I often talk about how beneficial the herb Ashwaghanda is for dogs that are suffering from anxiety, stress, nervous exhaustion and adrenal burnout. And the reason for this is that it is a very effective adaptogenic herb that can help nourish the adrenals and nervous system and lower cortisol stress hormone. But today I wanted to focus on another herb that is also adaptogenic but might be even more effective than ashwaghanda for helping your anxious dog and that herb is Holy basil so stay tuned to learn more about how it can help our pets.
Holy basil, also known as Tulsi (which means incomparable one is native to the India and its origins can be traced back thousands of years in India, where it has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for its healing properties. Holy basil is considered sacred and is often planted in Hindu households and temples - it is the leaf that holds most of the healing properties. Holy basil is an adaptogenic herb and herbs in this category help the body  manage stress, anxiety and fatigue and restore balance after stressful situations as well as increasing stamina.
There are more than 40 varieties of basil that are used around the world for medicinal and culinary purposes so what makes holy basil so special??? While basil as a herb is quite sweet to taste, the variety known as holy basil is quite hot and spicy, with a peppery taste and this is reflective of the ‘hot essential oil compounds such as that carvacrol and eugenol I mentioned earlier. And this is what makes it more of a medicinal herb because of these stronger hotter properties. And this is why it has the name Holy as it is the strongest type of basil in terms of medicinal properties.
Holy basil has numerous benefits lie around its ability to reduce digestive upsets as well as heart and blood pressure issues, as an antimicrobial and support for diabetes  to name a few and it is particularly good at protecting organs and tissues from chemicals including heavy metals, over exertion and excessive hot and cold. This is due to its high content of phytonutrients including eugenol and carvacrol which have lots of lovely antioxidant and antimicrobial actions.
But what are the main benefits for those dogs that are suffering from anxiety??
When it comes to supporting the adrenals, nervous system and the impact these have on the immune system, holy basil is definitely one of the best herb to consider. As an adaptogen it is going to help your dogs body to cope with a wide range of stressors. This might look like a physical stress such as injury, surgery, chronic skin itching or infection etc. But emotionally and mentally, this m ight be for those dogs that are facing major changes in their lives, are working dogs or dogs that have to be on high alert for long periods of times, anxious or nervy dogs, or dogs that have a depleted nervous system from long term stress. All of these situations can be helped by the addition of holy basil. And when it comes to physical stress of any kind holy basil can improve stamina and the body's response to the stressor. Its anti anxiety and antidepressant properties make it excellent for treating anxious behaviours as well as fatigue and exhaustion from depression and long term stress and it is an excellent mood enhancer.
And when it comes to this type of ongoing or long term stress, there will always be a big impact on the immune system and the body in general. When the immune system is affected holy basil can help here too by regulating the immune response and build a strong immune system as well as providing protection against infections such as viral and fungal infections. Associated with immune imbalances is inflammation and holy basil provides a good level of anti-inflammatory action whether that is associated with infection or other types of inflammation such as that associated with allergy, arthritis and other types of inflammation in the body. It is also very brain protective against such conditions as dementia and this in in part due to its anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties where it protects from free radical damage.
Its best to avoid this is your dog is pregnant but otherwise holy basil is a very safe herb. In some dogs if given for very long periods of time it may cause small amounts of  vomiting or diarrhoea so I would give it for 6-8 weeks at a time and then reassess. It can be given as a tea cooled and then added into food or in the fluid extract at a dose of 1 drops per kg bodyweight 1- 2x daily. Holy basil combines well with other adaptogens like Ashwaghanda, Borage, Hawthorn and Lime flowers and I like to use it both in combination or by itself. I find personally that it is excellent for those times when your stress level is high and you are overtired but also very restless and can’t settle- Holy basil can help reset this pattern and bring more balance to your energies so of course it is excellent for us humans too,
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