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Thursday 5 January 2023

Lovely Lavender - has natural health and healing benefits


Sharing an article by Mark Sisson, he writes:

"10 Natural Health Benefits and Healing Uses of Lavender
Humans have been using lavender as a culinary, cosmetic, aroma-therapeutic, and hygienic herb for at least several thousands years. In the Bible, Mary uses lavender (“very costly”) to anoint the feet of Jesus. In ancient Egypt, embalmers used lavender in the mummification process. Roman bathhouses often scented the water with lavender petals and women throughout the Mediterranean—where it grows natively—used it in hair oils, perfumes, and makeup. It became so ubiquitous as a fragrance in cleansing agents and bathing that the name “lavender” itself comes from the root Latin word for washing—lavare.

It turns out that the ancients were right about lavender. It is a valuable herb that you can use to enhance your health, sleep, cooking, baths, and overall quality of life by incorporating it into your daily routines and regimens.

Breathe in the aroma
Lavender aroma relieves anxiety and mental tension.

Drink lavender tea
Like chamomile, lavender tea improves sleep, reduces anxiety, and it can even lower depression scores

Make perfume
Lavender oil makes a nice, chemical-free alternative to perfumes and colognes, especially combined with a more woody scent like sandalwood. Dab a little at the back of your neck or wrists to smell clean and light.

Take a Roman lavender bath
The Romans would add fresh lavender to their public baths. They ruled much of the known world for over a thousand years, so they knew a thing or two. Adding either oil or fresh lavender buds to a hot bath will make an already-relaxing bath even more relaxing via two routes—topical absorption and aromatic absorption.

Use lavender at bedtime to sleep more deeply
Lavender helps you to sleep better, sleep faster, and sleep more deeply.

Topical lavender to soothe skin
Is your skin burned, chafed or irritated? Add some lavender oil to your moisturizer or a spray water bottle and apply or mist your skin generously.

Make sweet, fresh-scented laundry
Instead of using chemical-laden dryer sheets, tie up a bundle of lavender blossoms in a cloth and add them to the dryer cycle when you do laundry. Be sure to shake out your clothes after they dry to get rid of any residue from the lavender. You’ll have to replace the lavender in between drying cycles.

Use lavender on cuts and scrapes
Lavender oil applied to wounds can actually improve and speed up wound healing. Add a few drops to carrier oil (coconut, olive, avocado) and apply it to wounds when they occur. Lavender has antiseptic properties, too, so the lavender oil blend can act as a comfortable alternative to more painful antiseptic sprays (great option for kids).

Use lavender on your scalp
When applied to the scalp, lavender may stimulate the growth of hair follicles. It also exhibits anti-dandruff activity. An easy way to make a lavender “shampoo” is to add a few drops of lavender oil to a single raw egg yolk. Apply to wet hair and rub it in. Leave it in for a couple minutes, then rinse.

Another option is to steep lavender as you would to make tea; allow to cool and use as a rinse daily until dandruff clears up.

Cook with lavender
Lavender gives a unique floral accent to many dishes. It goes particularly well with lamb, grilled fruits, and higher fat cuts of meat. One really nice way to use it is to grill peach halves wrapped in bacon and then finish with fresh lavender flowers, crushed black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
Do be warned: a little bit of culinary lavender goes a long way.

As it turns out, lavender is much more than just a nice smell."

The above is a snippet from Marks original article which can be seen (with relevant links) here

~ xxx ~ ooo ~ xxx ~

Growing up I can remember using lavender bags, they were hung in wardrobes or put in drawers. They did smell lovely ... have you ever used them? Do you use lavender?
Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Please note that articles within this blog are provided for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider.

All the best Jan

40 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

I used to have the lavender bags too. I love the smell very relaxing.

Jenny Woolf said...

Lavender tea can be really relaxing but for me it has to be very high quality lavender, and loose leaf tea as well, not in a teabag. I hope you have a wonderful 2023 and look forward to your posts.

Bob Bushell said...

Happy new year 2023 to you. I love lavender.

Tom said...

...when I was in the nursery business I could sell every lavender plant that I had. People are lavender crazy!!!

DUTA said...

I use lavender in cupboards for its nice smell, and wash my hands with a lavender based gel.

Marit said...

I have also used lavenderbags. I grow a lot of lavender in my garden in Norway :)
Thank you for a interesting post.

HappyK said...

I love lavender and it is something that I have growing in my garden. It smells heavenly. Thanks for all the facts.

William Kendall said...

Quite a lot of uses.

J.P. Alexander said...

Adoro la lavanda, te mando un beso.

Jeff said...

