More than a beautiful fragrant plant...ahhh lavender!

Pure essences from aromatic plants are a natural gift to the body, mind and spirit. Essential oils are the fragrant compounds found in the seeds, stems, bark, roots, flowers and other parts of a plant. Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses plant materials, otherwise known as “essential oils”, for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood and cognitive functions and in general soothe ailments and promote good health. The beneficial effects of essential oils to the body are applied many ways, through baths, massage, compresses, vaporizers, atomizers and by simply inhaling the scent. What is important to remember however is to always use essential oils in their purest and most natural form to get the optimal results from their unique therapeutic qualities.

One of the most useful of all of nature’s essential oils is Lavender oil. The fragrance is very relaxing and calming and often used to relieve stress and anxiety or as a sleep aid. Therapeutic-grade lavender has been highly regarded for the skin. It may be used to cleanse cuts, bruises and skin irritations. There are a myriad of benefits attributed to lavender oil, from alleviating eczema, bug bites and stings, to helping with vertigo and migraines by balancing you physically and mentally.

Here are a few of the many benefits of lavender and remedies you can incorporate into your daily life:

•       Sleep Aid  Rub a few drops of lavender oil in palms, inhale deeply drawing the scent all the way into your amygdala gland (where the brain processes emotional reactions) to calm the mind. Rub some on the feet, temples and wrists for an immediate calming effect on the body. Rub a few drops of lavender oil on your palms and smooth onto your pillow.

•       Stress and Anxiety Make a mixture of lavender oil and distilled water to spritz on your face throughout the day or apply dots of oil to temples and under the nose.

•       Cuts and Wounds 
Apply “neat” (undiluted) lavender oil to cuts and wounds to stop bleeding, soothe pain, prevent bacterial infection and assists in scar-free healing.

•       Minor Burns and Sunburn
 After cooling the burned area under cold water for a few minutes, gently stroke on neat lavender oil. Pain relief is almost immediate, and burn usually heals without scarring. For sunburns, spray a lavender oil/distilled water mist directly onto the skin or pour lavender oil into a cool to lukewarm bath and soak for 10-15 minutes.

•       Eczema/Dermatitis/Dry, Chapped Skin Mix several drops of lavender oil with a nut or vegetable oil like coconut or sesame oil and use topically on eczema and dermatitis. For dry, chapped skin/lips, apply a few drops of lavender oil directly to dry or chapped area.

•       Bee Stings and Bug Bites Put a drop of oil on a bee sting or bug bite to stop itching and reduce swelling.

•       Acne 
Lavender is said to inhibit the bacteria that causes the skin infection and helps to rebalance the over-secretion of sebum, which the bacteria thrive on, and reduce scarring. Add a few drops of lavender oil to any cream sold in pharmacies and use as a moisturizer or cleanser.

•       Muscle Aches and Fatigue
 Soak in a lavender bath to soothe aches, pains and tension. Add 5 drops of lavender oil to a hot foot bath and soak your feet. The soles of the feet are particularly porous, so lavender reaches the bloodstream very quickly, exerting its stimulating and soothing effects on various systems of the body.

•       Earache 
Warm a bottle of lavender oil in hot water for a minute, then gently massage a few drops into the skin around the ears and throat.

•       Headache
 Soak a washcloth in icy cold water then sprinkle on a few drops of lavender oil and apply this compress to forehead, or massage a few drops directly onto the forehead, temples and back of neck below the hairline.

•       Menstrual Cramps
  Massage a few drops of lavender oil onto your lower abdomen or apply a hot compress with a few drops of lavender oil on it to the area.

•       Nausea or Motion Sickness  Place a drop of lavender oil on end of tongue, behind the ears or around the navel.

•       Dandruff  Rub several drops of lavender oil into the scalp to help eliminate dandruff.

•       Food Flavor  Yes, cook with it! Add a few drops of lavender to any recipe to enhance flavor. Add to water or tea, salad dressings and even dessert recipes.

It’s clear to see that Lavender is an essential oil that has the potential to raise your spirits, boost your mood, heal and promote well-being in a variety of ways. Keep this secret weapon close at hand you never know when it may come in handy!

Dena DaSilva (Las Vegas, NV/Riviera Maya, Mexico) is a health and wellness, eco-living and travel writer, active in sharing her research, experiences and knowledge on a variety of these topics. Born into a very health-conscious and fitness-crazed family, this fun-loving energetic beach lover and world traveler has a natural passion for all things promoting health, wellness, eco-conscious living and travel. She earned two BA degrees at West Virginia University and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing and International Business from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.