Lavender: One of My Favorite Healing Herbs

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For a while now I have been studying the many healing properties of herbs.  And there are so many surprises out there that as a society we simply are no longer taught unless we go on a search for ourselves.


When I first started to seriously study herbs one of the first that I looked into was lavender.  Its scent in itself was enough to intoxicate my mind, and leave me wanting more.  So of course it was a natural step to start reading about it, and when I did I was amazed at how long the list of healing properties was!


A brief lesson:  lavender (lavandula) is a part of the mint family of herbs.  It's fresh scent comes from the leaves, but also the beautiful purple blossoms.  The flowers are known to produce a  nectar that makes a delectable honey, but is only produced along the Mediterranean Sea.  A tip for growing:  Lavender likes to be planted in full sun in soil that has great drainage.  I suggest if using a pot to line the bottom with sand or rocks before planting it for best results.


And now for the fun part!  There are so very many uses for lavender it's hard to even know where to begin honestly.  Lavender honey, lavender chocolates, lavender roasted pork, deliciously fragrant teas, etc.  If you are interested in looking more into the culinary aspects of this wonderful herb here is a great site to reference:  The Lavender Cookbook.


Lavender is known as a common cure-all in so many different ways.  Among its long list of healing properties it is known to cure headaches (when I have a headache before taking any pills I like to take one drop of the essential oil and rub it on my temples and my forehead which tends to do the job of curing my headache).  It is also known to prevent migraines (drink one to two cups of lavender tea a day for this).  It can be made into an ointment and used as a powerful antiseptic, soothes bug bites and burns, and if used as a toner it can help to prevent pimples and keep skin smooth, bright and beautiful.  Queen Elizabeth I who was known for her beautiful flawless skin used a lavender splash a few times a day on her face.


To make Queen Elizabeths' lavender splash simply soak fresh lavender leaves in spring water over night and use on the face a few times a day.  It will leave your skin bright and clear and not to mention a lovely scent to smell through out the day.


Something else I have read about recently, but not tried yet, is of making it into a hair spritz using the essential oils for those of us with curly locks.  If you are interested in this here is the blog link which includes the recipe for the spritz:  Live Beautifully's Love of Lavender.


On a more metaphysical note the herb also helps to promote good dreams and deep relaxation, (some even say it helps to open the third eye and give one psychic dreams).  Try placing a sache of dried lavender in your pillow, or anointing your pillow with a little bit of the essential oil before bed (to do so put one drop of the oil on your wrist and then rub it onto your pillow and enjoy your beautiful or even psychic dreams)!  It can also be infused into a very relaxing before bed time tea.


Bed time tea blend:
-1 teaspoon of dried lavender
-1 teaspoon of dried jasmine
Mix together and steep for fifteen to twenty minutes and enjoy for a very relaxing nights sleep.


So with all of these wonderful things I would like to add one other extremely important aspect of this herb.  Simply smelling it each day can promote longevity in life.  I think it is the relaxing properties of the herb that helps to promote a longer life.  Start by wearing a dot of the essential oil on your wrists and neck, and breathe in its relaxing scent.  Find yourself calm throughout your day and ready to face your daily challenges with an even keeled attitude.  When you smell it throughout the day remind yourself to push the stress out, and feel calm coming into your mind and body.  After all it is much easier to face things with your calm and collected self rather than your stressed out self; not to mention the benefit of lower blood pressure from a more serene disposition.


So use lavender as much as possible to promote a long healthy stress free/stink free life!  Love it, and smell it's precious scent everyday.


**Note:  Please be sure that you are not allergic to lavender before using it in anything.  It can be known as a powerful allergine!  Please check with your doctor first before using it medicinally.