Lavender for Health: Cooking & Magic

Lavender has always been a popular and well used herb, its extensive array of properties have made it the staple of many homes throughout centuries. It was originally used by the Egyptians, Phoenicians & Arabians as both a perfume and for embalming and mummification purposes. Lavender takes its name from the Latin “lavo” meaning “to wash” and was in fact a great favourite of the Greeks and Romans who added its heady fragrance to their bathing water. Renowned for its healing, relaxing and antiseptic properties news of it quickly spread through Europe.

Due to its hardy nature Lavender thrives in most conditions and its 28 varieties are found in many gardens. Lavender can be utilized in many ways; the flower heads can be dried and used as potpourris or added to flower arrangements. Some people tie them into small muslin bags and place them into pillowcases to overcome insomnia and aid restful sleep. These little bags can also be added to drawers or hung from clothes to keep them sweet smelling and also as a deterrent to moths. English lavender when pressed for its oils produces an extra sweet fragrance which is harvested for use in cosmetics and perfumes and for aromatherapy.

Lavender for Health

Lavender is a powerful asset to any medicine chest; it is soothing, calming, relaxing, sedative, antibiotic, purifying, anti viral, cleansing, anti-inflammatory, anti fungal and one of nature’s great antidepressants. It was widely used in hospitals and medical camps during WW1 as a disinfectant.

• Lavender can also be used to treat flatulence, colic, dyspepsia and nausea
• As a natural relaxant it calms migraines, depression, stress, anxiety/panic attacks, hypertension, nervous tension and exhaustion
• For oral health it treats gum disease, abscess, boils and Halitosis,
• A few drops on a hanky are a great way to ease and prevent travel sickness.
• Place a few drops in an oil burner (out of harms way of course!) or add a few drops to a bowl of cold water, and soak a tea towel in the water for a few minutes, wring out and leave to dry out over a warm radiator. This is great for calming down hyperactive children!
• Wonderful for warding off insects, Lice, Ringworm, Scabies, and also for soothing and healing insect bites.
• A few drops added to a damp flannel and placed over the brow eases headaches and migraines
• A teaspoonful of dried Lavender added to a cup of boiling water promotes relaxation and aids a peaceful night’s sleep.
• Dilute the oil 1:10 with cool water to ease burns including sunburn and for bathing bumps, bruises, sprains and wounds
• Its anti fungal properties are useful for treating Athlete’s Foot
• A great aid to healthy skin, can be used to treat acne, eczema, inflammations, psoriasis, dermatitis,
• When added to steaming bowl of hot water or a facial steamer it works wonders on viral conditions such as catarrh, bronchitis asthma, flu symptoms, throat Infections and whooping cough
• Also helpful in the cases of lumbago; rheumatism and cystitis;

Lavender’s Magical Properties

Aside from all its medicinal properties Lavender also has special magical properties, in fact just inhaling the scent regularly is said to be conducive to living to a ripe old age. Long used by healers, witches, and wise ones as ingredients in love spells, and to lure men, boost sex drives, especially by prostitutes to magically attract customers! It is renowned for attracting money and business deals. It is widely used to promote peace and harmony around the home and is frequently used as an offering to God and Goddesses and to attract and invite the Fey Kingdom to rituals and festivals. It is also useful for purification, to enhance psychic abilities and healing ceremonies. Using Lavender is a great way to cleanse and anoint both people and possessions and as an aid for exorcisms. It is often carried to open perceptions and to enable one to see spirits. Is also said that if carried with rosemary it would preserve a woman’s chastity and also to protect against the abusive treatment of a partner.

Cooking with Lavender

Lavender is also a popular flavour used in cooking and is frequently added to stews, salads, flans, bread, sweets, jams, cream, vinegar, custards, sauces, sorbets, ice creams, sheep and goats cheese. The flower heads when candied can also be used as garnishes for cakes and drinks .When added to sugar and stored for several weeks it will make lavender sugar, which can be used in cooking and baking in place of ordinary sugar.

If you fancy having a go cooking with lavender here is my favourite recipe for lavender biscuits;

Lavender Biscuits

• 1 egg
• 4 ½ oz OR 125 grams of margarine or butter
• 4 oz OR 100 grams of sugar
• 6 oz OR 175 grams of self-raising flour
• 1 level Tbsp.of dried English lavender flowers It is essential to use English lavender as this isn’t camphor scented.

• 1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
• 2. Cream the butter and sugar together and add the egg, beat well until smooth
• 3. Add the dried lavender flowers and fold into the mixture
• 4. Sieve the flour, add and mix thoroughly
• 5. Carefully teaspoon the mixture onto your baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes
• 6. Cool and tuck in!

NOTE:  Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries, or garden centres. In many cases these flowers have been treated with pesticides which are not labelled for human consumption.