Lavender flowers grows very well in sunny, open areas. They loves well-drained soil, slightly sweet. This also can be created in a less ideal soils, with the addition of lime. Lavender plants are very hard to propagate from seed, and it is best to buy established plants from a hotbed.
As a flower, Lavender has a purple colour and the colour purple from time past has been associated with the crown chakra, which is any of the several points of physical or spiritual energy in the human body (this is according to yoga philosophy).
The crown which is also known as the 7th chakra is located at the top of the head and the highest vibration in the physical body is the vibration of the crown. This expression is appropriate as the Lavender flowers are often used for healing purposes and elevating our vibration to the highest level possible is one of the easiest path to healing.
Lavender before now, has been used extensively in aromatherapy and for treatment of minor injuries. Lavender infusions are accepted to bring calmness to burns, insect bites, acne, headaches and inflammatory conditions.
Bunches of lavender flowers are also known to be insects repellent. Research has also shown that Lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation. Also, an infusion of lavender flower-heads to a cup of boiling water is used to soothe and relax at bedtime.
1. Lavender relieves anxiety.
Lavender essential oil is approved for use as an anxiolytic (a drug that relieves anxiety) in Germany under the name Lasea. According to a survey paper on lavender and the nervous system which was published in the year 2013, has this to say; “there is growing evidence suggesting that lavender oil may be an effective medicament in treatment of several neurological disorders.” Although researches in this regards are limited.
2. Lavender can help minor burns and bug bites.
Lavender in our world today is more than just a fragrant plant. As researches has shown, lavender are also used for medicinal and therapeutic benefits. They are herbs that are native to northern Africa and the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean.
They are also believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that can help in the treatment of minor burns and bugs bites. We will focus on the various benefits that one can get through having lavender flowers or the consist use of lavender essential oil. It is important that you pay close attention to all the health benefits that will be explained and the possible way of achieving some of them.
3. Air purification.
Because of the special features that lavender plants possess and the aromatic fragrance that emanates from it, your home will be free from chemical substances created from your electronic devices, cooking items, air conditioner, and other chemicals that are carried through your windows into your home.
Apart from the sweet fragrance ability of lavender plants you enjoy in your home, they also improve the quality of air. Lavender plant improves air quality as during photosynthesis, they absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen which is essential for the human body.
A study carried by scientist established that plants like lavender remove chemical pollutants in the air and increase the level of oxygen which gives you a very healthy home or office environment.
4. Exotic look.
Lavender are generally exotic in their look. They come in different amazing sizes and shapes. The different species of lavender have their different looks, although they all looks similar and beautiful. Their exotic look however, is seen more when you place them in a container or in a pot within your garden.
5. Environmental beautification.
The more peaceful, relax, and beautiful your environment where you spend your resting time in the mornings, evenings and weekends is, the more your ability to manage the stress that you have gathered during the course of the week activities.
A visible advantage of having lavender flower in your home is that it can beautify your environment and the visible appearance of your home. You can join your lavender with some objects in your home to give them a perfect outlook.
Lavender plants creates a very warm environment for your home. The greatest aspect of this plant is when they are expertly kept in flowering pot and specially placed at the entrance of the house for captivating appearance.
6. Lavender improves sleep quality.
Lavender inhalation can help with insomnia (the condition of not being able to sleep) and improve sleep quality by reducing stress response and lowering resting heart rate. Insomnia is a nagging problem that keeps you awake, tossing and turning throughout the night.
Lavender oil increases you sleep efficiency by allowing deeper and longer. When you reduce your caffeine consumption and add more exercise, it might also help to induce sleep. At times, these efforts and others remedies does not work. Given to lack of proper sleep at night, you end up a groggy mess during the daytime.
If insomnia is your problem and you are willing to try something new for a restful night’s sleep, a research work published in March 2017 in the British Association of Critical Nurses found out that “lavender essential oil is an effective remedy in improving the sleep quality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients who had difficulty sleeping”.
Also, the brain of ten healthy women who were exposed to lavender odour was examined by scientist and it was discovered that lavender increases both brain arousal and feelings of relaxations.
Maybe you have tried other sleep remedies and all to no avail, why not try lavender essential oil. It is very simple, get lavender essential oil and place a few drops on your pillow before going to sleep tonight. Take care not to ingest it, or any other essential oil, this is because by so doing, you may pose health harms.
7. Lavender helps treat skin blemishes.
Just like other variety of essential oils, lavender is also excellent for dermatology use.
For those suffering from skin inflammation, acne, or eczema, applying lavender essential oil to the affected spot could play a major role in treating blemishes and ease inflammation. This is according to a study that was published in May 2017 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. If your skin is very sensitive, it is important that you dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil or water.
Also, the antioxidant activity of lavender could contribute to the healing of wounds.
It is also important that you consult your dermatologist before adding lavender essential oil to your skincare regimen, this is to make sure that it doesn’t interact with any of the medication that you are currently taking.
8. Lavender reduces stress.
Too much stress on the heart that is, as result of chronic high blood pressure puts the health of our heart at risk of several complications such as stroke and heart attack.
These health concerns can however be moderated and controlled. Lavender oil decreases heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, indicating a decrease in the flight or fight response.
A research paper, published in 2017 in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research discovered that “when 40 people inhaled lavender essential oil after open-heart surgery, they reduced their blood pressure and heart rate, suggesting the oil had a positive effect on their vital signs”.
This was however not conclusive as the authors noted that more research is required on this possible benefit namely, “a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard for medical research, with a larger sample size”.
9. Lavender relieves asthma symptoms.
Given to the anti-inflammatory properties of lavender, they may also help to improve bronchial asthma. A research work on mice, which was published in July 2014 in the journal Life Sciences discovered that “lavender essential oil had a positive impact on respiratory health, relieving allergic inflammation and mucus hyperplasia”. Although this research is inclusive because whether the same effect would be obtainable in humans remains unclear.
10. Lavender lessens menopausal hot flashes.
A common menopause symptom that affects several women are hot flashes or hot flushes. This often causes a sudden feeling of heat over their body, which can make the face flushed and also trigger perspiration. But when you use lavender aromatherapy for about twenty (20) minutes and twice a day, it could help to reduce menopause flashing and improve quality of life. This is according to a research work published in the Journal of Chinese Medical Association in September 2016.
11. Lavender helps combat fungus growth.
There are reasonable numbers of researches highlighting the potential antifungal properties of lavender. A study that was published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology discovered that lavender essential could be effective in combating antifungal resistant infections.
Other researchers suggest that lavender essential oil could be effective in inhibiting the growth of certain types of fungus, such as C. albicans. Lavender essential oil can also act as a remedy for the treatment of ringworm and athlete’s foot, which are also caused by fungus, according to another research.
12. Lavender helps promote hair growth.
Lavender is possibly an effective means of treating alopecia areata. (This is a situation of hair loss in some or all areas of ones body).
Studies have shown that lavender can promote the growth of hair by 44 percent between seven months of treatment.
In yet another research, application of lavender essential oil to the backs of mice once a day, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks, saw an increase in their number of hair follicles and a thicker dermal layer. With this, researchers were made to believe that lavender oil could potentially be used as agent for promoting hair growth, although more researches are still needed in this regards since mouse are not human beings.