Today's Tea With Jos by: Joscelyn Lewis

ROSEMARY

New journeys we embark on can seem overwhelming because we don’t know where to start. I am here to help and guide you along the journey to get back to our roots, herbalism. When teaching people about herbalism I always recommend picking one problem you are having an issue with and picking the one herb that helps cure it. Use the herb, see how it helps heal you, then pick an herb that compliments that one and keep building from there. We have to build one floor at a time to build a skyscraper, right? I’ll start with my favorite herb, Rosemary. It is affordable and easy to find at any grocery store or farmer’s market. So let’s dive in.

ROSEMARY AKA THE DEW OF THE SEA

What are the main benefits?

It protects the heart. It is rich in antioxidants preventing the arteries’ rapid aging while reducing the incidence of myocardial infarction. The antioxidants also reduce the stress response of the heart muscle cells and repairs the hardened heart tissue.

It manages diabetes. This plant contains rosmarinic acid and polyphenols creatine which proven by many studies lowers blood sugar levels or helps prevent it all together. It can boost mental power and concentration which leads to better moods and less anxiety. The great thing is despite it having the power to help with these issues it does not contain caffeine so it is safe to drink during the day or at night.

It is an excellent herb for hair growth. Hair loss is a big issue we deal with when we grow older. For this, you would make the rosemary tea, instead of drinking it though you would let it cool, add it to a spray bottle, and spray the tea onto your hair or scalp. The stronger the tea the better, so I would let the tea steep overnight.

As we know with medicine, it differs from person to person. Rosemary is not safe for people who suffer from epilepsy (it can stimulate the nerves which, may lead to a seizure) or pregnant women (it can induce the pregnancy). People who are allergic to aspirin seem to have adverse effects to rosemary tea as they have similar ingredients.

How to make rosemary tea:

1. Take 1 tbsp of dried rosemary leaves.

2. Put into 8 oz of boiling water.

3. Let leaves steep for a minimum of 10 minutes.

4. I recommend if you don’t like the flavor alone, add lemon, honey, or lime. I do not recommend adding white sugar to any herbal tea.

Herbs that compliment Rosemary are: lemon verbena, lavender, or chamomile. Explore and play with blends until you find the one that benefits you specifically. As always I’ll leave you with A THOUGHT TO SIP ON. Just a thought to think about as you sip on with your tea. Drinking tea is a form of meditation sip slow and see what comes up for you:

Rosemary and Aphrodite are strongly connected. Aphrodite translates into “the dew of the sea”. Aphrodite was born out of the sea. She is the goddess of sex, love, beauty, and creation. Rosemary is used for boosting memory. As you sip on your rosemary tea, let it help you remember the thing about you that you love. Make a list of the things you love about yourself, what makes you feel beautiful, and what you want to create in this life. Everything is created by love and everything is healed by love. Let this rosemary tea help you remember how much there is to love by you.

I pray you let these herbs heal you and bring you into the flow of perfect health.

Peace be with you. Joscelyn Lewis