Rosemary is known by the botanical name of Rosmarinus officinalis and it is a highly aromatic shrub that is native to the Mediterranean area, where it grows wild and can be found very simply in dry and sunny climates. It has small blue and purple flowers (they can also be white or pink) that we will only observe if we collect the rosemary in the autumn or spring months.
From the rosemary plant, a valuable essential oil is obtained that, far from having an aromatic use, is a valuable natural remedy against multiple health conditions and that rosemary has various and interesting medicinal properties. Do you want to get all your benefits? In this article we show you what the uses of rosemary are.
Rosemary medicinal properties
As we already mentioned initially, rosemary has very interesting medicinal properties, let us see below what they are:
- Stimulant and tonic of the digestive system
- Bacteriostatic (prevents the growth and reproduction of pathogenic bacteria)
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Hypoglycemic (lowers blood glucose levels)
- Liver tonic
- Antihypertensive
As we will see below, due to its medicinal properties, rosemary can be used as a natural treatment against multiple health disorders.
Rosemary for heart health
Rosemary helps to lower blood cholesterol as well as triglycerides, in turn, it has properties to lower blood pressure, so it is an excellent remedy for maintaining heart health and preventing cardiovascular disease.
In turn, it contains antioxidants, substances that help counteract the damage caused by free radicals, which favors the good health of the entire organism.
Rosemary for a healthy liver
Rosemary is an excellent liver tonic, therefore it can be used as a natural cleanser, since it stimulates liver function and, therefore, also allows this vital organ to eliminate toxins present in the body in a more effective way.
It should be used in case of gallstones, fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver failure.
Rosemary to improve digestion
If after eating you feel abdominal bloating, reflux or heartburn, rosemary is a medicinal plant that can be of great help since it acts as a stomach tonic and favors an adequate digestion process. Rosemary also has a high tannin content, substances with astringent activity, therefore, it can be used to naturally treat episodes of diarrhea.
To achieve this effect, it is not only used in infusion, but can also be added as an aromatic plant in many culinary preparations.
Rosemary to fight bacterial infections
Rosemary is one of the best natural antibiotics (although not more powerful than valuable garlic), therefore it can be used as a natural treatment against any infectious disease, it will be used in a unique or complementary way depending on the severity of the process.
Applied externally, it can be used to combat the bacterial causes of acne and its internal use is very beneficial to treat respiratory and stomach infections, such as in the case of food poisoning.
Rosemary to combat muscle pain
Rosemary is a powerful anti-inflammatory and one of the best natural remedies that we can use to treat muscle pain, although for this the application must be external. You can take a bath flavored with rosemary, scrub with rosemary alcohol or massage rosemary essential oil, although in this case, it must be previously diluted in a base vegetable oil, such as sweet almond oil.
Rosemary is also useful for reducing menstrual pain since, in addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, it also has emmenagogue action, that is, it facilitates uterine contractions and the expulsion of menstruation.
In which cases cannot rosemary be used?
When we talk about medicinal plants we cannot confuse the term “natural” with the fact that this remedy is harmless. As with other natural preparations, rosemary has some contraindications and should be avoided in the following cases:
- Inflammation of the prostate
- Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome
- Pregnancy and lactation
- Endometriosis
- Insomnia
- Epilepsy
- Constipation
Finally we recommend you consult with a health professional beforehand if you want to obtain all the benefits of this medicinal plant in a responsible way.