As the warm season in the Midwest comes to an end causing gardens everywhere to die down, I find myself even more busy picking herbs and leaving them out to dry for me to use during the coming Winter. Amongst the ever popular parsley, chives, mint, sage, oregano, and cilantro can be found aromatic, oil-rich Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinallis). Rosemary is a type of small herbaceous shrub thats native to the Mediterranean region and grows best in loamy to sandy soils with periodic watering and at least six hours of full sun a day. This year I grew mine in a shallow circular pot on the porch where I can easily get to it everyday.The oily leaves are lance-shaped on stems that can grow up to 12 inches in height and blooms purple-white flowers in Spring till late in the season. However, its pretty blooms are only one aspect of this very practical herb. Rosemary is a stimulant, diaphoretic, aromatic, carminative, and nervine. The sharp, strong smell of rosemary oil acts as a refresher and awakener. And if you've ever caught a whiff of rosemary you know what I'm talking about! So how does rosemary benefit our health?
- The antioxidant called carnosol may protect against DNA damage and inflammation.
- Rosemary can be used as an essential oil for arthritis pain.
- Luteolin, a compound found in rosemary, helps reduce age-related memory lost.
- The aromatic oils of such plants as rosemary were successful in the immediate treatment of upper respiratory infection.
- Extracts from rosemary show some promise in treating Herpes simplex virus.
- Rosemary compounds may be able to prevent and treat cancer.
- The carnosic acid compound in rosemary has shown potential as anti-cancer.
- Oil shows anti-microbial potential.
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