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50 Lavendar uses for Home, Health & Cooking

Lavender is a wonderful essential oil that cherished both for it's therapeutic qualities and calming properties.  Lavender is generally considered the “go to oil” as it has so many uses. Lavender is the most popular “aroma” in health spas and bath and body products. The word lavender even means to be clean.

There’s been substantial research done on Lavender, which proves its miraculous therapeutic powers. Studies show that Lavender essential oil offers qualities such as a sedative, analgesic (reduces pain), mood modulator, reduces anxiety, digestion, anti-carcinogenic, and also a combatant of fungi, bacteria, and also insects. Lavender is excellent for healing and disinfecting wound, healing and soothing burns, bruises, and bites. It is also beneficial for allergic reactions in the body.

Oil Properties: Anticoagulant, antidepressant, analgesic, anticonvulsant, anti-fungal, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, anti-infectious, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, anti-tumor, cardiotonic, antitoxin, sedative and also regenerative.

Possible Oil Uses: doTERRA Lavender essential oil can help bring balance to the body. When in doubt with which essential oil to use…use lavender. It may help arthritis, wounds, boils, anxiety, asthma, bruises, tension, bronchitis, throat infections, cold sores, sunburns, carbuncles, depression, sprains, convulsions, nervous tension, fainting, hay fever, laryngitis, gallstones, headaches, injuries, hives, reduce high blood pressure, insect bits and stings, hysteria, insect repellent, influenza, infection, migraines, heart irregularity, mouth abscess, earache, reduce mucus, rheumatism, skin conditions, sunstroke, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and whooping-cough.

Home Use
1. Freshen Your Closet. Banish stale odors in your closet by diffusing, drizzeling on earthen ware or dripping lavender oil on a cotton ball.
2. Sooth Bites. Did you forget to spray and as a result got eaten alive? Lavender soothes bites, itching and inflammation.
3. A Multi-Purpose Spray. Next time you sitting in traffic, pull out a spray bottle filled with a lavender and water mixture and freshen your car. Not only will it make your car smell nice but will help calm your nerves it you get caught in traffic for a long time.
4. Kids don't want to sleep? Put a Lavender drop or two on their pillows (or spritz with your multi-purpose spray) … it’s like magic. It will help ease their mind, calm them down and best of all … lull them into a restful sleep.
5. Skip the Chemical Sprays. Next time you are deodorizing the bathroom, think of lavender and water in a spray bottle. Lavender’s antibacterial, antibiotic, antiviral, antiseptic properties can only help.
6. Take the Acrid Out of Vinegar. If you clean with vinegar, but can barely stay vertical while using it, lavender is the answer. Just add lavender and vinegar together in the spray bottle and you’re set!
7. Therapeutic Dish or Laundry Soap. Does your liquid soap smell a bit flat, add lavender for additional aromatherapy benefits and antibacterial properties. It's time to transform your cleaning experience!
8. Love Your Linens. What does your linen closet smell like? Probably cotton. Maybe old cotton. Energize your linens with the lovely smell of lavender.
9.Lavender Scented Candles. Ahhh, the long lost art of candle making. If you’ve ever made candles you know how fun it can be. When you add lavender you can create your own spa like atmosphere.
10. Wood Floors, Shine! Is your wood flood looking tired? Commercial floor polishes often contain harsh chemicals. Woods love oil.  Just add lavender to your cleaning system and your floor can look like new!
11. Help That Trusty Ball Cap. A well-worn, much loved ball cap can look great, but smell a bit scary. Add 4-5 drops of lavender to make it bearable and it will be your favorite hat if you have a headache too!
12. Refresh Your Mattress. Unfortunately, your mattress can be neglected and over time develop an unpleasant smell. Spritz your mattress with lavender when you change your sheets and sleep more soundly at night!
13. DYI Room Freshener. Put baking soda and a 5-6 drops of lavender oil in a small Mason jar. Punch holes in the lid. Place in smelly areas (near garbage can, dirty clothes), shake jar often.
14. Pet Smells Be Gone. Add a skiff or two of your baking soda and lavender mixture to carpets and vacuum up!  If you have pets, (especially the un potty trained variety), fight back with lavender!
15. Extra Potpourri Mileage. If you have a pot of potpourri that has seen its day, try refreshing it with a few drops of lavender essential oil.  You’ll love the way lavender can change the feel of your home!
16. Sweet Smelling Vacuum Bags. Your vacuum can be your nemesis when it comes to keeping your home smelling clean.  As you well know, it can even blow micro fine dirt! Pin some cotton balls (soaked in lemon and lavender oils) on the inside of the bag and let your vacuum blow!
17. Control Cat Box Oder. Sprinkle some of your baking soda and lavender mixture in your cat box when you change it. Not only will it help neutralize odor but  the lavender will help kill bacteria keeping your cat box fresher
18. Scary Monster Spray. Trouble with monsters hiding under the bed or in the closet? No problem, put a few drops on lavender in a spray bottle of water, let your kids know that monsters are allergic to this special spray and let the kids go spritz happy. The monsters will be gone and your little one will be lulled to sleep. (Results not guaranteed, but it's worth a try for monsters that inhabit portions of your home.)

