Treating a Head Cold with Rosemary

Rosemary is a common herb that most people have in their cupboard among their spices. Besides cooking with rosemary, it can be used to treat a head cold. Rosemary can be fresh, dried, or even in oil form. All three forms can be purchased at your local supermarket, whole food store, or health food store. Symptoms such as sore throats, scratchy throats, congested nasal and sinus passages and headaches can all be alleviated with rosemary.

Rosemary tea can be used to help treat some of the common symptoms associated with a head cold. Hot rosemary tea should be sipped to help with a scratchy or sore throat. The medicinal properties in the tea also help to reduce head and sinus congestion as well as relieve headache pressure. Rosemary tea can be purchased in tea bags. You can also make the tea yourself using fresh or dried rosemary leaves and adding it to boiling water. When using fresh rosemary be sure to grind up the leaves before adding them to boiling water.

Once the tea is done, pour the tea through a strainer into a cup to catch the rosemary leaves. If you do not have a tea strainer a coffee filter can be used instead. Hot rosemary tea should be sipped on as much as needed every few hours. Once the tea cools, it should be discarded. Leftover rosemary tea can be placed into an airtight container and used as gargle several times a day to help alleviate sore throats. Gargle for about a minute and then discard the rosemary tea. You should not swallow the tea after gargling with it.

Rosemary oil can be added to unscented lotions and creams and applied externally to the body. Simply add about five drops of 100% pure rosemary oil to about six ounces of the lotion or cream and mix well. Then dap the cream or lotion around the nose and rub in gently. The cream or lotion mixture can also be applied to the neck, back and chest to help with soreness of muscles and joints brought on by excessive coughing associated with a head cold.