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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 96. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by morganator on June 22, 2010, at 15:05:07
I just returned to trying holy basil again. I tried it several months ago and definitely noticed something positive. I don't know why but I decided not to keep taking it for some reason. I just bought some of New Chapter's Holy Basil and took some yesterday and I felt the effects within an hour. I just felt more at ease, could breathe more easily, happier, less anxious, and felt more positive about life. I take New Chapter's because I think they are one of the highest quality brand's out there for herbal remedies such as holy basil. If you have not tried Holy Basil I strongly suggest you give it a shot. It may help with stress, anxiety, depression, joint pain/inflammation, asthma, respiratory health, protect against radiation, normal cellular growth, digestive health, fighting viral/bacterial/fungal issues, oral health, stamina and endurance, and insulin sensitivity/normalize blood glucose. Maybe it doesn't do everything I listed, but it sure seems to help me and others feel better, even changing perspective and outlook. I talked to someone yesterday that tried Ashwagandha and it annoyingly increased her libido. She then tried New Chapter's Holy Basil and she found herself looking at the sky and thinking how beautiful it was. She said that she never had these kinds of thoughts and never looked at the sky in this way. She is also taking medication but she did not say what it was, I just assume it was for mood/anxiety/depression.
Posted by janejane on June 22, 2010, at 19:57:00
In reply to Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 22, 2010, at 15:05:07
Thanks for the report, Morgan. I've seen good things about it, but not enough to want to make me try it. I thought it was more for anxiety than mood. You've now convinced me that it's something to put on my list of things to try in the future. Could the reason you stopped before be because it pooped out?
Posted by morganator on June 22, 2010, at 20:23:48
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » morganator, posted by janejane on June 22, 2010, at 19:57:00
Not because it pooped out. I was taking it with Rhodiola and going through some changes with my medications. So I just dropped it and Rhodiola at the time trying to put an emphasis and focus on medications and how they were helping or not helping. I definitely feel more energized and I am experiencing elevation in mood. My whole body feels better also, I have less aches, pain and stiffness. This makes sense as holy basil is one of the ingredients in New Chapter's Zyflamed joint relief formula. There is a possibility that I am feeling better after 6 days of Synthroid, but I don't think it is just that because I started feeling much better about an hour after taking Holy Basil yesterday. It is possible that since Holy Basil may work on regulating the endocrine system there is some synergism between holy basil and Synthroid, making Synthroid work better and sooner. Still, I have to believe that there is something else going on here with Holy Basil that is creating the elevation in mood. Some have reported that they did not feel the effects of Holy Basil till after taking it for a few weeks or a month. So if you try it(I highly recommend New Chapter's), you may want to give it some time if you do not feel immediate effects from it.
Posted by sigismund on June 22, 2010, at 22:14:02
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 22, 2010, at 20:23:48
I had a friend who swore by it.
Posted by morganator on June 23, 2010, at 1:12:27
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by sigismund on June 22, 2010, at 22:14:02
> I had a friend who swore by it.
Have you tried it? If not, I strongly suggest you do. Man, I almost feel like my old self. I'm sure there is some synergy taking place between Synthroid, Prozac, and Lithium. I don't think holy basil alone can have this profound of an effect. Though I have read many reviews where it appears that holy basil by itself has had this effect. Like I said, I talked to a girl yesterday that said she couldn't take ashwagandha because it drove her libido threw the roof, but when she started taking holy basil she found herself feeling at ease with things, in a good mood, and noticing how beautiful the sky was. She said she never looked at the sky and thought about how beautiful it was. Anyway, I just wanted to bring it to people's attention in hopes that they may try it and have the same luck. I do think brand matters. New Chapter's seems to be one of the best. I'm going to try to find out if there are others that are just as good. I thing GAIA makes a holy basil. I know GAIA is a very good brand, just not sure about their holy basil.
Posted by Hombre on June 23, 2010, at 2:22:32
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 23, 2010, at 1:12:27
Thanks for posting your experience so far with this herb.
Posted by janejane on June 23, 2010, at 6:49:19
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 23, 2010, at 1:12:27
Maybe you could try growing it too. I'm not sure how much you would need for equivalent dosing, but you could see if there's an improvement taking the whole herb versus the active ingredients found in processed supplements. I looked it up and I guess the taste is similar to Thai basil but stronger.
