 Rosemary essential oil
Are you using Rosemary essential oil? If you are - good for you! It's an excellent oil for respiratory infections, cough and cold symptoms, muscle aches and improving memory. Check out some great recipes below!
I want to share some research that's been done on Rosemary essential oil for improving memory. One study was completed in 2003 with 144 participants. Divided into groups, one group inhaled Lavender essential oil, one group inhaled Rosemary essential oil and the other inhaled nothing (control group). The group that inhaled Rosemary essential oil showed a "significant improvement in the quality of memory and secondary memory factors... After inhaling Rosemary, this group was also more alert than the other two." Another, more recent study in England was just published in April 2013. Again, 66 people were divided into two groups. One inhaled Rosemary essential oil and the other did the experiment with no essential oil aroma. The results showed that participants in the rosemary-scented room performed better on the memory tasks than those in the room with no scent. The results also showed a better ability to remember events coming up in the future, like remembering to get to an appointment or call someone you need to speak to. One more study shows promise for using cineole-rich oils (like Rosemary or Eucalyptus) to enhance dopamine release in the brain for people with Parkinson's disease.
How cool is that? What if this essential oil could improve your memory and mental functioning?
There are different ways to use this essential oil. In a travel size diffuser, you can try diffusing 5-6 drops Rosemary essential oil for 20 minute periods. I recommend Rosmarinus officinalis ct.cineole. And if you don't have one, put an essential oil diffuser on your wish/Christmas/birthday list! For now you can sprinkle a couple drops of Rosemary essential oil on a tissue and put it inside your sleeve, your chest pocket or shirt. Pull it out several times a day and take a good sniff. Another idea is to start your day with a couple drops in the shower: sprinkle Rosemary essential oil right on the floor of your tub/shower. Turn on the hot water and you'll be inhaling a Rosemary steam! One more thought is a shower gel; you can try this recipe:
Wake-me-up Shower Gel
2 ounces YL Bath & Shower Gel Base OR 2 ounces pure, unscented Castile Soap
3 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ct.cineole) essential oil
3 drops Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) essential oil
3 drops Juniper (Juniperus communis) essential oil
2 drops Idaho Blue Spruce (YL) (Picea pungens) essential oil
1 drop Peppermint (Mentha piperita) essential oil
Mix well and soap up! Enjoy a refreshing shower!
The Power of Rosemary
There are 3 types of Rosemary essential oil, known as 3 "chemotypes." Abbreviated as "ct." each one is identified by its higher concentration of a specific component: Rosmarinus officinalis ct.cineole, Rosmarinus officinalis ct.camphor and Rosmarinus officinalis ct verbenone.
Cineole, camphor and verbenone have different therapeutic properties and they are only identified in a lab when an essential oil is tested. This is one reason why GCMS testing is so important. A gas chromatograph (GC) is used to identify the specific components (like cineole or camphor) of an essential oil. The mass spectrometer (MS) reveals the percentages of each component in the oil tested.
So how do you pick which chemotype you want to use? The most commonly used Rosemary is probably the chemotype cineole. Depending on the batch of oil, it can be as high as 50% cineole which is helpful for conquering bacteria, viruses, inflammation, cough, thick mucous and head congestion. However, when you add a second chemotype like Rosmarinus officinalis ct.verbenone you can make your essential oil blend even more powerful. The profile of this oil shows it can really break up that thick mucous, reduce the pain that often comes with cold symptoms and reduce coughing spasms.
I often hear people say "I'm on my 2nd or 3rd antibiotic for this sinus infection and it's just not working! I've lost 3 days of work." To them I'd like to say: Why not try essential oils? You can make this recipe yourself or buy it from me. I buy some of my oils from Aromatics International where I can see the GCMS of each oil.
Back on my feet respiratory blend 
1 ounce organic jojoba oil
5 drops Rosemary cineole (Rosmarinus officinalis ct.cineole)
5 drops Rosemary verbenone R(osmarinus officinalis ct. verbenone)
5 drops Ho Wood (Cinnamonum camphora ct. linalool)
5 drops Siberian Fir (Abies Siberica)
5 drops White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Mix well together and apply 1/2 tsp 3-4 times a day directly on chest, neck and/or back. For deeper effect, apply heat pack over clothing for 15 min. periods. Store this blend in cool, dry place.
Safety Considerations
The camphor content (10-20%) in all chemotypes of Rosemary essential oil signals a safety concern for a few situations: keep camphor-rich blends away from the nose of infants as it can cause respiratory collapse; oral ingestion of camphor can cause convulsions but it is rare that inhalation causes them (use cautiously with epileptics); camphor has been linked with miscarriage, but only in almost-fatal doses; abundant evidence shows moderate amounts of camphor are NOT fetotoxic or causing birth defects; overdoses of camphor can cause central nervous system depression and topical applications with camphor should not exceed 4.75%
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