Rosemary - Boost your memory with this nutritional powerhouse and super antioxidant

[donnay]

Rosemary - Boost your memory with this nutritional powerhouse and super antioxidant

Thursday, August 16, 2012 by: Jonathan Benson (http://www.naturalnews.com/036827_rosemary_antioxidant_memory.html), staff writer

(NaturalNews) Its rich scent, prominent historical presence, and deeply-symbolic significance throughout the ages has earned the rosemary herb quite an honorable status in many cultures around the world. And a significant portion of rosemary's legacy involves the incredible soothing, nourishing, and healing properties possessed by this amazing herb, including its ability to improve memory and protect the body against cancer, among other benefits.

Rosemary has long been appreciated as a symbol of friendship, commitment, loyalty, and remembrance, as it was often used in both weddings and funerals of old to bring to mind each of these important facets of civilized humanity. The herb has also long been used medicinally to relieve and even cure chronic health conditions like gout, for instance, or rheumatoid arthritis.

Long before humans were able to identify scientifically how rosemary works to improve health, civilizations of old were using the herb as an antiseptic to kill harmful germs, and as a mechanism by which to improve blood flow to the brain, which aids in boosting memory. There are so many medicinal uses for rosemary, in fact, that even Biblical accounts of this precious herb refer to it as a cleansing agent of choice for purifying the body.

"Rosemary is a much-cherished symbolic and medicinal herb with a history that goes back for thousands of years," says a Body Ecology piece on rosemary. "Since ancient times it was a symbol of friendship, loyalty, and remembrance. Brides wore rosemary wreathes as a symbol of their love and fidelity, believing that this beautiful herb was a gift from the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite."

Protect your DNA with rosemary
One of rosemary's most powerful medicinal functions is its ability to prevent malignant mutations of human DNA, particularly in the liver and bronchial cells, which in turn helps to prevent the development of cancer cells and tumors. Because it is also rich in free radical-fighting antioxidants, rosemary can effectively protect cell membranes from being damaged, as well as protect brain cells from destruction.

As far as brain function and memory are concerned, rosemary has a stimulating effect on the mind in that it promotes healthy blood flow to brain tissue, and cleanses blood all along the way. Rosemary also prevents the degradation of acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter that is responsible for maintaining proper memory and cognitive acuity.

Fight candida with rosemary

Beyond its antioxidant and memory-boosting capacities, rosemary can also help improve circulation; relieve muscle, nerve, and sciatic pain; help clear up eczema and other skin conditions, relieve rheumatism, boost liver function, eliminate bad breath, boost immune function, cure adrenal fatigue, improve digestion, and kill harmful bacteria.

Rosemary is also said to possess unique anti-fungal properties that make it a powerful tool in fighting the debilitating yeast overgrowth condition known as candida, or candida albicans, from which thousands of people now suffer. Because of its unique ability to fight harmful bacteria and fungi while preserving that which is beneficial, rosemary is also a great, natural alternative to antibacterial drugs, which tend to disrupt proper bacterial balance by killing off all living organisms within the body.

Sources for this article include:

http://bodyecology.com

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/r/rosema17.html

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/rosemary-000271.htm

[Kotin]

I am pretty sure rosemary is one the only edible high-dose natural sources of vitamin D .. Great stuff

[donnay]

Health benefits of Rosemary herb

Rosemary leaves contain certain phyto-chemical (plant derived) compounds that are known to have disease preventing and health promoting properties.

The herb parts especially flower tops contain phenolic anti-oxidant rosmarinic acid as well as numerous health benefiting volatile essential oils such as cineol, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate, α-pinene etc. These compounds are known to have rubefacient (counter-irritant), anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-fungal and anti-septic properties.

Rosemary leaves provide just 131 calories per 100 g and contains no cholesterol. Apart from nutrients, this humble herb contains many noteworthy non-nutrient components such as dietary fiber (37% of RDA).

The herb is exceptionally rich in many B-complex group of vitamin, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin. It is one of the herbs contain high levels of folates; providing about 109 mcg per 100 g (about 27% of RDA). Folates are important in DNA synthesis and when given during peri-conception period can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies.

Rosemary herb contains very good amounts of vitamin A, 2924 IU per 100 g; about 97% of RDA. A few leaves a day in the diet, would contribute enough of this vitamin. Vitamin A is known to have antioxidant properties and is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin A is known to help body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Fresh rosemary leaves are good source of antioxidant vitamin; vitamin-C containing about 22 mg per 100 g, about 37% of RDA. The vitamin is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and help scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals fro the body.

Rosemary herb parts, whether fresh or dried, are rich source of minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, which helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

This herb is an excellent source of iron, contains 6.65 mg/100 g of fresh leaves (about 83% of RDA). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.

(...)

Medicinal uses of Rosemary

Rosmarinic acid, a natural polyphenolic antioxidant found in rosemary, has been found to have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant functions. Sage, peppermint, oregano, thyme also contain appreciable levels of rosmarinic acid.

Rosemary oil, distilled from the flowering tops, contains volatile essential oil such as camphene, cineol, borneol, bornyl acetate and other esters. These compounds are known to have tonic, astringent, diaphoretic, and stimulant properties.

