forms, meditations, breathing exercises and invocations, and include gentle restorative techniques as well as rigorous and physically strenuous practices. Within their collection of written and recorded materials, they have revealed their secrets for the benefit of anyone.

1. Dr. Yang, Jing-Wing

Dr. Yang is the author of many books and videos including the excellent work, The Root of Chinese Qi Gong: Secrets of Health, Longevity & Enlightenment. He is the founder of YMAA, an association dedicated to preserving traditional Chines Kung Fu and Qi Gong, which publishes books and training materials, and offers advanced Kung Fu training programs at their retreat center in Northern California, including his 10 year program for serious students.

Dr. Yang has produced an impressive collection of instructional videos, including Simple Qi Gong: Exercises for Back Pain which is hands down the most effective program for treating chronic back pain, especially lower back pain, that I have ever come across.

Other excellent training videos by Dr. Yang include his standing and seated series of gentle moving meditations, Qi Gong: The Eight Pieces of Brocade, which is perfect for sunrise and sunset meditations. His DVD series Tai Chi for Beginners with Master Yang is an excellent introduction to Tai Chi, and Five Animal Sports Qi Gong is an outstanding long form qi gong sequence that includes the traditional five element healing sounds from Chinese medicine.

His YouTube channel features segments from his many lectures and instructional presentations and for the more hardcore student out there, Dr. Yang’s traditional Kung Fu training videos are packed with tons exercises and drills to supplement any serious martial arts practice.

2. Grandmaster Hua-Ching Ni

Grandmaster Ni is a living Daoist master and the author of over fifty books in Chinese, and forty in English on philosophy, Chinese medicine, Tai Chi, and Taoist meditation. He is a sage philosopher, chosen as a child to study the wise hermits who lived away from mainstream society, now dedicated the transmission of knowledge from an unbroken succession of 74 generations of Masters dating back to 200 A.D.

Teacher of The Integral Way, Master Ni’s works include many enlightening spiritual books include Workbook for Spiritual Development of All People, and Tao, the Subtle Universal Law and the Integral Way. Master Ni has also published I Ching The Book of Changes: And the Unchanging Truth, one of the best translations available of this classic in divinity.

Similar to Yoga in some ways, Master Ni’s series of Taoist internal arts includes the book and practice, Attune Your Body With Dao-In, a series of invocations, gentle physical exercises, postures and different meditations. I practice this series 3-4 times a week early in the morning as the sun rises, to great benefit.

3. Shifu Yan Lei

Shifu Yan Liu is a real deal Shaolin Monk who has been training, performing and teaching his entire life. He shares his vast knowledge with the world on his website. In addition to producing serious training programs and videos for kick-boxers and fighters, Shifu Yan Lei regularly emphasizes the need for even the strongest warrior to train in the internal art of Qi Gong in order to develop balance, concentration and health.

His video series Shaolin Warrior includes the excellent introductory series, The Way of Qi Gong, and many of his teachings can be previewed on his YouTube channel.

4. Grandmaster Mantak Chia

Mantak Chia is the author of dozens of best-selling books on taoist energy practices, chi, sexual energy, cosmic energy and healing and also the founder of the Universal Healing Tao System, which offers an extraordinary body of knowledge and practices for the cultivation of personal energy, as well as training in many types of Qi Gong, massage, and detoxification techniques.

The simple meditation principles in Mantak Chia’s book Awaken Healing Energy Through The Tao: The Taoist Secret of Circulating Internal Power, were very effective for me in awakening my powers of concentration and my ability to become sensitive to the subtle energies which enliven the universe in and around us. The techniques found in Iron Shirt Chi Kung are an example of some of the advanced esoteric trainings he offers, and his book Chi Self-Massage: The Taiost Way of Rejuvenation is one his most important healing techniques.

Many of Mantak Chia’s lectures and instructions can also be found on YouTube.

Conclusion

In my continuing journey for health and happiness, the internal arts are a major part of my daily practices in cultivating peace, wellness and abundant positive energy.

