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I remind you that the information provided in this series is for information purposes only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, neither is it to be construed as such. It does not create any patient-physician relationship and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment where required. Consult a doctor for medical advice, treatment or diagnosis.
Also, while every attempt is made to ensure accuracy, you are strongly advised to take responsibility and do your own research.
In the previous article, we looked at Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and discovered that it was much more than the typical garnish that is added to our dinner plates at restaurants.
For this article, we are going to look at another very popular herb that is often used in cooking.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial bushy shrub that is a relative to the sage family Lamiaceae and the name is derived from the Latin ros marinus to literally mean “dew of the sea.”
Although native to the Mediterranean, rosemary has been cultivated all over the world including France, Spain, Russia, England, Morocco, China, and the United States.
There are many medicinal and culinary uses of this herb, including:
- as a brain tonic for memory and concentration,
- relieving headaches and migraines,
- improving poor circulation,
- dealing with arthritis,
- helping with damaged joints,
- aiding digestion (most popular use?),
- adding it to a foot bath to relieve stress,
- skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and dermatitis,
- hair care, and
- menstrual cramps, such as dysmenorrhea.
A recent review by Iranian researchers into the therapeutic effects of Rosemary on nervous system disorders identified the following medicinal properties of the herb:
- antimicrobial,
- anti-inflammatory,
- antioxidant (combating free radicals),
- anti-apoptotic (related to programmed cell death),
- anti-tumorigenic (counteracting the formation of tumors),
- antinociceptive (pain-suppressing), and
- neuroprotective (protecting nerve cells against damage).
This was published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences in September 2020.
In addition, they identified important clinical effects on mood, learning, memory, pain, anxiety, and sleep.
Another use of Rosemary is as a natural food preservative that can keep fats from going rancid.
A little trivia
One of the most famous and familiar quotes comes from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where Ophelia says: “There’s Rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember.”
How to grow it from cuttings
If you want to grow Rosemary yourself in your own herb garden or in a pot, check out the following video:
How to prepare rosemary tea – some thoughts
Many herbs can be prepared as a tea, as you know. How would you go about making Rosemary tea? Do you just dive straight in with your eyes wide open? Or is there anything you need to consider?
The following video has some quite intriguing thoughts and tips for serious consideration, in addition to precautions and contraindications:
In the next article, we will look one of Rosemary’s other relatives, Sage.
To a better, wiser, stronger YOU!
Sources:
Growing Medicinal Plants, from Home Herb School (online). Located at https://homeherbschool.com/ [Accessed June 29, 2023]
Effect of Rosemary on Cognitive Performance. Located at American Botanical Council (online), http://herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/95/table-of-contents/hg95-resrvw-rosemary/ [Accessed June 29, 2023]
Veenstra JP, Johnson JJ. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus): Health-promoting benefits and food preservative properties. Int J Nutr. 2021;6(4):1-10. Epub 2021 Jun 24. PMID: 34651071; PMCID: PMC8513767.
Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. Therapeutic effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its active constituents on nervous system disorders. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2020 Sep;23(9):1100-1112. doi: 10.22038/ijbms.2020.45269.10541. PMID: 32963731; PMCID: PMC7491497.
Perry NSL, Menzies R, Hodgson F, Wedgewood P, Howes MR, Brooker HJ, Wesnes KA, Perry EK. A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial of a combined extract of sage, rosemary and melissa, traditional herbal medicines, on the enhancement of memory in normal healthy subjects, including influence of age. Phytomedicine. 2018 Jan 15;39:42-48. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2017.08.015. Epub 2017 Aug 18. PMID: 29433682.
Rosemary The Hardy Herb. Located at American Botanical Council (online), https://herbalgram.org/resources/herbclip/herbclip-news/2007/rosemary-the-hardy-herb/ [Accessed June 29, 2023]
Rosemary – Something New, Something Old. Located at American Botanical Council (online), https://herbalgram.org/resources/herbclip/herbclip-news/2020/rosemary-something-new-something-old/ [Accessed June 29, 2023]
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