Lavender: Contraindications, Side Effects, Benefits And Uses

The lavender or lavender is a plant characterized by a series of medicinal benefits predominated by being relaxing for the body. Its origin dates from the Mediterranean, it is a wild plant that grows in dry lands. It is used mainly in the cosmetic industry for the production of products suitable for beauty and body care.

It is known that it is part of the Labiadas family, its leaves are thin with an intense violet, bluish or purple color. Its flowers are separated from each other. In aromatherapy, its seeds are widely used to purify the environment, generating a pleasant aroma. Great are its digestive, tranquilizing, beautifying, protective properties and benefits.

You are sure to be interested in this article about  Lavender Oil: Contraindications, Properties and Benefits

What is lavender?

The lavender is a perennial shrub of the labiates family, it is also known as lavender. A rich essential oil is obtained from this plant. It is a very popular plant, whether due to the unmatched beauty of its flowers or the pleasant aroma, it blooms in approximately August. We invite you to continue reading this article to learn more about this beautiful plant.

Origin of the lavender

The origin of this beautiful plant is known from the dry soils of the Mediterranean, in the mountains, it is a wild plant that worships the sun, there is also a record that comes from Africa, and little by little it has been cultivated in other territories of the world such as in Europe, the United States or Australia. Whether in an ornamental, commercial or medicinal way

We also recommend  Lavender Plant: Care, Contraindications and Medicinal Uses

History of the lavender

For centuries this wild plant has been known where great civilizations such as the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, the Arabian people and the mummies lived, therefore there were several functions they gave it, such as bathing, aromatizing the environment, cooking or others.

In such a way that Roman civilizations used it for such functions, and it is believed that its name comes from there, which gave it the meaning of lavare or washed, and livendula which means bluish. One of the most convincing records of the existence of this wild plant is the mention of it in the Bible, respectively in the Gospel of Luke, “Then Mary took a pound of the perfume of pure spikenard of much price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped her feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the smell of perfume. ”Let us clarify that tuberose was the name by which she was known.

This scented spike is known to be very harmonious so it promotes love. In ancient times they used to place the clothes on the lavender crops so that they were perfumed and dried in the sun.

At the time of Christ, according to the stories, it was considered as sanctified silver since the clothes of the Child Jesus were dried, the clothes adopted the natural fragrance of lavender, which is why since then this plant is consecrated, blessed, it is used as protection in The homes using two spikes in the shape of a cross and are placed at the entrance of the house, since then its cultivation for medicinal purposes has been very common.

Characteristics of the lavender

It is a wild plant belonging to the labiates family , it grows in dry and rocky terrain, its flowers are purple and are not attached, it can grow about 2 meters maximum. Its leaves are green with a single nerve that grows upwards, it blooms especially from the month of August, it is a medicinal plant that gets along well with the sun.

We suggest reading this article about  Lavender Essential Oil

Scientific name of lavender

The lavender is of the lavender species, it is of wild origin adaptable to dry and warm climates, and rocky terrain its scientific name is Lavandula angustifolia, which was used at that time to clean the home or perfume the environment.

Chemical composition of lavender

Among its flowers, lavender contains tannins, coumarins, eucalyptol, linalol, alpha-terpinol, d-borneol, camphor, alphaterpinene, geraniol, terpenic alcohols, Alfapinene, eugeneol, tannins, for all these and many other chemical components the lavender contains properties analgesic, digestive, diuretic, astringent, soothing, antioxidant, regenerating among others, causing benefits and a healthy balance of health. And in the plant as such, ursolic, oleanolic, and rosmarinic acids are present.

Active principle of lavender

The active principles of lavender are more common to be found in its flowers unlike the rest of the plant, we will mention some such as flavonoids, herniarin, essential oil between 0.5% and 0.8%, ursolic acids, coumarins in 0.25% , phytosterols, sesquiterpenes such as caryophyllene oxide, beta ocimene, linaloil, camphor, cineole, rosmarinic acid, present in lavender.

Lavender cultivation

To cultivate this lavender plant, the first thing that is determined is the destination or the purpose for which it will be done, since it can be clearly directed to ornamental purposes, for its beauty and aroma or for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. There are differences in the way of growing it. If you want to have it in your garden in pots or in a medicinal garden, we advise you first that it favors dry soils, the seedbeds can be organized this must be done in winter time, then it is transplanted or also directly to the ground, it requires a certain space since it can grow about two meters, if on the contrary it will be arranged in a pot, make sure it is wide so that it is comfortable, with good distillation so that it does not retain much moisture, it is not necessary to use very organic soil,

It requires light and shade, it could have both half a day each, and it doesn’t need much watering. It is carried out in nurseries mostly for ornamentation purposes

As for industrial purposes , the crops are carried out in autumn and spring, in wide spaces of dry land, with good sunlight, when they bloom they are a true spectacle worthy of thousands of photographs and inspirations of many.

