Lavender - medicinal properties and contraindications

Lavender is a flower of amazing beauty. The tenderness of their lilac charm leaves few indifferent. However, not everyone knows how valuable this flower is as a medicinal plant - its composition, properties and effects on the human body are simply unbelievable. Knowledge of the beneficial qualities and contraindications of lavender can be of great benefit to a person.

What does lavender look like and where does it grow

The appearance of lavender is very specific - on a thin high stalk there is a scattering of small delicate inflorescences. The color of tiny petals can have various shades from light lilac to saturated lilac-violet tones. Today, the world knows about 47 different species of this flower. Of course, their main difference is in the shades of the color of the petals and in the size of the inflorescences.

In nature, lavender prefers to grow closer to the mountains, on elevated plateaus and plains remote from man. The first flowers were found in countries and parts of the world such as Africa, Australia, India, Arabia, southern Europe and the Canary Islands. Today, lavender is grown in almost the entire civilized world.

The standard height of the flower varies between 53-60 cm. However, there were isolated cases of detection of plants up to two meters tall, the reason for this was most likely the volcanic soil rich in trace elements. Lavender is a very tenacious and unpretentious plant and extremely rich in all kinds of trace elements and vitamins.

Scope of Lavender

Healers and herbalists of all times also actively use lavender for medicinal purposes. If you have knowledge, you can benefit from the whole plant - roots, stems, inflorescences and seeds. Doctors of traditional medicine add a flower to many collections, in addition, ointment against burns and healing infusions are prepared from lavender. But that’s not all - in the old days the plant was used for ... washing and washing! Its very name comes from the root "lava" which means washing, lathering ...

Today, lavender is actively used both in the pharmaceutical industry and in the cosmetic industries. Almost every developed country grows whole plantations of these beautiful flowers. Extracts and plant extracts are part of many drugs of therapeutic and prophylactic action, and also added to the best shampoos, creams, soaps and perfumes ...

The chemical composition of lavender

Lavender is an evergreen plant in the Iasnatkov family. The chemical composition of this flower is, without exaggeration, unique, the main reason for which experts are inclined to consider is the natural environment of the plant's natural growth - plains and steppes near mountains, where nature and soil are almost untouched and rich in trace elements. An exceptional feature of the flower is the content of essential oils in all parts of the plant:

• In inflorescences about 1%.
• In the leaves of 0.38-0.40%.
• In the stems 0.20%.
• In the rhizomes of 0.09%.

The composition of lavender essential oil includes such rare and important elements as I-linalol alcohol, hexynylbutiol, nerol, amyl alcohol, citral and lavenderulol, cineole, a-cipene, camphene, a-fellandren, bisabolene, zest, a- and b-caryophilen . In addition, the plant's essential oil contains a number of rare acids: acetic, butyric, valerianic and rarest nylon. But that's not all - lavender essential oil is rich in cinnamon and valerian aldehydes, which are so beneficial for the central nervous system.

Lavender inflorescences contain herniarin, coumarin, as well as ursulic acid. Only 100 gr. Lavender contains 287 IU of pure vitamin A, as well as 215-220 mg of natural, easily digestible calcium and 2 mg of iron. In connection with such a saturation of the plant with microelements and vitamins, lavender should be prescribed and applied very carefully, in small doses, because an overdose of any substance, as you know, often leads to sad consequences.

What ailments help lavender

First of all, lavender essential oil and plant flowers are used for problems with sleep, as well as to relieve depressive states. Drugs and medicines based on lavender make the human body produce hormones, including endorphins, known as the hormone of happiness.

In addition, it has been proven that lavender has a beneficial effect on the human digestive tract - it eliminates the feeling of nausea, reduces gas formation in the intestines and prevents diarrhea, and relieves colic both in the stomach and throughout the digestive tract. It is not surprising that agents based on this plant are recommended for peptic ulcer disease, some gastritis, and excessively active intestinal motility.

Ointments based on lavender, washing with infusion and lotions have an extremely positive effect in the presence of skin problems:

• Psoriasis.
• Eczema.
• Acne.
• Irritation from insect bites.
• Allergy.
• Burns.
• Dermatitis.

When fighting for healthy and clean skin, lavender essential oil is also used. Do not apply clean oil to the entire wound - doctors and doctors recommend dropping a little oil on the gauze bandage and after waiting a minute until it is absorbed through the fibers, apply it to the problem area of ​​the skin.

Decoctions and infusions of lavender, as well as shampoos and masks based on the essential oil of the plant, have an incredible effect on the condition of the hair. Regular rubbing of balms or oils with the addition of lavender ether in a massage method (light massaging movements) stimulate the awakening and healing of hair follicles, which improves hair growth. Lavender-based products have been successfully used in autoimmune diseases (alopecia) that cause focal lesions and hair loss.

And, finally, the direct tonic, restorative effect of ointments, lotions, oils and creams, which include lavender, are recommended by the sports association as a natural painkiller after physical exertion. Rubbing during massage on the basis of this plant relieves pain and cramps not only after active training, but also associated with rheumatism, joint diseases, sprains and postoperative syndromes (pain).

