It is said that when the archaeologist Howard Carter entered Tutankhamun's tomb for the first time in 1922, there was a scent of flowers in the air. And, from what is said, it seems that the thing that released this perfume was a bouquet of red roses, which Carter found on the pharaoh's sarcophagus, probably the last gift from his wife. Roses have always been a symbol of beauty and love, they are the sacred flowers of Aphrodite who gave them the wonderful red color by running once in a field of roses, which at the time were all white. By wounding herself with the thorns of these plants, the goddess dyed the roses with her blood, which from that day also assumed this color. But roses are not only a precious ornament for houses, gardens and balconies, they can also become precious beauty allies and powerful remedies, able to support the immune system, especially that of the respiratory tract, to tone the liver and the body, to soothe and heal swollen and red eyes and to illuminate the face. So today we talk about the properties of the red rose or Gallic rose for both internal and external use.
Light infusion for respiratory ailments and stomach problems
Bring a liter of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add a tablespoon of dried rose petals. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, then filter and drink a cup before meals in case of digestive tract inflammation, heartburn but also diarrhea and an overloaded liver. This infusion is also useful at the first signs of a sore throat, cough, cold. The beneficial properties of rose tea are due to the presence of antioxidant substances, such as tannins, anthocyanins and gallic acid, which modulate the immune response, protect digestion and are characterized by an anti-free radical action, but also antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties (Vinokur et al, Journal of Food Science, 2006 - Chung et al, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 1998). Scientific studies have observed that rose tea provides an equal, if not in some cases even higher, number of antioxidants in comparison to green tea (Vinokur et al, Journal of Food Science, 2006).
Concentrated infusion to strengthen the lungs
The concentrated infusion of roses, thanks to its immunostimulating and antimicrobial action, fortifies the lungs, by strengthening them even when living in very polluted cities. Not only that, this herbal tea also acts as a tonic for the whole organism since, thanks to contained substances such as gallic acid, it also acts on the intestinal microbiota, modifying it in order to favor good bacteria (Yang et al, Front Immunol, 2020). And, as has already been shown, a healthy microbiota means a healthy organism, with more energy. Bring one liter of water to a boil, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of dried rose petals. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, then filter and drink two cups a day.
Rose honey for the well-being of the throat
The well known French herbalist Messeguè, in his book My herbarium, proposes this interesting recipe. Pour ten handfuls of dried petals into a bowl. Pour two liters of boiling water over the petals and leave to steep for twelve hours in a warm place. Filter and mix the liquid obtained with one and a half kilograms of honey. Put it back on the heat and heat over low heat for fifteen minutes, removing the foam that forms. Filter and pour into a jar. You can use for gargling.
Baths with roses
Add a couple of handfuls of fresh rose petals into the water of the tub. This helps, as indicated by the herbalist Messeguè, in case of rheumatism and arthritis.
Rose water for eyes and skin
Rose water prevents and reduces wrinkles, but also seborrhea, blackheads and acne thanks to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of rose petals (Lee et al, Food Sci Nutr, 2018). Rose water applied to wounds, bruises and sprains will help and promote the healing process. And a gauze soaked in rose water and applied to the eyes can really be a great help in case of tired, irritated, red and watery eyes. In fact, rose water proves to be antiseptic and analgesic, useful in case of conjunctivitis (Abdul et al, Ophthalmol Eye Dis., 2010). When sprayed on the face, rose water will also help calm the nervous system and improve mood. The original version of rose water is pure poetry, let's see it! Collect about twenty very fragrant rose corollas. Let them dry briefly for a few hours. Take a vase and pull a cloth over the opening. Over the cloth, in the hollow that will be formed, arrange the roses in a very thick layer. Cover the roses with sturdy paper and place a crock pot with glowing embers on top. Let the rose water filter drop by drop into the container. Alternatively, a faster but equally effective version of rose water involves collecting a dozen fresh and fragrant roses, cleaning them well and placing them in a bowl. Bring two cups of water to a boil, remove from heat and wait two minutes before pouring the water over the roses. Cover with a lid and let it rest for a couple of hours. After this time, filter with gauze. Once finished, close the gauze like a bag and squeeze the roses well again so as to release as much liquid as possible. Pour into a dark bottle. Use on face and body skin and for eye packs. Keep it in a cool, dry place, and since this rose water contains no preservatives, do not use it for more than 5-7 days.
Rose ointment
Again the herbalist Messeguè, in his book My Herbarium, proposes the rose ointment recipe to take full advantage of the anti-inflammatory and soothing properties of roses. This ointment is a real beauty cure, both in summer in case of sunburned skin, and in winter when the skin is dry and chapped due to the cold. In a saucepan pour 250 grams of lard and 250 grams of fresh rose petals, mix and leave to macerate for six days. Then, heat over low heat. Filter the preparation and pour into a jar.
