Holy Basil Herb: Spiritual Healing and Benefits

I have been taking Paxil for six months. I am almost to the end of my treatment of 20mg of Paxil. Can I take Holy Basil instead? I have been having panic attacks. Should I talk to my doctor first? Would there be any danger in switching? I also feel dizzy when my blood sugar goes down. Please let me know what you think.

Dear Benjamin, Since you have been on Paxil for six months, it is not a good idea to take yourself off from this drug without your doctor's consent and supervision. Antidepressant drugs need to be withdrawn slowly, with your doctor making the calls for the amount of time which you should be weaned from them. Holy Basil is not a replacement for Paxil. It is meant to have a more gentle and subtle effect upon the body. If you wish, you could try using this herb in addition to your Paxil. If you do not notice any side effects from using it, and your panic attacks stop completely, then you might want to talk to your doctor about weaning off the Paxil under his supervision. Your doctor knows whether your symptoms are mild enough to be without your medication. Good luck.

I have had stress within my family for some months, I am taking a T3 and T4 compound for my thyroid prescribed by my physician. I have been told Holy Basil is good for stress, my question is, is it safe to take with thyroid medication?

Dear Denise M., To date, there have been no known drug interactions with the use of Holy Basil. However, please consult with your prescribing physician before using this herb.

Dr. Leia, to your knowledge, can someone take St. Johns Wort along with Holy Basil? I've been taking St. Johns Wort for a while with great success, but would also like to add Holy Basil due to the many wonderful reported benefits. Please let me know if I can safely add Holy Basil to my supplement routine.

Dear Deborah, I know of no problems with combining Holy Basil with other herbs. However, each person has her tolerance level, so if you don't feel well taking both herbs, then immediately discontinue their use. Currently there are many formulas which include Holy Basil in combination with several other herbs. Just follow the precautions listed above, and do not overdose. See the dosage levels listed above.

This was suggested to me to try at the vitamin store for a calming effect which it appeared to have but my blood pressure shot up to 160's/100's after taking one dose. My blood pressure has since come back down after 24 hrs. so that's what I'm attributing the problem to. I wouldn't feel comfortable trying it again. The only medicines I take are bio identical estrogen and progesterone.

Hi Carol, we each are different and no two people will experience the same thing. I have found that Holy Basil is very helpful to me. It helps with both my asthma and also helps keep my hormones more leveled out, and my mood is much brighter.

I have been reading about this and a friend takes it. I have Restless leg syndrome and am going through the change of life. I cannot concentrate on even simple tasks anymore. Would this be something good for me to try.

Holy Basil is said to be helpful during Menopause. There are some instances when Holy Basil is not to be used. These warnings are listed above. For more information on Restless Leg Syndrome use the search feature and type in Restless Leg Syndrome. Also you may want to look into Hyland's Restless Leg Remedy. I think it contains quinine.

Can Holy Basil make psoriasis worse? I have been taking it and found my psoriasis become decidedly worse. I haven't taken it for two days and the problem seems to be subsiding somewhat.

Is it OK to drink alcohol while taking Holy Basil?

Hi Melissa, It would probably be a bad idea to do so as alcohol dehydrates the body. Holy Basil has a somewhat diuretic effect and is used to detox the body. It would not be a good idea to overtax the system as you would be detoxing while adding something the system must remove.

I have a bacterial vaginal infection and was told that drinking some Holy Basil tea will help to balance the bacteria in my vagina along with taking some probiotics such as Bifidophilus Flora Force. Do you know this to be true? Or is there some other herbal natural remedy that you suggest for my condition?

Are there any benefits to using Holy Basil externally? I am thinking of adding it to my massage oil. And, what would the usage be?

I have been taking holy basil for the last couple months and it has helped tremendously with my high stress life. I have a one and a three yr old and my husband works out of state six weeks at a time. It has helped level me out, and I want to continue taking it. I have read in a few different places that it is not recommended for over four weeks consecutively. I also occasionally take it with melatonin. I sometimes have trouble "turning my brain off" at the end of an over stimulating day. Is it safe to take this herb long term or is it meant for temporary treatment? Is it safe to occasionally use with melatonin?

Hi Kim, Holy Basil should be used for up to four weeks at a time and you should take some breaks in between. It does stimulate your body to detox. It also slows down the clotting of blood and should not be used with blood thinners or before any surgery. It is often paired with Melatonin as it has been known to help with cortisol spikes in some studies which correlates with stress in the body.