Do you remember any synergistic effect when you took it with rhodiola? Or did you really not get this level of AD response until you took it with synthroid? I liked R, but it wasn't enough. Maybe adding HB would help.
Hey, I have a thought. To see whether it is indeed the HB rather than synthroid making you feel better, maybe you can try skipping it for a day or two to see if your mood is worse. Then you'll know for sure and can report back. I'd definitely like to know since I won't be able to take synthroid, but could try HB. I'm sure that's probably true of most babblers.
As for this friend of yours whose libido went through the roof with ashwagandha... was it just her desire that went up, or did she experience heightened response as well? Might be something for folks to try for sexual SEs.
Thanks again for telling us about this, Morgan. It's always great to hear about something that works.
Posted by morganator on June 23, 2010, at 11:08:47
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » morganator, posted by janejane on June 23, 2010, at 6:49:19
It's my pleasure to share my experience with holy basil.
Yeah I wonder if growing it and eating it would work just as good or better. Maybe we would have to eat a lot of it to get the right concentration of beneficial compounds in the holy basil? Who knows.
Maybe my next day off on Friday I will not take it and see if I notice a difference. I'm afraid by then that Synthroid will really be kicking in and I may be feeling much better from it alone. We will see. I may have to wait till next week and not take it for a few days when I have a few days off.
I think that girl was VERY horny when she took ashwagandha. It sounded like she had to keep satisfying herself in order to be content. That was stressing her out more than she was before taking ashwaghanda.
I remember there being a very nice synergy between rhodiola and holy basil. I think holy basil made the rhodiola buzz much smoother. I am not working for New Chapter's, I promise, I just believe that they have one of the best rhodiola and holy basil products on the market. Which rhodiola brand were you using? I believe the best brands are Mind Body and Spirit by Verde Botanica, New Chapter's, and GAIA. I wish I knew of some other equally good rhodiola brands. Maybe GAIA? Everyone reacts differently to different brands believe it or not. I liked New Chapter's Rhodiola more than GAIA while my co-worker liked GAIA more.
Maybe try holy basil first for a few weeks then add rhodiola to the mix? I feel like they both work very well taken together. I think it is possible that taking them both together may feel much better than taking either of them alone.
The AD response with rhodiola and holy basil are very different, even though both can give you energy and lift your mood. I feel like if you are bipolar, holy basil would be less likely to agitate you in any way. Holy basil is a more peaceful, spiritual, calming type mood enhancement. I think rhodiola can be this way for some people also, but it is more likely to make you feel stimulated like a powerful ginseng can.
Posted by janejane on June 24, 2010, at 11:31:03
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 23, 2010, at 11:08:47
Thanks, Morgan! By the way, I sent you a babblemail yesterday about another rhodiola source. Let me know if you didn't get it.
Posted by morganator on June 25, 2010, at 4:39:37
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » morganator, posted by janejane on June 24, 2010, at 11:31:03
Babblemail is not sent to our email is it? I will look for it here and at my personal email. Thanks!
Posted by morganator on June 25, 2010, at 4:42:08
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » morganator, posted by janejane on June 24, 2010, at 11:31:03
Hmm, don't think I got it. Unless I'm looking in the wrong places.
Posted by janejane on June 25, 2010, at 6:36:22
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » janejane, posted by morganator on June 25, 2010, at 4:42:08
Babblemail should go to whatever you email you gave when you signed up here. Have you checked your spam folder? (I'll send another "test" message after I send this one off so you can check.) If for some reason, your email address has changed since you signed up, you should be able to update it here (scroll down to "Update registration" button):
https://dr-bob.securesites.com/cgi-bin/pb/signup.pl
By the way, if you ever want to send someone a babblemail, just click on their username under the subject line of one of their posts. (Some people aren't set up to receive them, but the system told me could.)
Posted by Lao Tzu on June 25, 2010, at 9:42:00
In reply to Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 22, 2010, at 15:05:07
Thanks for relating your experiences with Holy Basil. Since I'm researching herbs for mood enhancement, will definitely look into Holy Basil. Thanks again.
