TJ Nethery Essays (667 words) - Herbs, Medicinal Plants, Lavandula

TJ Nethery Herb Paper 3/22/17 Herb: Lavender The origin of Lavender is thought to be from the areas of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and India. The history of Lavender is thought to go back close to 2500 years. The Lavender shru b is named from the Latin word "lavare" meaning to wash, due to the fact that the ancient Romans and Carthaginians used lavender in their baths as well for its natural therapeutic properties. The Greeks called Lavender "Nardus" after the Syrian city of Naarda and was commonly called "Nard". Lavender is also known and called one of the Holy Herbs and "SpikeNard" is mentioned in the bible as Mary used it on infant baby Jesus and after the crucifixion when she was preparing him for his burial. During the Renaissance lavender was used to protect against infections during the plague. Even now we find that it has many medicinal properties which help us in so many ways such as the insect repellent properties that were used during the plague to ward off lice that were carried by rats . English Royalty were very fond of Lavender during the Victorian Era. Everything and anything possible was washed in lavender or sprayed with a perfume made from lavender. After use prolonged the use of cultivation and commercial farming soon came to the f or e front . Lavender Cultivation has been in business since the 1500's and has been grown throughout the centuries for commercial uses. Most mentions of lavender in writing in our ancient past mention England. Particularly Surrey, England. Surrey is known as the most suitable location to grow Lavender. Dating from the late 1800's the Lavender oil that was made in England could be sold for at least 5 to 6 times higher than the oil that was grown and manufactured in France. The English Lavender varieties are said to produce the best and loveliest fragrance of all the available varieties grown today . The Health benefits of Lavender essential oils include its ability to eliminate nervous system tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems. Other Health benefits include: Bug Repellent, helping a person sleep, helping calm the Nervous system from anxiety and nervous issues, Acne, Pain relief, Urine flow, Respira tory disorders, Hair care, Blood Circulation, Digestion, Immune system health, and General skin care. Even though there are many great benefits to lavender and lavender oils, there are some risks in lavender. P ossible side effects of lavender oil is the possibility that it causes breast growth in boys. However, this side effect usually resolves a few months after the boys stop using lavender oil. Lavender oil can also sometimes irritate the skin, or cause an allergic reaction, nausea, headache, chills or vomiting. Lavender oil may be poisonous if taken by mouth and can be toxic. Signs of lavender oil toxicity include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, blurred vision, burning pain in the throat, difficulty breathing and skin rash. Most uses of Lavender are found in very small amounts due to the fact that it is commonly used in soaps and scents, the taste or this can be transferred into the food if too much is used. Mainly the lavender is grinded and a small amount is added to sugars that are common parts of recipes in sugary sweets and baked goods. Many types of lavender are sold, but if the lavender will be used for cooking make sure that you buy it from a store (cooking not ornamental) like hobby lobby. When I was younger we had a Lavender bush in our backyard, I believe it was planted by my grandparents when I was really young because I cannot remember a time it was not there. We never used it for any cooking or medicinal purposes, my family only used it for the scent, we could open the back door and the windows in the back of our house an we could smell the bush from inside our house.