Natural Remedies: Lavender Oil

Last week I told you about my favorite, "cure-all" essential oil - peppermint oil.  My second favorite oil is lavender oil.  It can be used for sooo many different things and it smells...well...amazing! If you use it, I doubt you will be disappointed.

So what is lavender oil used for?  Again, like peppermint oil, to me it seems that the usage is limitless!

• Cleaning and Disinfecting
• Burns
• Cuts
• Depression
• Earache
• Fevers
• Headache
• Insect Bites
• Insomnia
• Menstrual Cramps
• Muscle & Joint Pain
• Stress
• ...and many, many more!

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 What are some ways to use lavender oil for these uses?

My primary way to use lavender oil is in cleaning and disinfecting.  When I clean my bathroom and kitchen I mix water, vinegar, and lavender oil.  The mixture of these three make my house sparkling clean, disinfected, and smell AMAZING without using chemicals of any sort!  I also use lavender oil in my laundry wash cycles, making them smell good and also disinfecting them.  This is also great if you are using cloth diapers (which I am).  If someone is sick, simply spray or wipe doorknobs, phones, countertops, etc. with lavender oil and you have a wonderful smelling disinfectant - without even touching the lysol.  I have just begun mixing lavender in with my dish soap, as I don't have a dishwasher...I figured a little extra protection from lavender oil certainly cannot hurt!

When bitten by a mosquito or another insect, there is often pain or irritation at the site.  Simply apply lavender oil and the symptoms should, at the very least, lessen (if not disappear completely).  But if you want to try a more proactive approach as opposed to reactive, mix 40-50 drops of lavender oil with about 2 cups of water.  Keep this in a spray bottle and apply when going out to mosquito (or other insect) infested areas...it is a great working insect repellent.  This same bottle of insect repellent can be sprayed on cuts and wounds to not only diminish the pain, but disinfect the wound.

If you have tired, sore, and aching muscles, drop some lavender oil on the ailing muscles and massage into the skin.  This usually takes away the symptoms.  I find this particularly useful to use on my neck...it is so relaxing!  This can also be done to ease headaches.

A sniff of lavender oil may also help relieve depression.  It is not entirely known why, but researchers believe it triggers a change in the brain waves.  An easy way to keep that sniff of lavender near you is to apply it to your temples or to apply to your neck.  Deeply inhale and it will reach its target!

Lavender naturally relaxes you, and if you place 3-4 drops of lavender oil on your pillow, it will help lull you to sleep!

If you struggle from menstrual cramps, massage a few drops of the oil into your abdomen.  It will often relieve, if not eliminate, the pain.

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Once again, I am no doctor or expert.  But lavender is another amazing oil that can help replace the medicines in our life.  I am not saying that medicines are bad, but I do believe we use them in excess!  Do your research and you will find even more usages for lavender oil!  It will help you feel better and make you and your house smell amazing!  Happy researching!

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PLEASE NOTE: These are only natural home remedies that no professional has reviewed or written.  This is not to take the place of professional medical advice, it is merely to aid you at home.  If you are concerned, it is best to call your doctor and follow instructions given by him/her.

Also, please pay particular attention during use of essential oils in regards to which oils are safe for pregnant women and children.  There are many that should not be used, although some are perfectly safe.  For other important information, please see my May 9th, 2012, post titled "Natural Remedies: Essential Oils."