"And there's rosemary, which is for fidelity."
William Shakespeare "Hamlet"
Rosmarinus officinalis
Affirmation
I go into the day full of energy and feel fresh and clear.
Rosemary is one of the oldest known medicinal plants.
Even in ancient times it was revered as a sacred plant.
Its name comes from the Latin "ros marinus", which means "dew of the sea".
In addition to its use in cooking, rosemary was used in perfumes, essential oils or as a substitute for incense as a fragrant plant.
In ancient Greece, it was dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite.
Among the Romans, it was the custom to decorate the household gods with it.
The Germanic tribes also used rosemary for religious ceremonies,
Even today, bridal wreaths are woven with it in Bavaria.
The plant is a symbol of loyalty, friendship, devotion, memory and love.
Effect
Rosemary essence has a fresh, spicy, camphor-like scent that has a stimulating effect.
Rosemary oil is suitable for room scenting when the ability to concentrate decreases during mental work and states of exhaustion occur.
It strengthens willpower and is also suitable as a room fragrance for awareness exercises and for creative work.
Rosemary is also traditionally used in preparations for muscles and joints to promote blood circulation. Athletes use this property as a rub to warm up and after exercise to prevent sore muscles.
The health effects of rosemary are mainly based on its essential oils (0.6 to 1.35% in the dried plant) and the secondary plant compounds they contain, such as rosmarinic acid, carnosolic acid, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinol, hesperidin, eucalyptol, and so on. These substances have been found to have a wide range of healing effects.
Among other things they have
Antibacterial
Antiviral
Antidepressant
Antioxidant
Antidiabetic
Anti-inflammatory
Cholesterol-lowering
Anticancer
Diuretic
Digestive
Rosemary is therefore also a popular household remedy and is used in naturopathy to support rheumatic complaints, colds, menstrual cramps, migraines, nervousness and depression.
The ancient Greeks were already convinced that rosemary can improve memory. To increase their performance, students in ancient Greece wore a wreath of rosemary during exams.
This effect has now been scientifically proven.
It was shown that rosemary essential oil improved the memory performance and the attention of the test subjects overall. In addition, it increased the mood of the study participants.
Psychological effect
Rosemary is considered a mood enhancer.
Iranian researchers investigated this in more detail in 2018 in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. The effects on memory performance, depression, anxiety, and sleep were examined.
After one month, differences from baseline were compared: The rosemary group showed better memory performance. Also, participants' anxiety, depression and sleep quality had improved.
Counteracts anxiety and depression Boosts self-confidence. Increases drive. Awakens the will to live
and is mood elevating.
Other uses
The healing power of rosemary can be enjoyed in many ways: as a spice, tea, aromatherapy, or cosmetically in the form of soaps, baths, creams, and hair tonics. These applications have been used in folk medicine for centuries.
Rosemary Tea
Rosemary tea is effective against digestive problems, nausea, kidney and bladder diseases, low blood pressure, menstrual cramps, lack of menstruation and general fatigue. It also has an antibacterial effect, which is why it can help with colds.
Aroma therapy with rosemary oil
Aromatherapy often refers to the use of an essential oil as a room fragrance. However, aromatherapy also includes other essential oil applications, such as baths and massages.
Applications with fragrant rosemary oil are popular for their wound-healing, analgesic and stimulating effects.
Rosemary as a room fragrance
Since rosemary has a mood-lifting effect, it can be used as a room fragrance in cases of stress, nervousness and depression, for example.
In addition, as described above, it has a positive effect on memory and can relieve cold symptoms.
A pleasant side effect of rosemary oil is also that mosquitoes will stay away from your four walls, because they do not like the strong scent.
Massages with rosemary
A massage with diluted rosemary oil can provide relief from joint and muscle pain, as well as aching legs due to varicose veins.
Rosemary baths
A full bath with rosemary can be equally restorative for colds, joint and muscle pain, stiff neck and tension. Due to the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect of rosemary, a bath also contributes to the external healing of wounds.
Please note
Not suitable for children under six years of age.
Caution with sensitive skin.
Toxic reactions are possible in case of overdose.
Rosemary may promote menstruation, so it should be avoided during pregnancy.
Rosemary should not be used if you have a tendency to epilepsy.