I first tried Holy Basil yesterday. Within a few hours, I got an intractable pain in my right back, kidney area. A few years ago, my doctor told me I had cysts on my kidney but didn't specify which side and said that I didn't need to worry about them. While it's not as bad, I'm still feeling the pain this morning about 20 hours after taking the Holy Basil, and I was wondering if this could be caused by the detox effect of Holy Basil, or if something else might be going on either related to or unrelated to the Holy Basil? I also have one other question. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia (non-fasting blood sugar was 55). I keep it under control with my diet. However, I'm concerned that, because Holy Basil lowers blood pressure, it might cause a hypoglycemic episode. Is this possible -- or does Holy Basil just normalize blood sugar (rather than lower it).

I just purchased some Holy Basil and am excited to see how great the benefits are. However, I have a chronic pain from an accident years ago and just about every day take a pain reliever with acetaminophen in it. I read there could be some side effects, and I'm curious of what they are? I understand that everyone is different, but I am looking for a general answer. Thanks.

Hi Chris, Acetaminophen is hard on the kidneys and liver. It would be unwise to use the two together as Holy Basil is for detoxing and this causes the kidneys and liver to work harder.

I am looking for natural mood assistance since I have no mental health through my job. In Whole Body at Whole Foods they recommended Holy Basil. I noticed that it specifically says do not use if you may become pregnant. My husband and I plan on trying to become pregnant in 5-6 months. Is it okay to use Holy Basil temporarily?

You say that Holy Basil is detoxifying and hard on the kidney and liver. Does this mean that one should not take Milk Thistle while taking Holy Basil? Also, I see that the recommended capsule dosage is 250-450 mg daily. My brand is Oregon's Wild Harvest which states that the Holy Basil I purchased was made with organic herbs and each capsule is 800 mg. Is this too much, then? Thank you.

Hi Fran, the answer above was to Chris who is using a pain killer with Acetaminophen. These drugs are hard on the kidney and liver. Please see in the above article under the heading "Caution." As far as the brand and dose that you mentioned, Oregon Harvest is a good brand and the dose is not unreasonable if you do not have any big health issues or kidney damage. If you have health problems it would be best to check with a Dr. familiar with herbal remedies. I would caution you not to take more than one herb at a time for the same issue. I have listed some reasons why you should not take multiple herbs for the same problem. If you have allergies, will you know which one is causing the problem? Dose, how much is the right personal dose for you? They are expensive and why waste your money taking twice what is needed. If you want to try more than one type of herb targeted toward a specific problem consider taking a blend that is put out by a manufacturer who has taken the time to get the amounts of each ingredient correct so that they are the most effective. When you buy multiple bottles the dollars really add up and a blend may be a better choice if this the the route you want to take. In addition if you take too many herbs that do the same thing or too much of one it would not be good for your kidneys either. Educate yourself and look things up and if in doubt consult with someone.

I had an unusual rash on my leg for about five years. It would crust, itch, flake,etc. My doctor prescribed fungus medicine, yeast medicine, etc. for it but it would not heal. When I began taking Holy Basil it cleared up immediately. Is Holy Basil an anti-fungal as well?

Hi Barb, yes Holy Basil, or Tulsi does have antibacterial and anti fungal properties.

Does Holy Basil have any negative effects on the heart and can it cause hives?

Hi Martha, if you have a heart problem and are on say Plavix, Coumadin, or take aspirin which thins the blood then it would not be a good idea to add Holy Basil as it can thin blood also. In addition it should never be used before any dental work or surgery. It is not known to cause hives and actually is used to help with allergies, but you could be allergic to the plant itself.

I have a garden full of basil and make a cool refreshing drink by putting whole leaves in purified water in the blender. I strain it and add honey. I decided to look up the health benefits and found this site. I'm glad to know basil is so good for you. I am fifty-nine years old and am working on getting healthier and glad to know it detoxes. Is there a way to know what amounts I am getting? Also I know it is organic as I grow it myself.

My 21 year old brother has been experiencing anxiety in public or around crowds lately. He attributes this to a paranoia that came about from excessive marijuana smoking. He has not smoked for several months, almost a year now, nor does he drink alcohol. But the anxiety persists. He tried taking 5htp to bring his mood back to normal, and said it had a very negative reaction with him. Now he swears by Holy Basil. But he has turned into a totally different person since taking it. He admits he has little to no reaction when stress occurs around him, but he also has little care for anything. He acts and says very strange things now. He's become distant, says nonsensical or totally inappropriate phrases. He has never been like this before. He's claiming that he has Holy Basil to thank for his new self, and he doesn't realize how strange he has become. It's as if holy basil is having a narcotic effect on him. Is it possible that these are the effects of the holy basil? My entire family is very worried.

I purchased some Holy Basil yesterday because I was having anxiety attacks. The salesperson told me it was alright to take more than two a day at two capsules of 800mg. I took four today, and in reading you're website it sounds like that might be too much. Is there any harm in having done this?

