Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis
is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs. The name "rosemary" derives from the Latin for "dew" (ros) and "sea" (marinus), or "dew of the sea".[2] The plant is also sometimes called anthos, from the ancient Greek word ἄνθος, meaning "flower".[3] Rosemary has a fibrous root system. [7]

It  flourishes in well-drained, alkaline soil. It prefers sunny condition and needs protection shelter from gusty winds. The plant reaches about 1.5-3 meters in height. Its bushy stems and downy young shoots are covered with about 1 inch long, narrow, needle-like aromatic leaves; dark green above and grayish underneath. The plant bears short racemes of small sea blue flowers appearing in early summer. [3]

Rosemary contains substances that are useful for stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation, and improving digestion. Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks. In addition, rosemary has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration. [1]

Rosemary is rich in carnosic acid, which dilates the cerebral vascular tissues and enhances blood flow. The scent of rosemary can improve memory performance in office workers. Rosemary helps to enhance memory, calm nerves, stimulates the circulatory system, and helps prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain. It can be seeped in hot water to make tea just before strenuous work. [2]



History & Mythology
According to legend, it was draped around the Greek goddess Aphrodite when she rose from the sea, born of Uranus's semen. The Virgin Mary is said to have spread her blue cloak over a white-blossomed rosemary bush when she was resting, and the flowers turned blue. The shrub then became known as the 'Rose of Mary' [7]

Although rosemary is native to the Mediterranean, it now grows throughout much of the temperate regions in Europe and America. Rosemary has been a prized seasoning and natural medicine for millennia. Part of rosemary's popularity came from the widespread belief that rosemary stimulated and strengthened the memory, a quality for which it is still traditionally used. In ancient Greece, students would place rosemary sprigs in their hair when studying for exams, and mourners would also throw the fragrant herb into the grave of the deceased as a symbol of remembrance. In olde England, rosemary's ability to fortify the memory transformed it into a symbol of fidelity, and it played an important role in the costumes, decorations and gifts used at weddings. Rosemary oil was first extracted in the 14th century, after which it was used to make Queen of Hungary water, a very popular cosmetic used at that time. In the 16th and 17th centuries, rosemary became popular as a digestive aid in apothecaries. Recently, as modern research focuses on the beneficial active components in rosemary, our appreciation for this herb's therapeutic as well as culinary value has been renewed. [1]

It has been referred to from the latter part of the Elizabethan Era to the Early Romantic period as the herb of remembrance. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) It has also long been used as a symbol for remembrance during weddings, war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia. [1]
Mourners in old times would wear it as a buttonhole, burn it as incense or throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. It seems that this tradition of Rosemary may actually far more ancient and have its origins in the Arabic world of medieval times, which was greatly advanced in science: In Henry Lyte’s 1578 “Niewe Herball“, an English version of Rembert Dodoens’ French treatise, it is written “The Arrabians and their successors Physitions, do say that Rosemarie comforteth the brayne, the memory and the inward senses, and that it restoreth speech, especially the conserve made of the flowers, thereof with Sugar, to be received daily.” [2] Because of this seemingly esoteric association, rosemary has at times been made into a sort of herbal-amulet, where it was placed beneath pillowcases, or simply smelt as a bouquet, and it was believed that using rosemary in these ways could protect the sleeper from nightmares, as well as increase their memory. [2]

Nutrition & Health benefits
Rosemary leaves contain certain phyto-chemical (plant derived) compounds that are known to have disease preventing and health promoting properties.

The herb parts, especially flower tops contain phenolic anti-oxidant rosmarinic acid as well as numerous health benefiting volatile essential oils such as cineol, camphene, borneol, bornyl acetate, α-pinene, etc. These compounds are known to have rubefacient (counterirritant), anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-fungal and anti-septic properties.

Rosemary leaves provide just 131 calories per 100 g and contain no cholesterol. Apart from nutrients, this humble herb contains many noteworthy non-nutrient components such as dietary fiber (37% of RDA).

