Holy Basil

In the south of India the temples are colored and decorated with stories from ancient Indian texts and scriptures. The spires reach up to the sky in a cartoonish display, making the western mind feel like it's in make-believe land. And it's true, that the rules of life are different in India. The collective consciousness of the country holds very different views and contrasting beliefs to what the west holds as “truth.” Therefore, reality is literally different as well.

Basil is an herb that adds a lot flavor to many dishes. But did you know that this herb also has potent effects against cancer? Three studies tested the chemicals found in different types of basil on three different types of human cancer. The results will make you feel good about adding a few extra leaves of basil to your next lunch. These studies specifically extracted chemicals from three types of basil: holy basil, sweet basil, and garden basil. There are over 20 types of basil, but since they easily interbreed it is not always easy to tell the difference between all of them.

Bacteria that live in our mouths cause more than just bad breath. Not only can they cause nasty tooth aches, they can cause infections that inflame the gums, tongue, inner lips, and inner cheeks. But what if there were natural oils from plants that not only tasted good, but were also effective in killing bacteria? Scientists in Iran decided to examine the effects of oils from seven plants that were common in Persian herbal medicine on the growth of bacteria that infected human mouths. Their findings were astonishing.

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