Health Benefits of Lavendar

As with many other essential oils, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using lavender essential oil.

It is also recommended that diabetics stay away from lavender oil.

It may also cause allergic reactions to people having sensitive skin.

Some people may also witness nausea, vomiting and headaches due to usage of lavender oil.

Scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of some of these remedies, especially anti-inflammatory effects, but they should be used with caution since lavender oil can also be a powerful allergen.

It increases photosensitivity as well.

Lavender oil is cytotoxic to human skin cells in vitro (endothelial cells and fibroblasts) at a concentration of 0.25%.

DISCLAIMER:

These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for the efficacy of any herb nor for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Additionally, some of these plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals who have the means to process them properly into appropriate pharmaceuticals.

One final note:

Many plants were used for a wide range of illnesses in the past, but be aware that many of the historical uses have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.

In the case of any and all alternative healing topics here (and anywhere else on the Internet), we strongly recommend your physician is aware of any methods you are applying. Alternative healing, holistic healing, homeopathic health care and all other related subjects should not be considered a replacement for a doctor's care but rather as a possible aid to such care.

If you are uncertain on the safety of using any information please be sure to consult your doctor prior to proceeding.

Synthetic lavender scents are sometimes used to enhance the smell of lavender products. It is possible to smell the difference, but with the wide variety of lavenders used it sometimes makes this difficult. However, if you find that something smells very strongly of lavender, it is possible that the product has been enhanced with synthetic lavender scent.

You can also probably judge many lavender oils by their price, because many producers use synthetic or lower quality lavender oil to amend their product so they can charge less and make more money. Some lavender oils are simply blended with cheaper oils or with agents that water down the oil. Read the ingredients to see if anything besides lavender is included on a cheaper lavender oil.

Additionally, the packaging may be a giveaway. Essential oils must be kept in dark glass containers so they are not effected by light. If you find lavender oil in a clear glass or a plastic container, it's probably diluted or entirely synthetic.

The ancient Greeks called the lavender herb nardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda. It was also commonly called nard.

Lavender was one of the holy herbs used in the biblical Temple to prepare the holy essence, and nard is mentioned in the Song of Solomon nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes, and all the finest spices.

During Roman times, flowers were sold for 100 denarii per pound, which was about the same as a month's wages for a farm laborer, or fifty haircuts from the local barber.

Lavender was commonly used in Roman baths to scent the water, and it was thought to restore the skin.

When the Roman Empire conquered southern Britain, the Romans introduced lavender.

The Greeks discovered early that lavender when crushed would release a relaxing aroma.

Lavender is one of the most versatile essential oil and has been used for centuries to treat a variety of conditions.

The Romans added lavender to their bath water, hence the name derived from the word "to wash", lavare.

It is one of the few essential oils that can be used directly on the skin.

When buying any essential oil make sure you purchase only the highest quality therapeutic essential oils. There is a difference!

Many synthetic oils are marketed the same so if they seem cheaper it's a good indication they're not real or natural.

Therapeutic lavender can be used in the following way:

* Sprinkle a few drops on your pillow or use in the vapouriser for a calming night's sleep.

* Use a few drops on a cotton ball and sit it near your window to help repel insects.

* Add 5 drops to your bath - (add drops to 1 tablespoon of full cream milk to help oils disperse or agitate with your hand before immersing)

* Blend 5 drops with 10 ml of sweet almond oil and apply/massage onto the face or body.

* Apply directly to acne, blemishes, cuts, scratches.

* Can be used for minor burns and blisters. Apply directly every few hours.

* Sprinkle some drops on your dog after washing to discourage fleas.

Medicinal use

Lavender is used very much in herbalism and aromatherapy.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) yields an essential oil with sweet smells, and can be used in balms, salves, perfumes, cosmetics, and topical applications.

Lavandin, Lavandula x intermedia (also known as Dutch lavender), yields a similar essential oil, but with higher levels of terpenes including camphor, which add a sharper overtone to the fragrance.

