Lavender Oil
Aromatherapy for High Blood Pressure
Lavender oil is making a come-back! It is loosing it`s stigma as being a scent of the old. This is due to the growing popularity of Aromatherapy. If you have high blood pressure, it is worth your while looking into the benefits of lavender oil.
It`s a subject I took special delight in researching because I live in Mitcham, Surrey, England, the place of the once world famous Mitcham Lavender.
Now the only lavender grown in and around this “neck of the woods”, is a few bushes here and there in resident`s gardens and allotments, so I took a day out to visit Mayfield Lavender fields in nearby Carshalton. Here they are growing 3 species. English Lavender Folgate (Lavandula Angustifolia), English Lavender Maillette (Lavandula Angustifolia), and Grosso (Lavandula x Intermedia), which is a hybrid. The pure organic oil I bought that day from a very helpful Irish chap named Brandon was extracted from Grosso.
Yes! I am getting to the point! How can lavender essential oil help with hypertension?
Aromacology – Consider Susan Schiffman`s research findings. She is a professor at Duke University and helps us understand what happens when we smell scent. She says, “…the part of the brain that registers smells overlaps with that which is responsible for memory and emotion.” This field of science is called Aromacology. The researchers who found that certain scents affect our health said, “…they can ease such common problems as anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia.” This means that scent and emotion have a close physiological connection as research points out, but the physiologists still are dumbfounded why scents, that remind us of pleasant times, have positive results.
Aromatherapy lavender oil, especially Lavendula Officionalis, also produces a sedative effect and induces sleep. A perfect tonic for those who may have high blood pressure due to insomnia or stress.
Did you know, this species is the same the Romans cultivated and extracted oil for their baths. They paid particular attention to cleanliness and the name comes from the Roman term “lavare” to wash. You can understand why because it`s a good anti-fungal, antibiotic and deodorant all rolled into one.
It makes one wonder! Were they a stressful nation?
Massage and Lavender oil
Lavendula Officionalis is perfect as an ingredient for massage oil. With the combination of the skin and muscles being massaged, and the calming aroma of the essential oils, stress just melts away. The massage action stimulates the skin`s capillaries and works the muscles that help blood flow, improving blood circulation.
Extensive research has clearly established that Massage therapy helps lower blood pressure. To find out how, and learn about other related conditions massage therapy can treat, go to
Massage Therapy Benefits.
Using Aromatherapy Lavender Oil at Home
The benefits can be enjoyed using simple methods of aromatherapy at home. Here are a few simple suggestions that you can use to help you unwind, get rid of stress, and have a good night`s sleep.
When you run your bath, disperse a few drops into the running water, to enjoy a relaxing and soothing bath. Light some candles to help set the mood. Pour a few drops on a handkerchief and place inside your pillowcase to induce sleep.
Buy a good mixing oil and mix to the instructions on the bottle. Massage tired muscles to help relax you.
A diffuser is a lovely gift for the home and very elegant. Instead of using air fresheners, you can turn on your diffuser for a half hour or so while you unwind with soft music in the background and your favorite herbal tea. Ok! Or a glass of wine.
I bought a bunch of freshly picked lavender and was given a complimentary card with instructions on how to keep the flowers as long as possible, how to dry them and ideas of what to use it for. There is also a recipe for lavender shortcake on the reverse side.