Health Benefits of Lavender
Most of us know lavender from its use in cleaning products and air fresheners. But, did you know the scent of lavender essential oil comes packed with health benefits? Lavender oil comes from the purple flowering plant Lavandula angustifolia which is native to northern Africa and the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean and has been used for over 2,500 years. Today it is grown all over the world.
Lavender has a long history of use dating back to ancient Greece, Rome, and Persia. Its historical uses ranged from adding flowers to bathwater to help wash the skin, to sprinkling the flowers throughout castle floors to help as a natural disinfectant and deodorant. Lavender actually gets its name from the latin word lavare which means “to wash”.
Though not as readily available as some of the other edible herbs, lavender is easily found growing in plant nurseries or even the garden section of your local home improvement store. It can also be found in health food stores sold as culinary lavender buds.
How does Lavender help my health?
Lavender’s best action is its calming effect which, amazingly, is best appreciated by smelling it! There is lots of research backing up the anxiety-reducing effects of lavender which are thought to be serotonergic in nature rather than GABA-ergic (which is how most calming agents work). This discovery may explain why some research points to it being supportive in depression as well. Other traditional uses of lavender are as an antibacterial, antifungal, smooth muscle relaxant, and it has been shown to be effective for burns and insect bites though the evidence for these traditional uses are not as strong.
medical conditions/symptoms lavender may be good for
- Sleep and fatigue during pregnancy and postpartum
- Symptoms of menopause
- Burns, bug bites, and other swelling injuries
- Hair loss
- Certain cancer cell lines
- Fatigue in hemodialysis patients
- Arthritis
- Anxiety and depression
lavender used as an essential oil
Many of the studies on lavender use its essential oil since it is more potent. Lavender has many great uses when mixed with a carrier oil such as olive oil or coconut oil for uses in burn, bites or arthritis. Since many of lavender’s positive effects come from smelling it, some great uses of the oil include putting a few drops on the corners of pillows to help with sleep or putting it into a diffuser for the same effect. Taking lavender by mouth may be toxic and can cause constipation, headache, and increased appetite, while applying lavender to the skin may cause irritation. Care must be taken when using lavender essential oil and it should be used under the guidance of an Integrative Physician.
Lavender DosageS/Uses
Internal use – take 2-4 mL of lavender tincture three times a day. Lavender tea includes both leaf and flower and can be ingested before bed.
Aromatherapy – add 2-4 drops of lavender essential oil to 2-3 cups of boiling water.
Topical use – add 1-4 drops lavender oil per tablespoon of olive oil – avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes. For bald spots (alopecia areata), one study combined the following essential oils: 3 drops of lavender, 3 drops of rosemary, 2 drops of thyme, and 2 drops of cedarwood, all mixed with 3 mL of jojoba oil and 20 mL grapeseed oil. This mixture was massaged into the scalp every night.
Lavender essential oil should only be used externally or as aromatherapy, as it is potentially toxic when ingested.
Culinary use - Lavender can be used as a culinary herb. Sprinkle small amounts of the herb on foods such as grilled salmon and lemon. Lavender is great to use for infusing water, giving it a unique flavor and providing an alternative to iced tea on a hot day. Here's a recipe to try:
Lavender Lemonade with Honey
Ingredients
• 1 cup raw honey (local if you can get it)
• 5 cups water
• 1 Tbsp. dried, organic culinary lavender (or 1/4 cup fresh lavender blossoms, crushed)
• 1 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed, organic)
• ice cubes
• 2-3 sprigs lavender (for garnish)
Instructions
• Bring 2 1/2 cups purified water to boil in a medium pan
• Remove from heat and add honey, stirring to dissolve.
• Add the lavender to the honey water, cover, and let steep at least 20 minutes or up to several hours, to taste. You can put the lavender into a tea infuser or reusable tea bag for easier clean up.
• Strain mixture and compost/discard lavender
• Pour infusion into a glass pitcher
• Add lemon juice and approximately another 2 1/2 cups of cold water, to taste. Stir well.
• Refrigerate until ready to use, or pour into tall glasses half-filled with ice, then garnish with lavender sprigs.