• Traditionally used to help support memory loss, mental vitality, circulation, digestion, headache, melancholy and more.

Rosemary is also known by the names Sea Dew, Our Lady's Rose, Polar Plant, Compass Weed, Romero, and Rosemarine. Native to the Mediterranean region, this plant is now cultivated widely, including North America. The leaves are employed medicinally, and may be gathered throughout the summer, but are at their best during flowering time. The genus and common name are derived from the Latin "ros marinus," meaning "dew of the sea" as the plant grows profusely near the Mediterranean sea coast and sea foam sprays upon it.

Rosemary has long been considered a symbol of friendship and loyalty. The Ancients were well acquainted with the shrub, which had a reputation for strengthening the memory. Ancient Greek scholars would wear laurels of Rosemary on their heads to help them when taking examinations. It became the emblem of fidelity for lovers. It holds a special position among herbs from the symbolism attached to it. Not only was it used at weddings, but also at funerals, for decking churches and banquet halls at festivals, as an incense in religious ceremonies, and in magical spells. The Spaniards revere it as one of the bushes that gave shelter to Mary, the mother of Jesus in the flight into Egypt, and call it Romero, the Pilgrim's Flower. Both in Spain and Italy, it has been considered a safeguard from witches and evil influences generally. The Sicilians believe that young fairies, taking the form of snakes, lie amongst the branches.

Rosemary is a circulatory and nervine stimulant, which in addition, to the toning and calming effect it has on digestion, it is used whenever psychological tension is present. Rosemary can be useful for flatulent dyspepsia, headache or melancholy associated with debility. Externally, Rosemary oil may be used to ease muscular pain, sciatica and neuralgia. The constituents of Rosemary act as a stimulant to both the hair follicles and circulation in the scalp, and thus may be helpful in supporting premature baldness - the oil is most effective in this case. The plant contains essential oils (borneol, camphor, cineole, linalol, verbenol), tannins, flavonoids (apigenin, diosmin, luteolin), rosmarinic acid, rosmaricine, heterosides, triterpene (ursolic acid, oleanic acid), and resin.

Throughout history, Rosemary was used by several cultures to preserve meats. A study done at Rutgers State University found that Rosemary had preservative qualities more powerful and safer than the common food additives BHA and BHT - it can help avoid food poisoning. Topical applications of this herbs oil are many. Rosemary is considered a rejuvenative skin toner. It is an important ingredient in Queen of Hungary water, a popular beauty tonic. When used on the skin, it helps to strengthen the capillaries. Sachets of dried Rosemary are often placed inside pillowcases to stimulate dreams. As a bath herb, it acts as a rejuvenative and helps sore muscles. Rosemary can also be used as a gargle for a sore throat, gum ailments, canker sores and as a breath freshener. And Rosemary is often used as an ingredient in shampoos and conditioners for dandruff, where it is believed to help avoid premature graying of dark hair and hair loss. It is also a potpourri ingredient that repels moths.

This perennial herb with pretty blue flowers is native to the Mediterranean region. A member of the mint family, it's associated in herbal lore with memory. Commission E didn't credit rosemary with having any effect on memory but did find preparations made from rosemary leaves to be effective for upset stomach when taken internally, and for easing circulatory complaints when used externally.

Potential Health Benefits

Like many herbs, rosemary has been credited with working medical wonders. In the Middle Ages, for example, people used rosemary oil in vain hopes of warding off the Black Death. However, the aromatic essential oil of rosemary, which is drawn from the leaves, does have health value. In addition to the uses cited above, Commission E endorses rosemary oil, used externally, as a supportive therapy for joint pain.

Scientific Evidence

Studies credit rosemary with strong antioxidant qualities; used in food preparation, this popular culinary herb helps slow the oxidizing effect that makes the fats in meat turn rancid. Commission E also declares that rosemary's essential oil, when added to a hot bath, can stimulate the circulation. Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., writing in his book Tyler's Honest Herbal, attributes rosemary's physiological power to "its volatile oil, which occurs in the leaves in concentrations ranging from 1 to 2.5 percent."