The herb is exceptionally rich in many B-complex groups of vitamin, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin. It is one of the herbs contain high levels of folates; providing about 109 µg per 100 g (about 27% of RDA). Folates are important in DNA synthesis and when given during the peri-conception period can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies.

Rosemary herb contains very good amounts of vitamin A, 2924 IU per 100 g; about 97% of RDA. A few leaves a day in the diet, would contribute enough of this vitamin. Vitamin A is known to have antioxidant properties and is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin A is known to help the body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Fresh rosemary leaves are a good source of antioxidant vitamin; vitamin-C containing about 22 mg per 100 g, about 37% of RDA. The vitamin is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and help scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

Rosemary herb parts, whether fresh or dried, are rich source of minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, which helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

This herb is an excellent source of iron, contains 6.65 mg/100 g of fresh leaves (about 83% of RDA). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. [3]

To see an in-depth nutritional profile click here. [1]

Picking & Storing
Whenever possible, choose fresh rosemary over the dried form of the herb since it is far superior in flavor. The springs of fresh rosemary should look vibrantly fresh and should be deep sage green in color, and free from yellow or dark spots. Fresh rosemary should be stored in the refrigerator either in its original packaging or wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel. You can also place the rosemary sprigs in ice cube trays covered with either water or stock that can be added when preparing soups or stews. Dried rosemary should be kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark and dry place where it will keep fresh for about six months. [1]

Preparing & Uses
Quickly rinse rosemary under cool running water and pat dry. Most recipes call for rosemary leaves, which can be easily removed from the stem. Alternatively, you can add the whole sprig to season soups, stews and meat dishes, then simply remove it before serving.
Rosmarinic acid, a natural polyphenolic antioxidant found in rosemary, has been found to have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant functions. Apart from the rosemary, other popular herbs like Sage, peppermint, oregano, thyme herbs also contain appreciable levels of rosmarinic acid.
Rosemary oil which is distilled from the flowering tops contains volatile essential oil such as camphene, cineol, borneol, bornyl acetate and other esters. These compounds are known to have tonic, astringent, diaphoretic, and stimulant properties.
Its herbal oil is also being used externally as a rubefacient to soothe painful ailments in gout, rheumatism and neuralgic conditions.
Rosemary herb extractions when applied over the scalp known to stimulate the hair-bulbs and help prevent premature baldness. It forms an effectual remedy for the prevention of scurf and dandruff.
Rosemary tea is a natural remedy for nervous headache, colds, and depression. [3]

Rosemary-infused olive oil 

Perfect for adding to the bath and it is a great help for easing sore muscles or giving yourself a refreshing boost. It can also be consumed, adding flavours to a variety of dishes.

Place the finely chopped rosemary leaves into the glass jar. Top up with olive oil. [As a rough rule of thumb, use two cups of oil to one cup of plant material] Put the lid on. Shake a little. Store the jar in a warm, dark place. Leave the oil to infuse for a few days, or until the plant material begins to brown. Take the cap off and sniff - if it is not strong enough for you, strain the liquid, fill the jar with fresh plant material, and pour the oil back over it. Leave for another few days. Keep doping this until the mixture is as aromatic as you want. Strain the oil after two weeks. Pour into a storage container or back into the glass jar. [4]

You use the same method for making aromatic vinegar. Choose a good quality wine or apple cider vinegar and pour it over your herb sprigs. Leave for a few days in a warm place and you will have a delicious addition to salad dressings. [6]

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Sources:
[1] http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=75
[2] http://naturehacks.com/5-herbs-that-improve-memory/
[3] http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/rosemary-herb.html
[4] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Rosemary-Oil
[5] http://ahealthylifeforme.com/how-to-make-rosemary-essential-oil/
[6] http://www.doityourself.com/stry/makearomaoils#b
[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary

Turkey tail mushroom

Trametes versicolor often called the "turkey tail, found virtually anywhere there are dead hardwood logs and stumps to decompose--and, occasionally, on conifer wood too. Its cap colors are extremely variable, but tend to stay in the buff, brown, cinnamon, and reddish brown range. The mushrooms are strikingly "zonate" with sharply contrasting concentric zones of color, and the surface of the cap is finely fuzzy or velvety. Often the zones represent contrasts in texture as well as color, so that fuzzy zones alternate with smoother ones. [*]

Scientific Name(s): Coriolus versicolor L. ex Fr. Quel. Family: Polyporaceae Common Name(s): Cloud mushroom , PSK , PSP , yun zhi , polysaccharide krestin , turkey tail

Identifying
1) Is the pore surface a real pore surface? Like, can you see actual pores? Yes: Continue. No: See Stereum ostrea and other crust fungi.

