The lavender plant, endemic to the Mediterranean, has long been cherished for its scent, therapeutic qualities and cooking uses. Essential oil of lavender is referred to as the "mother" of aromatherapy oils by essential oils teacher Salvatore Battaglia. Lavender's flowery, yet gentle, scent is subtle and supportive. Unlike rose or jasmine flower essential oils, lavender's aroma is not overbearing but instead buoys the spirit and assists in the rebalancing of physical and mental bearings. These reasons make lavender an excellent plant for overcoming symptoms of stress.
The root of the name lavender literally means "to take away" or "remove", relating to cleaning or washing. The flowers long ago began their therapeutic history being added to bathwater for cleansing and rejuvenation. These same purple beauties found their way into the cuisine of the Mediterranean region in a blend of herbs, and in the form of a softly scented honey. French lavender, the most revered of the varieties, is known as Lavendula angustifolia -- there are now many species available, often at lower costs -- though it is the angustifolia plant that may have the most soothing effects of all.
Lavender is, by far, the most widely used and multifaceted of the common essential oils. Culling essential oil of lavender involves extracting lavendulol and ester lavendulyl acetate from the plant's delicate violet flowers. Whether cultivated at high altitudes or gathered in lowland meadows, true lavender is the most aromatic and powerful of the species and can be used with great effect in all essential oil applications. The plant's energetic qualities of balancing the nervous system make it a powerful oil for soothing nervous exhaustion, and its ability to cool the body enables lavender to combat fiery emotions, such as frustration and agitation.
While lavender's precious qualities are already widely recognized in aromatherapy, further scientific studies have shown lavender has some specific uses that may contribute to its therapeutic status as an anxiolytic, or anti-anxiety plant. A study, published in April 2009 by the School of Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire, cited lavender as an anxiety-combatant herb in an experiment involving anxiety-inducing film clips. Participants ingested 100 or 200 microls of lavender prior to viewing distressing film clips, while a control group was given a placebo. Test administrators noted a decrease in anxiety responses in both men and women, but particularly in female subjects, and specifically those given the 200 microl doses. Women showed positive heart rate responses, and men showed changes in electrodermal response readings. The study concludes that lavender has anxiolytic effects when used in lower-stress situations.
While the definition "high stress" is a subjective categorization, a fairly common source of anxiety is anticipation of a medical or dental procedure. The Medical University of Vienna implemented a test on fifty male and fifty female subjects, between the ages of 18 and 77, while the patients waited for a dental appointment. The subjects were administered ambient lavender odor and showed changes in mood and anxiety levels, suggesting the scent could be used to alleviate situation-specific stress. In a similar study in Japan, Kumugaya Geka Hospital researchers evaluated the anxiolytic effect of lavender on patients undergoing gastroscopy. The "optimal soothing environment" test group was given lavender in an essential oil burner for personal use before and during the procedure. The results: those patients with access to the lavender palliative showed lower levels of anxiety, including decreases in blood pressure, related to this potentially stressful procedure.
Recovering from medical procedures can also be extremely mentally and physically grueling. In order to test lavender's ability to combat post-procedural stress and recovery, NYU Medical Center implemented a test on twenty-five women receiving breast biopsies. Subjects were given aroma of lavender in their oxygen supply during post-procedural recovery. A promising relationship was noted between how satisfied patients were with their pain recovery and the use of lavender aromatherapy. This is significant, as control group subjects seemed to experience more discontentment with pain management post-surgery. A second study, at the same university, sought to determine whether lavender could be an effective pain management tool in laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Traditionally, opioids and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are administered to combat post-operative pain. In this study, lavender was used in conjunction with these medications to again test its efficacy as a pain-management tool. Researchers found lavender aroma lowered patient's dependence on traditional medicines, offering hope that this plant could be used with other medical procedures.
One of lavender's outstanding stress-reducing qualities is that it can reduce the severity of stress responses while not impairing one's ability to deal with the situation. While other medications can leave one feeling drowsy,, there is no label on a bottle of lavender that says "do not operate heavy machinery while under the effects of this flowery aroma". Lavender may help with the cumulative effects of pressure and worry; conditions that can leave one feeling helpless and unable to act, resulting in greater stress. Learning to incorporate healthy practices to alleviate the stress response from the start can keep one much happier and healthier in the long term; and incorporating aromatherapy into one's lifestyle is exceptionally simple to do.
Essential oil of lavender can be incorporated into carrier blends for use in massage oils, compresses, ointments and skin care. It can also be used in a bath or sitz bath and is safe for children. An ideal way to infuse an entire room (think bedroom, office or that place of constant anxiety - the car!) with the gentle scent of lavender is to place it in a diffuser or vaporizer. The flowers can be used in cooking and in making herbal decoctions and make a perfect addition to a flax seed eye pillow for sleep. Lavender is also an ideal oil to carry in our purses, pockets or vehicles for unexpected stress. Simply stop, take a deep breath and allow this delightful oil to help you recover your sense of balance and clarity.