Certainly there are many more accomplished teachers that could and should be mentioned here, but these are four that have found me somehow and I regularly incorporate many of their techniques into my personal daily practice. Studying in person with a master is preferred, however, with the instruction and tools made available by these 4 masters and others, anyone practically anywhere can begin to integrate these profound healing arts into their daily life.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

3 Unique Pressure Points That Reduce Cancer Symptom

3 Unique Pressure Points That Reduce Cancer Symptom

Some people perform better under pressure.

It turns out that a little bit of pressure may help relieve certain cancer symptoms and treatment side effects.

Acupressure — a form of massage that reportedly originated in China before the Common Era — can alleviate nausea, fatigue, pain and anxiety, research shows.

It involves applying pressure to points called acupoints throughout the body to stimulate healing. It is a form of self-massage. Even though acupressure is less widely known than acupuncture in the U.S., acupressure predates acupuncture.

Before needles were invented, ancient cultures used sharp stones for acupuncture. Before sharp stones were used, people used fingers to apply pressure to acupoints.

Most studies on acupressure and acupuncture in cancer care indicate the therapy is helpful at palliating certain symptoms.

Costs and Cancer Centers That Offer Acupressure

One of the perks of acupressure is that it can be self-administered at any time, in any location. Acupuncture requires a licensed practitioner and the use of needles, making it an invasive procedure, albeit a minimally invasive one.

Acupressure is less commonly offered in cancer centers than acupuncture, but practitioners are found throughout the country and books on acupressure teach people how to effectively self-apply the therapy.

A number of cancer centers now offer acupuncture as a complementary treatment. For example, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has offered acupuncture since 2000 and is leading the way in standardizing protocols for oncology acupuncture.

The cost of acupressure is often lower than acupuncture, especially if you take the self-taught approach. An acupressure session with a trained practitioner can cost $50 to $95, while acupuncture sessions may cost $75 to $125. Once you learn acupressure points that work for you, it is easy and free to apply the therapy yourself.

Do It Yourself

Self-administering acupressure is easy and safe for people with cancer. You’ll want to use your fingers to apply steady, prolonged pressure for at least three minutes per acupoint. Applying pressure in a circular motion may enhance effectiveness for some people.

The degree of pressure you’ll apply will vary by acupoint. You want more pressure than light touch offers, yet not too much pressure to cause bruising or pain. Acupoints that reside around developed muscle tissue will require more pressure. Some points may feel more sensitive than others; apply less pressure to sore or sensitive points. You can apply pressure for as long as you want to control symptoms such as nausea, pain or anxiety.

Ideally, you’ll want to sit or lay in a comfortable position when performing acupressure. Take several relaxing, deep breaths before you begin. Place your focus on breathing and try to relax.

Acupoint for Reducing Nausea and Vomiting

Position your hand so that your palm is facing you. Relax your fingers.

Place the first three fingers of your opposite hand across your wrist, aligning your ring finger with the wrist crease (Figure 1). Next, place your thumb below and slightly under your index finger (Figure 2). The thumb should be centered on the wrist and you will feel two prominent tendons underneath. That is acupoint P6.

Apply firm pressure to the acupoint for at least three minutes.

Repeat on the opposite wrist.

Acupoint for Reducing Pain

Position your hand with your palm facing down. Gently spread your fingers.

Use your opposite thumb and middle finger to find the slight indentation between the base of your thumb and index finger (see figure). That is pressure point LI4.

Apply firm pressure to the acupoint for five minutes.

Repeat on the opposite hand.

Acupoint for Reducing Anxiety

Place your thumb or middle finger between your eyebrows at the root of your nose (see figure). That is acupoint Extra 1.

Apply gentle pressure to the acupoint for 10 minutes. Less time is fine if you don’t have 10 minutes to spare.

For added relaxation, focus on your breathing and consider visualizing yourself in a peaceful place, such as in a garden, by a stream or on a cloud.

