Rosemary

Today we drove down to the capital of Dominica (Roseau) and met Catherine who specializes in herbal medicines.  She has a wide array of herbal plants along with different oils, soaps, and nicely scented bathing salts.  She explained to us that herbal medicines need to be taken during the waking hours because a majority of them need to be what she quotes "agitated" in order to have an effect on the body.  Thus, if you were to take it at night right before you go to sleep, the body wouldn't be able moving thus the herb wouldn't live up to its maximum benefit which I thought was an interesting fact.  So the herb I'm going to focus on is Rosemary.  This shrubbery evergeen leaf has a very aromatic smell to it, and is commonly used by Dominicans to help with hypertension, dyspepsia issues, loss of memory (dementia), and acts as an anti-oxidant which includes the anti-oxidants carnosic and rosmanic acid.  Catherine stated that you do not want to take rosemary every day, because it can cause some excessive bleeding.  So avoid using if you are on any type of anti-coagulant therapy, or have gastric ulcers.  The rosemary is commonly made into a tea and you would drink this herb.

-Anthony