Cooking and Food
19.Soften Citrus Flavors. Use in delicate lemon sauces for chicken or fish or in powerful orange marmalades, citrus salads, real lemonade and more!
20. Amazing Marinades and BBQ. Baste chicken or fish on the grill with honey or a garlic and rosemary blend, spread over roasted vegetables, marinade chicken pieces in honey and lavender, yum!
21. Bake Like the Best. Lavender is a nice addition to lavender blueberry banana bread, lemon lavender cookies, baked salmon, lavender sugar cookies, lavender muffins, lavender cakes, oh yeah!
22. Give Your Sugars a Delightful Twist.  Use as a substitute for vanilla extract (in creams, custards and sugars), use it in lavender icing, add to honey for extra flavor in tea or toast, and even maple syrup!
23. Calming Cocoa.  Dip a tooth pick in Lavender and swirl it in your next cup of hot cocoa for a hint of flavor.

Body and Mind
24.   Oatmeal Facial Scrub.  Fill a baby food jar with oatmeal, and add 5-8 drops of lavender oil.  When it’s time to wash your face, add water and it becomes an excellent natural scrub! A little goes a long way.
25. Minor Burns, Major Relief. When you’ve slightly overdone it in the sun,Combine 1-3 drops pure lavender oil with each teaspoon of pure aloe vera and massage into the affected areas. (We usually see incredibly fast results from this combination!) It aids in your skin’s healing without scarring as well!
26. Boo Boo Relief. Lavender has disinfecting properties. It’s great for the skin, and wonderful for relief from cuts and scrapes, especially if the cut or scrape is located wherever it’s difficult to keep covered.
27. Alleviate Feelings of Earaches.  You can warm lavender (don’t scald it), mix with olive oil and gently massage around the ears (not in the ears) and near glands in the throat.
28. A Dry Climate Answer. If you suffer from dry, itchy skin, and don’t want to mess around with chemical smelling lotions, add lavender to fractionated coconut oil and comfort will be yours!
29. Horrific Heels & Foot Fatigue. If you’ve been wearing sandals all summer, and your heels look like the Atacama Desert, 6 drops of lavender in a hot foot bath is the answer. Your porous feet will thank you.
30. Neck & Wing Relief. When you have neck and scapula tension, apply lavender with fractionated coconut oil, breathe it in and massage those knots out!