Why lavender is considered so unique and beneficial

The composition of this delightful flower, as mentioned above, is incredibly rich and includes fairly rare trace elements, acids, etc. But the question is, what effect do each of these components have on our human body until recently had no answer. Fortunately, with the development of progress, scientists were able to investigate the plant and explain the reason for its so beneficial effect.

1. Valerianic acid - is widely used in modern pharmacology.It is part of such drugs as validol, sleeping pills, bromural and many painkillers.
2. Ursulic acid - dissolves body fat, helps cleanse veins from plaques, reduces blood sugar (glucose), lowers the percentage of cholesterol and triglycerides in the body. The beneficial effects of the use of this acid in the presence of muscle atrophy have also been proven.
3. Caproic acid has anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effect.
4. Cineol is the strongest natural, natural antiseptic, and its use also has an expectorant effect.
5. Tannin, borneol, garaniol - have slightly different, but anti-toxic effects. These substances are part of some antidotes. In addition, tannin is known for its antidiarrheal effect (strengthens the stool).
6. Nerol - promotes fast, easy and effective penetration of substances through the skin and intercellular membranes.
7. Amyl alcohol promotes the formation of esters and compounds that would not have been possible without its participation in the synthesis.
8. Citral is known to scientists for its reactionary action, in other words, the formula of the substance is such that it interacts with almost all media and other substances (this stimulates the best, more powerful effect of all other components).

Contraindications to the use of lavender

The plant has no obvious contraindications, but it should be remembered that it is unique in terms of the content of active substances in its composition. And any overdose without a doubt gives a side effect. It can be dizziness, nausea, weakness, sweating, cramps or chills, poisoning, heart palpitations, or a feeling of cold. Therefore, do not be guided by the principle the more the more effective, strictly observe the dosage. In addition, no one can exclude the possible likelihood of an allergic reaction (individual intolerance of certain components).

How to use lavender at home

Decoctions, tea, infusions and tinctures, ointments and oil balms are made from various parts of the plant. In principle, there is nothing complicated in plant processing technology. The only thing that we strongly recommend, before using any traditional medicine, is to undergo an examination and consultation with your doctor.

1. The most common uses of the plant are tea and infusions from lavender. Both prepare quickly and easily. Boil water and prepare a kettle or thermos. The dishes should be either clay (porcelain, earthenware, etc.) or glass, iron and plastic cannot be used. For tea, take a teaspoon of your usual tea leaves and a teaspoon of lavender inflorescences for 2-3 cups of boiling water, let it brew for 8-10 minutes and you can drink it, preferably with honey or dates.
2. For infusion, take more lavender, based on two teaspoons of grass and flowers per glass, insist, covering (not clogging!) For two hours, then drink half a glass, or use to wash the affected tissues. Tea has a sedative, calming effect, and the infusion is stronger and has an expectorant, bactericidal and regenerating (wound healing) effect. In addition, taking an infusion of two tablespoons every morning reduces intracranial pressure.
3. Rinsing with warm water, in which either natural lavender oil or a decoction of lavender is added, is recommended if there is: bronchospasm, with hoarseness, sore throat.
4. With neurasthenia, hysteria, insomnia, sluggish current infectious (chronic including) diseases, sharp pains in the head, as well as with asthma and bronchitis, doctors recommend drinking lavender broth.Prepare it as follows: Pour a liter of hot clean water into the dishes (again, not iron or plastic!), Add 50 grams of the crushed dried plant (flowers, stems, rhizomes) to a slow fire and warm up, bringing to the point of boiling (you can warm it in water bath), it is not necessary to cook - it is necessary to warm up to 90-95 ° C. Then, removing from heat, wait until the temperature drops to 38-43 degrees, and strain the broth, pouring it into a dark glass container (opaque). Take a decoction with food, one teaspoon 2-3 times a day for a week or two until the condition improves.
5. A decoction of lavender also helps with amenorrhea, cystitis, rashes and dermatitis. For the prevention and treatment of these diseases, it is recommended to prepare a stronger broth, using up to 150 gr. herbs and flowers of dried lavender. In advance, you need to prepare a bath filled with half warm water, strain the broth that has stood before cooling at 35-45 ° C and stir, undress, immerse in water for 10-15 minutes.
6. To improve hair growth and their general condition, as well as for massage, oil of lavender infusion is prepared. To do this, take natural, pure olive oil and dark glassware. Shredded grass and inflorescences (possibly together with roots) of dried lavender are tightly laid out, filled to the top - filled with oil, corked and left in a cool, dry place (cellar, refrigerator) for 40 days. The oil will extract extracts from the plant and will be very useful not only for the diseases listed above, but also for lichen, burns, pediculosis (lice), rheumatoid pains and joint pain (you need to rub it with massage movements).

Video: 10 main properties of lavender oil