Complication Management

Side effects and complications from acupressure are extremely rare. If someone presses too hard on the acupoint, bruising can occur. That may happen more easily for people undergoing chemotherapy.

While studies have proven the benefit of acupressure and acupuncture for cancer patients, there are no standardized protocols for how to use the therapy for specific symptoms.

Different practitioners may use different acupoints to treat the same symptom, which could be further studied to see which points work best for various symptoms. Acupressure could play a more prominent role in the future of integrative cancer care as promising research continues to surface.

For those of you interested in reading more about the research on acupoints and acupressure, here is a list of specific conditions and the studies done on how to relieve those symptoms:

Fatigue

A 2007 clinical trial found acupressure and acupuncture generally effective at relieving cancer-related fatigue (CRF) after chemotherapy, but acupuncture offered greater improvement. The group receiving acupuncture reported a 36 percent improvement in CRF, the acupressure group reported a 19 percent improvement and the placebo group reported a 0.6 percent improvement.

A 2014 Taiwanese trial reported that acupressure improved fatigue, sleep quality and functional status of people receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer. Application of essential oils to the acupoints particularly improved sleep quality.

Nausea and Vomiting

A 2007 study found acupressure reduced the amount of vomiting and the intensity of nausea over time for people who received chemotherapy. However, acupressure didn’t significantly help vomiting or nausea immediately following chemotherapy. In fact, it delayed the effect.

A 2007 British trial found that acupressure lowered the occurrence of nausea, dry heaving and vomiting and lessened the severity of the nausea and dry heaving following chemotherapy. Acupressure was applied to just one point on the wrist using a wristband such as the Sea-Band brand wristband available throughout the U.S. Participants who received acupressure had to wear the wristband for five days after chemotherapy began. The point, known as P6 or PC6, is located on the inside of the wrist, three fingers down from the wrist crease in the center.

A 2007 Italian study found that acupressure could help chemotherapy patients who were not responding to anti-nausea medication. Pressure was applied to the P6 point and 68 percent of participants had a reduction in vomiting.

A 2015 Turkish study found the P6 point effective at decreasing chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting and anxiety among breast cancer patients.

A 2015 review of acupressure studies reported self-administration effective at improving nausea and vomiting for cancer patients, reducing symptoms of respiratory disease, relieving fatigue and reducing sleep disturbances.

Pain

A 1996 study evaluated the effects of acupressure on post-operative pain and found it effective. The group that received real acupressure reported significantly lower pain scores than the placebo group.

A 2014 meta-analysis of auricular acupressure, which is acupressure applied to the ear, found it effective at managing different types of pain, including post-operative pain and low back pain. Auricular acupressure also reduced the need for pain medicine before and after surgery.

It is worth noting that acupressure may be less effective for cancer-related pain than acupuncture. A 2003 study of acupuncture applied to the ear showed a 36 percent reduction in pain among cancer patients who still had pain after taking pain medicine.

A 2007 German study found acupuncture helped relieve peripheral neuropathic pain, a type of nerve pain that can result from chemotherapy, in 76 percent of participants.

Anxiety

A 2005 Indian study found acupressure effective at reducing pre-operative anxiety, but the effects don’t last long after pressure is removed from the acupoint. Pressure was applied in a circular motion for 10 minutes to the Extra 1 point, which is located between the eyebrows at the root of the nose. Participants reported a significant reduction in anxiety, but their anxiety returned to baseline after 30 minutes. The results suggest that anxious patients can use this acupoint to temporarily reduce anxiety in medical settings and elsewhere.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

3 Simple Keys To Real Qi gong

3 Simple Keys To Real Qi gong

Real Qigong is not complex. There are very few rules, if any. There are no chants to remember and no special level of knowledge or achievement needed.

Real Qigong involves the following three things:

Relaxation – of the mind, body and spirit. Let go of thoughts, worries, and concepts. Relax.

Breathing – Slow, comfortable breathes, long slow exhales, deep inhalations without forcing anything.

