Sniffing Rosemary Can Improve Memory By 75%

Rosemary is one of the oldest known medicinal herbs. It has innumerable uses in both the kitchen and in herbal medicine. Both the leaves and flowers of rosemary have been used medicinally for thousands of years to improve memory. Shakespeare was right in saying rosemary can improve your memory.

Rosemary Protects The Brain From Damage And Aging

Some memory loss is considered a normal part of aging. Rosemary protects the brain in a variety of ways to minimize damage and slow down the rate of brain cell aging. It increases blood flow to the brain, which in turn supplies the brain with more oxygen and nutrients.

Rosemary contains carnosic acid, which fights off free radical damage to the brain. It contains  natural acids that help in protecting the body`s cells and DNA from free radical damage. The compounds in rosemary herb are said to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a chemical that induces the brain cells that are responsible for memory and reasoning to communicate with one another.

Smelling Rosemary to Enhance Your Memory

There was a study conducted on rosemary where groups of people were given rosemary essential oil. A total of 66 people participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to two rooms, one scented with rosemary and the other not scented. The results were remarkable: people had 60 to 75% chances of remembering things, compared with people who were not given rosemary essential oil!

How To Use Rosemary

There are many different ways to start boosting memory with rosemary. Place three to four drops of rosemary essential oil on a tissue and enjoy as the smell wafts through the air. (1) (2) (3)

Some Other Uses & Benefits Of Rosemary Essential Oil

-Arthritis treatment, anti-inflammatory
-Sooth the stomach and relieve pain from indigestion, menstrual cramps
-Rosemary infused oil removebad dandruff of hair loss
-Reducing anxiety, elevating mood
-Protects against DNA damage
-Improving circulation
-Detoxifying the liver
-Calming effects
-Pain relief
-Headache relief
-Skin tonic
-Hair tonic
-Digestion soother
-Immune booster
-Cancer prevention

Additional Sources:

–http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21877951

–http://www.herbs-info.com/blog/scientists-find-sniffing-rosemary-can-increase-memory-by-75/

–http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736918/

This often overlooked weed is ideal for delicious soup or tea

Touted as the “Herb Queen of the Spring” by Mother Earth News, stinging nettle is a nutritious and energy-rich favorite of herbalists. Found in most Northern forest regions around the globe during spring, many people regard this wild edible weed as a useless plant.

This humble weed, however, has more value than most people think. For centuries, it has been used by many herbal medicine practitioners to treat a wide variety of conditions, including gout, arthritis, skin disorders, anemia, allergies and asthma, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, sciatica, worms, weight loss, and kidney stones.

Next to its cleansing and healing properties, stinging nettle is a nutrient powerhouse. This potent herbal remedy contains high amounts of protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, zinc, potassium, boron, vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, bioflavonoids, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and chlorophyll. (Related: Find more news about medicinal herbs at Herbs.news.)

Not impressed? You should be! For far too long the value of this precious weed has been overlooked. But nettle is on its way back. With more people seeking answers to their health issues in nature, they are becoming more aware of nettles’ many benefits and uses. If you are new to using nettles to improve your health, nettle tea and soup are a great way to introduce them into your family’s diet, especially during the spring season.

This incredibly versatile and edible plant can be used in many ways to improve your health. If you live in the Northern hemisphere, you might be lucky to find it fresh. If foraging is not possible, dried stinging nettle can be found in both root and leaf form. There is even a powdered version of the leaf available to add to freshly made smoothies and juices.

How to localize, harvest, and use stinging nettle

Nettles start to emerge in dense clusters during the beginning of spring. They can grow as tall as five feet and are usually found near a water source. The green or purple-tinted leaves are heart shaped with glassy hairs underneath. It’s these hairs that inject a stinging solution into the skin. This plant’s chemical is a combination of formic acid, histamine, and several other phytochemicals. Luckily, nettles lose their stinging ability when cooked.

Always make sure to collect nettles from a clean and toxin-free environment. Nettles taste at their best when they are harvested in early spring. The new leaves at the growing tip are the ones you should aim for. While you can still collect leaves from older plants, according to Off The Grid News, they will not be as tender and sweet.

As their name suggests, it is best to wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt to harvest the leaves. Hold the growing tip and cut the stem just below. Store them in a plastic bag or container in the fridge. They will last for several days. To preserve their quality, you shouldn’t wash the leaves before storing them in the refrigerator.

While stinging nettle tea and soup are the most popular dishes, nettles can be used for so much more. Blanch stinging nettles for 5 minutes in water, keep the water for tea. Blanched nettles can be used as an alternative to spinach in many dishes. Stinging nettle pesto is another great option, or why not try to dry some in a food dehydrator or oven for the colder months. Dried leaves can be used as a garnish, or they make an excellent healing tea.