Lovely Lavender
Everyone loves lavender. My partner included (he loves it in the herbs de Provence). So every time I ask him which kitchen herb I should write about next he says lavender. And I would sigh and go, “nope”. Lavender is a huge topic. I could easily have lavender be one of my herbal classes. There are books upon books just about lavender. And quite frankly, it’s easier to talk about what lavender doesn’t do than what it does do.
That being said, I would argue that all herbs do way more than we can imagine. However, people loooovvee lavender. And that love and popularity has made it so that as herbalists we frequently use it and it’s been studied quite a bit. Meaning we know more about what it can do than other less popular herbs.
I try to be as practical as I can with clients. Meaning when they have an imbalance and they reach out to me and I ask them what they have in their house (in case they have something and then they don’t have to buy anything else). And most people have lavender essential oil and a carrier oil on hand.
So I have recommended lavender treatments for various skin issues, wounds, stress and anxiety, digestion, sleep issues, headaches (though I had one person where lavender actually triggered migraines) and trauma with great success.
As far as all the other things that lavender does… As I said before, what it has been used historically for has been endless. But for those who are interested here is a list of some of the more common things herbalists have used lavender for:
- Anti (pretty much everything it seems like) viral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antispasmodic, anti-depressant, antioxidant
- Lavender is touted as a great first aid herb because of all the “anti’s” above.
- Hopefully the list above also encourages you to think of colds, flus, internal and external inflammation issues
- A variety of skin issues from acne to abscesses to sun damage to bug bites and stings
- Digestive aid – from everything from sluggish digestion and gas to nausea and vomiting
- It’s been used to induce sweating (this could be helpful to break fevers)
- Tonifying the spleen (in Chinese Medicine think: helping anxiety, circular thoughts, etc.)
- Heart and high blood pressure tonic
- Lung health
- Ear, nose, and throat issues – particularly for infants
- Sleep imbalances
- Vaginal imbalances
- During the birthing process
Note: While lavender is quite safe it is recommended not to take large amounts when pregnant.
I hope what this post (and my other kitchen herb posts) shows you is that you don’t need exotic herbs to help you improve your health. A lot of times you have what you need right in your very own kitchen or yard. It’s understanding when and how much of an herb that can be so dependent on the success of working with an imbalance.
Please note: I want to highlight that I use lavender the plant just as much as I do essential oil. Please never ingest essential oil or put it directly on the skin without a carrier oil.
If you are interested in learning more about herbs and Chinese Medicine can help you or your child’s imbalances please feel free to reach out to me here to book a free 15 minute consultation.
*Disclaimer* None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. This article is meant solely for educational purposes. Please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications
Works Cited
Green, James. The Male Herbal. Crossing Press, 2007.
McBride, Kami. The Herbal Kitchen. Conari, 2010.
Tisserand, Robert. The Art of Aromatherapy. Tisserand Aromatherapy, 1996.
Winston, David, and Steven Maimes. Adaptogens : Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Rochester, Vermont, Healing Arts Press, 2019.
