Our last post, was about the household must-have Tea Tree Oil, this week we will be talking about an equally amazing essential oil – Lavender. In my experience, Lavender is one of those oils that you either really love, or really can’t stand. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of middle ground on this one, and that’s alright. We can’t like every essential oil, now can we? 😉
Depending on where you purchase your essential oils from, you’ll notice that there are 3-4 different species that are most commonly used. The most common one being Lavendula Angustifolia (also referred to as French Lavender or “true” Lavender), however there is also Lavendula Stoechas, Lavendula Latifolia, and Lavendula x Intermedia (also referred to as Lavandin).
The essential oil produced from Lavendula Angustifolia is called the “universal oil” because it has so many different applications.
The term Lavender is derived from it’s Latin root levare, which means “to wash”, because of it’s time-honoured use as a bath time herb. This Essential oil is referred to as the “mother” of Aromatherapy oils by Aromatherapy teacher Salvatore Battaglia, because Lavender’s flowery, yet gentle scent is subtle and supportive. Lavender is one of the oldest medicinal herbs, clocking in over 2500 years of recorded use. Now if that isn’t amazing, then I don’t know what is!
Lavender’s versatility has been long ago acknowledged by Aromatherapists and Naturopaths, however current scientific research is verifying Lavender’s ability to work as an anxiety-combatant plant. It is known for it’s healing effects on burns and all types of skin wounds; it’s mild sedative effects, and being a fantastic antimicrobial oil. The fact that there are also no contraindications to Lavender oil, is just one more win for Lavender!
Beyond the wonders it works all sorts of skin ailments, this essential oil is also amazing for the respiratory system in the treatment of sinusitis, spasmodic coughing and throat infections. When it comes to the muscular and skeletal system this oil is ahhh-ma-zing in helping to reduce muscular aches and pains as well as aiding in providing more comfort to arthritis sufferers. Some of the less known uses for this oil are for the relief of flatulence, working as an insect repellant (safe even for babies!), calming nausea and colic, lowering blood pressure, not to mention fighting viral infections along with colds and flus.
Not to forget the amazing things Lavender oil can do for the Nervous system and the brain/mind! It is very useful in dealing with burnout, shock, vertigo, headaches and migraines, nervous tension, depression, mental exhaustion, as well as stress and agitation.
Needless to say that this oil really is another must-have for every household. With so many varying uses, it is nothing shy of amazing! If it’s not an oil you currently have in your repertoire, I highly recommend buying some!
Don’t forget to check back in 2 weeks for our next post about another fantastic essential oil. Any guesses on which one it might be?