Insight Healthier Lives through Natural Living Learn about Lavender Oil Perhaps ancient peoples intuitively knew what researchers are finding out about lavender...it calms anxiety and provides natural stress relief. And that's not all -- lavender has a long list of medicinal properties, making it a natural health superstar. Lavender not only smells good, but it can also help you look and feel great! Lavender is enjoying renewed popularity as an alternative to conventional drug treatments. Lavender and Relaxation Lavender is known as a calming and relaxing herb and has frequently been used for insomnia, anxiety, depression, and natural stress relief. One recent study discovered that the scent of lavender increases the time you spend in deep (slow wave) sleep, though the effects were stronger for women than for men. Other findings suggest that lavender reduces the severity of depression when taken concurrently with an antidepressant. While lavender aromatherapy can help with your sleep and mood, it also has a wide range of health benefits. Lavender and Your Health Throughout history, people have turned to lavender for all kinds of ailments including acne treatment, skin disorders, digestive complaints, pain relief, and to prevent and treat infections. While much of the evidence that supports the medicinal use of lavender is anecdotal, scientists are starting to research the effects of lavender on the body and have discovered that lavender has anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender has also been shown to reduce the progression of candida albicans and may be an effective treatment for other infections. In combination with other oils, lavender was found to slow the growth of breast cancer tumors in mice. Aromatherapists feel that lavender essential oil is the most versatile because of its many healing properties and considers it one of the best essential oils to have on hand. Lavender has been used for:
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