Brenda 
One of the best plants to begin your medicine garden with is rosemary. It has many uses in medicine and cooking, smells lovely, attracts bees, and is easy to grow, depending on where you live.
I always have rosemary in my apothecary. This plant’s medicine is astounding and has many magical and energetic uses.
I had a stomach ache this morning from eating too many pumpkin seeds. They are delicious, but sometimes I forget to take everything in moderation. The first herb that popped into my mind was rosemary. I often reach for ginger for an upset stomach, but I wanted a gentle, soothing medicine this time. I added dried rosemary to some black tea with dried berries. It was delicious with some honey, and I hadn’t even finished drinking it before my stomach pain disappeared.
I will be sharing herbal monographs and more in-depth research on the different herbs, but I want to share how you can use them right now in your daily life. Incorporating herbs into your life builds a relationship with them. You get to know them and instinctively reach for the right herb when you need something specific.
People of ancient cultures lived with and used plants in all sorts of ways. We have been told that you need chemicals to clean your house. You don’t. You only need water and a few plants. Rosemary makes a helpful cleaning solution with a fresh, clean, even piney scent. It is also antimicrobial, making it perfect for cleaning. Just fill a bucket with hot water, add fresh lemon juice and a few drops of rosemary essential oil, or add rosemary-infused water. You can also burn rosemary, like sage, to cleanse your home’s air, especially after a bout of sickness.
If you have a rosemary bush growing at your garden gate (rosemary is a great protector), you will always have some on hand. Rosemary will keep pests away from your garden and attract pollinators. Being a Mediterranean plant, rosemary needs a lot of sunshine but can also handle some shade. You can grow it indoors in a pot, but keep it in a sunny window and try to put it outside on hot sunny days.
Other Health Benefits
Rosemary is great for circulation, heart and brain health, and for regulating body temperature. It’s a gentle herb, so taken in regular food doses, you can’t go wrong. Rosemary will help keep you cool in the summer (see the tea recipe below) and warm in the winter. This is because it helps circulate your blood, which assists mental clarity and keeps your heart strong.
Rosemary has a loving heart and cares for us in many ways. Even smelling rosemary can help bring clarity and improve memory. Many cultures use rosemary before exams to help with remembering. Rosemary is now being studied to aid Alzheimer’s patients (Habtemariam, 2016).
Cooling Tea
Rosemary (fresh or dried)
Peppermint (fresh or dried)
Fresh Lemon
Honey to taste
For extra cooling, add a few slices of cucumber
Infuse all ingredients to taste in a teapot or large jar. Mix in honey (if desired) while still warm. Let cool and then store in the refrigerator. Drink within 24-48 hours. This delicious, refreshing drink will help keep you cool on those hot summer days and keep your digestion happy, especially when you overindulge.
References
Habtemariam, S. (2016). The therapeutic potential of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) diterpenes for Alzheimer’s disease. Evidence‐based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016 (1), 2680409.
