REMEMBERING ROSEMARY

A few weeks ago, on the recommendation of friend Liz, Leaf and I decided to look into the benefits of essential oils and went to see aromatherapist and yoga teacher, AMANDA HARRINGTON.  We both knew a little about them but wanted to understand more.  Our introductory session was extremely interesting.  She told us about the range of different individual oils and blends which can provide us with a veritable medicine chest as well as enhancing our living spaces and our general well-being.

OILS FOR ILLS GALORE

We came away with information on recommended groups of top-quality oils (Amanda recommends DoTERRA) from the simplest to the most comprehensive.  We were tempted to order but had to accept that we cannot afford to follow up at the moment.  However, there are a few oils that we can buy from the pharmacy which, although certainly not top-quality, will be helpful at the most basic level.  Lavender being an old favourite most of us know about and of course, there’s ROSEMARY.

FRAGRANT AND FLOWERY

Then, as if on cue, I received an email from a friend in the UK, GILL FARRER-HALLS, aromatherapist and writer of many books on the subject .  She wrote:

‘I wanted to suggest rosemary oil to you, one of the cheaper essential oils, but if you remember the old adage ‘rosemary for remembrance’ you can deduce what I’m getting at. You can find Rosemary essential oil easily for less than a fiver. No magical remedy, but may be useful nonetheless. I’ve pasted below the relevant excerpt from one of my books.’

So, as DOODAH is for those who are suffering from memory problems and their carers, and as it’s important to share good information, I asked Gill if I might paraphrase the piece she sent me.  She very kindly agreed.

Rosemary, as most of us know it, is a herb we like to use in cooking, but it’s far more than that.

A PLANT WITH A MYRIAD OF QUALITIES

The name comes from ros meaning dew and marinus meaning sea as it typically grows near the coast and has been used since ancient times. Traces have been found in Egyptian tombs and the Greeks and Romans considered Rosemary a sacred plant symbolizing love and death.

Rosemary is an aromatic, perennial, shrubby bush with silver green leaves and distinctive, prolific sky blue flowers from which essential oil can be steam-distilled using the flowering tops and twigs.  It makes an almost colorless, clear and mobile oil with gentle, green, fresh top notes and herbaceous, balsamic, camphoraceous overtones and blends with most spices as well as lavender, bergamot, basil, frankincense, juniper, pine, thyme, melissa, cedarwood, lemon and petitgrain.

Over the centuries, Rosemary has been burned with juniper as cheap incense and to purify the air and prevent infections.  It was burned In French hospitals till the end of 19^th century.

SWEET AND PUNGENT

Culpepper recognized its properties as a mental stimulant and suggested Rosemary for giddiness and loss of memory. 

It has many other therapeutic properties: analgesic, antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cephalic, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, hepatic, hypertensor, nervine, rubefacient, stimulant, sudorific, tonic!

Dioscorides, master herbalist (c.40 – c.90 AD) recommended it for stomach and liver problems, Hippocrates for liver and spleen disorders and later, physician Galen for jaundice.

Rosemary is good for strengthening the liver and gall bladder and as a heart tonic used to help cardiac fatigue and heart palpitations, raise low blood pressure and stimulate poor circulation in the hands and feet.

In addition to these therapeutic uses, it is recommended for:

• its mucolytic properties can be useful for inhalation; 2 or 3 drops in a bowl of almost boiling water with a towel over the head is useful to treat bronchitis, sinusitis and asthma
• use diluted at 2% in a carrier oil for massage to release overworked muscles, relieve fluid retention and detoxify the lymphatic system

GREAT FOR HAIR

• a hair and scalp tonic – 2 drops in a handful of shampoo helps restore hair loss and encourage growth by tonifying the scalp. It can be effective as a dandruff preventative too
• use as a powerful antiseptic. In a burner, Rosemary can help prevent the spread of air borne infections, such as cold and flu viruses
• a hangover. The oil is a liver tonic, and a few drops in a bath can help relieve the ‘morning-after’ feeling

Rosemary also has psychological effects – stimulating, purifying and protecting.  It’s a traditional ingredient of incense and aids meditation as well as keeping the mind clear and alert.  Overall it is reviving, refreshing and strengthening. But it is also a classic remedy for nerves when mixed with neroli – one drop of Rosemary to two drops of neroli dabbed on the wrists before taking an exam for instance.  Neroli calms the nerves, Rosemary strengthens the mind and increases creativity.

Being associated with the third chakra, it assists inner vision. It is a psychic protector, a symbol of friendship and love.

THE THIRD CHAKRA, THE SOLAR PLEXUS

To introduce Rosemary into our daily routine, Gill suggests vaporising a few drops every morning and early afternoon; but no later in the day as it’s such a strong mental stimulant and might adversely affect sleep.  For those of us who might not have an essential oil burner, an alternative is to carefully balance a saucer of hot water on a suitable heater and add a few drops.  The vapour will permeate the room for a couple of hours (although we will stop smelling it sooner than that as the olfactory nerve easily becomes overworked).  NOTE:  I tried it today and it was lovely.

A few drops in the bath, swished around vigorously just before we get in or sprinkled on the shower floor once we’re inside and the hot water is flowing is also good as a wake me up in the morning.

Sounds great, thank you Gill.

PLEASE NOTE that Rosemary is best avoided by those who are affected by epilepsy.

GILL is the author of ‘THE AROMATHERAPY BIBLE’ and recommends this book to those who are interested in exploring how to use essential oils in their daily lives.

AMANDA HARRINGTON, aromatherapist and yoga teacher lives in Bazordan, Hautes Pyrénées.  She can be contacted on 07 69 33 45 23 or amanda@movement-in-mind.co.uk   For more information, check out her website is http://www.movement-in-mind.co.uk