Rosemary Another Miracle Herb

Rosemary is a perennial shrub that is native to the Mediterranean, however, it also grows in most regions of the world and will enhance the beauty of yards and gardens almost anywhere. It is so easy to grow that it may only suffer from too much attention.

To the Greeks, rosemary was a symbol of remembrance, in ancient Greece it became popular for scholars to wear sprigs of rosemary leaves in their hair during examinations to improve memory and concentration.

Rosemary can be used as a hair rinse to maintain natural hair color and can be added to shampoo to control premature balding. It has a pleasant and relaxing fragrance making it an excellent addition to the contents of a sleeping pillow for insomnia or restless sleep.

Rosemary stimulates capillary circulation which brings more blood to the cells, making it helpful for sore throats and colds. Rosemary tea can be used as a mouthwash and is excellent for digestion, depression and tension headaches. It has been used for many years to strengthen the heart and lower blood pressure and for a variety of female problems.

Rosemary has recently been discovered to protect our brains from free radicals, slowing aging and the effects of Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease. It also eases tendonitis and muscle spasms and it is therapeutic for bronchial asthma, peptic ulcer, prostate disorders, inflammatory diseases, liver toxicity, atherosclerosis, stroke, heart disease, cataracts, leukemia, and other forms of cancer.

Adding a dash of rosemary extract to ground beef reduces the amount of cancer-causing compounds which are created by cooking at high temperatures. In a test where antioxidants extracted from rosemary and added to ground beef showed that the meat after being cooked, contained smaller amounts of carcinogenic compounds. Carcinogenic compounds are formed when muscle meats like beef, pork and poultry are cooked at high temperatures.

The same antioxidants in rosemary are also found in smaller amounts in sage, basil and oreganomaking this combination excellent for food seasonings.

Rosemary leaf extract is an excellent anti-oxidant that prolongs the shelf life of oils making it a safe preservative to use when blending therapeutic oils.

As a topical rosemary oil is very useful to use as an insect repellent. In herbal medicine it is used as a tonic, diuretic, and aromatic. It is widely used in cosmetics and in natural skin care products for its antioxidant properties and fragrance.

Sources: raysahelian.com, The Little Herb Encyclopedia by Jack Ritchason, N.D.