Lavender : The Purple Panacea

Lavender is wholly spent with us, for to perfume linen, and the dried flowers to comfort and dry up the moisture of a cold braine(Parkinson)

Lavender, the once popular English garden herb, was used extensively as a perfume, but the versatility of its oil has made it a remedy for ailments.

History

In classical times, lavender was widely used by the Romans and Libyans as a bath perfume. This was probably how it derived its name from the Latin word Lavare, which means "to wash".

In Spain and Portugal, lavender is used to cover the floors of churches and houses on festive occasions, or make bonfires on St John's Day, when evil spirits are said to be abound.

The Arabians made use of lavender flowers as an expectorant and antispasmodic. People in France and Spain used to hang the flowers upside down in a closed bottle in the sunshine to extract the oil for dressing wounds.

Ecology

Lavender is a shrubby plant native to the mountainous regions of the Western Mediterranean. It is widely cultivated in France, England, Italy and even in Norway. Now it is also grown as a perfume plant in Australia. The scent of lavender is light and mild with a floral scent and woody undertones, and its oil is clear with a mild bitter taste. It has fresh and clean attributes that create a pleasant and soothing ambience. The scent is found on most parts of the shrub but the essential oil comes from the flower.

The lavender grows to 1 to 3 feet high with short, irregular stems covered in yellowish-grey barks with numerous straight, slender, broom-like branches. The leaves have the opposite characteristics of being sessile, linear and blunt. The flowers are produced in terminating, blunt spikes from the young shoots, on long stems. The spikes are made up of rings of 6 to 10 flowers. The flowers are short-stalked, purplish-grey, five-toothed and hairy.

Health Notes

The calming effect of lavender works well on suppressing mood swings. Its mild aroma helps soothe anger and relieves mental stress. The sedative effects are ideal to aid sleep and relieve headaches caused by anxiety. The mild characteristic of its aroma creates a balancing effect on the central nervous system and helps reduce depression.

Like the eucalyptus, lavender is also used as an antiseptic and painkiller. It is able to accelerate the healing process of wounds and burns. In addition, it also works as an insect repellant and relieves stings and insect bites. The oil, in cotton wool, when tied to a little bag and hung in a room, is said to keep flies away.

Although not an anti-inflammatory, lavender has healing properties that help promote cell growth especially for the skin and is good for removal of acne, athlete's foot, fungal growth, swellings, scarring and stretch marks.

---

Fibromyalgia Pain: How Using Visualizations May Bring You Relief

There are many theories about what causes fibromyalgia. One is... Read More

Treating Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Without the Use of Antibiotics

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)? A Urinary Tract... Read More

Watch Out for Alternative Medicine Charlatans!

Forget those CrystalsAs an integrative medical practitioner, I keep an... Read More

Understanding Hypnosis

If you want to use hypnosis for therapeutic reasons, there... Read More

Aromatherapy - a World of Frangrance

The ancient Egyptians used aromatherapy thousands of years ago. Aromatherapy,... Read More

Fun is a Powerful Alternative Medicine - Just Dont Confuse it with Funny

You're familiar with the phrase, "there's the rub," meaning "there... Read More

Starbucks Green Tea Frappachinos, Can They Prevent Cancer?

Starbucks now offers the Green Tea Frappachinos, yes I had... Read More

Iridology: A Natural Health 101 Article

What It IsIridology is the art of discovering weaknesses in... Read More

Alternative Medicine vs Conventional Medicine - Pt 2

In Part 1 we discussed the fact that alternative medicine... Read More

The Raindrop Technique Massage

Raindrop Technique is a procedure for applying therapeutic grade essential... Read More

What is Hypnosis?

Before anyone experiences hypnosis and starts using it to make... Read More

Do-Sa-Do For Mindfulness

When I was 12, one of my best friends was... Read More

Everything Old Is New Again: Rebuilding Your Vision

Glasses, contacts, or surgery. These are the usual choices offered... Read More

Prenatal Massage

What is prenatal massage? Prenatal Massage is a form of... Read More

How the Subconscious Reasons When It Communicates With You About Pain Relief

The subconscious is a strange creature. It doesn't know what... Read More

I Want To Be Able To Function and Not Be Stopped by My Pain

Why Your Subconscious May Be Able To Give You a... Read More

What Is Reiki?

Reiki is an ancient form of energy healing in which... Read More

Alternative Herbal Cures for Ailments

With the increased usage of herbs for treatment of ailments... Read More

Complementary Medicine

Complementary Medicine is the use of natural therapy and medicines... Read More

Is Shiatsu Massage the Ultimate Stress Relief Treatment?

My first shiatsu massageI opened my eyes suddenly. He was... Read More

Paintings That Heal? & Children?s Healing Art? ? Right !

If you asked me a year ago if a Painting... Read More

Just The Tea FAQs: Health Benefits (Part I)

Hands up all those who can't get through the day... Read More

Tap Away Your Fears

In my workshops we use energy techniques that involve tapping... Read More

Mental Health Maintenance Is Made Simple

Your mental health is often drastically improved when you use... Read More

Holistic Methods: Color Therapy and Aura Soma in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

The human body is recognized as a series of colors,... Read More

More Fruit Constipation Remedies Part II

Here are some more constipation remedies using fruits. Try to... Read More

Relieving Chronic Pain Through Visualizations: A Three-Part Strategy

The most effective way to use the subconscious for pain... Read More

Is Alternative Medicine Proven to Work?

The most common objection to alternative medicine from conventional physicians... Read More

How Dirty Dishes And Stale Bread Saved The World

Home Remedies - Facts or Quacks?That's what I recently asked... Read More

All The GREAT Benefits You?ll EXPERIENCE When You QUIT Smoking!

Within 20 minutes ???? you can expect??..... your blood pressure... Read More

Hidden Benefits of Reflexology

The holistic therapy of reflexology has been used over the... Read More

What AreThe Symptoms Of A Sinus Headache?

Problems with sinuses, give rise to headaches, so you have... Read More

Pediatric CI Therapy - An Interview with Dr. Stephanie C. DeLuca

As each day passes, medical research communities strive to find... Read More