Rosemary

• Uses
• Benefits
• Cautions
• Other Names
• References

Uses

• Gout
• Cough
• Headache
• High blood pressure
• Reducing age-related memory loss.
• Digestion problems, including heartburn, intestinal gas (flatulence), liver and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite.
• Some women use rosemary for increasing menstrual flow and causing abortions.
• Rosemary is used topically (applied to the skin) for preventing and treating baldness; and treating circulation problems, toothache, eczema, and joint or muscle pain such as myalgia, sciatica, and intercostal neuralgia.
• Wound healing
• Bath therapy (balneotherapy)
• Insect repellent.
• In foods, rosemary is used as a spice. The leaf and oil are used in foods, and the oil is used in beverages.
• In manufacturing, rosemary oil is used as a fragrant component in soaps and perfumes.

Benefits

• Rosemary herb parts, fresh or dried, are a very good source of minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, magnesium and potassium.
• Rosemary leaves are known to have in their structure some phytochemical compounds which are good for preventing diseases and for your health.
• Also rosemary leaves have only 131 calories per 100 g and they have no cholesterol. Besides the nutrients, rosemary also contains many non- nutrient components such as dietary fiber.
• This herb is very rich in B- complex group of vitamin, such as folic acid, pyridoxine(Vitamin B6), riboflavin(Vitamin B2) and pantothenic acid. In its structure, rosemary contains a high level of folates; these folates are very important in DNA synthesis. When they are given during the pre- conception period can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies.
• The herb parts but especially the top of the flower contain phenolic antioxidant rosmarinic acid and also many health benefiting volatile essential oils such as, borneol, camphene, cineol, bornyl acetate etc. These substances are well known to have anti-inflammatory, counter-irritant, anti-allergic, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties.
• Rosemary herb is also known to have a good amount of vitamin A in its structure. All you need is to add in your diet a couple of leaves every day and you secure the necessary quantity of vitamin A per day. It is well known that vitamin A has antioxidant properties and is an essential vitamin for vision. Also vitamin A is an important component for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin.
• Rosemary leaves are rich in vitamin C, approximately 22 mg per 100 g. Vitamin C is important and is vital for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the most important structural protein in the body which maintains the integrity of blood vessels, organs, skin and bones.
• For hair loss, apply it to the scalp irritates the skin and increases blood circulation.

Cautions

• Rosemary is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in amounts found in foods. Rosemary is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when used as a medicine when taken by mouth, applied to the skin, or inhaled as aromatherapy.
• However, the undiluted oil is LIKELY UNSAFE to take by mouth. Taking large amounts of rosemary can cause vomiting, uterine bleeding, kidney irritation, increased sun sensitivity, skin redness, and allergic reactions.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Rosemary is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. Rosemary might stimulate menstruation or affect the uterus, causing a miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety of applying rosemary to the skin during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, it’s best to avoid rosemary in amounts larger than food amounts.
  • If you are breast-feeding, also steer clear of rosemary in medicinal amounts. Not enough is known about what effects it might have on the nursing infant.
• Aspirin allergy:’ Rosemary contains a chemical that is very similar to aspirin. This chemical, known a as salicylate, may cause a reaction in people who are allergic to aspirin.
• Bleeding disorders: Rosemary might increase the risk of bleeding and bruising in people with bleeding disorders. Use cautiously.
• Seizure disorders: Rosemary might make seizure disorders worse. Don’t use it.

Other Names

Compass Plant, Compass Weed, Encensier, Herbe Aux Couronnes, Old Man, Polar Plant, Romarin, Romarin Des Troubadours, Romero, Rose de Marie, Rose Des Marins, Rosée De Mer, Rosemarine, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rusmari, Rusmary.

References

• Source: “Rosemary Herb and its Health Benefits”, 22 May 2013, natural4remedies.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/rosemary-herb-and-its-health-benefits/
• Source: WebMD, “Rosemary”, www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/