I’m sitting here writing with rosemary essential oil in my diffuser, rosemary in my tea, and rosemary in my energy release spray, which I always keep by the computer. Why am I drawn to rosemary? Well, its benefits are endless, and the wonderful thing is we can grow it in our gardens, even though it is traditionally grown in the warm climes of the Mediterranean.
I recently discovered rosemary tea when visiting The Tea House Emporium in Bath. For those of you who have watched the Harry Potter films I would describe it as a tea version of Ollivander’s Wand Shop; floor to ceiling of teas, black, green, herbal, fruit, you name it, they have it! On the counter is a collection of beautiful glass jars packed with loose tea and if you want to have an idea of the flavours you’ll get from the tea, the lady at the counter will simply lift the lid of your chosen tea and invite you to inhale the aroma from the lid. It’s such a wonderful experience and inhaling the scents really does give you an immediate idea of whether you will like the tea or not. The tea I came home with was Good Mood and Memory tea, of which rosemary is part of the blend; it has become very much a favourite tea of mine.
How Does Using Rosemary Benefit Our Bodies?
Rosemary has been known to help eczema when used three times a day in the form of tea and used as a wash, and it is also used to help with digestive ailments. It is rich in antioxidants, which play a huge part in protecting the body against free radicals. Antioxidants protect against the cell damage that free radicals can cause. Free radicals are by products of our metabolism and our environment and can damage cells all over the body, so we need lots of antioxidants! And as well as tasting good, rosemary is also a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin B6.
I’m interested in the memory benefits of rosemary, mainly because that’s where I need the most help! Scientific research in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, have for the first time shown a connection with a rosemary oil component and improved cognitive performance. The investigators tested cognitive performance in people exposed to varying levels of rosemary aroma and used blood tests to show how much of the relevant component 1,8-cineole was absorbed. It was found that the higher the concentrations found in the blood, speed and accuracy were improved. All the more reason for me to inhale rosemary and drink the tea!
Research done in the Kyoto University in Japan has concluded that rosemary may also help to reduce or even prevent brain aging. And importantly studies are being done to work with various components of rosemary that scientists believe may help with cancer treatments; working specifically with breast cancer and leukaemia. (Published in Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry)
Rosemary is actually from the mint family, which is why it is used to treat muscular ailments. The cooling menthol effect when applied topically can help to relieve pain in the affected area. When consumed orally it can help with headaches and is very popular in treating migraines. When applied to the temples it can help to reduce the severity of the pain.
It a wonderful herb that tastes fabulous, smells amazing and is very good for us!
Here’s a recipe for a balm that I make, which helps with muscle aches and pains, that you can easily make at home.
Ingredients
- 12g Beeswax
- 30g Thistle Oil (or any other vegetable oil that isn’t heat sensitive)
- 56ml Sweet Almond Oil
- 2 ml Vitamin E
- 4 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
- 8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil
- 3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil
- 5 drops of Nature’s Wish Release Essence
Equipment Needed
- Bowl
- Saucepan
- Metal Spoon
- 100ml jar (or two smaller ones)
Makes 80 – 100ml
Instructions
This is a nice and easy balm to make, not too many stages!
Weigh in your beeswax and vegetable oils into a bowl and pop over a pan of boiling water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
Once melted remove from the heat and stir until it starts to cool down. You can speed the process up a bit by putting the bowl into cold water, but you don’t want it to cool completely at this stage, as there are other ingredients to add in.
Once the mixture has cooled to 40–45 degrees, add in your pre-weighed Vitamin E, essential oils and essence drops.
Pour into a waiting jar, label it and there it is!
Apply to sore muscles to help relieve aches and pains – you can use it as often as needed.
I hope you’ve found this insight into the wonderful properties of rosemary, and start to include it more in your food and oil burners and get inhaling! Perhaps even plant a rosemary bush in your garden- the insects love the flower too.
Amy x
Amy is the founder and owner of Nature’s Wish and makes all of her products herself. Her extensive range of face and body oils, lip balms, essences, energy sprays along with her treatments and gift vouchers can be purchased at www.natureswish.co.uk
For more information you can contact Nature’s Wish by:
Email – amy@natureswish.co.uk
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