Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil is a perfect oil to have on hand, whether you are an essential oil connoisseur, or if you are just beginning to experiment with essential oils. It has many potential benefits, and its woodsy, grounding aroma is a perfect addition for many diffuser blends. It is easily used both topically and aromatically and can aid in a variety of ailments ranging from circulation issues to memory function.

The oil comes from the small shrub that originated in the Mediterranean. The ancient Egyptians used the oil as a symbol of remembrance and often included it in the coffins of loved ones. In ancient Greece, rosemary was burned as an offering to the gods as it was seen as a sacred herb. They also used the herb to encourage recollection and clear thinking.

Aura Cacia prides themselves with the purity and quality of their essential oils. Their rosemary essential oil is typically wild-harvested in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Each section can be harvested only once every three years, and the oil is sustainably distilled in the spring.

Best Uses:
Improves Memory and Brain Function
Research shows that by using rosemary aromatically, the breakdown of acetylcholine can be prevented. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter important for amplifying or inhibiting signals exchanged by nerve cells, and is vital for thinking, concentration, and memory. In one study, twenty individuals were asked math questions while inhaling rosemary essential oil. Their recollection increased proportionally to the duration the oil was diffused. In a similar study, nursing students were able to remember more information while testing compared to those who breathed lavender or no oil at all.

In a study using school-aged children, it was determined that rosemary had a positive effect on short-term memory. Another pointed to the idea that higher concentrations of rosemary resulted in increased speed and accuracy of recollection compared to control groups.

So much research suggests that rosemary is wonderful for our brain health and cognition, so wouldn’t it make sense to study how it affects those with Alzheimer’s Disease? The results of a rat study suggested that rosemary can be a consideration for the treatment and prevention of dementia. It showed that rosemary led to improved long-term memory. Another rat study showed that rosemary had antioxidant effects that protected neurons, helped to inhibit the buildup of metal ions in the brain, and lowered inflammation in the brain.

Support your cognitive health by adding a few drops of rosemary to your diffuser or salt candle and taking deep, relaxing breaths.

May Stimulate Hair Growth and Prevent Abnormal Hair Loss
This essential oil can be used to potentially strengthen hair follicles by encouraging circulation in the scalp. By encouraging blood supply to your hair follicles, you can prevent your hair follicles from dying off. It also contributes to overall scalp health, alleviating dandruff and itchy scalp.

In Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) patients, rosemary essential oil, when compared to minoxidil, had the same results as far as hair count at the end of the trial. Rosemary patients, however, reported less scalp itching. Rosemary may be a great natural hair treatment option that could be more tolerable than traditional treatments.

Encourage a healthy scalp by adding a few drops of rosemary to your shampoo, or making a light scalp oil with rosemary and jojoba.

Pain Relief
When applied topically, rosemary essential oil can be a great pain reliever! In one study, patients who had suffered from a stroke were treated with acupressure. Half of the participants received aromatherapy as well as acupressure. The patients receiving aromatherapy alongside acupressure reported fewer or less intense pain symptoms.  In an animal study, the oil was slightly more effective than acetaminophen for reducing pain symptoms.

Applying rosemary essential oil topically can also help to lower inflammation in injuries as well as the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. It is hypothesized that rosemary helps to encourage white blood cells to move to injured tissues to release inflammatory chemicals.

Add a few drops of rosemary to your favorite lotion or carrier oil and massage on areas of concern.

Bug Repellant
Rosemary can help repel mosquitos. When it was compared to eleven other essential oils, it repelled mosquitos the longest. It is also effective in controlling the spread of ticks.

Stress Reduction
Inhaling rosemary may reduce levels of cortisol. Having increased cortisol levels can suppress the immune system, cause insomnia, and contribute to mood swings.

Rub a drop of rosemary between your palms and cup them around your nose and mouth while taking deep breaths to experience stress reduction.

Aids in Digestion
By diluting rosemary oil and applying topically on your belly, you can alleviate symptoms of indigestion such as gas, bloating, nausea, and constipation. It reduces gas pains, promotes healthy gut flora, reduces inflammation, and prevents weight gain.

Anticancer
There are some promising studies coming out about the effects of rosemary on cancer cells! While more in vivo studies still need to be conducted to prove its efficacy, plenty of studies have been conducted in lab settings to show its effects on tumors. It decreased colony formation, thus inhibiting cell growth, in colon cancer cells. It also decreased the viability of cancerous cells of certain pancreatic, breast, prostate, bladder, ovarian, cervical, liver, and lung cancers, as well as leukemia. It also encouraged natural cell death in these cancer cells as well.

It is important to note that there is a wide range of concentrations of rosemary used in these studies, so more research needs to be done to find effective does in vivo. But these studies are promising for the future of targeted cancer treatments!

In rat studies that have been conducted, rosemary:

• decreased the size of colon and prostate tumors
  
• Increased antioxidant activity in mice with liver cancer
  
• Decreased tumor volume and incidence in mice with Leukemia
  
• Decreased the number, incidence, diameter, and weight of tumors in mice with skin cancer
  

Rosemary essential oil makes a wonderful addition to your oil collection. Its grounding, earthy scent is a favorite of many, and more and more research is surfacing about its many health benefits. How do you use rosemary essential oil? Let us know your favorites down in the comments below!
 
Any information given through this platform is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical care or medical advice. Please do not use this information to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should always speak with your healthcare provider before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal, or homeopathic supplement.
 
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