The root of the name lavender literally means "to take away" or "remove", relating to cleaning or washing. The flowers long ago began their therapeutic history being added to bathwater for cleansing and rejuvenation. These same purple beauties found their way into the cuisine of the Mediterranean region in a blend of herbs, and in the form of a softly scented honey. French lavender, the most revered of the varieties, is known as Lavendula angustifolia -- there are now many species available, often at lower costs -- though it is the angustifolia plant that may have the most soothing effects of all.
Lavender is, by far, the most widely used and multifaceted of the common essential oils. Culling essential oil of lavender involves extracting lavendulol and ester lavendulyl acetate from the plant's delicate violet flowers. Whether cultivated at high altitudes or gathered in lowland meadows, true lavender is the most aromatic and powerful of the species and can be used with great effect in all essential oil applications. The plant's energetic qualities of balancing the nervous system make it a powerful oil for soothing nervous exhaustion, and its ability to cool the body enables lavender to combat fiery emotions, such as frustration and agitation.
While lavender's precious qualities are already widely recognized in aromatherapy, further scientific studies have shown lavender has some specific uses that may contribute to its therapeutic status as an anxiolytic, or anti-anxiety plant. A study, published in April 2009 by the School of Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire, cited lavender as an anxiety-combatant herb in an experiment involving anxiety-inducing film clips. Participants ingested 100 or 200 microls of lavender prior to viewing distressing film clips, while a control group was given a placebo. Test administrators noted a decrease in anxiety responses in both men and women, but particularly in female subjects, and specifically those given the 200 microl doses. Women showed positive heart rate responses, and men showed changes in electrodermal response readings. The study concludes that lavender has anxiolytic effects when used in lower-stress situations.
While the definition "high stress" is a subjective categorization, a fairly common source of anxiety is anticipation of a medical or dental procedure. The Medical University of Vienna implemented a test on fifty male and fifty female subjects, between the ages of 18 and 77, while the patients waited for a dental appointment. The subjects were administered ambient lavender odor and showed changes in mood and anxiety levels, suggesting the scent could be used to alleviate situation-specific stress. In a similar study in Japan, Kumugaya Geka Hospital researchers evaluated the anxiolytic effect of lavender on patients undergoing gastroscopy. The "optimal soothing environment" test group was given lavender in an essential oil burner for personal use before and during the procedure. The results: those patients with access to the lavender palliative showed lower levels of anxiety, including decreases in blood pressure, related to this potentially stressful procedure.
Recovering from medical procedures can also be extremely mentally and physically grueling. In order to test lavender's ability to combat post-procedural stress and recovery, NYU Medical Center implemented a test on twenty-five women receiving breast biopsies. Subjects were given aroma of lavender in their oxygen supply during post-procedural recovery. A promising relationship was noted between how satisfied patients were with their pain recovery and the use of lavender aromatherapy. This is significant, as control group subjects seemed to experience more discontentment with pain management post-surgery. A second study, at the same university, sought to determine whether lavender could be an effective pain management tool in laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Traditionally, opioids and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are administered to combat post-operative pain. In this study, lavender was used in conjunction with these medications to again test its efficacy as a pain-management tool. Researchers found lavender aroma lowered patient's dependence on traditional medicines, offering hope that this plant could be used with other medical procedures.
One of lavender's outstanding stress-reducing qualities is that it can reduce the severity of stress responses while not impairing one's ability to deal with the situation. While other medications can leave one feeling drowsy,, there is no label on a bottle of lavender that says "do not operate heavy machinery while under the effects of this flowery aroma". Lavender may help with the cumulative effects of pressure and worry; conditions that can leave one feeling helpless and unable to act, resulting in greater stress. Learning to incorporate healthy practices to alleviate the stress response from the start can keep one much happier and healthier in the long term; and incorporating aromatherapy into one's lifestyle is exceptionally simple to do.
Essential oil of lavender can be incorporated into carrier blends for use in massage oils, compresses, ointments and skin care. It can also be used in a bath or sitz bath and is safe for children. An ideal way to infuse an entire room (think bedroom, office or that place of constant anxiety - the car!) with the gentle scent of lavender is to place it in a diffuser or vaporizer. The flowers can be used in cooking and in making herbal decoctions and make a perfect addition to a flax seed eye pillow for sleep. Lavender is also an ideal oil to carry in our purses, pockets or vehicles for unexpected stress. Simply stop, take a deep breath and allow this delightful oil to help you recover your sense of balance and clarity.
About the Author:
Essential oils are naturally made of many individual molecular components, each of which combines for an overall synergistic effect of each particular essential oil. Learn more about essential oil chemistry, and the ways aromatherapy can support your health.
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