Rosemary: Blessings For Brain

 

Rosemary: Blessings For Brain

Rosemary Plant- Native to the Mediterranean and Asia

• Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, along with many other herbs, such as oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender.

• The herb not only tastes good in culinary dishes, such as rosemary chicken and lamb, but it is also a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin B-6.

• The herb has been hailed since ancient times for its medicinal properties. Rosemary was traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote hair growth.

Rosemary Nutrition:

USFDA Head Office

• According to USFDA, fresh rosemary has a very high reserve of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, as well as minerals like magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, and manganese.

• It has abundant antioxidants in its phenolic compounds such as diterpene, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid, as well as in its essential oils such as cineol, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate, α-terpineol, and α-pinene.

1.   Hair Growth:

 

Rosemary Essential Oil

·       One of the most common types of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, better known as male pattern baldness, though it can also affect females.

·       Rosemary oil treats androgenetic alopecia by preventing a byproduct of testosterone from attacking your hair follicles, which is the cause of this condition.

·       When men with androgenetic alopecia massaged diluted rosemary oil into their scalp twice daily for six months, they experienced the same increase in hair thickness as those who used minoxidil (Rogaine), a common hair regrowth remedy.

·       The oil of rosemary promotes hair growth, prevents baldness, slows graying, treats dandruff, and dry scalp. A comparative study published in 2015 shows that rosemary oil is better than minoxidil 2% when it comes to treating androgenetic alopecia (permanent balding) cases by boosting hair growth.

·       It also promotes healing by increasing microcirculation of the scalp and decreases hair loss after shampooing.

2.  Enhances Brain Function:

 

Brain Capacity to perform tasks

·       One of the earliest documented uses of rosemary for health reasons was as a cognitive stimulant. It helped improve memory performance and quality.

·       It is also known to boost alertness, intelligence, and focus. When 20 young adults were asked math questions in a small room diffused with rosemary oil, their speed and accuracy increased in direct proportion to the duration the oil was diffused.

·       Additionally, their blood levels of certain rosemary compounds likewise increased illustrating that rosemary can enter your body through breathing alone.

·       Similarly, nursing students who breathed rosemary oil while taking a test reported increased concentration and information recall compared to breathing lavender oil or no essential oil at all.

·       Because increased pulse rates reflect short-term stress and anxiety, rosemary oil may naturally reduce stress.

·   Additionally, when 22 young adults sniffed rosemary oil for 5 minutes, their saliva had 23% lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared to those who smelled a non-aromatic compound.

3.  Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease:

Alzheimer's Disease Cure is Rosemary

·       As per a research study published by Dr. Solomon Habtemariam, rosemary prevents beta-amyloid plaques and suppresses acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which are primary causes of Alzheimer’s, ataxia and dementia.

·       It has also been linked to stimulating cognitive activity in the elderly as well as those suffering from other acute cognitive disorders.

·       The research titled “Brain Food for Alzheimer-Free Ageing: Focus on Herbal Medicines” suggests that rosemary is one of the best foods you can include in your diet.

4.  Neurological Protection:

 

Brain Power Increase by Rosemary

·       The carnosic acid in rosemary has neuroprotective properties. A 2016 study suggests that it helps to reduce oxidative stress and overstimulation in nerve cells, ultimately protecting the nervous system.

·       It is also known to protect certain parts of the brain from tissue damage such as ischemic injury, heals nervous tissue, and reduce blood clots.

5.  Reduce Liver Damage:

Liver Protection by Rosemary

·       Rosemary has been used for its protective effect on the liver in traditional medicine. A 2015 animal study published in Elsevier revealed that extracts of rosemary and olive leaves helped in reducing liver cirrhosis.

·      Animal research reveals that rosemary (and olive) leaf extracts provide liver protective benefits to animal subjects with chemically-induced liver cirrhosis. Specifically, the rosemary extract was able to inhibit the unwanted functional and tissue changes to the liver that result from cirrhosis.

6.  Balances Hormone:

·       Carnosol in rosemary balances androgen and estrogen hormones in the body. It also lowers the release of  DHT (dihydrotestosterone) hormone, which helps improve prostate health and enhance hair growth.

7.     Potential Anticancer:

Potent Anticancer Rosemary Herb

·       The Nutrition and Cancer journal has published a study in 2015, which suggests that rosemary extract is very helpful in treating cancer.

·     Manganese, carnosol, rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, and other rosemary extracts have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anticancer properties.

·       They selectively kill cancer cells. It has shown promising results in the treatment of various cancers including colon, blood, breast, prostate, ovarian, cervical, liver, lung, bladder, and pancreatic cancer.

8.  Limits Weight Gain:

·      The herbal extracts exert anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycaemic effects and promote weight loss. According to a study, carnosic acid-rich rosemary can be used as a preventive treatment for metabolic disorders.

9. May Reduce Joint Inflammation:

Improves joint Health- Rosemary

·       Preliminary evidence suggests that rosemary oil may help reduce tissue inflammation that can lead to swelling, pain and stiffness.

·       It may do so by stemming the migration of white blood cells to injured tissues to release inflammatory chemicals (28Trusted Source).

·       When people with rheumatoid arthritis were given 15-minute knee massages using a rosemary oil blend three times weekly, they had a 50% decrease in inflammatory knee pain in two weeks, compared to a 12% decrease in those not given the oil.

·       Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition in which your body’s own immune system attacks tissues, such as knees and other joints, injuring the joint lining and causing inflammation.

10.             Antimicrobial Mechanism:

Antimicrobial Activity By Rosemary Herb

·       Rosemary extracts completely stopped bacterial growth in multiple strains of bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative). The effects were more pronounced for the Gram-positive bacteria.

·       In one study, extracts were able to inhibit 28 of 29 bacterial strains studied.

·       Rosemary also has antifungal properties.

·   Rosemary extracts showed antiviral properties against HIV, but at harmful concentrations.

·       Carnosol is a non-toxic compound of rosemary that also has antiviral properties. However, it was not as effective as the rosemary extract .