Lavender

The word lavender comes from the Latin lavare, It means to cleanse, to wash, to bathe.. It was one of the favorite aromatics used by the Romans in connection with their bathing activities. They probably introduced the plant to England, and ever since then it has been a great favorite with women. It is widely used as a toilet water, and forms the principal ingredient of many potpourri and sachets. In earlier times it was used to strew the floors of houses and churches on festive occasions, and was very popular in toilet waters and vinegars.

Lavender is cultivated in many European countries, but the best quality has always come from England. It used to be grown principally in Mitcham, Surrey, but with the disruption of two worlds wars, and the steady growth of London this area is no longer productive. It is now grown farther south in Surrey, and in Hertfordshire, Kent, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire.

The fresh, clean scent of lavender needs no description, neither does the plant. The essence is widely used in perfumery, especially in toilet waters, and is still an extremely popular scent. The oil is clear, and has a fairly mild, bitter taste. It blends well with a great number of essences, adding a light, floral softness to almost any mixture.

Lavender has a soothing effect on inflammation, although this is not as pronounced as in chamomile; hence its use in burns, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, boils, rheumatism, wounds, ulcers, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, cystitis, diarrhea, laryngitis, and so on. In most of these conditions its antiseptic properties are also of value. It is good for catarrhal discharges (leucorrhoea, gonorrhea, bronchitis, etc), and is also a mild analgesic, which enhances its value in most of the above conditions. It is good for rheumatic or muscular aches and pains, and is a useful ingredient for massage oils, especially for athletes and sportsmen.

Lavender is a good antispasmodic (asthma, bronchitis), carminative, and stomachic (colic, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, dyspepsia), especially when these conditions are associated with nervous or emotional problems. It increases gastric secretion and intestinal motility. Its antiseptic properties are especially suited to combating halitosis, and it is an excellent skin antiseptic. It may be used in any skin condition (dermatitis, eczema, acne, psoriasis, etc.) and is also effective against certain skin parasites (lice, scabies). It has proved to be an effective remedy in some cases of Alopecia Areata, and may be used for all types of baldness, especially when associated with nervous problems. It may be used for nervous tension, palpitations) and lowers high blood-pressure. It is a mild local analgesic, and calms cerebro-spinal excitability; it is renowned for its nervine-sedative properties, and has proved valuable in a variety of nervous and psychological disorders, including depression, insomnia, migraine, hysteria, nervous tension, and paralysis. As a sedative-analgesic it is very good for headache and migraine. Lavender is rather like geranium, in that it has a predominantly normalizing, rather than yin or yang quality, hence its considerable versatility.

A lavender bath is refreshing, relaxing, and almost inevitably therapeutic, whatever the case. It warms the heart, and steadies the emotions, and makes a very good evening bath for those who have difficulty in sleeping. In many ways lavender is similar to chamomile but it is less toxic and more neutral, chamomile being fairly yin. A warm lavender bath or footbath is very good for relieving physical or nervous fatigue.

Lavender is an effective remedy for most snake and insect bites, including that of the Black Widow spider

www.abluo-uk.co.uk lavenderoil.me.uk/blog/ Author Derek Fitzpatrick This article can be freely distributed and copied only if there is no editing and links are retained in this document

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