The benefits of rosemary extend far beyond its sweet and earthy smell that reminds one of delicious baked bread or the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In medieval times rosemary was used to stimulate cognition and activate the brain to become more focused and alert. Applying rosemary oil on the forehead as well as consuming it or consuming its oil can help with memory, in fact studies are being tested to further validate these claims, although there has already been preliminary research done to highlight these positive effects. Currently, there are developments to use bits of rosemary for elderly patients who experience Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as time progresses it can help combat neurological disorders even if only in a small way.
Additionally, rosemary has many other medically relevant properties that make it very useful in a plethora of applications. The active components are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic in nature and can truly make a difference in warding off illness and even fighting it. In foods and in medicines today there are already many derivatives of rosemary which include but are not limited to rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, betulic acid, and carnosol. Furthermore, rosemary has been sold in various holistic medicine stores throughout the world has cult following in certain cultures. While some people have specific rituals with rosemary such as burning the leaves, boiling the leaves, baking it in bread, or creating oils from it there is a large amount of evidence that suggest that is a useful plant for many people and cultures.
Aromatherapy is another application of rosemary and it touted in several spas and luxury salons around the world. Many of these places are in the South of France and Italy where rosemary is naturally found and has where it historically originates from. In massages rosemary oil can be applied to the front and back body and worked into many muscles groups in the upper region and head area. There are a few other procedures where rosemary scent is diffused around the room and makes sure that there is a relaxing and pleasant aroma that invokes a sense of tranquility and balance. Even more interesting is its use in medical spas where rosemary can be used to treat minor burns, cuts, and scrapes. It has been used as a salve for several hundreds of years and has been able to use its numbing qualities and pain relieving properties for migraines.
While the essential oil of rosemary is potent and is not meant to be eaten, rosemary plant leaves, stems, and branches can be worked into several culinary dishes that span a wide breath of countries, cultures, and cuisines. Eating rosemary is said to help stimulate blood flow, boost skin health, reduce gastrointestinal issues, stomach pain, and help with other gastrointestinal issues.
Overall, rosemary is a sort of miracle plant that can not only be eaten in several dishes such as bread, pasta, rice, soup, etc. but can also be used in medical and cosmetic applications. Its essential oils are bottled, sold, and or made for several spas and salons and its benefits extend various realms of the body that connect mind, body, and soul.
