Purple and smelling sweet, this common flower has pride of place in many gardens. Yet this delicate plant has some surprising qualities that make it a worthy addition to any wellbeing practice.
WHAT
Everybody has in mind the luscious lavender fields in the South of France and the captivating smell of its purple flowers. Beyond its picturesque looks, lavender is also a therapeutic plant which is mainly known for its beneficial effects on the nervous system. The beautiful flowers can be processed in such a way to create a wide variety of useful products such as teas, infused oils, alcoholic extracts, and essential oils.
WHY
Lavender is mostly known as a relaxing herb which can balance emotions by both calming and lifting the mood. It can act both internally when ingested, but also externally thanks to its unique fragrance. It is very commonly used in the evening to relax and set the tone for a good night’s sleep. Less known benefits of this herb include soothing the digestive system by reducing abdominal spasm and pain, and relieving headaches.
HOW
A very common way to include lavender in your lifestyle is to diffuse the essential oil in your working or sleeping environment: use lavender on its own adding a couple of drops in your essential oil diffuser, or create your own ambience blend by combining it with other floral essential oils (geranium, chamomile, jasmine, etc.). I enjoy it as a herbal tea, and here too it can be blended with other floral teas, such as rose petals. Lavender can be used therapeutically as an herbal medicine, but for this you would need to seek advice from a qualified naturopath or herbalist.
