The herb lavender has been used for centuries for therapeutic reasons.
Abundant in perfumes, potpourris, and bath and body products, lavender’s flowers are also edible and found in the famous seasoning ingredient Herbes de Provence.
Lavender essential oil can be used as an ingredient in homemade cleaning products, including disinfecting the toilet bowl.
This herb has many other benefits, including analgesic, antibacterial, antidepressant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, sedative, and more.
Applied topically, undiluted lavender essential oil can help treat acne, athlete’s foot, and bee stings.
Lavender tea can be used as a mouthwash to eliminate bad breath or as a footbath to relieve fatigue.
Simply smelling lavender’s scent can help relieve feelings of stress and depression. Inhaling lavender has been shown in studies to significantly lower anxiety levels (but not blood pressure).
The use of lavender essential oil was found to lower overall anxiety and improve the sleep of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
To soothe cranky children (or yourself!), add lavender herb oil to bathwater.
Added to massage oil, lavender can help treat sore muscles, cellulite, and rheumatism.
"Aromatherapy: The effect of lavender on anxiety and sleep quality in patients treated with chemo therapy" by A. Ozkaraman et al., Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 4/18
"Effects of lavender on anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis" by D. Donelli et al., Phytomedicine, 12/19
