Herbal Ally – Now Remember Rosemary
Mad Ophelia tells us, “There’s Rosemary, that’s for the memory.” In Shakespeare’s time, it was common knowledge that rosemary aided memory. Today, as then, herbalists agree: “For the health of ye brayne, place rosemary in wyne and keep warm.” The leaves of this hardy evergreen shrub are valuable for both medicinal and culinary uses. And, the powerful antioxidant vitamins found there help the brain function better.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a particularly aromatic member of the mint family. When grown in dry and poor soils in warm areas, little protected, but touched by the winds, rosemary rewards us with minerals, vitamins and antiseptic and antibacterial volatile oils that are easily extracted in water, vinegar, alcohol and fats. While it is evergreen and therefore can be used at any time of the year, rosemary is considered most medicinal when it is in bloom. A large pinch of dried rosemary in food acts as a preservative. A strong concoction of the fresh or dried leaves makes a particularly effective wound wash.
The old herbs hint that rosemary exerts its influence magically rather than physically. Burned as incense, coiled in a wreath, or grown in a pot, rosemary protects the home and those who live in it, especially women. Added to the bridal bouquet, it ensures fidelity. Tied with silk ribbons and given to wedding guests, it conveys loving kindness.
“As for Rosmarine, I let it run all over the walls of my garden, not only because my bees love it, but because it is the sacred herb for remembrance and therefore for friendship…” he said Sir Thomas More several hundred years ago. back with a smile.
Juliette de Bairacli Levy repeats an old story about rosemary: When Mary and Joseph were running away with the baby Jesus, Mary placed her wet blue mantle on the rosemary bush to dry it. Rosemary, thus blessed, has always had blue flowers, and the absolute power to protect against evil. A sprig of rosemary hung by the door banishes all thieves; a rosemary bush growing by the door only lets in love.
Rosemary is a traditional Christmas decoration, partly because it smells good and partly because pruning it in the dead of winter makes it stronger and healthier. So don’t hesitate to cut it into bunches for beauty. If you remove the decorative rosemary before it gets too dry, you can use it for cooking or as a stain.
The dense smoke (stain) produced by burning dried rosemary is equally favored in religious, mystical, and medicinal settings. When frankincense and myrrh, expensive and foreign resins, are scarce, rosemary replaces them in the censors of the church, or of the pagans. During the plague years, and later in many hospitals, burning rosemary reliably cleaned the air and counteracted airborne infections. By extension, rosemary was given to mourners to protect them from contagion. It was placed in the coffin to preserve the body. And he was laid in the grave at the end of the funeral.
In England, a sprig of rosemary was placed on the bench in law courts as a preventive against prison fever. To keep moths away, put it in your wool chest.
European ladies, princesses and even queens used rosemary in many ways to enhance their beauty. They tied him up in a cloth to keep the fleas away; they smelled it to “stay young”; they soaked it in wine and used it to wash their faces to make them “light and beautiful”; they added it to their bath water to make them “glow and happy”; and they stopped bad dreams by placing rosemary under the bed.
Modern women praise rosemary’s ability to make their scalp healthy and dandruff-free, and their hair lush, thick and dark. To make a rosemary hair rinse, brew a full ounce of dried rosemary in a quart of boiling water overnight. After washing your hair, pour the dark, sweet-smelling rosemary liquid over your head, rubbing well into the scalp. Let it be; no need to rinse it. If you have a lot of dandruff, add a tablespoon of borax to a half cup of rosemary hair rinse just before use. Lavaggio, a hair tonic made from a popular Italian recipe that is 99% rosemary, is available for sale for those who don’t want to make it themselves.
Recent research has found that the heart has memory cells just like the brain. No wonder rosemary is also known as a heart tonic! Older recipes call for steeping several handfuls of fresh rosemary in a large glass of white wine for several days, then sipping the wine to soothe palpitations, strengthen weak hearts, and heal broken hearts. However, rosemary capsules or rosemary tincture in large doses can increase blood pressure, so I limit myself to tea or external applications.
Rosemary-infused oil or ointment (not the essential oil, which can cause poisoning) relieves arthritis pain, improves joint flexibility, counteracts and sometimes heals eczema, and speeds wound healing. If you don’t have the oil, you can use rosemary tea instead.
Rosemary tea has a beneficial effect on the lungs and breathing. If you have a cold, rosemary tea will be happy to help you feel better. Too tired and sick to do anything? Simply add a large handful of rosemary to hot canned chicken soup. For the best effect, let it sit for an hour and then eat it. Ahhh When drinking rosemary tea, feel free to add honey*, especially if you have a scratchy and sore throat.
Rosemary, like all its mint sisters, is antispasmodic, mildly tea-like, stronger in vinegar, and powerful as a tincture. Not only does it relieve nervous and headache pain, rosemary relieves all digestive problems, from gas to gallbladder problems. A tablespoon or two of vinegar in the salad is an easy way to take this remedy. Due to the danger of kidney damage, I use small doses (1-5 drops) of rosemary tincture, and only occasionally.
As a condiment, rosemary feeds the brain and helps prevent cancer. As a medicine, rosemary restores memory and improves digestion.
No wonder boxes made from rosemary wood are considered magical. Since rosemary is only happy when ordered by a woman, her magic is better suited to women’s needs. Perhaps Pandora’s box was made of rosemary wood. Surely your life will be more magical when you remember rosemary.
*Note: Do not give honey to babies under 12 months.