How to Use Rosemary, the Antioxidant Herb

Uses for Anti-aging, Memory, Hair Loss, Wrinkles, Dementia

Sep 1, 2009

The herb rosemary has many medicinal medicines; its potent antioxidants may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease, dementia & even keep skin smooth and supple longer.

Antioxidants cleanse our bodies by trapping free radicals, molecules which react with proteins, fats and nucleic acids to cause changes that can lead to heart disease, cancers, memory problems and aging skin. In many products the antioxidants used are from familiar kitchen herbs such as rosemary.

Rosemary Contains Anti-aging Antioxidants

The pine-like leaves of rosemary are perforated with oil glands and the extracts contain flavonoids as well as several others compounds including carnosol and carsonic acid. These compounds help protect the body cells against the oxidative stresses caused by free radicals and toxins that lead to aging.

Medicinal Uses of Rosemary

Researchers in Germany have determined that the use of rosemary alleviates circulation problems, muscle and joint pain, and digestion problems due to poor bile flow. In Turkey, Spain and Lebanon dried rosemary leaf tea is traditionally brewed as a medicinal tonic to stimulating the appetite, to aid digestion and as a disinfectant to clean cuts and wounds.

Rosemary also has antibacterial, antiseptic, antispasmodic and analgesic (pain relieving) properties. Rosemary extracts or diluted rosemary oil was used for thousands of years as a salve to be applied externally on painful muscles and joints stiffened by rheumatism. Added to bath water, it provides a relaxing soak that eases pain and stimulated blood flow.

In addition, this youthful herb is even thought to contain four anti-cataract compounds which help to prevent and treat cataracts in the eyes.

The essential oil of rosemary is used to clear nasal and lung congestion due to allergies, colds, flu and open sinus cavities by inhaling it in a steam bath. Having a bath infused with a few drops of the essential oils of rosemary and lavender help to uplift mood and relax tension in individuals suffering from postpartum depression. Rosemary oil mixed with other oils and added to shampoos has also been used for centuries to help stimulate circulation to the scalp, keep hair healthy and to prevent or reduce hair loss.

Reducing the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

The remarkable rosemary also has a long history for improving memory and was used as a symbol of remembrance. In Europe, mourners would throw it into graves as a symbolic promise to remember their dead.

Studies indicate that the rosemary leaf contains dozens of different types of antioxidants and other compounds which affect the brain by preventing the breakdown of a chemical nerve transmitter called acetylcholine. This aids in long-term memory retention and may even be beneficial in reducing the risk of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Concentrated essential oil of rosemary should never be taken internally as it may irritate the stomach, intestines and kidneys. Its medicinal use should also be avoided by pregnant or nursing mother and by individuals who suffer from high blood pressure or epilepsy.

The Many Uses of the Rosemary Herb:

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