Rosemary, focus, and the return of routine

September brought a welcome change of pace for many of us; routines pick up, and we turn from loose, easy summer to disciplined, focused autumn once again. I'd like to talk about rosemary this week, because its long-standing association with improving memory and focus feels especially relevant to the return to order that September represents. An old, reliable reputationThe associations of rosemary with memory and recall date back to Ancient Greece at the very least, with students and scholars wearing rosemary garlands while studying to improve their memories and focus. Modern science and rosemary's active ingredient, 1,8-cineole (or eucalyptol), have since backed up that ancient practice. As in this article, Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma. I think few other herbs have as long and consistent a record of being connected to a specific concept as rosemary's connection to memory, concentration, and presence. Ideas…