We have planted it around the fence of the garden and it does seem to deter the deer. Also use the flowers inside the house when in bloom.

Christine said...

Lovely plant

aussie aNNie said...

Who knew lavender had so many uses, great info. x

Elephant's Child said...

I put lavender oil on my pillow cases - for the scent and for its calming properties.

peppylady (Dora) said...

I never tried lavender in cooking. But I known some who made jelly with it.
Coffee is on and stay safe

Lady Caer Morganna said...

Great information! I love lavender - thank you!

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

I love lavender - its smell and color. And the relaxing atmosphere it creates. Lovely post.
Have a nice weekend:)

Jo said...

Knitters, like myself, often have little lavender bags which we pop in with our wool. As well as keeping everything smelling nice, it's used to help repel moths which can devastate a wool stash.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Why is lavender associated with old people? And why is it difficult to grow in my garden but it's OK in the neighbours' gardens? I have tried ... that and rosemary. They both dry up and die.

God bless.

Donna said...

Love lavender!
Hope you enjoyed your holidays...Stay well friend!
hughugs
Donna

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
I love the scent of lavender, it does have many uses.
Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend.

My name is Erika. said...

Lavender is so pretty. I finally found a farm I could visit this summer when the fields are in bloom. And wow, is does do a lot of good things too.

Jeanie said...

I love lavender as a flower and as a homeopathic calming agent. Visiting the lavender farm last summer was such a treat. I just wanted to live in those fields!

R's Rue said...

I love lavender.

Magaly Guerrero said...

I just started to regrow my hair, and lavender is one of the things I've been using to help my follicles get in the mood. Fingers crossed.

Happy New Year!

It's me said...

Looooove lavender …happy weekend 💜💜💜🍀

Bill said...

Lavender has so many benefits and smells good too.

Sandra Cox said...

Wow. I love lavender but didn't realize how many uses it had. The addition to the dryer is particularly interesting.
Hope you had Happy Holidays, Jan.

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderful info post on lavender ~ xo

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Lowcarb team member said...

Victor S E Moubarak said...
Why is lavender associated with old people? And why is it difficult to grow in my garden but it's OK in the neighbours' gardens? I have tried ... that and rosemary. They both dry up and die.

God bless.

Hello Victor, many thanks for your comment.

You asked "Why is lavender associated with old people?"

Lavender dates back several thousand years but in more modern times our own Queen Victoria (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was a fan of lavender she required all of her furniture be polished with a lavender-based solution. I think this way of cleaning and polishing came to be even more embedded in society, and I can remember visiting my Grandmothers house and there was always a wonderful smell of lavender. We saw Dear Grandma as old (bless her) so perhaps that is why many of us now associate lavender with old people. I don't know for sure just a thought!

Sorry you have problems growing lavender and rosemary perhaps you should ask our blogging friend Tom ... he knows a fair amount about gardening. There may also be other blogging friends that could share some hints and tips alternatively check out the Royal Horticultural Society web-site.

They give tips on How to Grow Lavender here
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/lavender/growing-guide

and use the link below for tips about Rosemary
https://www.rhs.org.uk/herbs/rosemary/grow-your-own

All the best Jan

Valerie-Jael said...

Lavender is always beautiful! Valerie

Mary Kirkland said...

And it's very pretty.

Teresa said...

La lavanda es preciosa, me gusta mucho. Besos.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I have tried to grow lavender for five years and it never lasts through either the summer or winter if I'm lucky enough for it to last through autumn. I have a couple of lavender bags, one of which I have in my unmentionables drawer.

Conniecrafter said...

very interesting, I was told by my doctor to get some aspercreme for my hand that I injured and I found some that roll on and it has lavender in it, I thought that was just to cover the smell of the rub but maybe they have it in there for more healing.

Lorrie said...

I grow lavender and often dry it and make sachets for the linen closet.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Thank you Jan. I bought some more rosemary and will try again. Will check the links you gave.

Good point about polishing furniture with lavender. That may well be the connection to elderly people. I know a few who smelled of lavender. You could not distinguish amongst them in the dark because they all smelled the same.

God bless.

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Beautiful plant. (I planted a few of these this past year, then we had an usually dry Summer, so despite frequent watering, they weren't looking too good by the Fall. I'm hoping they come back in the Spring.)

Divers and Sundry said...

I finally found a rosemary suited to my climate, but this record-breaking cold has killed it :( I'll wait 'til spring to make sure, but it doesn't look promising.

Debbie said...

i have grown lavender...i always dry it, put it in little jars, and share it with family and friends!!

The Happy Whisk said...

I love lavender in Herbs de Provence. So good!