Rosemary is well known for being a herb with many benefits, and it is well known that the usage of its leaves is centuries old. However, not many people know that it can actually improve memory. It is said that in ancient Greece, students when studying for exams, they put Rosemary sprigs in their hair. Rosemary has many health benefits and memory increase is certainly one of them.
Studies showed that rosemary contains carnosic acid that works as a warrior against free radical damage that affects the brain. Rosemary also contains other natural acids that protect your cells and DNA from free radical damage, and rosemary also contains compounds that help to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine that induces brain cells in charge of memory and reasoning to communicate with others.
Experiments showed that rosemary essential oil when extracted directly from the herb, increased the ability to remember things to do in the future by 60-70% to the persons exposed to it compared to the people that weren’t exposed to it.
Furthermore, a study published in the THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY showed that the chemical 1.8-cineole is responsible for memory function improvement. During this study, subjects inhaled rosemary extract before some tasks when their stress levels, mood, speed, and accuracy were tested. The study showed that the absorption of the 1.8-cineole had a positive impact, thus positive results.
The relationship between rosemary and memory have been introduced to us long ago. If we take Hamlet as a reference, Ophelia declares: ”There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance: pray, love, remember.” Rosemary use is not limited in memory enhancement only, it is used as a pain killer for migraines and some digestive problems also.
