Cooking or incorporating rosemary into your life may just be the ticket to a healthier and longer life. People have been using rosemary to add a Mediterranean essence to dishes for quite some time. It grows in gardens, but can often be dismissed as just a regular herb. Trust us, it’s way better than normal.
In recent months, researchers have traveled to the small town of Aciarolli, Italy, which is just south of Naples, because 300 centenarians are living there. Researches don’t think this a coincidence, considering that the Italian island of Sardinia is already a Blue Zone, an area where people live measurably longer lives. Rosemary, in conjunction with a Mediterranean diet (mostly consisting of plant-based foods like legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) is believed to play a major role in their longevity.
The Benefits of Rosemary
Rosemary has a wide variety of medicinal properties. It is easy to grown and maintain, and you’ll be amazed at how you can utilize its benefits in your daily life.
Improving Memory
Rosemary has been known as a memory booster for a long time. While you are enjoying the aromatic flavor rosemary gives your meals, it actually helps your ability to focus. This helps keep your mind quick and allows you to have improved memory retention. Additionally, rosemary has been shown to increase cognitive activity in older people, Alzheimer’s patients, and people with dementia. While tests are still being conducted, rosemary is showing positive results in helping memory retention and mental sharpness.
Immune Booster
Rosemary has antioxidants, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that help boost the immune system and promote healthy circulation. It has been known to help fight off staph infections and enhance one’s overall well-being. If you have essential oil of rosemary, you can use it topically on your skin for better blood circulation, as long as you dilute it with carrier oil first. Did we mention that it helps promote healthy digestion too?
Stress Reliever
Everybody experiences stress in life, but rosemary’s essential oil can help relieve anxiety, stress, and muscle tension. You can rub rosemary oil, which has been diluted with carrier oil, on the area of tension, but remember to avoid open wounds and your eyes. You can also add several drops of essential oil to a hot bath for an aromatherapy treatment that may promote overall relaxation.
Breath Freshener
Since rosemary has natural antibacterial properties, it can be used as a mouthwash to help freshen your breath. Boil a few sprigs of rosemary in water and strain it. Let the solution cool and keep it in your bathroom. Swish a small amount of the solution around in your mouth to help clean your teeth, gums, and freshen your breath.
Skin Health
Rosemary has incredible anti-aging benefits, which can be reaped from both the essential oil and the plant itself. By applying the leaves or diluted essential oil topically, you can improve the quality of your skin. The properties of rosemary can help heal blemishes and give your skin a natural, healthy, and refreshed glow. How amazing is this herb?!
One thing to keep in mind when you are using the essential oil of rosemary: Do not take it orally because of its potency. You can, however, incorporate a few drops of essential oil into your cooking, or you can put a few drops in a beverage to dilute it; or dilute it with carrier oil to apply it topically to the skin. If you use rosemary frequently, in combination with a plant-based diet like those in Blue Zones, there’s no reason you can’t have a healthier, longer life.