Name

Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Labiatae), commonly called rosemary, also Rosa maria, and dew-of-the-sea. In French, it is Romarin; in German, Rosmarin and Rosmarinblätter.

Source

A perennial plant with pale blue flowers that blooms from May to August. The dried leaves and flowers can be used to produce an essential oil.

History

The Latin name of the plant means "dew-of-the-sea," probably because the plants generally grow well by the seashore. Rosemary can be used as incense by the ancient Romans. According to legend, Mary sheltered the baby Jesus under a rosemary bush. Rosemary was used in Roman burial rites, and that practice continued well into the Middle Ages when branches of the plant were placed in the coffin. It was believed, quite wrongly, that oil of rosemary could be used to help support patients infected with plague. A sprig of rosemary placed in the button hole is supposed to bring good luck and improve memory.

Traditional Support Uses

Stomachic, carminative and cholagogue. Ointments made from the oil were, and still are, used to help support sprains and bruises.

Commission E Recommendations

Rosemary can be used to help support circulatory disorders, dyspepsia (upset stomach) and joint pain.

Possible Effects

Menthol and other aromatic vapors have long been used to help support upper respiratory tract health concerns. In laboratory studies, inhalation of these oils can be used to help support the frequency and intensity of coughing - at least in experimental animals. In clinical trials with the active component of these oils, a monoterpene, asthmatic patients showed objective improvement, arid chemical tests disclosed that the inflammatory process had been inhibited at the molecular level (the arachandonic acid cascade had been inhibited).

Even more importantly, recent studies suggest that rosemary has potent antioxidant effects. Beef from cattle that have been fed with rosemary contains fewer carcinogens than those that have not been affected (the process of broiling converts some molecules into weak carcinogens). Whether these effects translate into real benefits for humans remains to be seen.

Rosemary oil is increasingly being used by aromatherapists, but whether such use really confers any benefits is not known. Use of rosemary oil as an inhalant stems from a very old belief that stimulation of the olfactory nerves causes reflex stimulation of respiration and circulation. Commission E still suggests that adding rosemary oil to a hot bath will improve the circulation even though control trials have never been undertaken.

How to Use This Herb

Commission E suggests a daily dosage of 4 - 6 grams of the herb, or 10-20 drops of essential oil, taken internally. (However, the Botanical Council, an herb industry group, demurs, warning that "The essential oil dosage appears excessive and possibly unsafe. A more reasonable dosage for internal use would be 2 drops.")

Alternately, rejuvenateth writer Michael Castleman recommends taking 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoonful of rosemary liquid extract up to 3 times per day "to settle the stomach or clear a stuffed nose."

For external use, the PDR Family Guide to Natural Medicines & Healing Therapies recommends mixing 50 grams of essential oil into 1 liter of water as a bath additive.

Rosemary was the ingredient at the heart of the famous Hungary water used for whitening and cleansing the skin. Rosemary herbal oil is worth the effort of making, as it is true to the perfume and well suited as a substitute for vegetable oil in massage oils and body rubs. Rosemary infusion can also be used in soap, aftershave and toilet water.

Add the leaves and flower tops to a bath to help relax and refresh. Dry and dark hair will benefit from rosemary infusion in a final rinse which will tone and condition hair that is thinning and lifeless, counteract hair loss, avoid dandruff and darken graying hair. Used in a base oil and massaged into the scalp it supports irritation and dandruff.

An evergreen shrub, rosemary is best used fresh because once dried it loses much of its flavor. It is a pretty herb, with trusses of pale or bright blue flowers lasting, in the right climate, right through spring and summer. It is native to the countries bordering the Mediterranean, where it grows in profusion.

