Just admiring the endless expanses of lavender fields leads to a state of absolute well-being. In truth, this herbaceous plant, typical of the Mediterranean areas, has truly relaxing and antispasmodic properties. Here’s how you can use it to get all the benefits.
From the end of June to mid-July, between the fields and the most characteristic villages of Provence, you can witness the lavender bloom. Immense expanses of purple-hued flowers perfume the air and mark the so-called le lavender roads.
The lavender (lavandula officinalis) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family and is native to the Mediterranean areas of Europe. It is a plant that can reach, if not exceed, even one meter in height and has the characteristic bearing of a shrub. The leaves they are of a greyish green color and of a narrow and elongated shape, while his flowers they are gathered in spikes and with a characteristic violet color, but what is surprising is the intense perfume they emanate.
The properties of lavender
Property
The lavender is used as natural remedy to calm states of nervousness and irritability: in this case theinfusion of lavender is the best natural remedy to be taken into consideration, not only to regain calm, but also to relieve the discomfort due to poor digestion and reduce stomach swelling, as well as any spasms and pains.
L’essential oil of lavender it is recommended instead in case of rheumatic pains. In this case, we tend to massage the affected area of the body to benefit from the antirheumatic and anti-inflammatory properties attributed to lavender extracts.
Benefits
According to what is reported on the website of Humanities, the high content of Vitamin A lavender is particularly useful for protecting the health of the eyes and for maintaining the health of the epidermis and mucous membranes. Being a antioxidant, vitamin A can also have beneficial effects on the heart and arteries. The football contained in lavender, on the other hand, would have a role in the ability to protect bone health and could also be useful in relieving disorders due to premenstrual syndrome.
The content of ferro helps reduce the risk of anemia, as well as being essential for the production of Red blood cells. Finally i polyphenols contents from this plant help counteracting aging and the proliferation of microbes that can cause gastrointestinal problems.
How to use it
Lavender can be used in the form of mother tincture, infusion e essential oil.
As for theinfusion, you can add to a cup of boiling water, a teaspoon of dry grass (available in any herbalist’s shop); let it rest for 10 minutes and finally filter everything before drinking.
L’essential oil instead it is used both in the field of aromatherapy, therefore as a perfume diffuser in the environment, or to make the fumigate, adding a few drops to boiling water and breathing in the vapors, according to one of the oldest grandmother’s remedies for colds.
Otherwise, if you want to use thelavender essential oil to relax, there are several options: for a massage relax dilute the oil in a neutral cream with a concentration equal to 2%; for a lavender scented bath add a few drops of oil with bicarbonate to the water of the tub; finally, if you want to help you sleep, you can add a few drops of essential oil on a cloth handkerchief that you will keep near the bed to promote relaxation during the night.
Contraindications
Like many other herbs, lavender also comes not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Even those who have individual hypersensitivity to the plant should not use it in any case. L’essential oil instead it should be used for internal use only under the advice of a trusted doctor.