Rosemary’s Secret benefits come from its leaf. Rosemary is part of the Lamiaceae, or mint, family. It is spicy and aromatic and tend to be drying, warming and slightly constricting. It originates in the Mediterranean. The many benefits through being used in health-promoting food and as more concentrated forms for a variety of ailments. 

Rosemary’s Secret Benefits

Rosemary is the herb that Ophelia describes as a memory herb in Shakespeare’s play. However it has many other benefits. 

Rosemary is a tonic for the muscles and nerves that cause blood vessels to constrict or dilate, circulation of the peripheral extremities of the body, and it soothes the nervous system. It can help with headaches from indigestion, low blood pressure following illness or stress, and circulatory weakness. 

Rosemary is a strong circulatory stimulant. It increases circulation to the had to improve mental clarity, memory, and vision. It is indicated for poor memory and cognition. It helps a person think better! It’s ability to decrease inflammation seems to help the brain and provides both cognitive and emotional support. 

Rosemary is considered a tonic for elderly people in Germany it is approved by Commission E for use in indigestion, joint ailments, and stomach problems it also has antioxidant properties that protect the brain and blood vessels.

Rosemary is a powerful antiseptic.

Rosemary is an example of a choleretic, which stimulates production of bile in the liver, and a cholagogue, which stimulates bile flow from the ball bladder into the duodenum.  

Rosemary is a decongestant. 

Rosemary is a nerving stimulant for the heart, bloodstream, and periphery. Sometimes inhaling Rosemary essential oil when driving long distances can keep a person’s mind sharp and focused so they can pay attention to the road and other people or animals around them. Rosemary is considered the herb of remembrance, and it is said to improve memory and concentration. 

For antiviral and antimicrobial benefits, Rosemary may be taken internally in small amounts for short periods of time. 

Eating warm food can stimulate mental processes, the circulatory system, and the digestion. Rosemary is a warming, stimulating herb that can be added to food or made into herbal preparations to be used by people who do not have any contraindications. 

How to Use Rosemary

There are many ways to use Rosemary to benefit from its secret superpowers.

• Culinary benefits come from adding Rosemary to dinners and salsas to add zest and vital phytochemicals. 
• Tea
• Tincture
• Syrup
• Aromatherapy 

External applications include poultices, liniments, baths, steams, chest rub, massage oil, or ointments. One can prepare a salve from Rosemary oil and apply to the chest or other body part as needed. The essential oil can be added to salves, oils, and ointments or applied neat.

Safety Precautions

Rosemary is considered a safety Class 1 herb. 

Concerns for Rosemary are based on relatively higher doses that are used for therapeutic purposes rather than the lower amounts that are generally used for cooking. The contrary indications have not been associated with its use as a spice.

• Rosemary is contraindicated during pregnancy because of its potential emmenagogue effect. Although small amounts of dried rosemary or Rosemary tea may be safe in pregnancy, the essential oil and other concentrated extracts should not be used. An animal study showed that a questionable compound crossed the placenta but did not cross into breast milk.
• Rosemary does not cross into breast milk. 
• Avoid all internal use of rosemary essential oil.
• Use with caution in epilepsy, as high dose camphor may cause convulsions. 
• Rosemary may inhibit iron absorption, so avoid taking it with meals and supplements. The absorption of nonheme iron was reduced in healthy women who took a phenolic-rich extract of Rosemary with a test meal in 2001. The effect of Rosemary was less than that of green tea.
• People with diabetes who are using insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs should monitor glucose levels during Rosemary use.
• When using Rosemary for mental clarity during menopause, it needs to be used internally with caution and only for a short time. 
• The essential oil of Rosemary is being studied as a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. 
• Topical use of Rosemary essential oil may cause photosensitivity and/or dermatitis.

Action Step

Now you know Rosemary’s secret benefits. It is a lovely herb, both to look at and to use for many reasons. 

May God bless you on your wellness journey!

Joni

References:

• Botanical Medicine, by Dr. Marisa Marciano & Dr. Nikita Vizniak
• Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth, by Dr. Sharol Marie Tilgner
• Botanical safety Handbook, Second Edition, Edited by Zoe Gardner and Michael McGuffin
• The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine-making Guide, by Thomas Easley and Stephen Horne
• Healthy at Home, by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D.
• An Herbalist’s Guide to Formulary: The Art & Science of Creating Effective Herbal Remedies, by Holly Bellebuona

P.S. How have you used Rosemary?