I love letting my basil plant flower. Some say that the herb is not quite as savory when you do that, but I enjoy the flowers in salad and as a garnish on sautéed vegetables. I also love going to my garden and being greeted by all the flowers. There is such a wonderful vibrancy to the flowers that I do not find in the leaves. Basil is an easily grown herb, and its essential oil is equally versatile.
Basil is best known for its help with headaches by rubbing some diluted (always dilute basil) on the neck and temples.
Many clients report how it alleviates afternoon lethargy and brain fatigue. The cognitive effect is most likely due to the 1, 8 cineole component in the essential oil.
Many may recognize 1,8 cineole as the main constituent in eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus). This component also gives our beloved sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) that slightly peppery/medicinal smell. In my studies and experience as an aromatherapist, I have found basil to be an extremely versatile mint essential oil. It provides the invigoration that is found in peppermint, the warmth in spearmint, the pain relief and congestion relief that is found in eucalyptus.
In a 2020 research study on mice researchers found that basil essential oil helped alleviate depression and chronic stress (Ayuob et al., 2020). This benefit for reducing chronic stress is one I have seen in my practice with clients.
I used to produce a blend for travel with basil essential oil, but I reformulated my Immune Shield two years ago to include this ally. I find that when traveling one needs both immune and stress support.
Several of my clients depend upon the Immune Shield especially when traveling because it does provide this two-for-one support. I recommended the Immune Shield to one of my clients because she always had a mild cold when she traveled. Her job was increasing to travel to nearly 50%, and she felt like she was walking around with a low-grade cold all the time. She started using my Immune Shield by applying it right before getting on the plane and every night of travel.
Upon using Immune Shield she reported being able to arrive to her destination refreshed. AND finally after one week of use, the low-grade cold released its hold on her.
She also appreciated that Immune Shield is a salve that didn’t count against the liquid limit for carry on. It is purposeful that my salve is travel friendly. I specifically designed my Immune Shield blend as a salve. Applying essential oils topically allows them to enter the bloodstream (takes about 20 minutes on average). The salve will slow the release of the essential oils to deliver them over a longer duration and in smaller amounts, which is what one wants typically. The added benefit is the aroma is inhaled as the salve is opened and applied. This ALSO allows the essential oils to enter the blood stream and work directly on the olfactory bulb, amygdala, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the hippocampus.
Such wonderful medicine can be inspired by our garden. I like to use Immune Shield in the afternoon when I drink a cup of oolong. The lemon minty smell is uplifting with the mild nutty grassy tea. It clears away the any fatigue and even brightens up a tedious day.