31. A Hood of Wonder. Next time you have a cold or the flu, remember the lavender steam hood. Add 4-6 drops to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head, and inhale the vapor slowly and deeply.
32. A Woodworker’s Friend.  Do you work with wood or handle wood? Rather than dig a hole in your finger trying to catch that splinter, add a few drops of lavender, let the splinter swell and slip out.
33. Allergies, Sinuses & Congestion Oh My!  Lavender can calm down unruly sinus issues, defiant allergies and other respiratory issues. Just apply on the back of your neck, chest, and between your eyes. Use lavender together with lemon and peppermint to help with banish allergy symptoms.
34. Fortify Your First-Aid Kit.  There are many dōTERRA products that would be wonderful additions to your First-Aid kit, but if you could only pick one, lavender should be it.  Why? Basic First-Aid kits are often geared toward minor skin irritation, scrapes, rashes, and so forth.  Lavender is great for all those, not to mention its calming properties!
35. Rub a Dub Dub. Rather than using regular soap and warm water at baby’s bath time, add about five drops of lavender oil to the warm water.  Your tot’s skin will be pampered and smell great!
36. Soak Away Stress. Your muscles are tight. Anxiety and deadlines are eating at you. Your heart is racing. Where’s the pressure release valve?  Right here, with lavender. Add to a warm bath, soak it in, soothe.
37. Let Vapor Talk. Wet your hair in the shower. Add 4 drops of lavender to a handful of water and work it into your hands and hair.Tilt your head down, under the water and capture the aroma instilled vapor as it melts off your hands and hair. You’ll love how it smells, and how your hair feels!
38. Sore Chapped Lips? Put 1 drop of Lavender on your lips to help sooth and soften then follow up with a good lip balm. Your lips will thank you.
39. Stress Be Gone. Has it been one of those days? Apply a couple drops of lavender to the bottom of your feet and to your temples and sit back and relax. 
40. Scratch, Scratch....Will it Ever End?  Put a few drops in a carrier oil (such as coconut) and use on an itching tummy while pregnant. 
41. Red Bum Bum. Mix a few drops of lavender with coconut oil, it’s the best treatment for diaper irritation! (it even works for the bumpy neck rash they get while teething.)
42. Heat Therapy with a Twist. Is your rice bag or microwaveable heating pad starting to smell a little funky? After microwaving spritz with lavender water or apply 2-4 drops directly to the bag. Not only will the heat be soothing, so will the fragrance.
43. Your Shaving Companion.  Calm razor burn with Lavender. Add a few drops to coconut oil and gently rub over razor burn to sooth irritated skin, disinfect and aid in the healing process.
44. Sensual Setting. Wanna set the mood for a romantic evening after a rough day in the office? Offer your partner a massage. Mix several drops of lavender oil with coconut oil. It's relaxing properties will set the mood for a special evening and it's non toxic if you end up getting some in your mouth.
45. Wrinkles, Who Wants Them?  Lavender is a wonderful moisturizer. Add a drop of lavender to your moisturizer at night and mix in the palm of your hand before applying. Massage gently into skin as indicated, avoiding contact with eyes.
46. Tachycardia got Your Heart Racing? Use aromatically and apply to the reflex points of the feet and across chest to promote heartbeat regularity.  
47. Fight Dandruff at the Source. Apply lavender topically for its anti-fungal properties (dandruff is often caused by a fungal/yeast infection) and to soothe dry, irritated skin and balance pH levels on the skin. You can also add 2-3 drops to 2 table spoons of coconut oil for a relaxing scalp massage.
48. Chicken Pox's  Got You Down? Used topically over the pox, pure lavender oil can help soothe itchy skin and promote faster recovery this viral infection. 
49. Teething Pain being a Pain? Apply 1-2 drops to a teaspoon of carrier oil and apply to the gums. You can also add a couple drops of lavender to a cup of water, wet a washcloth with the solution, freeze and allow the little one to gnaw on the frozen cloth. 
50. Cold Sores Drama. Dilute 1 drop of lavender to 10-15 drops of coconut oil and apply directly to the cold sore. 

(To read more about the properties and research done on this pure lavender oil and other oils, I highly recommend the book Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Uses of Essential Oils.)  

Note: Because quality is everything when it comes to essential oils, never buy your oils from the grocery store. Although they may be suitable for aroma, they aren't the quality you need for health purposes. This is why we support and affiliate for our favorite brand, doTERRA essential oils. You can purchase your lavender essential oil oil directly from us by clicking the button below or follow the link to our store in the side bar.

Interested in getting 25% off your purchase? Click the 25% off tab above to learn more.


 

Oil Pulling: A Natural Detox for Health

Oil pulling… um, what?

That was pretty much my reaction when I first heard about oil pulling. Someone in one of my doTERRA groups had posted asking if oil pulling could be considered as a natural alternative for mouth wash. Feeling a bit stupid for asking I commented asking what oil pulling was. I read the article they suggested, then Googled it and read more articles. I couldn't wait to try it. Luckily I use unrefined coconut oil for everything so I had a jar already.