Movement – Simple, flowing movements with little to no effort. Muscles are not engaged. Mind is barely engaged, if at all.

Of the three points listed above, the third is actually the least important of the three, yet it’s often considered the most important because it can be observed outwardly.

In order to be still on the outside, you must first truly be still on the inside.

This means you should primarily focus on relaxing and breathing, and not place much importance on the movements. However, many people get caught up in trying to memorize the movements and to get them right.

Don’t fall into that trap. Learn to relax. Learn to breathe. Learn to pay attention to your body.

Pay attention when it’s not easy to relax. Where do you feel tension? Why can’t you relax? Is it physical? Is it mental or spiritual? Whatever it is, it’s ok. Don’t put any pressure on yourself to be any certain way – you are what you are at that moment – embrace it and become aware of it.

Once you become aware of the fact that you can’t relax, you can easily figure out why. Once you figure out why, you can make the physical or mental corrections to relax. Maybe you just need a big deep exhalation. How about a vocal sigh? That usually does wonders for me.

Physical issues keeping you from relaxing? Stretch a little. Sit or lay down if that feels better.

Whatever it takes, learn your own body, then learn to relax.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

3 Reasons Everyone Should Try Cupping

3 Reasons Everyone Should Try Cupping

For many of us, the new year is a traditional time to set goals and enjoy an increased openness to new experiences. This willingness presents an opportunity to explore the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Better health is on everyone’s list for the new year and cupping is wonderful technique that can improve your health and provide numerous benefits.

One way to think about cupping is that it is the inverse of massage. Rather than applying pressure to muscles, the suction uses pressure to pull skin, tissue and muscles upward. I often combine cupping with acupuncture into one treatment, but it could also be used alone.

Cupping was developed thousands of years ago and though the techniques have modernized, the original philosophy remains the same.

Cupping involves placing glass, bamboo or plastic jars on the skin and creating a vacuum by suctioning out the air. The underlying tissue is raised, or sucked, partway into the cup. The purpose of cupping is to enhance circulation, help relieve pain, remove “heat” and pull out the toxins that linger in your body’s tissues.

You usually will feel a tight sensation in the area of the cup. Often, this sensation is relaxing and soothing. Depending on your comfort and your practitioner’s assessment of the problem, cups may be moved around or left in place. They may remain on your body briefly or for longer amounts of time. Each treatment is unique to you on that particular day. One very common area to be cupped is the back, although cups work well on other areas, too — particularly on fleshy sections of the body.

Cupping causes the skin to temporarily turn red, blue or purple, especially if there is an injury or energetic blockage under the area that was cupped. The skin discoloration can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, but is rarely painful. Once the marks have cleared, the procedure can be repeated until the condition or ailment is resolved.

There are a number of methods of cupping — the two most common here in the U.S. are “fixed cupping” and “moving cupping.”

Fixed Cupping:

The cups are placed on a selected area of your body and then left in place without being moved.

Moving Cupping:

As the name implies, in this method your practitioner applies massage oil or cream on your skin in selected places, puts the cups over the areas to be treated and then slides them around that region of the body — most commonly the back. The cups slide easily because the cream has lubricated your body.

You ought to consider exploring the benefits of cupping if you seek relief from stress, pain, allergies, fatigue, flu, colds, back pain, anxiety, muscle aches, red itchy skin conditions or fever.

Here are three reasons why cupping just might go mainstream this year:

1. Celebrity cupping enthusiasts are growing in numbers.

It was about 10 years ago when cupping first appeared in the tabloids. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow showed up on the red carpet with obvious round cupping marks on her back. She received a lot of press and later explained to Oprah, “It feels amazing and it’s very relaxing.”

Well, these days she is not alone among Hollywood stars who are devoted to this ancient healing technique. Last April, Jennifer Aniston arrived at the premiere of her movie, “Call Me Crazy” looking stunning in a strapless black dress which revealed cupping marks. She is known to be a long time fan of cupping and acupuncture.

