Rosemary

Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an evergreen shrub characterized by linear, needle-like leaves and glandular hairs that release fragrant, volatile essential oils. While rosemary is perhaps best known as a culinary seasoning, it is also one of the most and medicinal plants globally. The oil extracted from rosemary has a rich history of medicinal benefits. Some studies have shown interest in utilizing the oil for the development of new drugs. Although much of this research is still in its early stages, it supports several traditional applications of the oil and demonstrates potential new uses. In herbal medicine, rosemary is employed as a mild pain reliever. It has also been examined as a non-pharmaceutical supplement for pain management and is effective in repelling certain blood-sucking insects that can transmit harmful viruses and bacteria. In one study, a woman with Raynaud’s disease, which impairs circulation, massaged her hands with a rosemary oil blend, finding that it helped warm her fingers more than a neutral oil. These effects were confirmed by thermal imaging. When people with rheumatoid arthritis were given 15-minute knee massages using a rosemary oil blend three times weekly, they had a 50% decrease in inflammatory knee pain in two weeks, compared to a 12% decrease in those not given the oi.

Rosemary oil can be inhaled or applied topically. It is readily absorbed into your bloodstream when you apply it to your skin. It’s generally advised to dilute essential oils with a neutral carrier oil, such as jojoba oil.

Rosemary essential oil, derived from the common cooking herb, has long been popular in folk medicine and is now proving beneficial in scientific studies. Though most of this research is preliminary, studies note that this essential oil may boost your health by improving mental focus and memory, fighting hair loss, relieving pain and inflammation, repelling certain insects, and easing stress.