It’s interesting to note that the fragrant lavender oil which has been used for many years as an essential oil in perfumes has some therapeutic uses as well. Lavender oil is typically extracted from the flowers of the lavender plant mostly through steam distillation. The dried flowers of this plant have been used as a component of pot pourri mixes since many years but today researchers are discovering newer uses of this aromatic oil.
Another interesting bit of information about the lavender plant is that its name is derived from the Latin word Lavare which means ‘to wash’. What this means is that the fragrance that comes from the lavender flowers are clean and seem freshly washed. Lavender oils have many uses today apart from being used in perfumes, soaps, lotions, creams, gels etc. Researchers are beginning to understand the more therapeutic uses of this aromatic oil.
Of the many uses that have recently sprung up, it’s the antifungal property of lavender oil that is most exciting. In recent times, the number of people suffering from fungal diseases has gone up tremendously and there is very little resistance to these diseases as well. In such a scenario, essential oils such as lavender pose a better solution to tackling fungal diseases because of their antifungal properties. Here’s a look at how lavender oil can help.
Infections – Herbalists today are increasingly turning to natural methods of curing skin infections that extend to skin, hair and nails such as Athlete’s foot, ringworm and Candida Albicans by using lavender oil. All these fungal infections seem to have better chances of healing with the help of lavender oil and the best reasons are that it is economical and does not have any side effects also. Massaging with lavender oil also greatly helps the dry, scaly lesions that develop in people with eczema (Natural eczema remedies).
Alopecia – Alopecia is an autoimmune disease in which hair falls out in patches and massaging with lavender oil has shown to be greatly helpful in reducing this type of hairfall.
Psoriasis – While there is no known cure for psoriasis, which is an autoimmune disease in which the skin develops rough and scaly patches that are dry and itchy, lavender oil can greatly help in alleviating the itchiness that accompanies this disease.
Leucorrhea – A little known fact about lavender oil is that it can be used to treat leucorrhea as well. Leucorrhea is the medical term for white discharge that is a common enough problem in many women. If left untreated, it can become chronic and cause numerous problems later on. A natural way of taking care of this is through lavender oil.
Insect bites – It’s interesting to note that lavender oil can repel insects such as moths and mosquitoes and is also effective against mosquito bites. Most herb based mosquito repellants often use lavender oil as an important ingredient.
Hair care – Those suffering from lice and nits know how frustrating it can get but lavender oil is a natural way of dealing with it and helps get rid of these parasites from our hair.
Urine flow – Urinary infections are often caused by cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder and can cause pain during urination. Lavender oil encourages production of urine and reduces the inflammation as well, helping to a large extent in freeing the urine flow.
Respiratory disorders – Most respiratory disorders occur because of throat infections, flu, cold, cough and these usually get exacerbated into something more serious if left untreated. Of course, the usual method of treating these includes heavy doses of antibiotics which isn’t a good overall option any longer as we know how they can do more harm than good. However, lavender oil is an excellent natural method to alleviate these problems as it can be inhaled as vapor or applied topically to reduce the infection.
Wounds and burns – Wounds, cuts and burns heal better with the application of lavender oil as it is antiseptic and a pain reliever. It is also known to heal sunburns and also aids in the formation of scar tissue as well, encouraging the healing process and making it faster.
Researchers are trying to understand the properties of lavender oil better although they have found that it is a powerful antimicrobial and it also works as an antispasmodic treatment. Although the uses of lavender oil are still being researched, it’s being combined with various other herbal blends and essential oils to help in the treatment of insomnia, fatigue, stress and other such problems.
References
http://www.naturalnews.com/031470_lavender_oil_antifungal.html
http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/natural-essential-oils/health-benefits-of-lavender-essential-oil.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_oil
Original article here.
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