Want to Keep Your Brain Sharp? Add This to Your Garden
Rosemary isn’t just a fragrant herb that adds flavor to your dishes; it’s a powerhouse of health benefits and may even be able to prevent your brain from aging.
A Little History
Rosemary’s botanical name is Rosmarinus officinalis, and it’s part of the mint family. Its name derives from the Latin words “ros” meaning dew, and “marinus” meaning sea – giving it the meaning of “dew of the sea.” Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region and has been revered since ancient times by cultures like the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians for its culinary and healing properties.
In ancient Greece, students wore rosemary garlands while studying, as it was believed to improve memory and concentration. The plant was considered sacred by the Romans, who used it for purification rituals and crowned newlyweds with rosemary wreaths as symbols of love and loyalty. Clearly, this herb has been valued throughout history!
Benefits of Rosemary:
So what’s so great about rosemary? Let me count the ways…
For starters, it’s packed with powerful antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C, and plant compounds called polyphenols. This helps neutralize free radicals and fight oxidative stress in the body, which plays a role in aging and many diseases. Some researchers even suggest rosemary may help prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
There’s credible research from respected sources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, and Journal of Medicinal Food suggesting rosemary may have the ability to protect brain cells. That means regularly consuming rosemary through things like rosemary tea, seasonings, or extracts may be an effective way to take advantage of brain-boosting benefits, like keeping your brain healthy and helping preserve memory, learning, and overall cognitive function as we get older.
Rosemary is also an anti-inflammatory superhero thanks to its abundance of compounds like carnosic acid. This helps reduce inflammation throughout the body, providing relief for issues like muscle soreness, arthritis, and even asthma attacks. Speaking of muscles, rosemary has long been used to improve circulation – the increased blood flow can help muscles recover faster after a tough workout.
As if that’s not enough, rosemary has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that make it a natural germ-fighter. Studies show it can inhibit the growth of certain strains of bacteria and fungi. Sipping some rosemary tea may just help that annoying sore throat!
The benefits truly go on and on, but I think you get the idea – rosemary is one mighty herb! Now for the fun part – how to get your hands on some.
How to Grow Rosemary at Home:
Your first option is to grow it yourself. Rosemary is incredibly easy to cultivate, even for those new to the garden. This evergreen perennial thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Plant it once and it will just keep on giving year after year! Rosemary can also tolerate droughts quite well once established.
You can find rosemary plants at most nurseries in the spring. Or, you can easily start from seed or take cuttings from an existing plant to propagate new ones. Rosemary makes a fantastic addition to garden beds, containers, and even herb spirals.
Other Places to Find Rosemary:
If gardening isn’t your thing, you can find dried rosemary or even buy fresh rosemary plants at many grocery stores and farmers markets.
However you acquire it, I highly recommend having a fresh rosemary plant around. There’s just something so satisfying about being able to pluck sprigs right from your own plant to use in cooking or home remedies! Those intoxicating aromas alone are reason enough.
Simple Ways to Use Rosemary:
Now that I’ve convinced you to embrace rosemary, let’s talk about easy ways to use it:
- Add sprigs to roasted veggies, soups, breads, marinades – the options are endless
- Infuse olive oil with rosemary for dipping or drizzling
- Make a refreshing rosemary lemonade or sun tea
- Dry the leaves and use them in sachets, potpourri, or smudge sticks
- Create salves, creams, or hair rinses by steeping the herb in oils/butters
- Take advantage of its fumigant properties by burning bundles to purify air
The possibilities truly are limitless with this versatile plant!
We have an entire page of natural remedies. Let us know if you have any of your own.
