Rosemary is a multifunctional herb which has been used for centuries in traditional medicines all around the world. It is often used to help improve circulation and relieve pain, as well as to aid in digestion and kill bacteria which cause bad breath.
Rosemary-infused oil can be used topically as a massage oil to relieve muscle and arthritic pain, or as a balm for skin conditions like eczema. It is also useful in cooking, particularly when preparing red meats or pasta sauces. A truly versatile food, it should be part of anyone’s kitchen, which is why it’s fortunate that it’s so easy to make! Here’s how you do it:
Rosemary-Infused Oil Recipe
Ingredients
- Several branches of rosemary sprigs
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For this recipe, you will need a strainer, a bowl, and a glass mason jar. Cut enough fresh, dry rosemary to fill the mason jar and pack the jar full. Cover the rosemary completely with the olive oil, then secure the lid tightly on the jar.
Leave the jar in a sunny window for three weeks to a month, shaking it occasionally. After that period of time has elapsed, strain the rosemary oil over a bowl, and pour the rosemary infused oil into a small glass container. It’s now ready to use.
How It Works
Rosemary For Pain Relief
Does rosemary really help relieve pain? A few studies seem to have proven that it does – one study, which compared the effects of topical rosemary oil to more commonly used medicinal painkillers found that rosemary oil was both safe and effective in animal models(1).
“Our findings support the use of rosemary in the management of pain and indicate a therapeutic potential of rosemary essential oil in combination with analgesic drugs,” the study reported.
Rosemary has been reported to be effective for the relief of arthritic pain, as well as post-workout muscle pain.
Rosemary For Skin Conditions
One study in the journal Phytotherapy Research examined the effects of essential oils like rosemary oil on childhood eczema, concluding that massage with essential oils was effective in treating eczema, although exactly what role the herbs themselves played was unclear(2).
Rosemary and other essential oils have been used in treating skin conditions as part of traditional medicine techniques for many years.
Rosemary Oil For Increased Immunity
Rosemary oil can have a positive impact on your immune system, which manifests as increased skin elasticity and a more youthful appearance. How?
“The skin and its immune system manifest a decline in physiologic function as it undergoes ageing,” one study explains.
“There is a potential role for botanicals as an adjunct modality in the prevention of skin ageing.”(3)
In other words, botanicals – including rosemary – are great for you in a way that will show, not just in terms of your overall health, but also on your face.
sources:
[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25635991
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10960901
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24863255