Written by Kim Mcleod Flexney
I’m excited to be back to share more wonderful natural plant medicine this month. My business grows, extracts and uses many aromatic medicinal herbs for my clients needs. I’m a big advocate of growing your own herbs, then you know exactly where they come from, and how they are cared for. As food is medicine and medicine is food, it’s one thing to source healthy food, and another to know what your food has been fed.
Keeping with the Alive theme of peace this month. And being our Anzac Day month, we will be exploring Rosemary!
Rosemary has been an ancient symbol of fidelity, loyalty and memory. This fragrant aromatic herb thrives naturally on the hillsides of Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, where the original Anzacs fought during World War I. On Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, Australians commonly wear sprigs of rosemary to honour the memory of those who served.
Most people think of rosemary as a culinary herb that pairs well with Lamb, which I cannot deny. But rosemary is so much more.
Rosemary has many medicinal benefits and uses. It’s array of vitamins – A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and Vitamin C, and Minerals – calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, potassium and zinc. All elements our body needs to thrive.
- Rosemary taken with or before a large meal will stimulate digestion.
- Improves concentration and memory, a neuroprotective brain tonic.
- Helpful for circulatory problems and headaches, relief comes from opening up the blood flow to the brain and helps with low blood pressure..
- Inflammation, colitis, arthritis, its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce pain and swelling of joints from arthritis, and reduces gut inflammation.
- Anti fungal
- Anti bacterial
- Hair loss, rosemary essential oil mixed with a carrier oil like coconut rubbed into your scalp has been effective for hair growth and keep using long term.
- Mouth wash, extremely effective and gets rid of bad breath very quickly. Bring 2 cups of water to the boil and steep 1 tablespoon of fresh or dried flowers or leaves in water for 30mins, store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What an amazing plant! The best thing is it grows well in our local area, is drought tolerant and its aroma is amazing.
Love thy self and grow some rosemary, if you have plenty, share with a friend or family. If you’re not a gardener please source good quality Rosemary that is fresh or fresh dried and been grown with love.
See you next month for more exciting thought provoking ways to heal thy self.