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Long before refrigeration, people noticed that wrapping meats in crushed rosemary leaves preserved them and left a fresh fragrance and rich flavor. To this day, the herb remains a favorite in meat dishes. Rosemary’s ability to preserve meat also led to the perception that it preserved memory as well. Greek students wore rosemary to help their ability to recall information. It was later incorporated into weddings as a symbol of fidelity and into funerals to help the survivors remember the dead. Rosemary Medicinal Uses Rosemary may not guarantee A’s on exams, marital fidelity, or vivid memories of our dearly departed, but ancient people were right about the herb’s ability to preserve meats. Meats spoil in part because their fats oxidize and turn rancid. Rosemary and its oil contain potent antioxidants. Rosemary’s preservative properties may help prevent food poisoning on your next picnic. Mix the crushed leaves into hamburger meat and tuna, pasta, and potato salads. The same antioxidants that prevent food spoiling also prevent infections. For minor cuts in the garden, press some fresh crushed rosemary leaves into the wound on the way to wash and bandage it. Like most culinary herbs, rosemary may help relax the smooth muscle lining in the digestive tract. It is a good treatment for indigestion. Like other herbs, it may also relieve nasal and chest congestion caused by colds, flu, and allergies. Rosemary has also been known to stimulate a woman’s menstrual cycle. Therefore pregnant women should steer clear of preparations of rosemary for medicinal purposes. Because of rosemary’s antioxidant effects, it has also been thought to protect the body from cancer by attacking the free radical scavengers that seek to change your cell structure. Antioxidants repair damaged cells so cancerous ones cannot grow. Rosemary Recommended Dosage To settle the stomach or clear a stuffy nose, use 1 teaspoon of crushed herb per cup of boiling water. Steep, strain, and drink up to 3 cups per day. Unlike other herbal concoctions, you can give rosemary to children under two years of age. Rosemary Precautions To add in food, rosemary is perfectly safe, but even small amounts of rosemary oil may cause stomach aches, kidney, and intestinal irritation. Larger doses may cause poisoning. Do not ingest more than a drop or two of concentrated rosemary oil. Herbalists say that rosemary stimulates the circulatory, digestive, and nervous systems. They recommend it as a treatment for headaches, indigestion, and depression, and as a gargle for bad breath. They also advocate its use externally for muscle aches and in baths for relaxation. Rosemary is great as a spice on food, preserves meat, and even aids in digestion and other health issues. Rosemary is a great herb to have in the garden because its easy to grow, makes the outdoors smell fantastic and is easy to grab a sprig to take in to the kitchen.
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