For the industry, lavender is the protagonist of artisan soaps, lotions, perfumes, cleaners, in addition to medicine it also has its importance since it is ingested as tea, and infusions for the treatment of some health conditions. Therefore, it has anti-inflammatory, digestive, antibacterial properties, thanks to the components that make it up throughout the entire plant, such as terpineol, geraniol, girdle, bornyl acetate, linalol, borneol, camphor, all of which are extremely important. for the fulfillment of the above described.

If you want more information on the subject, discover it in  Lavender tea

Uses and benefits of lavender

What are the benefits for the skin?

IMPROVES THE APPEARANCE OF WRINKLES AND BLEMISHES ON THE SKIN

It has excellent antioxidant properties, which protect skin tissues and cells, while fighting harmful free radicals, in addition to protecting against the sun’s rays, lavender helps to reactivate blood vessels, favorably improving blood circulation. blood and with this more oxygen is generated towards the skin.

USED TO TREAT ACNE

By performing a deep cleaning with a lavender-based tonic you can eliminate excess bait or fat that accumulates in the skin follicles that cause inflammation and painful infections in some cases and the unsightly acne is formed.

If you want more information see  Natural Treatments for Acne

RELIEVES BURNS

The lavender is ideal for treating conditions such as burns , you will heal the wounds quickly with the use and application of a plant rich in anti-inflammatories, and for pain it is a relief to know that it also has analgesic and antiseptic properties, it will heal the wound soon while regenerating the epidermis and shit skin cell.

RELIEVES DISEASES AND SKIN CONDITIONS

There are many wonderful things that this plant provides due to its properties widely known as anti-inflammatory, regenerative, from the lavender you can extract a nutritious lavender oil, capable of regenerating each skin cell, fighting conditions such as itching, irritation, acne, burns produced by the sun, skin wounds, psoriasis, itching, bacteria, fire burns, premature aging, combats free radicals harmful to the skin.

Does it have properties for the hair?

The use of lavender for hair care has been widely used for many years, to use it you just have to cook lavender or lavender tea which you can apply to your hair and I will tell you why.

Combat and eliminate dandruff , ideal to improve this condition, apply the cooking of lavender flowers or you can also add a couple of drops to the shampoo to wash it normally and you will notice the changes, eliminating the itching and flaking that it also produces on the scalp. to deflate it.

To combat dry or damaged hair, prepare your shampoo or your moisturizing hair cream to which you will add a few drops of lavender oil or infusion and then this preparation will be applied throughout the hair, leave it on for 20 minutes or half an hour, rinse and You will notice the difference from the first time.

It helps to eliminate the annoying lice that affect the health and aesthetics of the hair, its aroma acts as a lice repellent and thus you can eliminate them, while beautifying your hair.

Due to its antiseptic property, the lavender levels the pH to eliminate the fat from your hair, apply the infusion of lavender flowers on your hair about three times a week to normalize this condition.

It provides a pleasant fragrance, so you will love it, it should be noted that it is also very useful to eliminate frizz, and stop hair loss.

If you want to know more about this topic, we recommend  65 Causes of Hair Loss for men and women

Is it good for losing weight?

The lavender or lavender is a plant with incredible properties, among them it is believed that it is slimming, we explain why: it is a plant that produces a calming effect on nerves and anxiety states, and that is anxiety is the uncontrolled reaction of Eating foods rich in oils, flours, and sugar, which results in increased body fat, that is, being overweight, and consuming lavender or lavender tea will normalize your nervous system little by little in addition to reducing these anxious states.

It should be noted that they are also produced by stress or when the person is overloaded with many problems and does not find a solution to face them, so he relieves himself by consuming uncontrolled food, but more than an infusion, a little willpower and family help are required and so on. progress in the solution and the fulfillment of the weight loss objective, taking care of the diet and drinking enough water, and walking for half an hour a day you will feel very good for all the benefits that you will obtain from good circulation, reduction of stress, reduction of anxious states, it will reduce your appetite, it will change the way you see life, you attract positive thoughts among many others. We recommend that you do not abuse this or other oils or drinks that can cause kidney problems, follow the instructions.

How is lavender oil extracted?

The lavender extraction method is through steam distillation , just by boiling the lavender leaves in a water bath, placing ice on the lid to cover each drop of lavender oil that is produced, then turn it off for about 45 minutes. Strain by pouring the green-yellow preparation into clean, dry, sterilized bottles. Very used to perform aromatherapy massages and perfume any place.

We recommend reading the following for more information  Aromatherapy: The Power of Essential Oils

Pregnancy and lavender

Lavender oil helps to normalize menstruation so it is not recommended in pregnant women, not even because it is a natural product, it could cause problems in pregnancy and it would be unwise to use it, you should always consult your doctor before using any natural product .