History

The name means 'dew' (ros) of the 'sea' (marinus) - the sea being the Mediterranean. In the Middle Ages in Britain, sprigs of rosemary were dipped in gold and tied with ribbon as a keepsake for wedding guests, and the herb was a traditional gift on New Year's Day.

Characteristics

In the proper , the bush can grow to a height of 6½ feet and spread 5 feet across. The leaves are dark green on top and silver-gray on the underside, about 1 inch long and ½ inch wide. The two-lipped tubular flowers are small, about ½ inch long, and carried on long thick spikes. The stems become tough and woody.

Growing Tips

The plant is grown from tip cuttings taken in summer and set in sandy compost to take root. It prefers a light, well-drained soil and a sunny, sheltered position, and can be fan-trained against a wall, where it makes a most decorative spreading shrub. Pinch out the tip of the main shoot to encourage bushy side growth, and protect from frost and snow in winter.

How to Use

Rosemary and lamb go together in many ways. Use rosemary in bouquet garnt sparingly with fish, and in rice dishes.

Rosemary is one of the great cosmetic herbs used traditionally in toilet waters. The leaves and flowers can be used to make therapeutic and antiseptic infusions for all cosmetic preparations and the leaves can be used to make herbal oils to massage into the hair and body. The essential oil is very true to the scent of rosemary, but as it is sometimes adulterated, be sure to buy the best.

Health-wise,the oil of rosemary has strong antiseptic actions and being a powerful anti-inflammatory. Rosemary has been used internally for the potential to help support symptoms of melancholy, lassitude, tension headaches, poor circulation, and digestive disorders. For joint pain and muscular aches and pains its external application can give symptomatic support.

The flower tops of this plant are used in health as a strong stimulant. Essence of Rosemary obtained by distillation has the same property but to a higher degree. A balm is made from it for frictions, to stimulate the circulation and produce revulsive effects.

Rosemary is a very tasty herb that no kitchen, or kitchen garden should be without. Laboratory evidence suggests that rosemary is a good antioxidant, and that regular use may help support healthy immunity levels. The fact that rosemary feedings reduce the amount of carcinogens produced by broiling meat is interesting and encouraging. Other medical claims may or may not be true. In the absence of clinical trials there is no way to know, but since this herb is so inherently nontoxic, there is no reason not to try it.

Rosemary is a carminative and potential stomachic to help support stomach cramps and flatulence, and to help stimulate appetite and the secretion of gastric juices. It is considered to be useful against headache and nervous complaints. When used externally (in ointments and bath oils), the oil stimulates blood circulation and has disinfectant, antiseptic and mild analgesic activity (it provides some support for muscle aches and joint pains).

Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis L.

Family: Lamiaceae.

Other Names: Rosmarin (French); Rosmarin (German); rosmarino (Italian); roméro (Spanish).

Description: Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen shrub (about 1 m) bearing narrow leaves that are bright green above, with rolled-in margins and densely hairy below, and small, pale purple or bluish flowers.

Origin: Mediterranean region; widely cultivated as a culinary herb; commercially in the Mediterranean.

Parts Used: Dried leaves (Rosmarini folium), essential oil (Rosmarini aetheroleum).

Therapeutic Category: General tonic, spasmolytic.

Preparation and Dosage: A tea made of 2 g of dry herb is taken three times per day. For internal use, a maximum of 20 drops of oil (1 mL) should be taken per day, in doses of no more that 2 drops. For preparing bath, 50 g of the herb is boiled in a litre of water.

Active Ingredients: Essential oil is present (2.5%), with 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, and camphor as main components, and smaller amounts of beta-pinene, borneol, isobornyl acetate, limonene, linalool, 3-octanone, terpinol and verbinol. Also reported in leaves are phenolic acid (rosmarinic acid), bitter diterpenes (carnosol, rosmanol), triterpenes (oleanic and ursolic acid), triterpene alcohols (alpha-amyrin, beta-amyrin, betulin), and several flavonoids and their glycosides (diosmetin, luteolin, genkwanin).

