Want to learn about the rose petals benefits for health and how to use rose petals for health? Continue reading this article and find out what they are.
Rose petals have been used from ancient times to the present day, not only for their beauty and special fragrance but also for their healing properties. Ancient healers were right when they wrote that the rose is a panacea of natural medicine, and you will soon understand why. Before we go to the rose petals benefits, let’s see how to harvest rose petals.
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What Are The Best Roses For Medicinal Use?
Out of the tens of hundreds of rose varieties, two rose species, in particular, namely the cabbage rose (Rosa centifolia) and the Damask rose (Rosa damascena) have been studied for their therapeutic virtues. Wild rose (Rosa gallica) is also traditionally used in remedies. In reality, ordinary roses (also called ornamental roses) are no less therapeutic than the varieties abovementioned.
The secret is to choose the ones with intensely colored petals and a very strong scent, as these have the most active ingredients. The very intense color indicates the presence of pigments with strong antioxidant and antitumor effects, while the scent of the rose is given by volatile oils with sedative and anti-infective effects. Before we move to rose petals benefits, here is how to harvest roses for medicine.
How to Harvest Rose Petals for Rose Tea
Rose petals need to be harvested in the morning after the sun has arisen, when the air is clean and humid, preferably after heavy rain or dew, in full sunshine. The best time to pick the rose flowers for their therapeutic use is as soon as they are open, or when they are fully bloomed, but not withered. Remove the petals from each rose and discard the withered or damaged petals. Layer the healthy rose petals onto a piece of natural fabric in a well-ventilated space, in the shade, to dry or use them if you need fresh petals.
Drying the rose petals usually takes a week. You know they are completely dried, when they shrink considerably in volume and weight, lose all elasticity, and become frail. After drying, store the rose petals in paper bags in a very dry and cool place.
Rose petal powder is made by grinding dried and crushed rose petals in a coffee grinder. Store in airtight jars in a cool place. Powdered rose petals are used internally for anxiety and herpes. In order to preserve their healing virtues, do not wash the rose flowers after harvesting. Rose petals can be used in natural medicine either fresh or dried, as you will see below. Now let’s see what are the main rose petals benefits.
Rose Petals Benefits for Health
In traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine, rose petals were used to cleanse the liver of toxins and boost the body’s well-being. Chinese doctors recommended rose tea for improving eyesight, and hearing, and for toning the heart muscle in the elderly. In ancient Greece and later in Europe, doctors used rose water for mental illness, as well as heart and kidney disease. Lung diseases were treated by smudging dried rose petals, and tuberculosis patients were prescribed to inhale the scents of fresh roses.
Oriental medicine traditionally uses white and pink rose petals syrup for women who want to conceive to boost fertility, and red and burgundy rose petals syrup for men. Here, rose petals are an ancient remedy against frigidity. Arab doctors advised their patients suffering from depression to mist rose petal infusion in their rooms daily. Amongst the most notable rose petals benefits for health we know of, it is worth mentioning:
- headache and neurological pain
- depression and irritability
- insomnia
- oral conditions
- asthma and bronchitis
- conjunctivitis
- tonsillitis
- skin problems
Now that you know what are the most important rose petals benefits, here are two healing recipes with rose petals you can make at home.
How to Make Rose Tea – Rose Tea Recipe
To make rose tea, scald one teaspoon of dried rose petals in a cup of water, steep for 10 minutes, and strain. Sweeten with raw honey to taste. Rose tea is great for insomnia and anxiety in particular.
How to Make Rose Cordial
Similar to elderflower cordial, you can prepare rose petals cordial following this recipe. Pour the juice of one or two lemons into two liters of water, and add a handful of rose petals (fresh or dried) and four tablespoons of raw honey. Combine everything well. Pour the rose cordial into a sealed jar and leave it to soak for 2-4 days, in the sun. Strain and keep the rose petals cordial in sealed glass bottles.
10 Amazing Rose Petal Remedies
1. Irritability & Anger
Rose petals macerate is used in the treatment of irritability, anger, various phobias, frigidity, and headaches. To make rose petals macerate at home, put 2-3 tablespoons of rose petals in a cup (250 ml) of cold spring water and leave to soak overnight. In the morning, strain the macerate and drink it right away, sweeten it with a little bit of honey. Ideally, 2-3 cups a day can help ease these emotional issues. Keep it in the fridge if you don’t consume it right away. This is one of the most amazing rose petals health benefits.