Lavender and allergies

The essence of lavender can be beneficial for many conditions of the body and not so much for others, its natural perfume can trigger allergies such as rhinitis, and complicate the respiratory tract, externally or cutaneously, it can reactivate skin irritations, when having contact with the plant or when applying its essential oil, therefore, it is recommended to be very careful when using it and avoid major contraindications.

Gardening and lavender

The lavender or lavender is a plant spectacle since it is conducive to decorating places in addition to the beauty of bluish or purple flowers, it gives off a super delicious fragrance that is attractive to many people, it stimulates the view just by observing in the gardens, its cultivation for ornamental purposes They are spacious since it can be done in nurseries in pots or from the ground itself

You may also be interested  in Tea Tree Essential Oil; Melaleuca

Lavender infusions, what are they for?

Lavender has many uses not only for health, but also for beauty, aromatherapy, gardening and more, however below we will mention how to prepare it and what you can use it for

You need a cup of water and dried flowers of lavender or lavender approximately two spoons, to prepare it, bring the water to boil and then add the flowers to the lids and let it boil for three more minutes, then remove from the heat, strain and sweeten if you like, consume natural or warm if you like.

  • What is this delicious tea that we have prepared for us.
  • To stabilize the body’s nervous system.
  • Naturally reactivates circulatory processes.
  • Reduces appetite considerably.
  • Combat depressive states.
  • It has incredible antispasmodic effects.
  • It helps to reduce and eliminate the anxiety states that a person goes through.
  • It produces an excellent state of relaxation and stress due to its sedative effect.
  • It is a natural pain reliever it helps you in many ways.
  • It is very ideal to combat and eliminate nausea.
  • For feverish pictures it is an excellent ally.
  • Eliminates insomnia as it has a sedative effect and relaxes the body by stimulating sleep.
  • It contributes to the relaxation of the muscles favorable reason to avoid the convulsive states.
  • Delays cellular oxidation, preventing premature aging
  • It is oxygenating for the cells of the body.
  • Fight harmful free radicals.
  • Increases the production of bile favoring the gallbladder and liver to perform their functions.
  • Ideal for treating muscular or rheumatic pain.
  • As for beauty, it prevents hair loss.
  • It considerably fights the scales on the scalp by eliminating dandruff.
  • Strengthens hair by stimulating its healthy and strong growth.
  • It is an excellent healing.
  • It provides great benefits for healthy vaginal health against candida albicans and the harmful bacteria that affect it.
  • Provides shine, hydration and softness to the hair.
  • Favorable for common colds and flu.

Many studies verify the effectiveness of this lavender tea, therefore we recommend using it moderately since excess could cause kidney problems.

For more information on this topic, we invite you to read  Types of Tea: Properties, Benefits and Side Effects

Esoteric uses of lavender

  • The lavender is also widely used in esoteric or magical matters which help attract love, wealth, money, prosperity, harmony, purification and cleaning of environments among many more.
  • For many, lavender or lavender is used for cleaning the house, this attracts prosperity, harmony, generates feelings of frankness, honesty, wisdom, its leaves are boiled and honey is added with this the whole home is cleaned.
  • Roman civilizations attributed it with the meanings to wash, therefore they liked that their things had the scent of lavender so it seemed to them that when using lavender everything would be clean, fresh and perfumed, when washing clothes they used to dry them on top of the lavender crops to That its smell was penetrated, in the same way it happened when the Virgin Mary washed the clothes of the Child God and put them to dry on lavender, they were perfumed, since then it is said that this wild plant is a holy, blessed, miraculous, stimulating herb of prosperity, abundance and love mainly.
  • It has properties that help the memory to clear it especially when living between confusions and decisions, it is also advised to detoxify the body from stress and fatigue, it is said to be a natural energizer especially in cases of athletes or people with high consumption of energy for your daily activities, lavender or lavender encourages stimulating muscle strength by increasing your resistance to perform activities.
  • For some, regularly perceiving the lavender lengthens the years of life, in addition to providing strength and courage to people, they feel relaxed and prosperous, it removes stress, fatigue, bad thoughts, cures diseases and strengthens the spirit, attracting joy and love. , Hope, it should be noted that it is widely used for new cases on the honeymoon to favor all positive energy and wishes to materialize.
  • Dried lavender flowers are burned to help with childbirth, this helps the mother relax, projecting peace, and calms the nerves and is an excellent fragrance to receive the baby after birth
  • To attract or multiply money and positively favor business, to attract a job it is enough to have positive thoughts in the presence of lavender, rather than by desire it must be out of necessity for it to be fulfilled.
  • There are also lavender or lavender scented incense sticks to place in your home to establish harmony, peace and prosperity at home.

