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"Rosemary" A Cure for Hair Loss?
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Shakespeare in Hamlet has Ophelia say, "Theres rosemary, thats for remembrance; pray, love, remember." The origin of this herbs name is woven into folklore. It is said that the Virgin Mary had draped her cloak over this bush and placed a white flower on top of her cloak. In the morning the flower turned blue and thereafter the plant was called Rose of Mary. In the first century AD Benedictine monks brought rosemary across the Alps from the warm Mediterranean coastal countries, where it grows in abundance on dry slopes. Rosemary is cultivated worldwide for ornamental, culinary, medicinal and perfumery purposes. Commercially cultivated and dried rosemary leaves come from Spain, France, Morocco, and Tunisia. Nowadays Rosemary is a very popular herb in the US and is readily available in several different cultivars at most garden centers and herb nurseries. It is a perennial with some varieties winter hardy. Most herb suppliers will have bulk rosemary leaves by the pound and they are fairly inexpensive. The essential oil is captured by steam distillation of the flowering tops. Essential oil is composed of borneol, pinene, and camphene, and bitter principles, tannic acid (tannin) and resins. Because of these components rosemary has some properties of pharmacological interest, For centuries many Europeans have believed that Rosemary stimulates hair growth. It is employed principally, externally in hair-lotions, for its odour and effect in stimulating the hair-bulbs to renewed activity and preventing premature baldness. One theory is that the essential oil deep cleans congested hair follicles helping to eliminate alopecia. A simple hair rinse is made by taking 4 oz. of Rosemary leaves and steeping them in 2 quarts boiling water for about 15 minutes. After shampooing simply rinse your hair with the rosemary tea (of course cool to room temperature first). When used in shampoos and conditioners the Rosemary essential oil is mixed with borax.
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