2. Headache & Migraine
It has been scientifically proven that inhaling roses’ scent can help people with a weak nervous system, prone to depression, neurosis, and migraines. Put a few rose flowers in a bowl of hot water and leave them in the room of the one suffering person. For headaches (including heatstroke headaches) you can also do rose petals vinegar rubs. Prepare the vinegar as follows.
Fill up an 800 ml jar (27 oz) with finely chopped fresh rose petals, but don’t stuff them. Pour natural apple cider vinegar on top, and stir so that the rose petals are very well immersed. Seal the jar and leave it to soak in the shade for 14 days. Strain and pour the rose petals vinegar into small amber bottles. Use it to rub the sore areas, the temples, forehead, neck, and shoulders.
The smell of rose vinegar is an elixir against nausea and migraines. Both remedies can be used for flu, and colds, because this is one of the main rose petals benefits for health.
3. Asthma
Amongst the most important rose petals benefits are for alleviating the symptoms of asthma. For this remedy, mix 10 tablespoons of rose petals with 500 g chopped pumpkin (4 cups), a tablespoon of finely chopped plantain leaves, and a liter of red (natural) wine. Bring everything to a boil, then remove from the heat. After cooling, add 2 tablespoons of honey. Consume one tablespoon, 5 times a day, for 3 days, followed by a 3-day break. The cure lasts until the rose petals preparation is consumed. Pause for one month, and resume if needed.
4. Periodontitis
One of the most important rose petals health benefits is in alleviating periodontitis and stomatitis. For peridontitis, combine some dried rose petals powder with a little bit of raw honey into a paste. Use this rose petals paste to rub your gums with. This is a remedy for any inflammatory process in the oral cavity.
5. Stomatitis
Finely chop 3 tablespoons of rose petals, infuse in 2 cups of boiling water and leave to cool. Use the rose tea to rinse your mouth several times during the day.
6. Conjunctivitis
Infuse one spoonful of dried rose petals in 200 ml of boiling water for 30 minutes, then strain and leave to cool. Wipe the affected eyes with the rose infusion several times a day. Before going to bed, apply a cotton pad soaked in the rose tea on the eyelids for 30 minutes. This is one of the most effective rose petal remedies.
7. Tonsillitis
Amongst the rose petals benefits for health, we have to mention its amazing results in alleviating tonsillitis. For this, combine equal parts of rose petals (fresh or dried) with honey. Have a tablespoon and keep it inside your mouth for 20-30 minutes, then spit it out. Repeat twice a day for 3-4 days.
8. Cold and Flu
In addition to the abovementioned, rose petals vinegar rubs, drink a rose petals tea with dried rose petals (a teaspoon in a glass of hot water). Rose tea alleviates cold and flu symptoms, including bronchitis, pharyngitis, and neurosis.
9. Skin Conditions
One of the main rose petals benefits for health is in skin conditions, namely eczema, psoriasis, pimples, erysipelas, allergic pruritus, and even mild burns. To reduce the irritation on the affected areas, apply a layer of fresh rose petals. Fix them in place using a large bandage or sterile gauze. This is one of the most popular rose petal remedies for irritated and infected skin. Skin depigmentation, shingles, and acne can be alleviated with rose petals vinegar (recipe above).
10. Spondylosis
Soak 7-10 rose petals in 125 ml of brandy for 5 days. Use the rose petals tincture to rub the sore areas before going to bed, then tie around a woolen scarf to help the tincture work in depth. This is one of the most effective rose petal remedies. For neuralgias, you can also use rose petals vinegar compresses.
How to Make Rose Petals Infusion Bath
Rose petals infusion bath is an excellent and very pleasant remedy for nervous system afflictions, due to its toning effect that helps removes fatigue, and anxiety, it aids the heart and cleanses the skin. To prepare the infusion, scald half a cup of rose petals in a liter of boiling water (you can use withered rose flowers in this case). Cover for 20 minutes, then pour all the contents into the tub. If you add 4-5 tablespoons of beet juice to the bathwater, the health benefits of rose petals are increased considerably.
Read Also: 5 Natural Treatments with Rose Water – How to Make Rose Water
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