The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (82 page)

An oriental species
(Rosa laevigata
) was mentioned in Chinese medical literature about A.D. 470, and in China, Rose Hips are still used for chronic diarrhea with stomach weakness. In Ayurvedic medicine, Roses have long been considered "cooling" to the body and a tonic for the mind, and Native Americans used Rose Hips to treat muscle cramps. In 1652, the British herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, prescribed them for "consumptive persons," for "tickling rheums," to "break the stone" (kidneys) and to help digestion. Long used for medicinal purposes in Great Britain, Rose Hips remained listed in the official
British Pharmacopoeia
well into the 1930s, and were considered an overall cooling tonic, an astringent, a great help for sore throats and a source of the essential vitamin C. 

During World War II, there was a shortage of citrus fruit in England, and the British government organized the harvesting of all the Rose Hips in England as a substitute for vitamin C.

This illuminated the importance of Rose Hips as a superior source of the vitamin and began its worldwide popularity. Rose Hips have a reported
sixty times 
the amount of vitamin C than citrus fruit, and we now know how absolutely essential vitamin C is to the maintenance of good health and the prevention of many diseases. Rose Hips are the fruits of the Rose, the ripe seed receptacles that remain after the petals are removed, and they contain many vitamins and other beneficial supplements, including beta-carotene, bioflavonoids, pectin, sugar, resin, wax, malates, citrates and other salts, tannin, malic and citrus acids, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sulfur, zinc, vitamins B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, C, E and K.  Rose Hips contain the highest measure of vitamin C than is known in any other herb.

Treatments:
Probably the greatest known use of Rose Hips is as an extraordinary source of vitamin C, which is most beneficial for the prevention and treatment of infection and a great many common diseases, including the common cold, flu and pneumonia. It is said to prevent ailments before they happen by using a prophylactic dosage on a daily basis. Vitamin C is necessary for every cell in our bodies and without it; we would not be able to sustain life.

Natural vitamin C and bioflavonoids are combined in nature, and for efficacy, it is vital that they be used together. Rose Hips are rich in both, and together they help to strengthen body tissues and build and maintain a healthy vascular system and are said to heal and prevent damage to fragile capillaries. The combination is also thought to enhance the body's ability to absorb vitamin C in those who have difficulty absorbing it.

Rose Hips, with its abundance of vitamin C, are useful in treating infections of all kinds and have been used for centuries for the relief of diarrhea and dysentery. It is considered to be a cleansing agent and may be helpful for temporary bladder problems, gallbladder dysfunction, kidney health, general debility and exhaustion.

Current research indicates that large doses of vitamin C in Rose Hips could be helpful in enhancing our immune systems, which may be valuable in warding off infectious invaders and serious disease.

Rose Hips are said to have mild laxative and diuretic properties.

Precautions:

As a natural diuretic, Rose Hips may increase the efficacy of prescription diuretics and should not be used at the same time

Dosages:

Take two (2) capsules, one (1) to two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

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Rosemary
has an old reputation for
strengthening the memory and sharpening the senses
 (including vision).  Long used to stimulate circulation to virtually all parts of the body, it enhances good digestion, eases pain and nervous anxiety, and may even help restore the look and
glow of youth
.

From the Latin word rosmarinus (dew of the sea); rosemary grew on the Italian coast in the spray of the sea in ancient times. It is said that scholars of the past wore fresh rosemary sprigs in their hair believing it would help them remember their studies.

Rosemary is excellent in many dishes, and once the leaves have been stripped, the stems can be used as skewers for grilling a multitude of vegetables and mushrooms. After removing the leaves, it is important to snip them into small pieces in order to release the oil - rosemary has a fabulous aroma, and the stems can be tossed into the fireplace to add a wonderful scent to the home.

Plant Description:

Rosemary is a tender, aromatic evergreen that is highly ornamental and may be trained into topiary shapes.  It is a perennial shrub that generally grows from three to six feet in height, with new varieties reaching eight feet, and it thrives in light, well-drained, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun, but does require shelter in cold areas. 

History:

Its botanical name,
Rosmarinus
, is derived from the Latin,
ros
, meaning "dew" and
marinus
, meaning "of the sea," since it was found in abundance near seashores.

Rosemary has been used since ancient times as a symbol of friendship, loyalty, and remembrance, and was traditionally carried by mourners at funerals and brides during their weddings.

Greek scholars wore garlands of Rosemary when taking examinations to improve their memory and concentration, a use echoed to this day.  In the thirteenth century, Queen Elisabeth of Hungary claimed that at seventy-two years of age and crippled with gout and rheumatism, she had regained her beauty and strength by using Hungary Water (Rosemary), and the King of Poland even proposed marriage to her! 

The Spanish revered Rosemary as the bush that sheltered the Virgin Mary on her flight to Egypt, and as she spread her cloak over the herb, the white flowers turned blue.
  In times past, the resinous herb was burned in sick chambers to purify the air and was placed in law courts as a protection from "jail fever" (typhus), and during the Plague of 1665, Rosemary was carried and sniffed in suspicious areas to protect against plague.  Reinforcing those antiseptic uses, a mixture of Rosemary and Juniper was burned during World War II in French hospitals to kill germs.

The herb has long been used as a digestive and condiment and is a popular flavoring in soups, stews, and in meat preparation and preservation.
  It also flavors such liqueurs as Benedictine and Danziger Goldwasser.  Some of the constituents included in Rosemary are high levels of volatile oils, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, plus alpha-pinene, beta-carotene, a camphor compound, resin, betulinic acid, geraniol, hesperidin, rosmanol, salicylates, tannin, thymol, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamin C.