Others stars who are outspoken proponents of cupping are Jessica Simpson, Lady Gaga and Victoria Beckham. They have spoken about using cupping for various physical complaints as well as for relaxation. Exes have picked up on the treatment too. Chris Martin (Paltrow’s “consciously uncoupled” partner) showed off his cupping circles while working out in London. Brad Pitt is also rumored to have tried cupping.

2. Athletes use cupping as a secret weapon.

Wang Qun, a Chinese swimmer proudly showed off her marks during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Always looking for methods to naturally improve health and performance, more athletes have turned to cupping. Tennis ace Andy Murray said he used cupping in conjunction with other treatments to relieve stiffness and to help address a back injury.

Mets baseball players have also adopted the treatment. In August The Wall Street Journal reported on the multitude of Mets players using cupping. The trend started for them after their teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka appeared in the locker room with cupping marks. The 33-year-old started cupping about two years ago and was quoted in WSJ saying, “As an athlete, I want to play as long as possible, in order to do that, I need to find ways to protect my body. I’m always looking for something that might be better.”

But cupping is not just for movie stars and athletes … cupping is highly beneficial for everyone.

3. Cupping provides relief for many health conditions.

Cupping has numerous benefits — it can help remove toxins from the body and stimulate the flow of fresh blood, lymph, and Qi to the affected area and throughout the body. It often works wonders for patients with the flu, colds, coughs, back and muscle pain, poor circulation, anxiety, red itchy skin conditions (though cups are not applied to inflamed areas), allergies, fevers, aches and myriad other pains.

Cupping is not exclusive to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Variations of this treatment were used by ancient Egyptians, North American Indians, early Greeks, and in other Asian and European countries. Cupping therapy was recommended by Hippocrates, the man whom many consider to be the “Father of Modern Medicine,” in his guide to clinical treatment.

It should be noted that cupping is not be used on patients who bleed easily and/or cannot stop bleeding, have skin ulcers, or edema. It is unwise to cup over large blood vessels as well. Pregnant women should be cupped with extreme caution and never on their abdomen or lower back.

To be cautious I generally practice a less intense treatment the first time, and then see how the patient reacts before implementing longer amounts of time and more suction.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

3 Ayurvedic Super Milk Recipes for Bedtime

3 Ayurvedic Super Milk Recipes for Bedtime

A bedtime routine is almost essential in Ayurveda. Getting a good night’s sleep is so important, yet it is one of the first things we sacrifice in order to get more work done, or to watch that one last episode on Netflix. Sometimes, it’s just too hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.

Resting our bodies and brains ensures we have enough energy the next day; it gives our systems a break to wind down and prep for what’s ahead. Even though we’ve shut down, our brains work hard to rejuvenate, relax, and process everything that happened during the day. When we don’t get enough sleep or even good quality sleep, it taxes not only our nervous system, but our adrenal glands as well.

Having a good bedtime routine can help with better sleep. One of my favorite things to do as well is to give my clients a nice warm milk recipe with different herbs to incorporate into their wind-down process.

Try any of the following depending on what you want to work on. All you do is pour one glass of milk into a pot and warm it on the stove. Mix in the herbs and bring to a slow boil. If you would like to add a sweetener, try some maple syrup or turbinado sugar—just enough to give you a taste. You don’t want the aroma of the herbs to be masked by the sugar.

It’s best to drink the milk about 2–3 hours after dinner and 1–2 hours before bedtime. You don’t want your digestion working hard while you’re trying to sleep. You can add cardamom, cinnamon, and/or ginger to any of these to make them a little more digestible. Sometimes mixing ½ cow’s milk and ½ almond milk also makes for easier digestion.

To Calm & Cool

If you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep because of excess heat or an agitated/irritated mind, you might have excess pitta in your majja vaha srotas, or your nervous system. I know this one hits home for me. I often wake up in the middle of the night because I get too hot. Try this milk to help cool and calm both your mind and body.