Mexican lavender, Lavandula stoechas is not used medicinally, but mainly for landscaping.

Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

It was used in hospitals during WWI to disinfect floors and walls.

Lavender also used as fragrances for bath products.

Infusions of lavender soothe and heal insect bites.

Bunches of lavender repel insects.

If applied to the temples, lavender oil soothes headaches.

In pillows, lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation.

An infusion of three flowerheads added to a cup of boiling water soothes and relaxes at bedtime.

Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) heals acne when used diluted 1:10 with water, rosewater, or witch hazel; it also treats skin burns and inflammatory conditions.

Dried lavender flowers have become popular for wedding confetti.

The health benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to remove nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems.

The various health benefits of lavender essential oil include:

Nervous System:

Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves and helps in treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. Its refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity. A few drops of the oil in a hot bath will relieve anxiety and produce a pleasant drowsiness. In a cool bath the oil will refresh and energise.

I suffer from migraines, and use lavender all the time. I massage into my temples and back of my neck and it relieves the pain and also makes me relax enough to deal with the migraine. Also helps me to get a some sleep.

Sleep:

Lavender essential oil induces sleep and hence it is often recommended for insomnia.

Pain Relief:

Lavender essential oil is also an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore muscles, tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago. Massage with lavender oil provides relief from pain in the joints.

Urine Flow:

Lavender essential oil is good for urinary disorders as it stimulates urine production. It helps in restoring hormonal balance and reduces cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder. It also reduces any associated cramps.

Respiratory Disorders:

Lavender oil is extensively used for various respiratory problems including throat infections, flu, cough, cold, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, laryngitis, and tonsillitis. The oil is either used in the form of vapor or applied on the skin of neck, chest and back. It is also added in many vaporizers and inhalers used for cold and coughs.

Skin Care:

The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and antifungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammations. It heals wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns rapidly as it aids in the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is added to chamomile to treat eczema.

Hair Care:

Lavender essential oil is useful for the hair as it can be very effective on lice and lice eggs or nits.

Blood Circulation:

Lavender essential oil is also good for improving blood circulation. It lowers blood pressure and is used for hypertension.

Digestion:

Lavender oil is useful for digestion as it increases the mobility of the intestine. The oil also stimulates the production of gastric juices and bile and thus aids in treating indigestion, stomach pain, colic, flatulence, vomiting and diarrhea.

Immunity:

Regular use of lavender essential oil provides resistance to diseases.

Other health benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to treat leucorrhea. It is also effective against insect bites. The oil is also used to repel mosquitoes and moths. You will find many mosquito repellents containing lavender oil as one of the ingredients.

Lavender oil is extracted from the flowers through steam distillation.

The flowers of lavender are very fragrant and have been used for making potpourris for years.

Lavender essential oil has been traditionally used in making perfumes due to its aroma.

The oil is very useful in aromatherapy.

Lavender is a native of the Mediterranean countries.

Lavender oil blends well with cedarwood, pine, clary sage, geranium, and nutmeg.

Today, lavender essential oil is used in various forms including aromatherapy oil, gels, infusion, lotion, and soaps.

Aromatherapy combines the soothing, healing touch of massage with the therapeutic properties of Essential Oils.

Aromatherapy provides health and body care on a completely natural basis,

Essential oils are aromatherapy's active ingredients.

Logically most people associate aromatherapy with beautiful aromas.

Aromatherapy is a powerful therapy that is now well-recognised and well utilised for helping to deal with a variety of physical and emotional problems.

By extracting essential oils from plants we can capture their healing qualities and apply them to the human body.

A popular method of using essential oils is by "vapourising" in an oil-burner or vapouriser.

Essential oils are far more effective when they come into contact with the body, through direct application, massage, spritzer, bathing, gargle and inhalation.

It is important to follow all safety precautions regarding essential oils.

Depending on the severity of the health conditions it might be worth considering an appointment with an aromatherapist.

