The Benefits of Rosemary

   

                                                                         Rosemarinus officinalis

 

This evergreen herb is native to Mediterranean lands and has a rich history of use by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Ever since, the woodsy-citrus-like fragrance of rosemary has graced gardens, kitchens, and apothecaries throughout the world. A lovely herb with tags like "Dew of the Sea" and "Old Man," rosemary is related to mint and resembles lavender, with leaves like flat pine needles touched with silver.

Rosemary is one of those herbs with a thousand uses, from food flavoring to antiseptic spray. Extremely hardy, it is easy to grow and maintain outdoors, on a windowsill or indoors. During Medieval times, rosemary was believed to grow only in the gardens of the righteous. Sixteenth century Europeans also carried it in the heads of walking sticks to ward off the plague. The list of medicinal compounds in rosemary is a long one, with corresponding uses in the body for each.

• For centuries, one of the most common medicinal uses for rosemary has involved improving memory. Maybe that's the reason why the taste and fragrance of rosemary is unforgettable? 

• Studies suggest that rosemary can be beneficial for improving concentration and cognition and for the prevention of brain damage. One study exposed adults to different levels of rosemary oil and then examined their blood samples to see how much 1,8-cineol each person absorbed. The participants then took speed and accuracy tests to see if the oil had any effect. The study found that the more 1,8-cineol in the bloodstream, the better the speed and accuracy test scores were.

• Rosemary, especially the flower tops, contains antibacterial and antioxidant rosmarinic acid, plus several essential oils such as cineol, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate, and α-pinene that are known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties.

• Rosemary is rich in nutrients such as vitamin C and B6 as well as folate, thiamin magnesium, iron, copper, and calcium. However, the extract gets its potency from the presence of carnosol, diterpene, and rosmarinic acid. The terpenes also provide plenty of medicinal benefits for a wide range of health problems. Mostly renowned for fighting infection, the vitamin C content synthesizes collagen, the protein required for optimal blood vessels, organs, skin, and bones.

• Rosemary provides vitamin A for free radical-zapping antioxidant properties, vision protection, healthy skin and mucus membranes, and increased protection from lung and mouth cancers.

 

• Research shows evidence that rosemary helps to protect the immune system to fight cancer. Manganese, another of the more prominent minerals in rosemary, plays such a critical antioxidant role in the body - specifically aided by its cofactor superoxide dismutase - that it is associated with lowering the risk of cancer, specifically breast cancer. Rosemary extract has been shown to help slow the spread of leukemia and breast cancer cells. One study found that the carbonic acid found in rosemary displayed significant inhibitory activity against estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer cells.

• Rosemary helps to alleviate muscle pain. Try soaking your painful muscles in a rosemary bath.

• Rosemary has been shown to be able to alleviate coughing and colds as well. It can even be effective in resisting bacteria that causes chronic congestion. It is recommended to soak a clean, hot towel in rosemary tea and place it over your face to help clear the sinuses. Many studies suggest that rosemary strengthens the immune system and helps cleanse the lymphatic system, which is beneficial for preventative health.

 

• Rosemary also contains iron (part of the hemoglobin inside red blood cells, determining how much oxygen the blood will carry) and potassium (a component in cell and body fluids which helps control heart rate and blood pressure). There's also fiber, copper, calcium, and magnesium, and an abundance of B vitamins, such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, folates, useful for DNA synthesis and for women just prior to conception, which helps prevent neural tube defects in newborns.

• The results of another study revealed the potential antidepressant effects of rosemary tea on mice and the inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE). ChE inhibition is the same effect that antidepressants have to improve mood.

• Rosemary helps protect against macular degeneration. Studies have found that rosemary can trigger antioxidant enzyme production in the cells, thus lowering the levels of reactive oxygen, which causes cell damage in photoreceptors. Researchers have reported that carbonic acid, a component found in rosemary, promotes healthy eyes. The study found that the component helped to protect the retinas from degeneration and from toxicity.

• Rosemary oil encourages hair growth by strengthening circulation. It prevents hair follicles from starving of blood supply and dying off, which leads to hair loss. Rosemary can also help with premature graying, dandruff and itchy scalp.

The carbonic acid found in rosemary helps repair tissue and nerve damage, leading to its ability to heal nerve endings in the scalp as well. This allows for restoring hair growth.

• Rosemary helps detoxify the liver. Rosemary oil has been shown to help regulate the bile flow. Bile helps neutralize the acidic food from the stomach. It also cleans out dangerous toxins that accumulate in the body and flushes them out of the liver. One of the main volatile oils in rosemary is D-limonene. This helps clean our bodies by reducing fatty buildups in the liver.

                                                            The Many Uses of Rosemary

1. Oils & vinegars. To make your own rosemary-infused oil, place a sprig or two of completely dry rosemary leaves into a glass jar, top with olive oil, replace the lid, and shake lightly. Store in a warm, dark place for two weeks, strain, and then simply pour back into the glass jar. Use ¼ cup for a fragrant bath or blend with balsamic vinegar to drizzle all over a salad for a delicious dressing.
2. Natural deodorant.      3. Mix rosemary oil into conditioner. Rosemary is renowned for improving hair growth.
4. Add rosemary oil to bath water.      5. Diffuse with rosemary essential oil.
6. Try using rosemary tea to soothe your gastrointestinal discomfort. Rosemary tea allows you to harness the potent antioxidant effect of the polyphenols found in the herb. The carnosol, diterpene, and rosmarinic acid help neutralize any inflammation of the digestive tract.

7. Rosemary compresses. If you’re dealing with an outbreak of eczema or psoriasis, try using the tea bag as a cold compress to moisturize the skin. The polyphenols in the tea absorb into the skin, soothing itching and irritation symptoms.
8. Improve oral hygiene. The changes in bacterial balance in our body can go undetected. Fortunately, you can make a natural mouthwash at home: take a cup of purified water and add ten rosemary sprigs, along with two whole cloves. Let the liquid simmer for two to three hours on low in a crockpot. The simmering infuses the polyphenols in the rosemary and cloves into the water, allowing you to benefit from the potent antimicrobial compounds in rosemary. You can also use as a gargle.
9. Use a simmer pot. Simmer pots are a great way to get rid of odors in the home and leave the air smelling fresh and fragrant. Try placing a crockpot on the stove over low heat. Add 8-cups of distilled or purified water, as well as a cup of rosemary sprigs, two cloves, and a ¼-cup of crushed holy basil leaves. Bring the water to boil, then back off the heat to low to let the water simmer. The boiling process activates the extraction process of removing the polyphenols from the herbs. The aroma transfers to the steam rising from the pot and spreads through every room in your home.
10. Use as an antiseptic.
11. Join the bees. Savor the rosemary's flowers as delicacies, or sprinkle them over your raw salads. Rosemary flowers are usually blue but different varieties can have white, pink & lavender/purple blooms. Rosemary flowers are as tasty as the leaves, with a little bit of sweetness too.

12. And, of course, experiment with the multiple uses of rosemary in the culinary arts.

 

 

You can find abundant rosemary plants at The Peace Garden,
Sedona Creative Life Center, 333 Schnebly Hills,

Sedona, AZ