Rosemary - what immediately springs to your mind?

If you're anything like my family, who I've just asked the same question to, it has something to do with food. Pungent, aromatic, fabulous roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, a bulb of garlic and a hunk of lamb or sprinkled over a sweet potato with lashings of parmesan cheese ... Mmmm!

The essential oil from this woody herb smells just as wonderful and has been used medicinally for centuries for its many health benefits. It is a warm and incredibly stimulating oil for the body as well as the mind, a tonic for the heart and the liver and a digestive and gastrointestinal stimulant which is particularly useful for sluggish systems.

I often choose it for its analgesic properties for muscular pain, particularly for overworked muscles and for conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism.

As an expectorant and antimicrobial, it is very effective for respiratory issues and for clearing catarrh, bronchitis and sinusitis and it often comes out to play during the Winter months.

However, its stimulant and restorative properties come into their own on the central nervous system. An amazing nerve and brain tonic, it is fantastic at exam time as it clears the mind, boosts memory function, aids mental fatigue and focuses the mind to help concentration levels.

Rosemary is such a versatile essential oil and blends well with most other oils, especially Lavender, Peppermint, Frankincense and all of the citrus oils and is a definite must-have in an essential oil tool kit.

Safety: Not to be used during pregnancy and for those suffering from epilepsy or high blood-pressure.