Lavender essential oil is the most popular essential oil in use today. In the scientific community, it appears to be the second-most researched essential oil, only after Tea Tree. This is probably because the medical effects of Tea Tree, used as an antiseptic, antiviral and anti-fungal agent, are easily measured, and its actions are more familiar to the medical profession. Lavender’s actions are a little more challenging to define, as its primary actions affect us on psychological and emotional levels. Yet recently, even these effects have been proven without a doubt by major studies performed at world-renown university and medical centers. Here we’ll have a look at the effects of Lavender essential oil, and some of the incredible research that backs up these claims.
The sweet aroma of Lavender brings calm to almost everyone — it seems particularly effective for children, women and the elderly (some men may not appreciate the floral aroma, and might do better with soothing scents like Sandalwood or Bergamot). Lavender’s aroma has proven itself an effective stress reliever in many, many laboratory studies, addressing “stress” from virtually every possible way you can define it. It even relieves “stress” when applied directly to wounds, lessening the pain felt at nerve endings.
One of its great features is the incredible “ease of use”. The individual only need to inhale a bit straight from the bottle. One can do the same by applying a couple drops to a tissue and inhaling from this. You can use any sort of aromatherapy diffuser to get the scent into a larger environment, helping all those around you receive these benefits as well. Want to sleep better? Sprinkle the tiniest amount on your bedspread or under your pillow (one actually needs to be careful not to overdo it, as too much can keep you awake!)
The latest research is even suggesting that ingesting Lavender has essentially the same effects as inhaling it. And despite the widespread belief in the United States that one should never, ever ingest essential oils, this is simply not true. Lavender is very safe: it is listed by the FDA as “Generally Recognized As Safe” for ingestion as a food additive, and some companies even have their bottles labeled as dietary supplements. While its important to keep in mind that the protocols for ingesting any essential oil are always on the order of 1-3 drops a couple times per day — and almost never more than this — its also great to see research of such a large scale telling us ingestion of certain oils is not only acceptable, but can result in a dramatic improvement in one’s health.
Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria have published their data resulting from a ten week trial of a eighty-milligram capsule of Lavender essential oil. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the anti-stress effects of this encapsulated Lavender, by evaluating the physical and emotional condition of the participants on a number of criteria. The results were quite profound — the Lavender capsule was found to have statistically significant effects for the relief of mild to moderate anxiety disorder, as well as improving the quality of rest. Further, perhaps as a direct result of the improvement of participant’s mental condition and their improved sleep, their physical condition was markedly improved as well.
In addition to testing whether ingesting the Lavender capsules was more effective than a placebo, the Vienna researchers also compared the capsules to a common prescription anti-anxiety drug. Impressively, the essential oil worked just as well as the drug, but without the sedative side effects — which are troublesome not only because of the drowsiness, but because of the potential for substance abuse. It becomes perfectly clear that the home practitioner can now benefit from Lavender essential oil in this way by simply ingesting a couple of drops a day — either “neat” (though it doesn’t have the greatest flavor in the world), in a cellulose capsule, or mixed with a beverage such as orange juice.
Another interesting study exposed patients waiting to see the dentist to Lavender essential oil aroma. The oil was simply diffused in the waiting room for some, while other patients received no aroma. The result was that all patients still reported being nervous about seeing the dentist, but the group exposed to the Lavender aroma noted statistically significant lower anxiety while in the waiting room. So the essential oil’s scent didn’t change their personal idea of the experience of the dentist, but significantly affected the actual stress they felt just before their appointment. In a study very similar to this, the oil reduced pre-test taking anxiety of nursing students.
In other medical scenarios, 54 patients undergoing surgery receiving gastric bands (a device to assist dangerously obese individuals to reduce their caloric intake by making the entrance to their stomach smaller) were divided into groups to receive post operative exposure to either Lavender or unscented baby oil. During post-operative recovery, fewer patients receiving the flower’s aroma required analgesics, and those that did required significantly less to achieve a comfortable state.
Convinced yet? There’s certainly enough data their to get inspired about experimenting with Lavender essential oil. It’s such an easy oil to use for the purposes described here, with a relatively low cost and availability. If you haven’t used the oil yet and are thinking about purchasing some, seek one out of relatively high quality. Essential oils are available in a wide variety of grades, with the less expensive ones sometimes being a bit harsh and unpleasant — not a very inspiring way to get started! Look for something labeled as “therapeutic grade”, which means its been produced with these types of applications in mind. Good luck, and may you enjoy better health for your efforts!
More information on essential oil news and research is available through Ananda Aromatherapy – an online source to buy essential oils at wholesale prices.
categories: aromatherapy,stress,anxiety,psychology,disease,illness,alternative health,women,natural,health,wellness
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