Roses

Type: Nourishing cardiovascular tonic

Properties: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, astringent, hypnotic, analgesic, antitussive, bronchodilatory, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-lipase, anticonvulsant, neuroprotective, memory enhancing, hepatoprotective

Parts Used: Leaf buds, flower buds, roses/petals, rose hips, roots and stalks (infrequently)

Preparation and Dose:
*Rose petal milk: Add as many unsprayed, highly-scented rose petals as you can get to a pan of nice milk. Heat gently until very hot, but not boiling. Turn off fire and let sit until cooled slightly, no more than an hour. Add honey to taste.
* Rose petal honey: Fill a jar with rose petals. Add honey to completely cover. Use as a tea in hot water or as a spread on bread.
* Rose bud, flower, or hip vinegar: Fill a jar with any part of the rose, add apple cider vinegar to completely cover. Let sit for six weeks and take by the tablespoonful as desired.
* Rose petal or leaf bud glycerin: Dilute one part glycerine with 2-3 parts water and pour over a jar full of the leaf or flower buds of roses. Steep for 6 weeks. Dose is a teaspoonful, 2-3 times daily.
* Rose petal tea: Steep one spoonful fresh or dried roses briefly in boiling water.
* Rose hip infusion: Steep 1-2 ounces dried rose hips in 1 quart/liter boiling water in a closed container for 4-10 hours. Strain. Refrigerate. Drink hot with honey or cold.
* Rose water: A distilled product available for sale; used in food and to lift spirits.

Rose petals contain: carotenes, vitamin C; tannins, volatile oils, flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanins

Rose hips contain: carotenes (high), vitamin C (very high), B vitamins including B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin); calcium, chromium, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, tin, zinc; fiber, protein, flavonoids

Rose leaf or flower buds contain: Vitamin C; phytosterols, polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids

Cautions: None known.

Roses say love. The smell and the flavor of rose petal tea is soothing, warming, and healing for hearts that are hurting. Rose petal milk brings restful sleep after trauma and comforts us when the pain in our heart seems too much to bear.

Roses are hormonal. The buds of the leaves and the flowers are a rich source of phytosterols. Rina Nissim, Swiss
herbalist, vouches for the effects of rose bud glycerite on the uterus, and that means it is active in the heart as well.

Roses improve psycho-physiologic well-being. A 2010 placebo-controlled study of adolescent females found rose petal tea lowered anxiety, relieved menstrual cramping, and countered distress at rates noticeably better than ordinary tea. If I recall correctly, my teenage years (and those of all my friends) were fraught with heartbreak of all sorts. If only I had been offered a cup of rose milk or rose tea. Ahh!

Roses bring joy. A cheering cup of rose hip/hibiscus tea is a red delight that never fails to bring a smile to my heart. And how nice to know that the polyphenols and anthocyanins in a cup of rose petal or rose hip tea are as effective in reducing oxidation of cholesterol and in promoting heart health as a cup of green tea is.

Rose Petal Wine
What a tasty way to help your heart. While not required for heart health, small amounts of alcohol – for women ¼ - ½ glass of wine a day – do have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system without increasing breast cancer risk. Men’s hearts show benefits with twice as much alcohol, up to a glass of wine daily.

Resources
HerbalGram, November 2012, “Rose: The Timeless Beneficial Bloom”