Dried flowers are sealed in pouches, and placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths.

Lavendar is such a versatile herb.

You can use its leaves and flowers for sachets, mix stems with vinegar or white sugar to make herbal vinegars and sugars, bath oils, and homemade soaps.

It's a fairly hardy plant, that can withstand harsh winters.

But there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when growing a healthy and productive lavendar plant.

The three handy rules that you need to know about growing and caring for lavendar are: soil, pruning, and replanting.

First tip - Soil health:

Aklanine soil, that is well-drained and gets some sun during the day, is the ideal type for growing healthy lavendar plants.

If you have acidic soil, your lavendar won't grow, or if it does, it won't be healthy.

So, if you need to neutralize your soil, add some limestone or another soil additive to your herbal garden that will neutralize your soil to make it more lavendar growing-friendly.

Also, you need to make sure that your soil drains well after a hard rainstorm.

Generally, lavendar doesn't like "wet feet," meaning that they don't want their roots sitting in water, which leads to root rot. Instead, make your soil more absorbent by adding sand or plant your lavendar seeds or small plants into a well-drained pot.

Finally, make sure that your lavendar plant will get a lot of sun. Lavender thrives in at least four to eight hours of full sun.

Again, if your herbal garden is in the shade for the majority of the day, consider planting your lavendar in a pot to place in a sunny window or in another garden area on your property that receives a lot of sun.

Second tip - Pruning your lavendar plant:

As your lavendar plant matures, make sure that you prune it every spring.

There are two reasons for this: lavendar can get too leggy with the prospect of taking over a small garden space.

Also, as lavendar matures, it will develop bark by the original plant.

This is a sign that your lavendar is due for a trim---possibly a severe pruning.

When you prune your older lavendar plant, cut all of the overgrown stems and flowers back so that the original plant is exposed.

Hopefully, you've pruned in time for new sprigs to start sprouting on your lavendar plant.

Otherwise, if nothing comes back it means that your lavendar has lived its life---which is generally five years from young seedling to full maturity.

Third tip - Replanting your lavendar plant:

If you simply want to move your plant into another area of your garden, you can easily replant lavendar into your garden.

For a move to another location of your garden, you have two choices.

Either you can cut off a healthy section of your existing lavendar plant to replant or you can dig up the entire plant.

Make sure that you know how to transplant a whole plant or a section of the plant by digging a deep enough hole for the lavendar plant and its roots.

For a lavendar sprig, dig a narrow hole up to your second pointer finger knuckle and place your sprig into that hole.

Make sure that it has the right fertilizer and that you water the transplanted plant daily so that it can acclimate itself to its new home.

Enjoy working with your lavendar plant.

If you're a novice herb gardener, lavendar is a great plant to start with because of its versatality and toughness to unskilled green thumbs!

Flowers also yield abundant nectar from which bees make a high-quality honey.

Monofloral honey is produced primarily around the Mediterranean, and is marketed worldwide as a premium product.

Flowers can be candied and are sometimes used as cake decorations.

Lavender flavours baked goods and desserts (it pairs especially well with chocolate), as well as used to make "lavender sugar".

Lavender flowers are occasionally blended with black, green, or herbal tea, adding a fresh, relaxing scent and flavour.

Though it has many other traditional uses in southern France, lavender is not used in traditional southern French cooking.

In the 1970s, an herb blend called herbes de Provence and usually including lavender was invented by spice wholesalers, and lavender has more recently become popular in cookery.

Lavender lends a floral and slightly sweet flavor to most dishes, and is sometimes paired with sheep's-milk and goat's-milk cheeses.

For most cooking applications the dried buds (also referred to as flowers) are used, though some chefs experiment with the leaves as well.

Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender, which is where the scent and flavour of lavender are best derived.

The French are also known for their lavender syrup, most commonly made from an extract of lavender.

In the United States, both French lavender syrup and dried lavender buds make lavender scones and marshmallows.