A Few Benefits Of Lavender Oil

It was always a dream of mine to run through a lavender field. Luckily, I have found two beautiful lavender farms here in New Jersey! The photo above was taken at Pleasant Valley Lavender Farm in Morganville, NJ. Now is the time to visit their website for "pick your own" tickets. The farm owner also has a line of lavender products that she makes from her own plants. Her lavender lemonade is not to be missed!

Another lavender farm I really enjoyed was Mad Lavender Farm in Milford, NJ. I was able to take a class with herbalist Katie O'Neill working with the Tulsi Holy Basil that grows in abundance in their big herb garden. This farm is also a must visit if you find yourself in the Garden State.

Lavender is an easily recognizable flower and grows in many regions around the world. It is most commonly used to calm and relax our nervous system, but this mighty plant has so many more medicinal benefits.

Did you know:

Lavender can help relieve a migraine headache? If you add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil to a carrier oil in a roll on bottle, you can rub this on your temples and the back of the neck to help soothe and alleviate your headache pain.

Because lavender is antimicrobial and antiviral, it can help calm or alleviate upper respiratory viral or cold symptoms. You can purchase or create a salve made with lavender essential oil and rub onto your chest, neck, under your nose, and on your upper back. (If you don't have a salve, you can put a few drops of the essential oil into a carrier oil, and rub that on instead).

If you suffer with muscle aches and pains (or growing pains for kids), lavender is effective in calming that tension. For adults, ease your muscle pain with a warm bath using epsom salts and a drop or two of lavender essential oil. For children with growing pain cramps, mix one to two drop of lavender essential oil in 10ml of carrier oil and massage into the painful muscles. You can also use this blend to massage your child's feet for a deeply restful night of sleep.

For the skin, lavender helps soothe all kinds of burns. I have only had experience using lavender with peppermint to relieve a sunburn. (See my Inhale | Exhale Mist). But it has been shown through many studies to help heal and alleviate pain caused by skin burns.

Lavender is a huge help to the nervous system. Through simple inhalation, lavender has an instant calming effect when you are experiencing mild stress, panic, or anxiety. Use one drop of lavender essential oil on a cotton ball and inhale. It is also a great idea to keep some diluted lavender in a roller not only for headaches, but for everyday activities that may bring on anxiety: driving in traffic ~ traveling by plane ~ standing on long lines at the DMV or the grocery store ~ these scenarios may bring up stressful feelings. Use your lavender oil for an instant relaxing effect.

I will be working with lavender closely this summer and will be buying enough bulk flower and oil from my local farms to use in my own oils.

You can find lavender oil in these blends: Full Moon Lunar Body Oil, Sanctuary Perfume Oil, and Chill Plant Infusion Blend.

Do you use lavender oil? I'd love to know how you use it! Tell me in the comments below.

Lavender treat shop cart at Mad Lavender Farm