lavender growing in a garden or field

Medicinal Uses for Lavender

By:
The Taste For Life Staff
This content originally appeared on 

The herb lavender has been used for centuries for therapeutic reasons.

General Uses for Lavender

Abundant in perfumes, potpourris, and bath and body products, lavender’s flowers are also edible and found in the famous seasoning ingredient Herbes de Provence.

Lavender essential oil can be used as an ingredient in homemade cleaning products, including disinfecting the toilet bowl.

Therapeutic Uses for Lavender

This herb has many other benefits, including analgesic, antibacterial, antidepressant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, sedative, and more.

  • Topical Skin Care

    Applied topically, undiluted lavender essential oil can help treat acne, athlete’s foot, and bee stings.

  • Tea for Body Care

    Lavender tea can be used as a mouthwash to eliminate bad breath or as a footbath to relieve fatigue.

  • Aromatherapy

    • Stress and Depression

      Simply smelling lavender’s scent can help relieve feelings of stress and depression. Inhaling lavender has been shown in studies to significantly lower anxiety levels (but not blood pressure).

    • Sleep and Anxiety

      The use of lavender essential oil was found to lower overall anxiety and improve the sleep of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

  • Soothing Baths

    To soothe cranky children (or yourself!), add lavender herb oil to bathwater.

  • Massage Oil

    Added to massage oil, lavender can help treat sore muscles, cellulite, and rheumatism.

Click to See Our Sources