Lavender

This pure essential oil is native to the Mediterranean. The founder of Aromatherapy started modern research of Essential Oils when he experienced the benefits of Lavender Essential Oil after applying it to a burn on his hand. Lavender has a long tradition as a beauty and well-being aid (Latin "lavare" means "to wash"!) and in Europe it is even used in hospitals to help patients relax.

Unfortunately Lavender is frequently "cut" (stretched) with synthetic compounds, so make sure you buy your Lavender from a reputable source, committed to quality and purity.

It grows in open fields and on mountain slopes, giving off an intense aroma when it blooms. It is primarily grown and harvested in Provence, France. The most potent, or strongest, form of Lavender is the pure essential oil and the finest pure essential oil is distilled from Lavandula Officinalis. This variety only grows at altitudes above 3000 feet.

Lavender's Therapeutic Effect

The fresh flowers contain up to 0.5% of volatile oil. The 3 best known active ingredients in Lavender essential oil are geraniol, cineole, and coumarin.

Lavender can also help with certain conditions

It is know to help with skin irritations. Lavender water helps to promote good circulation in the skin. You can either buy the lavender water pre-made, or you can very easily make your own. To make your own lavender water, add 3 drops of lavender oil to 1 quart of distilled water, and dab, or spray, on daily.

Lavender oils can help with insomnia because it has a very calming effect, which can help a person relax under stress, and lets face it, we all have stress in our lives. Put some lavender oil on a cloth, or aromatherapy stone, and put it next to your bed. This will help you sleep at night. A true story to this, my wife had lavender on a cloth and used this during her first labor. She would take deep breaths of the lavender aroma and it did help keep her stay relaxed, to a certain extent.

Lavender can relieve nerve pain caused by neuralgia, which is a recurrent pain along a nerve. You can easily make a combination to rub on the area. Just mix 10 drops of lavender oil with 2 tablespoons of St. John's Wart oil and rub into affected area. Continue doing this until the pain goes away.

As always with essential oils, you should ensure you buy from a reputable and credible source. The oils should be 100% pure essential oils. This means there is nothing else in the oil, except for the essential oil itself.

With the many problems Lavender can help alleviate, it should be a staple for any medicine cabinet. From headaches, to nervousness, to stress, to infections, to just relaxing, it can help with all of these conditions. It is one of the few essential oils, which helps with the "balance" of your body. This is why it can help with so many items, and when you can have a natural remedy, provided by nature, why would you use anything else? Get you balance back today, start using Lavender essential oils.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Aromatherapy
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