I’ve talked before about the benefits of essential oils in this blog, but I now want to focus on one of the most versatile, lavender oil. This oil is known for its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. It also has a very soothing and pleasant essence that can help you to relax and improve your mood.
Let’s look at the most beneficial aspects of lavender oil:
- It’s an antioxidant. It can be very useful in breaking up free radicals, toxins, chemicals and pollutants that can lead to disease. Free radicals are responsible for breaking down your immune system. Lavender oil increases the activity of glutathione, catalase and SOD, powerful antioxidants that help prevent or reverse oxidative stress.
- It’s a natural treatment for diabetes. Lavender essential oil treatment can help to lower increased blood glucose, control metabolic disorders and help with liver and kidney detoxification.
- It reduces stress. Lavender oil can be used to treat neurological issues like migraines, stress, anxiety and depression. Even better, there are usually no adverse side effects, drug interactions or withdrawal symptoms that you can get from pharmaceuticals.
- It can increase cognitive functions. Inhaling lavender essential oil vapor can help to prevent brain oxidative stress and improve cognitive impairment, including treating Alzheimer’s disease.
- It’s a natural healing agent. Lavender oil can prevent infections and heal bacterial and fungal disorders. It speeds the healing of burns, cuts, scrapes and wounds. It’s even more powerful when it’s combined with other essential oils, like clove, cinnamon and tea tree oil.
- It promotes collagen synthesis for healthier skin and hair. Used topically, lavender oil improves skin conditions like acne and soothes rashes due to allergic reactions. It also can help to reverse signs of aging.
- It helps with headaches and sleeping disorders. Lavender oil is the best essential oil for a headache because it induces relaxation and relieves tension. It also works as a sedative, anti-anxiety, anticonvulsant and calming agent, improving sleep and fighting insomnia.
- It helps relieve pain. Lavender oil is a natural painkiller. Applying directly on the skin, it can reduce inflammation and pain intensity, helping to alleviate the symptoms. It’s also excellent to relive menstrual pain and cramping.
Use of lavender oil is completely safe and can be used many ways. You can rub it directly on your neck, chest and temples, inhale it through a diffuser, add it into a bath with a few drops along with Epsom salts and as a compress by adding a few drops to a washcloth.
If you are taking prescription medication for sleep-related disorders or for depression, be aware that lavender can increase the intensity of these medications. It’s best to consult your doctor if you are pregnant or if using on young children. You should also be careful if you have a sensitive digestive system.