Its herbal oil is also being used externally as a rubefacient to soothe painful ailments in gout, rheumatism and neuralgic conditions.

Rosemary herb extractions when applied over scalp have stimulating function on the hair-bulbs and help preventing premature baldness. It forms an effectual remedy for the prevention of scurf and dandruff.

Rosemary tea is a good remedy for removing nervous headache, colds, and depression.(Medical disclaimer)


Safety profile

Rosemary herb might cause abortion in pregnant woman when eaten in large amounts. Further, in some rare cases, rosemary oil products may cause allergic skin reactions. In toxic doses, rosemary has been found to cause kidney dysfunction, and might exacerbate existing neurological conditions like epilepsy, neuroses etc. (Medical disclaimer)

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/rosemary-herb.html

[donnay]

Rosemary - The Hidden Health Benefits Of This Well Known Herb

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-remedies/herbs/rosemary-health-benefits-00145.html

[youngbuck]

Rosemary really is an awesome herb. Way better than even that article makes it out to be. I have been planning for quite some time to start capsuling it.

I remember reading info that the Russians, a decade or two ago, discovered that rosemary was more effective at combating radiation sickness and DNA damage (obviously the latter) than the best anti-radiation drugs on the market. That alone is enough reason to take it IMO. Not to mention it is one of the most potent antioxidants on the ORAC scale.

I am going to start experimenting with rosemary as a memory enhancer to see how effective it is in that regard. I'm about to start a difficult college anatomy/physiology class, so I have a good subjective test bed.

[Working Poor]

I love making rosemary tooth picks

[donnay]

You can make a room freshener.

Get a 16 ounce jar and put a 1/2 of cup of fresh Rosemary (chop it up on a cutting board). Put it in the jar and add one 12 ounce bottle of rubbing alcohol. Seal it with the lid and let it sit in a dark place for 4 weeks. When it is ready, strain the Rosemary from the liquid and put the liquid in a spray bottle. It makes the best linen spray.

If you are stressed out spritz a little in the room you are in it help calms people too.

It is also a aphrodisiac too. :D

[youngbuck]

Went ahead and finally ordered some herbs, including rosemary, that I've been procrastinating. This thread was that last little impetus I needed (and that classes start next week) :)

I'm putting together my own brain/memory/cognition tonic roughly based off this forumula: http://www.jonbarron.org/anti-aging/natural-health-barron-report-memory

[donnay]

Went ahead and finally ordered some herbs, including rosemary, that I've been procrastinating. This thread was that last little impetus I needed (and that classes start next week) :)

I'm putting together my own brain/memory/cognition tonic roughly based off this forumula: http://www.jonbarron.org/anti-aging/natural-health-barron-report-memory

Nice formula! +rep

[tod evans]

I'm putting together my own brain/memory/cognition tonic roughly based off this forumula: http://www.jonbarron.org/anti-aging/natural-health-barron-report-memory

Ya' think maybe this'd trigger some of those flashbacks I was assured of in the '70's?

[youngbuck]

I'm going to copy some rosemary information by hand out of an herb book that I borrowed from a family member. If there are typos, it's my fault:


Rosemary Leaves (Rosmarinus Officinialis)

Late flowering woody shrub. The whole plant smalls, and it is almost impossible to pass by a rosemary bush without pinching a few leaves and rubbing them between the fingers to release the small. Rosemary has many traditional uses and stories. It is planted in cemeteries for remembrance, and it does enhance memory by improving the circulation. Rosemary vinegar is a powerful disinfectant.

Data File

Properties


Lifts the spirities
Improves the circulation
Carminative
Gentle bitter tonic

Uses


Depression
Headaches associated with gastric upsets...
Poor circulation, taken regularly.
Poor digestion, gall bladder inflammation, gallstones, and general feeling of liverishness.
Gargle for sore throats
Healthy hair

General file on Rosemary:

Rosemary was one of the first herbs to be used medicinally. Traditionally it was used to ward off evil, to offer protection from the plague, and to preserve meat. This strong distinctively scented oil is one of the most valuable of all essential oils.

Properties and Uses

Refreshing rosemary is a circulation stimulant, excellent for low blood pressure, muscle fatigue, poor circulation, aches, pains, and strains. It acts as a tonic for the nervous system and is anti-depressant. It relieves stress-related disorders, mental exhaustion, and promotes mental clarity. It also tons the skin, liver, and gall bladder. It is use for acne, eczema, dandruff, lice, and hair loss. Antiseptic and antibacterial, anti-fungal, and a diuretic, it is generally cleansing, and useful for fluid retention. It has properties that help to relieve painful menstruation and clear vaginal discharge, flatulence, indigestion, and constipation. Rosemary prevents and reduces digestive spasms, relieves wind, and regulates digestion. It helps to clear catarrh, coughs, colds, and headaches.

Don't use during pregnancy. Not suitable for people with epilepsy or high blood pressure. Do not use for headaches and migraines that feel "hot."

This book is fairly basic and definitely conservative in its dosage recommendations when it has them. Nonetheless, I figured the information may be of use to some of you.