☀ It is a balancing herb that supports the nervous system and it is helpful in alleviating anxiety and nervousness. It is not a sedative, so you can use it during the day.
☀︎ Lavender is a nervine, anxiolytic, carminative, and helpful with stagnant depression.
☀︎ It is particularly useful in helping you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and it diminishes nightmares. If you have a serious issue with sleep, consider combining this with other herbs that help you relax and sleep such as: hops, valerian, California poppy, wild lettuce, catnip, lemon balm, or passionflower. Or find an herbal formula of a tincture or capsule containing herbs that will help you sleep. Generally, these are found at your local health food store.
☀︎ Like many aromatic plants, it is helpful with digestion, helping with gas and nausea.
☀︎ The essential oil of lavender is like a pharmacy in a bottle. Mix 15 drops, or so, of the essential oil with two to three tablespoons of a carrier oil, like grapeseed oil, to help bring down the irritation in stings, heal burns, reduce the pain of tension headaches, and help soothe sore muscles. Make sure the essential oil is from a reputable producer.
☀︎ It is antibacterial and has a long history of use in cleaning products and cosmetics.
☀︎ Create a room spray by combining 1 ounce of vodka or rubbing alcohol, and 30 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle, add 4 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle.
☀︎ Or instead of adding it to a room spray, use it in an aromatherapy diffuser.
☀︎ To make a large cup of tea, blend a very small amount of flowers, less than 1/4 tsp with a teaspoon of tastier herb such as chamomile, spearmint, or lemon balm. Pour recently boiled hot water over top, cover with a lid of any kind, and drink after at least 5 minutes.
☀︎ Here’s a recipe I love for the skin.
Lavender Balm for the Skin
Using a kitchen scale, measure the following ORGANIC ingredients in a clean saucepan:
15 g beeswax
30 g shea butter
30 g sweet almond oil
30 g calendula infused sunflower or olive oil
30 g rosehip oil
Using very low heat, slowly and patiently heat the oils and wax until these are homogenous, that is, all mixed together as one oil. Do not let it cook or get too hot. A bain-marie or double boiler would be a good idea, but it is not necessary if you are carefully watching and not distracted. Too much heat destroys the more delicate and beneficial aspects of the oils.
Then take the saucepan off the heat and add:
30 drops lavender oil
Pour into clean glass containers.
(adapted from my previous posted recipe for Winter Balm)
☀︎ It can also be used in small amounts, like 1 teaspoon dried flowers, in sugar cookies.
☀︎ Caution: Use the essential oil topically or as a room spray. Do not take the essential oil internally.
As always, the information in this blog post is not a substitution for medical care from a medical professional. If you need help, seek it out, you are always worth the best care.