I must say, it's wasn't as easy or fun as they made it sound. The oil felt funny in my mouth, I couldn't seem to suppress the urge to swallow, my jaw and cheeks hurt from trying to swish for 20 minutes and my kids kept asking me questions that I couldn't answer because I had a mouth full of oil. After I spit, rinsed and brushed my teeth I was amazed at how clean my mouth felt. That was enough motivation for me to do it again.

I like to flavor my oil pulling with doTERRA's oils. I have tried Wild Orange, Peppermint, Lemon and On Guard. (I doubt I will do the On Guard again unless I have a sore in my mouth because it was to much for me.) Most of the time I stick two peppermint beadlets in the spoon of coconut oil before swishing with it.

What is Oil Pulling?

It’s an alternative health method used in Ayurvedic medicine that is slowly making its way into Western society. It is done by simply swishing a tablespoon (or so) of unrefined oil around in your mouth for 10-20 minutes daily (preferably first thing in the morning), up to 3 times a day. The most common oils used are coconut, sunflower, sesame (the most traditional) and olive oils.  The oil is then spit out (DO NOT SWALLOW THE OIL), and the mouth is rinsed with water or salt water and the teeth are brushed.

Which oil should I use for oil pulling?

Sunflower, sesame and coconut are the most common, but many other oils have been used.  I prefer coconut oil.  I keep a jar on my counter that I use for all my health and beauty needs. Sesame, sunflower, olive, walnut, macadamia and coconut oils can be used. The best oils would be ones that are cold pressed and unrefined.  I have seen some references where people’s teeth took on a yellow tinge from using olive oil, so that probably wouldn’t be my first choice.

Why on earth would I do that?

It’s inexpensive, easy, natural and can treat, improve or completely cure a variety of ailments. There is a list below of ailments that oil pulling can help with. It probably isn't a complete list and I encourage you guys to do what I did and do a web search for oil pulling and read a bunch of articles. You should never make a decision about your health with out doing research. Oil pulling is safe for nursing and pregnant women, as it is a natural, topical detox method and is not processed by the body and therefore, doesn't cross the placenta or enter breastmilk. In fact,  You can even buy all the oils with food stamps!

Doesn’t putting a large amount of oil in your mouth make you want to gag, and doesn’t your mouth get sore from swishing?

When I first started doing this, it did feel a little weird.  I find the coconut oil easier to use than liquid oil (my coconut oil is solid or semi-solid most of the year).  I put a spoonful in my cheek and let it warm up and melt, and it gives me a minute or two to get used to that much oil in my mouth.  You can start with smaller amounts and work up to a tablespoon.

If swishing for 15-20 minutes is too much, start with 5-10 minutes and work up to a longer time period.  You don’t have swish constantly – you can take a break now and then.  Once you get used to it, it’s really not a big deal, but my cheeks were a bit sore at first.

How do you find time to do oil pulling for 20 minutes?

I usually oil pull first thing in the morning when I am checking my e-mail, cooking breakfast or doing yoga. (It takes some talent to do yoga and oil pull at the same time.) My kids have learned that in the morning if they get the response “mmmmm..hhmmm….hmmm…” that I am oil pulling and they should come back in a few minutes. Then I spit in the shower or toilet. Avoid the sink, as oil may build up over time and clog the plumbing, and do make sure you pull for as close to 20 minutes as you can so the oil is effectively broken down and you are getting the full benefits from the pulling.

What health benefits does Oil Pulling have?

It sounds like oil pulling does just about everything but cook you breakfast in the morning.  If you go to Oilpulling.com they list the following conditions on their “Diseases Cured” page as most frequently responding to oil pulling:

• Acne
• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Back and Neck Pain
• Bad Breath
• Bronchitis
• Chronic Fatigue
• Colitis
• Crohn’s Disease
• Constipation
• Dental Cavities
• Dermatitis
• Diabetes
• Eczema
• Hemorrhoids
• Hypertension
• Insomnia
• Migraine Headaches
• Mucous Congestion
• Peptic Ulcers
• PMS
• Periodontal Disease
• Bleeding Gums
• Sinusitis
• Tooth Abscess

They also list a slew of others that may be helped.  The Coconut Oil Research Center also endorses oil pulling.

