Aromatherapy Basics: All About Lavender

Lavender, a flowering plant native to the Mediterranean region, has long been prized for its aromatic, medicinal and gastronomic qualities. Essential oil practitioner Salvatore Battaglia tells us it is often referred to as the "mother" of essential oils. Its flowery, yet subtle, scent is gentle and supportive. Unlike many other flower-derived essential oils, its aroma is not overpowering but instead uplifts the spirit and helps the body and mind feel deeply protected and nourished. These qualities make lavender a wonderful first-line defense in alleviating stress responses.

The term lavender is derived from its Latin root levare, which means "to wash," because of its time-honored use as a bathing herb. French cooking has long incorporated lavender flowers in its bountiful cuisine, primarily in the medley herbes de Provence. The flowers also provide a unique pollen source for local bees, resulting in widely-sought lavender honey. This simple evergreen has also developed a name for itself globally as an indispensable medicinal aid in a variety of therapies. True lavender, and its relatives lavandin, maritime lavender and spike lavender, are now grown in countries ranging from Japan to Russia to Italy.

From a therapeutic standpoint, lavender is the most versatile of the essential oils used today. Employed topically, it is an excellent anti-inflammate, soothing the skin quickly whether from burns, scrapes or insect bites. When applied to the soles of the feet, the oil has a balancing effect on the nervous system, with a resulting profound relaxation and deep, restful sleep. Simple inhalation can reduce agitation and stress, bringing about a clarity of mind and calm. This can be especially helpful when stressful moments arise in the day: just keep a small sachet of lavender flowers handy ("spiked" with a few drops of pure essential oil to keep the aroma fresh) and take a few deep breaths inhaling through the nose.

Lavender has long been in the toolkit of natural health practitioners, and its efficacy is widely accepted in this community. "Western" science has more recently taken interest in validating the anti-stress (anxiolytic) effects of lavender in a great many peer-reviewed studies. Many of these are directly applicable to our daily lives. For example, researchers in England gave study participants small amounts of lavender essential oil to ingest while watching videos designed to produce physiologically measurable stress responses (higher blood pressure, heart rates, and the like). The results quite interesting: women were more susceptible to lavender's effects than men (though both genders showed positive, anti-stress effects from the oil). Women's heart rates remained significantly more stable when watching the videos under the effects of lavender, a result that could easily translate to our daily lives (inhale while driving, inhale while dealing with hungry children, inhale during husband's poker night...!)

Several studies have been published verifying lavender's anti-stress effects for patients undergoing medical procedures. In Austria, one hundred subjects inhaled lavender while waiting for their dental appointment. In Japan, participants inhaled lavender from a diffuser before undergoing surgical examinations -- in both situations, measurable and significant changes in anxiety levels were noted. And unlike many anti-anxiety drugs, lavender's effect is nearly immediate, though not overly long-lasting. Further, lavender aroma is a completely safe alternative. Lavender is considered one of the safest essential oils in use, with only the occasional allergic skin reaction reported (and this has been traced to lavender used in over-the-counter skin creams and preparations, where the essential oil has oxidized during processing and while sitting on store shelves).

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.

By Misty Allen