Do not miss this article  Frankincense Essential Oil: Contraindications, Properties and Benefits

Cosmetic uses of lavender

In the cosmetic area there are many products derived from lavender oil which are made with the aim of widely obtaining the benefits of its properties for the health of the body and beauty matters, therefore it is used in colognes, lotions, tonics, moisturizers , soaps, shampoos, cream baths, for household cleaning it is added to disinfectant, cleaning, antibacterial products.

Medicinal uses of lavender

Reduce anxiety and stress

Anxiety and stress are a state of the body and mind that results from the accumulation of strong situations of family, sentimental, economic or other origin and the answer is an alteration of the nervous system, and excess desire to consume food without control and food not very healthy with sugar, fat, and refined flours one of the ways to avoid this type of situation is to rub dried lavender leaves on areas of the forehead temples head gently with your fingers, this will send a response to the brain that will feel calm and lower the production of hormones in the endocrine system to significantly lower these states that affect the physical and mental health of the body.

Treat sleep problems

The sedative effect of its flowers lavender lowers the active levels of the body from tiredness stress fatigue rage strong emotions painful conditions, which influence rest, therefore rub dried leaves of lavender flowers on the forehead, temples or take a flower tea of lavender will stimulate a state of relaxation attracting deep and restful sleep throughout the night.

Much more on this topic with  Do you suffer from Insomnia? Identify it and learn how to treat it

Anti-inflammatory qualities

Every health condition produces painful inflammatory conditions, which are caused by infections of various kinds, lavender or lavender is ideal to combat these processes since among its properties it is anti-inflammatory, it can alleviate even muscle and rheumatic pains that are becoming more and more People who use natural medicine every day, therefore, this incredible wild plant is recommended as a tea, or why not as a rich relaxing bath. Adding it to the water in your bathtub and you bathe normally, you will want to do it again to continue obtaining its great benefits.

Antiseptic capacity

Its antiseptic properties are ideal for wound healing, all you have to do is clean the area very well with lavender infusion and then place a poultice of flowers on the wound for a few minutes, helping to regenerate the tissues and heal it.

Protects heart health

Lavender contains antioxidant and regenerative properties that are favorable for the body, it naturally activates blood circulation, benefiting the heart by contributing to the flow of blood in a normal way, that is, it avoids the obstruction of the arteries caused by the fats that adhere to them and thus it prevents coronary diseases such as arteriosclerosis, heart attacks or others.

Check out our article on  Garlic Essential Oil

Prevents digestive problems

Polyphenols is a component present in lavender flowers, it has an ability to eliminate bacteria that enter the body and pretend to damage it, this component acts against them, they could cause abdominal pain, gas, inflammation, indigestion, so you can chew the lavender flowers. or make a tea to avoid feeling these harsh discomforts, while relieving cramps, heaviness among others. It is recommended to take it with caution since in excess it generates kidney problems, irritations of the stomach walls.

Contraindications and risks of lavender

  • For sensitive skin it is advisable not to apply it, it can cause irritation or dermatitis in some cases.
  • It is contraindicated for diabetic patients since lavender is not compatible with insulin, due to excessive kidney problems.
  • It is not recommended for children under 6 years of age, or apply on the skin or give to drink as an infusion, either alone or mixed with anything else.

Lavender toxicity

In general, lavender is not toxic, but in the same way, its use and consumption should not be abused. In the therapeutic field, there are few cases presented by depressions caused by high doses. In the same way, do not exceed its external use to avoid irritations.

Lavender in gastronomy

flowers

The use of lavender in food and drink is more common than you think, you should only use it in moderation because in excess it produces a soapy taste. It can be used crystallized, in cookies, ice cream, cakes, tea, jellies, tortillas, breads, or others.

Look here 13 Exquisite Quick Chia Recipes. Sweet and Savory

Leaves, petals and inflorescence

Its leaves and flowers are used in the preparation of salads, creams, puddings, concentrates with alcohol, essences, sauces and sofitos, also to decorate preferably dry because they have a better aroma. Chocolate baths for cakes and cookies.

Dried lavender or lavandin flowers are sold in the markets and are often confused by their resemblance, but both are well coupled in the kitchen and its multiple preparations.

Lavender nutritional information

Lavender is an edible plant and can be used sparingly to flavor baked dishes and other recipes. Its nutritional value that includes a variety of vitamins and minerals that is beneficial to your health.

For every 100 grams the lavender contains

  • Calories 2.6%
  • Proteins 2.1%
  • Fat 1.9%
  • Sodium 0%
  • Magnesium 0%
  • Fiber 0.7%
  • Carbohydrates 3.5%
  • Vitamin B1 2.5%
  • Iron 17.5%
  • Calcium 13.3%
  • Vitamin A 5.3%
  • Sugars 0%
  • Vitamin B2 6.2%
  • Vitamin C 20%
Website | + posts

Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top