2) Squint real hard. Would you say there are about 1-3 pores per millimeter (which would make them fairly easy to see), or about 3-8 pores per millimeter (which would make them very tiny)? 3-8 per mm: Continue. 1-3 per mm: See several other species of Trametes.

3) Is the cap conspicuously fuzzy, velvety, or finely hairy (use a magnifying glass or rub it with your thumb)? Yes: Continue. No: See several other species of Trametes.

4) Is the fresh cap whitish to grayish? Yes: See Trametes hirsuta. No: Continue.

5) Does the cap lack starkly contrasting color zones (are the zones merely textural, or do they represent subtle shades of the same color)? Yes: See Trametes pubescens. No: Continue.

6) Is the fresh mushroom rigid and hard, or thin and flexible? Rigid and hard: See Trametes ochracea. Thin and flexible: Totally True Turkey Tail. [source]

Benefits
 Turkey tail has antioxidant activity, boosts immune response, and is considered an adjunctive treatment in cancer chemotherapy. Clinical research with PSK began around 1970 and has focused on its immunotherapeutic efficacy in stomach, colorectal, esophageal, nasopharyngeal, lung, and breast cancers. Overall, the polysaccharides in PSK reportedly increase gamma-interferon production, interleukin-2 production, and T-cell proliferation, therefore improving immune system functioning. Other studies have focused on the antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties of PSK.  [*]

 Science is showing that Turkey Tail mushroom holds an arsenal of cancer-blasting compounds. Two polysaccharide complexes in Turkey Tail are getting a great deal of scientific attention, PSK (or "Kreskin") and PSP, making it the most extensively researched of all medicinal mushrooms with large scale clinical trials. In addition to breast cancer, Turkey Tail has been found to hold promise for other cancers, including stomach, colorectal, lung, esophageal, nasopharyngeal, cervical, and uterine. PSP has been shown to significantly enhance immune status in 70 to 97 percent of cancer patients. Turkey tail is also being used to treat many different infections, including aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, E. coli, HIV, Herpes, and streptococcus pneumonia, and is hepatoprotective. It may also be useful for CFIDS. [*]

 Turkey tail targets chronic illnesses, which include many types of cancers.  Studies have even shown that turkey tail can regenerate damaged bone marrow.  As well as treating human cancers, it is also used in veterinary medicine to treat canine cancer.  Strongly antioxidant, turkey tail strengthens the immune system, increases energy, and delivers pain relief with no ill side effects.  It also reduces phlegm, combats respiratory ailments, poor digestion, urinary infections, inflammation, liver ailments, and hepatitis B. [*]  

Preparation
I mix turkey tails and reishi and they do well as a hot water extract, I just let them simmer a good long time (couple hours). If we eat the whole fruit we grind and cap it up (2-3 "00" capsules 2-3 times/day), but it equals about a fat teaspoon 2-3 times/day. 3x3 for infections, illness and 2x2 for regular use... I make my extracts by swimming the mushies in vodka for a week, saving off the top clear for a preservative and reducing the rest in hot water (crockpot) for about 24 hours. I add the extra vodka in small amounts along the way to evaporate it and keep the goodies, I only save about 10% worth for preservative. We have to keep them in the fridge when made this way but they last at least 3 years that we know of. I use about a pound of each mushroom per gallon in a two mushroom extract. The dose is about 4cc for 150lb person with the extract. [*]

