This is the second installment of the series “My medicine cabinet” of phytotherapy. You will be able to appreciate some common attributes between one specimen and another of the selected ones. You will have to choose and decide which is the most convenient to use, and observe if it has contraindications for you; in your choice the affinity and proximity is very important.
See the convenience from the point of view of permanence in the treatments if we use an infusion or a mother tincture, or an ointment. What is the most convenient to be able to maintain this intention over time? For example, if you choose infusions, you need to know that you will have to use them every day, whereas in the case of tinctures, a dropper can last for one, two or three months, depending on its volume.
By Horacio Mesón
In all cases, consult a trusted professional.
With you: Don Romero.
The time has come for us to stop and talk a little more about some aromatic and healing plants. The most common ones, those that you can have in your garden or vegetable garden.
They are very noble and adaptable beings, although there is always a place, they “like” more than another. This is due to the hours of sunshine, the humidity and the pH or alkaline value of the growing medium. Some plants prefer the wind, others prefer tranquillity, it is not difficult to find out, as we have the Internet as a tool, where you can visit pages with all kinds of content, pay attention.
When a medicine is used to heal, be it allopathic (synthetic drugs) or phytotherapy (natural preparations: infusions, mother tinctures, oils, poultices, baths, vaporisation, etc.); in all cases there must be a plan. A dosage of how to take or apply, how many drops or cups and how many times a day, for example. For how long does one do it, one month, two, three? How are the results evaluated and what indicators should be taken into account?
Let’s agree that a healing herb can bring about an almost immediate wellbeing when one feels bad about something one has eaten for example. But if the issue is recurrent, it is necessary to work on “the whole team”. Something is going on in the functioning of the viscera, the type of food, lifestyle, habits and lifestyle need to be checked. This does not have an immediate solution, but it can be solved quickly. Something very important to bear in mind is to make sure that what you take or ingest has no contraindications. We will mention them in each case.
In this meeting we will talk about Rosemary, whose scientific name is Rosmarinus officinalis. Abundant in nature, it is a plant that is easily grown in pots on balconies, terraces or in the ground. The leafy, fresh or dried branches of this plant are commonly used to season stews, soups, sauces, etc. It has been recognised since ancient times for its medicinal properties.
History of the use of rosemary in herbal medicine
Its use in perfumery dates back to the 14th century and appears in Hungarian water, which is the first identified alcoholic perfume consisting essentially of rosemary. Legend has it that Elizabeth of Poland, despite her 72 years, was able to seduce the king and become queen of Hungary thanks to rosemary, which cured her of her paralysis and arthritis.
In ancient Greece, rosemary was believed to have a stimulating effect on brain activity, which is why Greek intellectuals wore rosemary wreaths on their heads. Honey from Narbonne (France) was also used empirically as a remedy for many ailments, the bees foraging on the flowers of this plant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp45Q_kdgr8&t=4s
It found a special place in the pharmacopoeia in the 18th century and in the 19th century, the German physician and Catholic priest Sebastian Kneipp actively contributed to the development of herbal medicine. He prescribed rosemary baths for the elderly to combat a number of ailments: general weakness, eye fatigue, hypotonia, hypotension, hypercholesterolemia, cirrhosis, physical and intellectual overwork, memory loss, cardiac disorders of nervous origin.
What can we find in rosemary?
Calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, fats, sodium, iron, phosphorus, potassium. It also has vitamin A, B1 and an abundant amount of vitamin C.
Properties.
Due to its stimulating and tonic effects, it favours recovery in the case of respiratory and digestive diseases. Its carminative properties help to reduce gas in the digestive tract, especially when taken as an infusion. It has a high iron content and for this reason can help to overcome iron deficiency in certain cases of anaemia. As a plant rich in antioxidants, it helps to neutralise free radicals and is very useful in rejuvenating treatments. It is also an adjuvant in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, AIDS and cancer (colon, leukaemia and breast cancer).
Research published in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology by Dr. Hugo Golberg, a specialist in Phytotherapy, confirms that the aroma of rosemary can improve a person’s concentration, performance, speed and accuracy and, to a lesser extent, their mood. This confirms the properties formerly attributed to it of strengthening the mind and improving mental agility, as well as relieving migraine headaches. Due to its bactericidal properties, it can be used as a complement to antibiotic treatment and in some cases of sexually transmitted diseases. Externally, it is used in cases of rheumatism and to stimulate peripheral blood circulation.
Precautions for the use of rosemary
Safe in the indicated doses, the use of high doses of essential oil could have a neurotoxic or abortifacient effect. Undesirable effects at normal doses the only symptom may be nausea. Large overdose may cause vomiting, convulsions, spasms. Interactions with medicinal plants or supplements are not known. Drug interactions, in theory rosemary may interact with diuretic drugs and iron supplements, but in practice this has not been confirmed. The use of rosemary is based more on experience over the centuries.
I have commented in a previous publication that this noble specimen is largely responsible for the speedy digestion I have, for helping me in the assimilation of nutrients, for registers of well-being. All this is what I value the most, but now that you know its capabilities, you know that there is much more. These would be collateral benefits, hahaha.
Here we close this episode but there will be more; I don’t want to stop expressing something intimate about the path of healing. The link that one establishes with plants or herbs is very important. They are ancient beings, millennia old and at our service, but they are not ours. They are nature, the natural, the Earth, life, the Pachamama as well…