Medical Uses:

Rosemary is an excellent memory and brain stimulant that is said to improve to brain function by feeding it with oxygen-rich blood. It also contains compounds that are said to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that allows the nerve cells responsible for memory and reasoning to communicate with one another.

Rosemary is believed to fight free radicals and show anti-cancer and anti-tumor activity.
  The herb is said to possess strong antioxidant qualities that prevent cancer-causing chemicals from binding and causing mutations in cellular DNA (particularly in liver and bronchial cells).

Rosemary is an excellent stimulant for the circulatory system that not only improves brain function, but has also been used to treat disorders characterized by chronic circulatory weakness, such as high and low blood pressure, varicose veins, bruises and sprains.
  The flavonoid, diosmin, in Rosemary is reputedly more effective than rutin in reducing capillary fragility, enhancing a stronger flow of blood.

Treatment:

As an effective aid to good digestion and relaxant, Rosemary gives strength and tone to the stomach, stimulates digestion, and relaxes the smooth muscle of the digestive tract, which helps to calm upset stomach, ease cramps and spasms in the intestines, alleviate flatulence, dyspepsia, and relieve bloated feelings. It is also said to stimulate the release of bile, aiding the digestion of dietary fat. Rosemary is thought to be particularly helpful in treating indigestion caused by anxiety.

Rosemary calms and soothes the nerves, relaxes muscles, eases pain, and reduces tension and anxiety throughout the body.
  It has thus has been very helpful in treating headache, migraines (particularly when related to stress), depression, nervous exhaustion and apathy. The herb is said to also be effective in alleviating the pain of neuritis, neuralgia, tendonitis, rheumatism, aching joints and overall muscle pain and spasms.

As an antiseptic, Rosemary cleanses the blood and helps to control many pathogenic organisms.
  It is potent enough to help kill bacterial infection but not so potent, however, to completely wipe out the natural bacterial population of the digestive tract that keep the intestines in healthy balance. 

Its diuretic action increases the flow of urine that flushes bacteria from the body before they have chance to cause infection.
  Rosemary has shown some promise in treating toxic shock syndrome, and used externally, Rosemary's antiseptic qualities make it a fine gargle and mouthwash and cleanser for wounds.

Rosemary's fungicidal properties have been effective in killing yeast infections, such as
Candida albicans
.

Rosemary is said to be an emmenagogue, which promotes menstruation and regulates its flow, treating low or excessive bleeding.
  It also thought to ease menstrual cramps and pain in the uterus.

Because Rosemary stimulates and improves circulation throughout the body, it increases the blood supply to the skin, which is thought to help restore a youthful glow; and used externally, it is believed to stimulate hair bulbs and prevent baldness.

Precautions:

Pregnant women should not use Rosemary in therapeutic doses, as it is a uterine stimulant, and it should never be used continuously by women with heavy menstrual flow.
  Rosemary should not be used in excessive amounts (many times the recommended dosage), as it may produce convulsions.

Dosages:
Take two (2) capsules, two (2) to three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

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Royal Jelly
has been called the "Crown Jewel" of the beehive that has become extremely popular since the 1950s as a wonderful source of energy and stamina and the reason why the Queen Bee is so strong and enduring. It is also thought to be a great nutritional source of enzymes, proteins, sugars, and amino acids, but there is no scientific proof to verify the supplement's efficacy for its use as an overall health tonic. You'll have to decide.

Facts:

Royal Jelly is a creamy white substance synthesized by the common worker bee for the sole nourishment of the Queen bee.

The Queen bee is remarkable in its extended longevity and reproductive capability when compared to the worker bee. The Queen lives almost ten times longer then the worker bee: five years for the Queen, and less than six weeks for the worker bee. The Queen grows to be almost 50% larger than the worker and has exceptional reproductive capabilities, laying almost 2500 eggs in a single day.

The Queen is hatched from the same egg as the worker bee but is selected to receive a diet of pure
royal jelly
, while the common worker bee feeds off honey and other substances around the hive. Royal Jelly transforms the queen into an incredible insect, enhancing its physical performance to remarkable levels.

Not surprisingly, man has shown much interest in this substance, regarding it as the ‘elixir’ or ‘crown jewel’ of the hive. Many studies have been performed to try to establish its nutritional content and the effect of its nutrients on living beings.

Despite these extensive studies, the actual chemical make-up of royal jelly is still something of a mystery.

Royal jelly is the only natural source of pure acetylcholine. It has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and has been implicated as beneficial in a wide range of health conditions. It is associated with benefits to bronchial asthma, insomnia, and many skin problems. It is known to support the immune system and may be of benefit in liver, kidney, and pancreatic diseases as well as stomach ulcers and bone fractures.

The amino acids in royal jelly are of significant interest to nutritionists. Long associated with the ability to fight ‘free-radicals’ in the body, amino acids form the very basis of our chemical make-up, and are essential to growth and the ability to fight infection and disease. In most
cases, we cannot create our own amino acids; we must ingest them through the foods that we eat. The importance of amino acids and the fact that they are so abundant in bee products warrants special attention. It is in our section ‘
Amino Acids’
that we will reveal the true potential of Royal Jelly as a nutritive substance that is rich in
amino acids.