Coffee vs Rosemary

In my preparation for the upcoming workshop this weekend 'An Introduction to Herbal Medicine and Natural Eating' I became acutely aware of the abundance of resources I have in my own garden that I'm not using. Some of the herbs I walk past every day that have amazing healing properties are ignored except for the occasional pruning they receive when I tidy up that part of my garden. I thought I'd share some of these herbs and their remarkable properties, and how they are so easy to start using.

The first herb that comes to mind is rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis. If you have been to my place, the rosemary bush is in the garden in front of the kitchen just as you turn the corner to head to the clinic door. The reason I chose rosemary is as follows..

 I have been addicted to coffee for many years - by the time I was 12 years old I was already a self confessed coffee addict. I love the aroma, the taste and everything associated with having a coffee - having a coffee first thing in the morning before starting my day, enjoying a coffee with friends, having a coffee on my desk while working. I found plenty of researched information about all the good things about coffee to justify my addiction but the bottom line is, it was an addiction and I was well and truly hooked. What bothered me most about my addiction is the headache I would get if I missed my fix, and this was starting to interfere with my life, so I decided to cut right back to one small weak coffee in the morning.

What's this got to do with rosemary you ask? Coffee is a stimulant - it stimulates mental activity and dopamine production to make you feel awake and feel good. Coffee also stimulates liver detoxification and has antioxidant properties. Rosemary is fantastic brain tonic, nerve tonic and stimulant, antidepressant, antioxidant and protective to the liver. It is also good for treating headaches, calming a nervous stomach, improving digestion and enhancing circulation. Plus it's non-addictive, free and better for long term memory and nervous system health.

To use my herbs I take a couple of sprigs of rosemary, a few basil leaves, a sprig of lemon balm and maybe a sage leaf or two (all good nerve and brain tonic herbs), rub or crush them in my hands and put them into a china teapot. I then pour boiling water over the herbs and leave them to steep for about 10 minutes. I drink this infusion throughout the day instead of my usual coffees. I can refresh the tea by adding a bit more herb and boiling water as I go.

Try it and let me know how you get on. If you don't have any rosemary, come and pinch some of mine - I've got plenty!