Dry your turkey tails pore side up in the direct sunlight for maximum Vit. D - provitamin D2 occurring as ergosterol - Stamets demonstrated that drying the vit D mushrooms this way exponentially increased Vit. D. We chop in a coffee grinder and sift through a wire mesh - the fine goes to caps and the coarse goes to extract. Turkey tails dry and store very well as do all the woodeater mushrooms. If I were making a single mushroom extract I would use at least a pound/gal if not 1.5lb - you want a good, potent item. Fine chopping them as with a coffee grinder is a lot less messy than powder and powdering is not needed owing to the length of the extraction time. If you let your crockpot evap down to 3/4 gallon or less then you have room for a second "wash" of your mushrooms which is just pouring off the first extract, adding some fresh water to the mushrooms and simmering that 30 minutes so you get more out of the mushrooms, then strain and combine. During the crockpot phase the heavier water is forcing the vodka out and the heat is evaporating it. You want to replace volume with water but not too much as you want it reduced as close to the finishing volume as possible. You can run it on high to heat up but should turn it down to low and run it there for the extraction. [ * ] [ * ] n a big stock pot, add:

• a large handful of nettles
• a large handful of fresh dandelion roots, leaves & flowers
• fresh chopped blackberry leaves
• fresh chopped yellow dock root
• a sprig of young horsetail
• a handful of cleavers
• good pinch of dried calendula blossoms
• a bit of kelp, nori (or whatever seaweed you have around)
• pinch of hawthorn berries (and leaves/flowers if you have them)
• good 4-fingered pinch of sliced dry or fresh Turkey Tail mushrooms

Cook on medium until the brew reaches a light boil. Simmer for several hours. I usually let the liquid reduce by half. Strain it–you’ll have this dark, bitter liquid. Add black berry juice, molasses & honey until it’s sweet enough for you. I like to add a little good-quality brandy to help preserve it. Keep it in the fridge, but consume it within 3 months. I take a few tablespoons daily. [*]

The usual dose is 2 to 3 grams of dried, powdered turkey tail mushrooms three times per day, either mixed into food or put into capsules. [*]

Dosage: 
Tea: Up to 20 g. of mushroom in tea 3x daily. 
Tonic: 1 cube twice daily. 
Tincture: 1 tsp. twice daily. [*]  

Tincturing Medicinal Mushrooms: The Double Extraction Process
Mushroom tinctures are made using a double-extraction technique. First, the alcohol extracts the constituents that are not soluble in water, like sterols & terpenes. After the mushrooms have been extracted in alcohol, it goes through a hot water extraction or decoction process to extract the beta-glucans, proteoglycans, and other immune-supporting polysaccharides.
The below steps outline the double extraction process using the folk method of tincturing.

Part 1: Alcohol extraction Break the fruitbodies up into the smallest pieces possible. This makes for a larger surface area and thorough extraction. It’s easier to do this while they’re still fresh before drying.

1. Fill a quart or half-gallon canning jar halfway with the dried mushroom.
2. Add the vodka, filling the jar to the top. Label it!
3. Cap the jar and keep it in a warm, dark place. Agitate daily.
4. After about a month, strain.

Part 2: Hot water extraction

1. Take the alcohol-soaked mushroom pieces that are left over after straining (called the marc) and put them in a pot. Cover them with water.
2. Simmer for 2 hours. The water will evaporate throughout this time.
3. Allow the tea to cool before you strain it. Discard all the solids but save the water.
4. Add this water to an equal amount of the alcohol extract. This gives you an extract that’s 25% alcohol, as the vodka was 100 proof to begin with (50% water/50% alcohol).

You may need to do some measuring before you boil the water to make sure you have enough. Gauge the amount of liquid used in your first alcohol tincture and boil at least triple that amount of water for the hot water extraction. It may seem like a lot but it will reduce (you can always keep boiling if it doesn’t). Suggested use varies depending on the size of the person and the strength of the tincture. A good standard amount is 1/2 of a teaspoon taken 2–3x a day. It should keep for about 2 years. And as always, store in a cool place in dark-colored bottles away from direct sunlight. [*]