Pharmacological effects: Animal and laboratory studies have confirmed the reported disinfectant, spasmolytic, antioxidant, smooth muscle modulating, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and venotonic effects. The herb acts as mild cholagogue and choleretic.

Notes: Rosemary is an ingredient in cosmetics and in liqueurs such as benedictine.

Status: Traditional Medicine; Pharm.; Comm. E+ ESCOP 3.



Medicinal Usage

Rosemary has a multitude of health uses. It is diuretic, diaphoretic, stimulant, astringent, stomachic, carminative, cholagogic, emmenagogic, and antispasmodic. The tea has long been used to help support headaches and soothe nervous tension. It stimulates digestion, circulation, and bile secretion. It will bring on menstruation and has been reported to be abortive in large doses. A gargle will support mouth irritations and canker sores. Externally, rosemary is used in liniments and ointments for joint pain, neuralgic pains, bruises, sprains, and as a cosmetic rubefacient.

The oil contains alpha-and beta-pinenes, camphene, limonene, cineol, borenol, and other substances. Rosemary extracts are proven powerful antioxidants or preservatives comparable to BHA and BHT, due to the action of carnosic and labiatic acids. The oil has disinfectant properties.

Rosemary contains vitamin A, vitamin C, phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and is high in calcium.

A strong infusion of the leaves makes a good rinse for dark hair.

General Herb Information

This pine-scented evergreen perennial shrub has been a favorite plant of herb gardeners for centuries. It's native to the western Mediterranean region, especially Spain, Portugal, southern France, Tunisia, and Morocco. It grows from two to six feet tall though heights above four feet are rare. The young branches are hairy. The opposite, leathery, lance-shaped, needle-like leaves are glossy on the upper surface with grayish fuzz beneath. The margins curve downward. The leaves are 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long. The three-eighths-inch long flowers, usually blue, but sometimes pink or white appear in whorls on short racemes arising from upper leaf axils.

Rosemary flowers from May to July in warmer climates. Plants in the North may not bloom. There are a number of cultivars including the white flowered 'Alba'; 'Collingwood Ingram', with bright blue flowers and graceful curving foliage; 'Majorica', with pink flowers; 'Lockwood de Forest': a prostate variety with delicate foliage and vibrant blue flowers; 'Prostratus' with a creeping habit; and the rigid upright 'iliscan blue' with rich green foliage and bright blue-violet flowers.

Rosemary is propagated from seeds, stem cuttings, layering, or division of older plants. Seeds are best started in early spring. They will germinate in about three weeks, but resulting seedlings are very slow to develop. Most of the cultivars are best propagated from stem cuttings taken from vigorous spring growth. Plants can be layered at any time during the growing season. Transplant or pot sesulting seedlings in autumn. Root divisions are the least-recommended propagation method. Give young plants spacings of two feet.

Alight, sandy, chalky soil with good drainage, and a pH of 5 to 8 is good for rosemary culture. Full sun is essential. If over-watered, rosemary may develop root rot. It is a tender perennial, even though I've known it to survive without cover where temperatures reach -50°F. Where temperatures dip into the teens, rosemary should be mulched heavily, or better yet, potted and brought indoors for the winter months. Place in a south-facing window and mist the leaves once or twice a day, especially if you're heating with wood. Rosemary is a good hedge plant or border in California gardens. The prostate variety makes an excellent cover for banks and slopes or along walls. The plants can be trimmed to encourage bushy growth. Remember to keep the trimmings to dry and use.

Rosemary is harvested when in flower for its essential oil. For home use, harvest leaves as needed.

Rosemary is great with pork, beef, poultry, fish, wild game, veal, peas, carrots, onions, and soups. One potted rosemary plant can serve your kitchen for two years. Pinch back sprigs nearly everyday.

Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis L.

Medicinal Usage

Rosemary was prescribed to help support pain, nervous tension, headaches and flatulence, and to help promote liver function, improve blood circulation, and increase the flow of bile. Externally, it can be used to help support joint pain, skin irritations, irritated skin, sores and wounds, and also as a hair tonic and antiseptic. Rosemary tea was used to help support digestive complaints. The virtues of the herb were considered so marvellous that even a garland worn around the neck was reputed to help support stuffy heads. Gerard said that the herb "comforteth the cold, weak and feeble brain in a most wonderful manner." Banckes's Herbal even suggested: "Make thee a box of the wood of rosemary and smell to it and it shall preserve thy youth." In extremely large doses the herb is poisonous.

Culinary Usage

A strong aromatic herb, rosemary was valued for flavouring many dishes, including soups, stews, fish, meats, eggs and vegetables. The flowers and leaves were added to salads, and the sprigs used in stuffings. The herb was also used in jams, jellies, biscuits, cordials, vinegars and wines.

Miscellaneous

A native of the Mediterranean region, rosemary was worn by the ancient Greeks to improve memory, especially by students studying for examinations. Introduced into Britain by the Romans and known to the Anglo-Saxons, the herb, it seems, was then lost and reintroduced in the four- teenth century. Its botanical name Rosmarinus is derived from - the old Latin for `dew of the sea', a reference to its pale blue dew-like flowers and its habit of growing near the coast. Long considered a symbol of remembrance and friendship, rosemary was carried by wedding couples as a sign of love and fidelity. Placed under a pillow at night, it was reputed to ward off evil spirits and bad dreams. Tradition says that the plant will grow for thirty-three years, until it reaches the same height as Christ when he was crucified, then die. It was strewn on floors to mask bad smells, and put in wardrobes to discourage insects and moths. The wood was used to make lutes and similar musical instruments. It was also burnt instead of incense. The essential oil was included in perfumes, cosmetics, disinfectants and herbal shampoos.



Spicy rosemary leaves have beneficial effects on the liver, the stomach, the spleen, and the pancreas. They possess antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, stomachic, nervine, diaphoretic, astringent, anodyne, and antiseptic properties useful in supporting headaches, indigestion, colds, inflammation of the joints, and for promoting healthy scalp and hair. Biochemical analysis has identified volatile oils including borneol, camphene, camphor, cineole, limonene linalool; flavonoids, ursolic acid, and oleanolic acid are also present.

Rosemary can be useful for dyspepsia or digestive upset, headaches, common cold and as a hair strengthener. A simple cup of rosemary tea is as effective as aspirin for headaches and other inflammatory symptoms including the support of joint pain.

Combine equal parts powders of rosemary, wintergreen, willow bark, poplar bark and licorice root. Take two capsules of this combination as needed for headaches and the symptomatic support of fevers and most minor aches and pains. While this can be used as an alternative to most drug analgesics such as aspirin, it is wise to determine and address the underlying cause of the problem.

Therapeutic Dosage: One teaspoon steeped in a cup of boiling water.

TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.

TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.

ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to 1-844-449-0444.

Bianca Rosa is an exclusive line of premium-quality natural products sourced from only the finest and purest ingredients from around the world. Bianca Rosa is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, stability and freshness. All Bianca Rosa products are prepared with the highest level of quality control, from the raw materials used through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the finished product is sealed for freshness and shipped to you. Our highest possible standards backed by our personal guarantee.

Bianca Rosa makes all products as affordable as possible and we are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you. Bianca Rosa has been a trusted household name for many families throughout the world since the 1990s. Bianca Rosa is packed in tamper-proof, recyclable containers.

ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of all Bianca Rosa products, including creams, salves and oils in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to 1-844-449-0444.

TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.

TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.

TerraVita is packed in tamper-proof, food-grade, recyclable containers.

ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to 1-844-449-0444.