Posted by morganator on June 25, 2010, at 12:36:48
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » morganator, posted by janejane on June 25, 2010, at 6:36:22
Cool, I will check again. I have the same email so I should receive it. My babblemail should be turned on so it should not be a problem. Thanks again.
Posted by morganator on June 25, 2010, at 12:38:08
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Lao Tzu on June 25, 2010, at 9:42:00
> Thanks for relating your experiences with Holy Basil. Since I'm researching herbs for mood enhancement, will definitely look into Holy Basil. Thanks again.
It's definitely worth looking into. I also believe it is important to use a quality brand like New Chapter.
Posted by Lao Tzu on June 26, 2010, at 10:23:06
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 25, 2010, at 12:38:08
Do you think Holy basil would help me with my social anxiety or social withdrawal? Do experience increased socialization when you take it? Just curious because I have this problem related to my schizophrenia. Thanks for your posts.
Posted by morganator on June 27, 2010, at 2:24:29
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Lao Tzu on June 26, 2010, at 10:23:06
I think it may help just because it can make you feel at ease. It's worth a try and I don't see why it would hurt you or agitate you in anyway.
Do you mind me asking what medications you take, if any? And, do you experience or negative or positive symptoms?
Have you ever tried a product by Bach called Rescue Remedy? Everyone at my work raves about it. I think it's effects are only for a few hours though. I have not tried it yet myself.
Posted by Lao Tzu on June 27, 2010, at 20:21:30
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » Lao Tzu, posted by morganator on June 27, 2010, at 2:24:29
Bach's Rescue Remedy doesn't work for me anymore. It did a few years ago before my psychosis, but not anymore. Have you tried Bach's Rock Rose flower essence? That one worked very well for my anxiety. I had almost instant relief from it. Unfortunately, the flower essences just aren't effective for me anymore. I have mostly lingering negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as low motivation and social withdrawal. The medications I take are Risperdal, Zoloft, and Lamictal. That's it. I know of no herbs that actually help with negative symptoms, or they would be publicized, I imagine. Interested in Holy Basil, perhaps for a state of enlightenment. That would be nice. The best herb I ever took was Kava Kava for my anxiety. I can't take it now, but I do like ginger for its effects on circulation. I am sort of just dabbling in certain herbs, mainly for digestive problems, but I noticed ginger also had an effect on my mood. Anyway, I ordered the New Chapter Holy Basil that you mentioned and am looking forward to trying it soon. I figure it can't hurt to try it. It's expensive, though, $18.00 for 90Vcaps, but I've spent a lot of money on vitamins to date, and a lot of wasted funds on supplements that did nothing productive for me. Herbs are interesting, though. They truly are medicine in my opinion. Thanks for replying.
Posted by morganator on June 27, 2010, at 22:39:02
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Lao Tzu on June 27, 2010, at 20:21:30
You actually got it for a decent price. Mine I believe cost about the same for 60 capsules. If you respond well to just one a day that will last you 3 months, and 2 a day will last 45 days, not bad. Maybe you can use one a day sometimes and 2 on other days when you feel you are going to be more stressed.
Yeah the effect may be subtle but hopefully it helps some. Good luck!
Morgan
Posted by Hombre on June 27, 2010, at 22:54:38
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks! » Lao Tzu, posted by morganator on June 27, 2010, at 22:39:02
There are some Ayurvedic medicine shops in town. I wonder if I can find Holy Basil and it what form it will be in.
Thanks again for sharing your experience, morganator. It opened my mind to Ayurvedic herbal medicine.
Posted by Lao Tzu on June 28, 2010, at 10:03:47
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Hombre on June 27, 2010, at 22:54:38
Thanks for your support, morgan. I hope it works too! I find that sometimes experimenting and perseverence pays off when working with various supplements and vitamins.
Posted by morganator on June 28, 2010, at 11:17:02
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Lao Tzu on June 28, 2010, at 10:03:47
It sounds like you try so many good alternative treatments and try to take good care of yourself. I was just curious to know if you exercised regularly? Also, have you tried different types of yoga? I would recommend Bikram yoga but it is quite expensive.
