Aromatherapy For Everyday Living - The Magical Healing Powers of Lavender

The Magic of Lavender!

One essential oil I highly recommend for your medicine cabinet or first aid kit is Lavender, Extra (lavendula officinalis). Lavender is one of the most versatile and gentle of all essential oils and has universal appeal. Known as the 'Angel of Purification', Lavender enjoys the reputation of bringing clarity, emotional balance and peace of mind very quickly just by inhaling its essence.

The therapeutic Rx Index:

Lavender is an excellent remedy for headaches, colds, coughs, high blood pressure, insomnia, skin inflammation, burns and bruises. One of the most important uses of Lavender is for the relief of pain including muscular pain. Lavender is also valuable in reducing menstrual pain and an excellent remedy for women going through menopause.

Why Lavender Is Really The Magical Oil:

Lavender is the most versatile and best-loved of all essential oils, with calming, soothing, healing, and balancing properties. With its antiseptic,painkilling and antibacterial properties, lavender oil is one of the few essential oils that can be used on the body undiluted.

Using Lavender For Everyday Remedies:

*For a headache massage a drop into the temples & forehead.
*Apply a drop of oil directly to blemishes, cuts or bruises.
*To treat sunburn, add a few drops of the oil to a warm bath & disperse into the water.
*For stress, irritability and worry, place a few drops of the oil on a tissue and inhale 3 times.

The Burn Oil

Lavender has become to be known as the Burn Oil. Dr. Jean Valnet, a French army surgeon, used Lavender to treat serious burns and war injuries. Today, Lavender is being used in some hospitals to treat burns. Please use caution when using Lavender to treat burns, but it can be used on first and second degree burns very effectively. Third degree burns will require medical attention.

To Treat Burns and Hot Scalds:

Cool the infected area immediately with cool or tepid water for 10 minutes but do not use ice. Then apply a cool compress with 8-10 drops of essential oil of Lavender. Never apply ointments or vegetable oils to burns because they can fry on the skin and cause infection. Instead, use Aloe Vera Gel with the lavender mixed in (2-3 drops per tablespoon) and apply hourly to reduce pain and heal the burn. Lavender is an analgesic which will help to reduce the pain and antiseptic which will help to reduce infections and heal the burn very quickly. If you get a burn in the kitchen from touching a hot pan or steam, what I do is quickly run cool water over the burned area and then apply 3-4 drops of lavender directly onto the burn and continue this until the pain has disappeared. You will also see that the skin will probably be a little tender the next day, but will heal quickly each day as you continue to apply the lavender directly on the burn. Wash your hands after use and do not get the oil into your eyes.

Incorporate aromatherapy in your everyday living as a holistic treatment to promote overall well-being and healing on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels.

Until the next time, stay happy and be healthy.

Hugs,
Kathleen