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp Anantamul
• Handful of organic rose petals (fresh or dry)
  *Maple syrup is a great sweetener for this one—add it in after heating! You can also add a sprig of saffron for more flavor, and to help that pitta!

To Ground & Settle

Many times our bodies are not ready to go to sleep. We’re constantly running around throughout the day, and it’s tough to calm the body and mind. They’re running on full speed, even at 10pm. This can increase the light and clear qualities of our systems, also making it hard to get a good night’s rest. This version is great for those who have some high vata. The herbs are super for grounding and giving a little heaviness to the body so it’s ready to fall asleep.

Ingredients:

To Rejuvenate & Replenish

Taking herbs at night or before bedtime has a direct affinity to working on the mind, as the night hours are those that target the nervous system and brain directly. Make this milk if you want to give your body a nice rest, with the added bonus of manasika herbs, or herbs that work directly on the mind.

Ingredients:

About the Author

Nishita is passionate about holistic living, and integrating all that the universe gives into her life. She loves everything and anything regarding food—literally. You can generally find her in the kitchen testing out some new and wacky dessert recipe or figuring out ways to incorporate various herbs into the foods she makes. Outside the kitchen, she loves spending her time in nature or on her mat doing her daily sun salutations. Nishita is an Ayurvedic Studies Program levels 1 and 2 graduate from the Ayurvedic Institute, where she studied Ayurveda and Yoga under the world-renowned Vasant Lad, BAM&S, MASc. Check out her website, www.nourishthefire.com for more fun recipes!

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Original article and pictures take www.banyanbotanicals.com site

15.5 Acupuncture Benefits

15.5 Acupuncture Benefits

But, does acupuncture work?

You might have heard that apparently Sandra Bullock gets acupuncture 3 times a week! It’s in her contract and studios have to pay for it!

Elle McPherson has it done regularly, too. She claims: “I do choose to look after my body from a Chinese medicine perspective, which promotes and maintains wellness rather than treats illness”. Jennifer Lopez dropped 15lbs with help of acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Jennifer Anniston does it, Angelina Jolie does it, Sean Connery, Madonna, Oprah, Lucy Liu, Kim Kardashian..the list goes on and on!

So is it just another fad you might ask?

Absolutely, not! Acupuncture has been invented 5,000 years ago, and practiced since over 3,000 years, which makes it one of the oldest practicing forms of medicine known. World’s largest population – over 1.3 billion Chinese people can’t be wrong!

OK, so what are acupuncture benefits?

I can think of following 15 acupuncture benefits:

1. Acupuncture is holistic and treats the roots of the problems, not just the symptoms
2. It’s safe and effective
3. No side effects
4. Much quicker recovery than with the use of Western Medicine
5. No chemical drugs used and can be used on patients who do not respond to pain medications
6. No down-time for the recovery (unlike with the surgery)
7. Affordable
8. Each acupuncture treatment is individually tailored
9. Can be safely used combined with conventional medicine
10. It will give you more energy, so that you can finally hit the gym
11. It strengthens immune system. Wave goodbye to nasty colds and flu!
12. Acupuncture decreases stress levels, helping you calm your mind and emotions, leaving you serene and relaxed
13. It improves sleep
14. Boosts digestion
15. It’s very effective in decreasing chronic pain

Actually, there is a number 16! You could boast of having a near-death experience of laying on “bed of nails”. Ah, no! It’s actually nowhere near as bad as people imagine:)

Like it? Share it!

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Want to know if acupuncture could help you get better?
Check out our list of conditions that can be effectively treated with acupuncture!

Original article and pictures take malouacupuncture.com site

15 Benefits of the Holy Basil (Tulsi) Herb

15 Benefits of the Holy Basil (Tulsi) Herb

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In the Hindu religious tradition, the tulsi, or holy basil, plant serves both as an important symbol and also as a popular medicinal remedy. As a symbol, the plant is worshiped in the morning and evening by Hindus everywhere; and the plant itself serves as an herbal remedy for a lot of common ailments in the ancient Indian Ayurvedic system of healthcare.

