Passing on the Knowledge

Overview:

The name lavender comes from the Latin root lavare, which means "to wash." Lavender may have earned this name because it was frequently used in baths to help purify the body and spirit. However, this herb has also been used as a remedy for a range of ailments from insomnia and anxiety to depression and fatigue. Research has confirmed that lavender produces slight calming, soothing, and sedative effects when its scent is inhaled.

Insomnia or Agitation

In older days, pillows were filled with lavender flowers to help restless people fall sleep. Scientific evidence suggests that aromatherapy with lavender may slow the activity of the nervous system, improve sleep quality, promote relaxation, and lift mood in people suffering from sleep disorders. Studies also suggest that massage with essential oils, particularly lavender, may result in improved sleep quality, more stable mood, better concentration, and reduced anxiety. In one recent study, people who received massage with lavender felt less anxious and more positive than those who received massage alone. Several small studies suggest that lavender aromatherapy may help reduce agitation in patients with dementia. Lavender flowers have also been approved in Germany as a tea for insomnia, restlessness, and nervous stomach irritations.

Other Uses

Aromatherapists also use lavender in inhalation therapy to treat headaches, nervous disorders, and exhaustion. Herbalists treat skin ailments, such as fungal infections (like candidiasis), wounds, eczema, and acne, with lavender oil. It is also used in a healing bath for joint and muscle pain. One study evaluating treatments for children with eczema founded it was therapeutic touch from the mother that improved symptoms; in other words, massage with and without essential oils (including lavender) both reduced the dry, scaly skin lesions. Another study found that lavender oil may improve pain control after surgery. Fifty patients undergoing breast biopsy surgery received either oxygen supplemented with lavender oil or oxygen alone. Patients in the lavender group reported better pain control than patients in the control group.

Roman Chamomile

Overview:

Traditionally, Roman chamomile has been used to treat nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and excess intestinal gas. It is widely valued for its anxiety-relieving properties. Used topically, this herb may also reduce inflammation associated with cuts or hemorrhoids. It may ease the discomfort associated with conditions such as eczema and gingivitis (swollen gums). 

There are two plants known as chamomile. One is the more popular German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), while the other is called the Roman, or English, chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile). Although they belong to different species, they are used to treat similar conditions. Both are used to calm frayed nerves, to treat various digestive disorders, to relieve muscle spasms, and to treat a range of skin conditions and mild infections. Chamomile can also be found in a variety of face creams, drinks, hair dyes, shampoos, and perfumes.

Other Uses
Test tube studies have also shown that chamomile has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It also has antispasmodic properties, meaning it helps relax muscle contractions, particularly in the smooth muscles that make up the intestines.

Descriptions and information listed on the page are from the University of Maryland Medical Center Website/Medical Alternative Medicine Index.

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