Aromatherapy and Lavender

History - There are many essential oils used in aromatherapy and lavender is one of the most common and probably has the longest history. There is evidence that the ancient Egyptians used lavender oil in their mummification process. They probably knew of lavender's wonderful healing properties and who knows, they may have also ascribed some spiritual powers to it too. But there is no doubt those responsible for preparing the pharaohs for the afterlife appreciated the pleasant aroma of this special plant.

The name "lavender" is said to be derived from the latin word "lavere" meaning "to wash". This is certainly plausible since the ancient Romans are known to have added lavender oil to the water in their famous public baths. The Roman army carried lavender oil to be used as a disinfectant on wounds suffered in battle.

During the Great Plague of the Middle Ages, certain robbers who ransacked the belongings of plague victims were rarely affected by the disease themselves. When caught, the robbers credited their health to cleansing with "Four Thieves Vinegar" after their "work" was done. It is said that they were released after sharing that the secret of their "Vinegar" was lavender oil.

In the early 20th century a French perfumer named René-Maurice Gattefossé experienced a serious burn while working in his laboratory. He treated the burn with the substance nearest at hand - lavender oil. Gattefosse noticed that the wound healed much more quickly and with less scarring than would be expected without the treatment. This launched him into research in the aromatic oils and their healing properties, publishing the book Aromathérapie: Les Huiles Essentielles Hormones Végétales in 1937. The book was later translated into English, bringing us the term "Aromatherapy". Lavender played an essential (pun intended) role in leading to scientific research in this therapy.

Research - First we must acknowledge that extensive scientific research into essential oils and aromatherapy has not been done on the same scale as pharmaceuticals. Such research is cost prohibitive to small practitioners and there is not a financial incentive for anyone to conduct scientific inquiry into something that is readily available and inexpensive. Large scale clinical trials are usually paid for by large drug companies that will benefit from a patented product that can be marketed to the masses. Do you notice how many commercial advertisements are on television trying to get you to "ask your doctor" to prescribe their special remedy?

Having said that, there have been scientific studies done on many of the essential oils used in aromatherapy. Lavender is probably one of the most studied. Looking at the results of these experiments clearly indicates beneficial uses of lavender oil. As with virtually all health treatments, every application does not work on every person. However, I have listed below some of the areas in which lavender has been shown to be especially helpful.

In some studies of aromatherapy, lavender was used as a sleep aid for elderly patients. In most cases there was a significant improvement in how easily the patients fell asleep, how well they slept, and how alert they were during their waking hours. In some cases the need for sleep medication was significantly reduced or even eliminated.

Multiple studies have indicated feelings of anxiety relief in patients who inhaled lavender aroma. In some of the cases the calming feelings have been accompanied by measured decreases in blood pressure, heart rates and respiratory rates. Inhaling the scent of lavender has been shown to provide the subjects with a less "depressed" mood and feelings of "happiness".

Studies have shown that a combination of essential oils including lavender oil have been effective in reducing pain when used in a massage. In one of the studies a combination of aroma and massage therapies resulted in 50% reduction in reported pain by the participants.

In test-tube type conditions in the laboratory, lavender oil has exhibited both antibacterial and antifungal properties. For this reason it has historically been used as a disinfectant in hospitals in Europe. Lavender oil also has shown to be a mild anitoxidant.

Like all essential oils used in aromatherapy, lavender oil is a very complex compound. Some research has been done to identify the components of the oil and study them independently to better understand the impacts of each component. One such study showed that perillyl alcohol, which is a component of lavender and other plants, reduced the rate of certain cancerous tumors in rats and mice.

In one study that involved lavender and other essential oils, a scalp massage with the oils stimulated hair growth in almost half of the patients. As in virtually of the research studies mentioned, there were no negative side affects as a result of the treatment.

Anecdotal Evidence - Even though there have not been any large scale research studies of the benefits of lavender, there have been centuries of use of this wonderful plant for a wide variety of applications. Before the modern age of pharmacies on every corner with aisles of medications for all of your ills, people used herbal remedies because that's all they had. When successful treatments were discovered, that knowledge was passed around to friends and family, including successive generations. In the latter half of the 20th century, we were conditioned to believe that centuries old natural remedies were simply old wive's tales and could not be trusted. While very few people dispute the value of modern medicine such as antibiotics and some of the basic vaccines, much has been lost in our society when we fail to take advantage of nature's own "pharmacies".

As we enter the 21st century, many people are discovering anew that the best quality of life may be attained by staying healthy when we take care of our bodies through a good natural diet and excercise. When we do experience a minor ailment, we are now questioning the wisdom of reaching for the over-processed synthetic drugs marketed to us by multi-billion dollar companies. Instead, people are doing their own research into natural treatments such as lavender, only to discover that these remedies are just as effective, if not more so, than their modern commercial counterparts. And, as in the case of lavender, the treatment is much more pleasant. Based on my observations, I think we are beginning to share our successful experiences with others, just as our ancestors did. I don't know about you, but a personal testimonial from someone I trust is much more valuable to me than many pages of results from scientific studies.

It's not likely that your family doctor will soon be prescribing aromatherapy. Lavender is gaining in popularity but it hasn't gone "mainstream" beyond its use as a pleasant natural scent in personal care products. Learning how to successfully apply this natural remedy will require some homework on your part. That's one of the reasons I have created this website - to educate people on the uses of this wonderful plant. Buy yourself a good book on essential oils and aromatherapy and continue to explore this website for more information on lavender. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised and how effective and enjoyable it is to use this amazing plant and its derivatives.

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