Personally, I’ve found that it makes my teeth feel smooth and clean and makes my mouth feel fresh. I have also noticed that my teeth look whiter than they did before I started.

So how does oil pulling work?

Swishing the oil around activates enzymes in our saliva that pick up bacteria and toxins lurking in our mouths, while the oil acts as a magnet, trapping the germy grossness into the oil. Which is why it is important to spit out the oil at the end, then rinse and brush afterwards. The skin in our mouths is very porous and there is a lot of blood flow. This is the reason behind why it heals so quickly, and is also one of the reasons that so many toxins can be drawn out (or in) through the mouth..

Deep Blue Rub {Not just for achy muscles}

Last week I got bit on the back of the hand by a deer fly. Those suckers hurt when they bite. With in 4-5 hours my hand was so swollen I couldn't close it all they way and it ached. I took a benadryl, put ice on it and was out like a light......benadryl and I don't mix, it knocks me out hard.

The next morning it was worse so I headed to my Dr. office. I was told that there wasn't anything they could do for me because I was still nursing. They suggested I keep taking benadryl and putting ice on it and if it wasn't better in a week come back in.

Thanks but no thanks. My hand looked like a blown up medical glove. So I did a web search for doTERRA oils to use for bites. Top suggestion: Lavender. I had already been using Lavender every few hours to keep the itching under control but it hadn't helped with the swelling. That's when I had an idea..........

I was pretty sure the swelling was some sort of inflammation. Every ingredient in the Deep Blue Rub has anti-inflammatory properties. It was worth a try. I applied the Deep Blue Rub to the back of my hand every 3 hours. By the third application the swelling was 90% gone and by the next morning my hand was 100% back to normal. No swelling at all!

Essential Oils: 1
Modern Medicine: 0

The doTERRA difference!

Why choose doTERRA? There are so many brands of essential oils on the market today, how do you know which ones are the best and which ones aren't worth the money?

There are four kinds of essential oils on the market today.

1. Synthetic- This makes up the largest portion of the EO market includes perfumes and other industrial uses.

2. Food- These are oils that the FDA has said are pure enough to consume. You can usually find them in the baking isle.

3. Therapeutic- Therapeutic grade are oils that are safe to run on your skin. This makes up even a smaller part of the market than food grade. To be certified as therapeutic grade the oils have to go though testing to make sure they contain a high enough percent of the essential oil.

doTERRA's founders thought that wasn't good enough. Just because a therapeutic grade Lavender oil contains only Lavender doesn't mean that it wasn't grown in a hot house, or sprayed with pesticides or picked before it's prime. Thus a new standard of oil was created.

4. Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG)- This is a brand new standard. Every batch of oils are put through rigorous testing -by outside labs, not by doTERRA- to ensure that they are 100% pure and free of weeds, pesticides, parfumes, synthetic materials etc. doTERRA also makes sure that all plants are harvested where they grown indigenous in the peak of their season when all of them plants compounds are at their prime. CPTG is the highest, most pure form of essential oil on the market.

doTERRA's oils are:

PURE - 100% natural, no artificial ingredients, fragrances, or fillers
SAFE - Certified to be free of pesticides and other chemical residues
POTENT - Standardized active compounds

Now you know why to choose doTERRA......now, why use essential oils in the first place? 

What is great about essential oils versus modern medicine is that they are far more compatible with our make-up. For example – essential oils are able to pass through the cell membrane wall to stop viruses in their tracks. There are no man made medicines that are able to do that. When you get a viral infection the doctor tells you that it just has to run it's course. When you have a bacterial infection, the medicine they give you kills all the bacteria in your body -good and bad- whereas essential oils will target only the harmful bacteria and leave the bacteria your body needs to function properly. Would you like to improve your health without all the nasty side effects of prescription medicines? Who wouldn't?

Follow our blog or follow us on facebook to learn more about these amazing oils and the health benefits they are bring to you and your family. Facebook.com/oil4health