Fifteen Medicinal Uses of Tulsi

1. Healing Power: The tulsi plant has many medicinal properties. The leaves are a nerve tonic and also sharpen memory. They promote the removal of the catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tubes. The leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious perspiration. The seeds of the plant are mucilaginous, producing a coating that protects mucus membranes.

1. Fever & Common Cold: The leaves of basil are a specific cure for many fevers. During the rainy season, when malaria and dengue fever are widely prevalent, tender leaves boiled with tea act as preventive against these diseases. In case of acute fevers, an extraction of the leaves boiled with powdered cardamom in half a liter of water and mixed with sugar and milk brings down the temperature. The juice of tulsi leaves can be used to bring down fever. Extract of tulsi leaves in fresh water should be given every 2 to 3 hours. In between one can keep giving sips of cold water. In children, it is every effective in bringing down the temperature.
2. Coughs: Tulsi is an important constituent of many Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants. It helps to mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma. Chewing tulsi leaves relieves cold and flu.
3. Sore Throat: Water boiled with basil leaves can be taken as drink in case of sore throat. This water can also be used as a gargle.

1. Respiratory Disorder: The herb is useful in the treatment of respiratory system disorder. An extraction of the leaves mixed with honey and ginger is an effective remedy for bronchitis, asthma, influenza, cough and cold. An extraction of the leaves mixed with cloves and common salt also gives immediate relief in case of influenza. They should be boiled in half a liter of water till only half the water is left and add then taken.

1. Kidney Stone: Basil has strengthening effect on the kidneys. In case of kidney stones, the juice of basil leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months, it will expel them via the urinary tract.
2. Heart Disorder: Basil has a beneficial effect in cardiac disease and the weakness resulting from them. It reduces the level of blood cholesterol.
3. Children's Ailments: Common pediatric problems such as cough, cold, fever, diarrhea and vomiting respond favorably to the juice of basil leaves. If pustules of chicken pox delay their appearance, basil leaves taken with saffron will hasten them.
4. Stress: Basil leaves are regarded as an 'adaptogen' or anti-stress agent. Recent studies have shown that the leaves afford significant protection against stress. Even healthy persons can chew 12 leaves of basil, twice a day, to prevent stress. It purifies blood and helps prevent several common elements.
5. Mouth Infections: The leaves are quit effective for ulcers and infections in the mouth. A few leaves chewed will cure these conditions.
6. Insect Bites: The herb is a prophylactic or preventive, as well as a curative for insect stings or bites. A teaspoonful of the juice of the leaves is taken and is repeated after a few hours. Fresh juice must also be applied to the affected parts. A paste of fresh roots is also effective in case of bites of insects and leeches.

1. Skin Disorders: Applied locally, basil juice is beneficial in the treatment of ringworm and other skin diseases. It has also been tried successfully by some naturopaths in the treatment of leucoderma.
2. Teeth Disorder: The herb is useful in teeth disorders. Its leaves, dried in the sun and powdered, can be used for brushing teeth. It can also be mixed with mustered oil to make a paste and used as toothpaste. This is very good for maintaining dental health, counteracting bad breath and for massaging the gums. It is also useful for pyorrhea and other teeth disorders.
3. Headaches: Basil makes a good medicine for headache. An extraction from the leaves can be given for this disorder. Pounded leaves mixed with sandalwood paste can also be applied on the forehead for getting relief from heat, headache, and for providing coolness in general.

1. Eye Disorders: Basil juice is an effective remedy for eye disorders such as sore eyes and night-blindness, which is generally caused by deficiency of vitamin A. Two drops of black basil juice are put into the eyes daily at bedtime.

DISCLAIMER: These are only general guidelines as a first aid. It is always better to see a doctor depending upon the intensity of the case. The views expressed above are entirely those of the author.

Original article and pictures take www.thoughtco.com site