Before we go nuts, let’s take a closer look at rosemary…

Like many of our herbs, rosemary isn’t just a flavor or a fragrance – it’s a medicine!

Known as the “herb of remembrance,” rosemary improves memory, concentration and mental performance. The Eclectic physicians practicing herbal medicine in the late 1800s and early 1900s used rosemary for “cerebral anemia,” which is the technical description for a pale face. Sometimes this type of person gets fatigued in the afternoon and as a result, suffers from a headache. Overall, tension headaches and debility (a state of being weak, feeble, lacking strength and vigor) are specific indications for rosemary. Rosemary may help restore blood flow to the head and improve well-being.

Rosemary doesn’t just go to your head, it also goes to your liver where it aids phase II liver detoxification. I think we can all agree that our detoxification pathways are overwhelmed in our modern world, and what happens for many people is that they become “pathological detoxifiers,” which means that their phase I liver detoxification gets backed up. This is akin to bringing your trash to the curb, but no one comes to pick it up! Phase II detoxification is like the garbage man who takes the trash away, so you can see how rosemary could be your liver’s best friend if your detoxification is sluggish.

In addition to being a circulatory stimulant and protective to the liver, it also relieves gas in the digestive tract and exhibits antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In Texas we had rosemary bushes all around our house. I remember after giving birth to my son Drake, I would take rosemary baths to soothe my vaginal tissue and help to prevent any infection. It doesn’t take a medical degree to go into your backyard and harvest some rosemary sprigs, now does it?

That said, I do have a few favorite products that harness the medicinal power of rosemary:

Bacopa Complex contains rosemary leaf essential oil with schisandra berry, bacopa herb, and eleuthero root. This formula is designed to support a healthy nervous system with a brain that can focus, concentrate, recall information, and have good long-term memory. It’s great for students or anyone who places a high demand on their cognitive function. It helps create a calm state of alertness and vitality that we are all looking for.

Vitanox contains rosemary leaf with green tea, turmeric rhizome, and grape seed extract. This formula is aimed at improving your body’s own production of protective compounds and exhibits strong anti-inflammatory activity. It protects against environmental toxins (including electromagnetic fields), helps to prevent cancer, and even plays a role in a healthy microbiome. This is an herbal multivitamin for living with the stress of our modern world.

LivCo contains rosemary leaf with schisandra berry and milk thistle seed. This formula supports all phases of liver detoxification. Poor liver function may look like headaches, allergies, skin problems, food intolerances, nausea and/or constipation. Many people get concerned about taking herbs long-term to support detoxification, thinking that they are a strong, temporary solution to detox. This is not that. Rosemary, Schisandra, and milk thistle come together in this formula to gently support the 24/7 daily function of the liver and can definitely be used long-term. I particularly think of LivCo whenever someone’s job involves a lot of chemical exposures, like a car mechanic, hairdresser, or painter, but the reality is that we are all exposed to toxic chemicals, no matter what our occupation, and these plants can help our bodies cope.

These three products come to us from MediHerb which is available through qualified health professionals like myself. They are all dehydrated water/alcohol extracts made into tablets which means that they are highly absorbable and effective for getting in the bloodstream and getting the job done.

Now, let’s move out of my natural medicine cabinet and back to my kitchen. By now, I think you’re ready to fully appreciate what rosemary has to offer. Here’s a great recipe for you:

Nuts for Rosemary

• 2 cups raw organic almonds
• 2 cups raw organic brazil nuts
• 1 cup raw organic pecans
• 1 cup raw organic walnuts
• 2 Tablespoons ghee, melted
• 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions

In a slow cooker, add the nuts, then pour in melted ghee and toss. Add the rosemary, salt, onion, garlic, and paprika powders, then toss again. Slow cook on low for 3 hours, then 1 hour on high uncovered.

Remove and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until dry. Store in an airtight container in a cabinet for up to two weeks.

I can tell you right now that these didn’t last two weeks in our home.

Enjoy your rosemary in peace, my friends!

Love,

Charlotte

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By the way, this recipe was adapted from The Keto Diet: Slow Cooker Favorites magazine October 2019, p 71.