Anyway, I guess all we can do is keep trying different things and hope that we find the right treatments that help us out consistently for a long time.
Posted by morganator on June 28, 2010, at 11:22:48
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Lao Tzu on June 27, 2010, at 20:21:30
Risperdal, Zoloft, and Lamictal are all pretty good meds and they must be doing something positive for you without any bad side effects if you are sticking with them. I haven't tried Risperdal and I was not crazy about Lamictal, but that is just me.
Man I miss the days when I was on 100 mg of Zolft, took some fish oil, worked out 5 to 6 days a week, and felt really really good much of the time. I realize now I was a bit on the manic side, but heck, I will take being on the manic side and sleeping great always over what I have been dealing with the last 2 years.
I empathize with what you and all of us babblers are going through. I really hope we all find the peace and happiness we strive for at some point, sooner than later of course.
Posted by Lao Tzu on July 1, 2010, at 15:37:45
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by morganator on June 28, 2010, at 11:22:48
I don't exercise much. I'm becoming a little overweight from lack of exercise and also the Risperdal. I'm not fat, though. Just a few extra pounds. Yes, the medication I'm taking works very well. It controls my worst symptoms, but I'm taking the supplements to address my energy levels. The vitamins do seem to give me more energy. I used to take Provigil for energy, and it worked great for a few years, but ever since my psychosis and being placed on Risperdal, the Provigil has been a let down, so I decided instead of paying for it every month, I'd give it up and just take the vitamins instead for energy. It worked!! I'm not a dynamo, but I do feel a lot better than I did as far as energy. Bipolars tend to have much difficulty maintaining balanced energy levels, and this is important because it can affect how manic or depressive you are. The medication alone didn't address my energy levels very well, but one amazing thing I noticed since being on the Risperdal is that I no longer get severe depression and anxiety after sex. It might not sound like a big deal, but sex for me was painful because of this, and it shouldn't be. Now, I no longer have that problem thanks to Risperdal, and I feel sooo much better about that. Also, my hallucinations are so much improved as well as my paranoia and delusions, although I still have a little of each, but it's not that bothersome and it no longer gives me much anxiety. I've been this way for about five and a half years. Before the psychosis, I just had depression and social anxiety. I didn't realize then that I was bipolar, and I think I've been bipolar since oh, 1989-90 since my last year in high school into my college years. The illness got progressively worse over time, and I didn't start taking medication for it until 1999. I figure that if I had taken medication and the supplements from the beginning, I might have avoided the psychosis, but who knows? I don't like to look back, but I am curious what I'd be like today if I had gotten proper treatment years ago. My mother thinks that possibly the medication itself brought out the bipolar to its worst. Unfortunately, you probably won't find a doctor who would subscribe to this theory. Usually, schizophrenia manifests in the early 20's, but in my case I didn't start experiencing psychotic symptoms until I was 33 years old. I started communing with "spirits" in 2004. That was the beginning. The thing that is interesting to me is that I believe I have some real photos of ghosts, one in particular that is strikingly human in form. No one believes me, but I always thought there was something else beyond our own physical plane. Anyway, I don't talk about "spirits" that much anymore because quite frankly, most people aren't interested in the subject. I see that what is important is living your life to the fullest and when you die, you may experience something extraordinary from that point on. So that's my story. What is your story, morgan? I enjoy reading the posts. Oh, by the way, my holy basil should be here soon. I'm really interested to discover how it works on me. I also read something about certain types of mushrooms that can help one achieve a higher spiritual plane. Not sure I'd want to experiment with any mushrooms other than Reishi.
Posted by Lao Tzu on July 4, 2010, at 9:33:03
In reply to Re: Holy Basil Rocks!, posted by Lao Tzu on July 1, 2010, at 15:37:45
I find I have a little more energy with Holy Basil, but still no spiritual experience or feeling of inner peace. I guess it works different for different people, or perhaps, I haven't taken it long enough or at a high enough dosage. I took one 400mg capsule yesterday and one this morning. Just noticed a little more energy and felt a little more spunky than usual. Perhaps it's all the medication I take or just the illness itself that prevents me from feeling the benefits of Holy Basil. Will post my continuing experience with it in the days ahead.
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