I began taking Holy Basil at a natural doctors suggestion for thyroid symptoms that conventional doctors could not diagnose. I have never felt better. I had mood swings, depression, easily get tired, weird hunger and my body would crave foods insatiably after I knew I was full. I'm 5'9" and 125 lb female in her twenties. I'm not overweight, but I knew something was very off with my body like someone else was controlling it. And my nails have beau's lines in them, which I still haven't figured out yet. Since taking Holy Basil, my stress, emotional roller coaster, low energy levels, and cravings have almost vanished. I haven't been very hungry and easily stop eating when I am satisfied. I feel balanced and like a well oiled machine running smoothly. One weird effect, is the first couple days right after taking it my pupils were enormous. Any ideas on what caused that?

I took Holy Basil for about a week a month ago. I started getting swelling in my subclavecal area and then two weeks later under my arms. I thought it was my lymph glands. After a CT Scan and many blood tests they can't find anything but now the Rheumatologist thinks it is not my lymph glands but instead my tissues. Also the back of my neck keeps swelling, and I get some facial sensitivity on my right side. Could Holy Basil do this or could it be from the detoxification of it? I still have some slight swelling but it is going down. Thank you for your help.

Thank you for this web, showing the truth of cure by nature instead of dupe pharmaceutical drugs.

I have AF and on Betapace, taking Adivan occasionally for stress. I would like to go on a natural herb to calm my nerves and to get a good nights sleep. Can I take Holy Basil and or SAM-e? Which would be better and safer. Can both be taken together?

Recently within the past two weeks my mother started taking holy basil supplements and has noticed black particles of some sort in her urine periodically. Is this caused by the supplement and should it be discontinued?

I am 55 yrs old and in post menopause. For months now, I have been having severe, anxiety or depression, shakes, jittery, always cold, headaches, muscle pains with rigidity, high blood pressure and a whole host of other symptoms. I am taking estradiol cream and at night progesterone with pregnenolone, low dose. I am waiting for the saliva tests the doctor ordered to see if I have low or high cortisol levels and to test for DHEA and other hormones. I am coming out of my skin and can't enjoy life anymore. I can't remember the last time I laughed and I can't cry because of emotional blunting. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, especially the AD's didn't help and even made me sicker. Am I mentally ill or is there something seriously wrong with me. I just hung up with the doctor and he said to give the hormones more time and to take Holy Basil which will lower stress and the cortisol levels, but I am not sure if they are high or low and he told me to wait until the saliva tests come back. But everyday, every moment is torture and I am at the end of my rope. I take fish oil, Co-Q10, magnesium taurate, a good multi-vitamin, and I also take atenolol for my blood pressure. I can't sleep anymore, my neck is so tight and I dread waking up to another miserable day. No one understands me or wants to hear my constant complaints anymore. Please help. Thanks so much.

I took two capsules of Holy Basil at dinner last night and couldn't fall asleep at my usual bed time. Is this normal? I hope you can advise me. Not sleeping is not helpful.

Hi Louise, Holy Basil is often used in tension reducing formulas and also sleep enhancing herbal formulas. Your sleeplessness may be caused by something other than the Holy Basil. If it happens more than once then it would be more than a coincidence.

I have had ringing in ears just recently, ear infections, upper respiratory infection and fungus around mouth and shortness of breath all over the past four months. All has cleared up except the ringing in my ears and shortness of breath and anxieties due to ear noises. Now I'm taking Hylands Nerve tonic and Calms forte, and just started Naturalcare Ring Stop. Can I take New Chapter Holy Basil also? Any stomach upset? I get issues with Oregano supplements. I don't take any other medications or supplements. I need something to get it all back to a normal state. Thanks for any info.

Hi, I have a question about holy basil. I know I can take it for four weeks, but how long should I stop taking it before I resume back? It's an awesome herb. I had a couple of panic attacks lately. I hate them so much. They are so uncomfortable, so I went to the doctor, and she prescribed some antidepressant, which I didn't take because of the side effects. I decided to give holy basil a shot, and yup, it worked wonders. Which holy basil do you suggest? There are a lot of holy basil types out there.

Hi, I started taking two of the New Chapter's holy basil gel capsules as it was recommended to me to help combat stress. I also take Claritin allergy medication most days. It did help with relaxing me but I noticed at night when I was trying to sleep an increased heart beat which caused lack of sleep? Could this be from the Holy Basil and Claritin together? I always get nervous before trips, flights, and start taking this a few weeks before. Should I try taking one capsule?

Can you take holy basil and Clonazapam? I need to take the Clonazapam, but am dying to try the holy basil. I have heard so many great things about the holy basil. Please tell me I can! Wishful thinker, Kate.