Lavender:
Scientific Name : Lavandula angustifolia
Family : mint family,
Lamiaceae
Common Names: English Lavender, Lavanta, Lavender Vera, L. officinalis, French Lavender, Lavandula latifolia, Garden Lavender, Spike Lavender, Sweet Lavender, True Lavender.
Beneficial Properties:
-Practical Benefits:
Historically, lavender was used as an antiseptic and for mental health purposes.
Today, the herb is used for conditions such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and depression.
Lavender is also used for headache, upset stomach, and hair loss.
Another known health benefit of lavender is its ability to relieve pain. Lavender essential oil can ease pain from sore muscles, tension, arthritis, sprains, and pain in the joints.
Anxiety and depression. The essential oil of lavender has a calming, sedative, and anti-convulsive effect. It can also increase the effectiveness of other relaxants.
According to the Smell and Taste Foundation in Chicago, the scent of lavender increases brain waves associated with relaxation.
Commission E, the German counterpart of the FDA that regulates herbal remedies, also approves lavender for treating relaxation and restlessness.
Insomnia. A study conducted at the University of Leicester in England showed that the use of lavender essential oil is just as effective in promoting sound sleep as traditional medication. In fact, many British hospitals offer their patients lavender pillows to help with sleeplessness.
Scrapes and wounds. Lavender essential oil has very powerful antiseptic properties. Applying it to wounds can not only increase cell growth causing the wound to heal faster, but it also decreases the appearance of scars. The oils anti-microbial action protects scrapes and wounds from infection, while allowing them heal.
Digestive problems. Lavender has also been endorsed by Germany's Commission E to treat all sorts of stomach and digestive disorders. It soothes the lining of the digestive tract and promotes the secretion of bile, which helps the body digest fats. In addition to this, lavender can also relieve gas pressure and constipation.
Headaches. Massaging lavender oil onto the temples, neck and forehead can relieve neck and head tension and promote relaxation, thus relieving a variety of headaches. Those included are general headaches, gastric headaches, nervous headaches, sinus and tension headaches.
Skin problems. By massaging lavender oil into the skin, it can be used to treat a number of skin problems such as acne, burns, dry skin, eczema, itchy skin, sunburn, seborrhea, and skin inflammation.
Women's health problems. For pregnancy, lavender can help sooth and relieve flatulence and indigestion. It can diminish the look of stretch marks and scars. It can relieve cramps, edema, exhaustion, infection, breast abscesses, and post-natal depression. A study of lavender by British researchers suggests that using lavender oil during pregnancy and childbirth can help ease delivery pain and promote a speedy recovery.
By either adding lavender to the bath or massaging it into the skin, lavender can help relieve pre-menstrual syndrome, and menstrual cramps. It is effective in aiding the treatment of chlamydia, pelvic inflammatory disease, thrush, vaginal infections, inflamed vaginal tissue, vaginitis, cystitis, Raynaud's Disease, breast abscesses, and cervical cancer. If being treated with radiation for any form of cervical or uterine cancer, lavender oil can prevent and diminish irradiation burns.
Beauty Benefits:
Alopecia areata
In one study of 86 people with alopecia areata (a disease of unknown cause characterized by significant hair loss, generally in patches), those who massaged their scalps with lavender and other essential oils daily for 7 months experienced significant hair re-growth compared to those who massaged their scalps without the essential oils. It is not entirely clear from this study whether lavender (or a combination of lavender and other essential oils) was responsible for the beneficial effects.
some studies have shown the essential oil to be especially beneficial in treating hair loss when mixed with Cedarwood, Rosemary, and Thyme.
Lavender has a host of benefits when used in skin care products, but has great value in helping the skin heal itself, stimulating cell growth, reducing inflammation, preventing scarring and balancing the production of oil while at the same time cutting down on localized pain - all perfect when fighting acne and problem skin.
Possible side effects: Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. At higher doses, lavender may cause drowsiness. If you experience drowsiness, avoid these activities. Avoid alcohol while taking lavender. Alcohol may increase drowsiness caused by lavender.
At higher doses, lavender may increase the effects of other drugs that cause drowsiness, including antidepressants, alcohol, antihistamines, sedatives (used to treat insomnia), pain relievers, anxiety medicines, seizure
medicines and muscle relaxants. Do not take lavender with other medications that may also cause drowsiness.
Although side effects are rare, some individuals may develop an allergic reaction to lavender. Nausea, vomiting, headache, and chills have also been reported in some individuals following inhalation or absorption of lavender through the skin.
Pregnant and breast-feeding women should avoid using lavender.
Possible Interactions:
- CNS Depressants -- There are no known scientific reports of interactions between lavender and conventional medications. However, due to the relaxing qualities of lavender, this herb could potentially enhance the effects of central nervous system depressants, including narcotics (such as morphine or oxycodone) for pain and sedative and anti-anxiety agents (such as lorazepam, diazepam, and alprazolam). Talk to your health care provider before using lavender with these and other sedating medications.
Regions Habitated: Lavender plants are found in the mountainous areas of the Mediterranean. It also grows throughout the south of Europe, the United States and Australia.
Parts of Plant that can be Used: Leaves and floral buds.