LAVENDER - PART 1 | PHYSICAL
Heya, welcome to the first of many. So let's go!
Here are a few basic facts:
Plant family - lamiaceae aka mint family
Botanical name - lavandula angustifolia – meaning to wash and narrow-leaf
Best time to plant/sow - early spring time
Best time to pick - mid-summer through to late autumn/early winter. Hint: English lavender starts to slowly die after flowering
Now let’s delve into the medicinal and healing properties of this plant!
In botany, lavender is known as an anti-spasmodic or anti-molytic. This basically means it stops your muscles from spasming and offers relief/relaxation. It does this by first sending a message to your hypothalamus - the eyes and ears of your inner and outer body - saying you're relaxed.
Your hypothalamus then sends a message to your pituitary gland - responsible for creating and releasing hormones - to prevent or slow down the production and release of cortisol - the stress or flight/fight/freeze hormone. Your breathing steadily starts to slow down and your haemoglobin - the red blood cell pallets that carry oxygen around your body - are able to carry even more oxygen and deliver to your muscles.
The 'extra' oxygen helps your body system switch from sympathetic - fight/flight/freeze and active mode - to parasympathetic - rest, digest and safety. Another way to look at/remember this is:
your chest rising when breathing = sympathetic or fight/flight/freeze
your belly rising when breathing = relaaaaaaxed....aaaah
If, like me, you're in the UK, there are lavender bushes aplenty so get to picking! Just sniffing it alone is enough to induce your parasympathetic system and really good for anyone who experiences:
insomnia
anxiety attacks
panic attacks
prolonged stress
My personal experience with lavender Before I go ahead, I want to be clear in that I'm all about trauma transformation, healing and empowerment. So if you find yourself trauma bonding as you read the rest, take a few breaths and consider booking a consultation, workshop or have a look at the products below for your own transformation.
I first started Yoni steaming a few months after a DV attack which left me in a deep pit of trauma. I was having constant flashbacks, nightmares and multiple panic attacks per day. I remember - this may sound weird - being scared to breathe properly; I was holding on - to what, I don't know, for dear life. Before I even started doing any of the inner work to heal, I remember getting hold of some lavender, sniffing it and for the first time in a long time, I relaxed for a little bit. And that was the start of what is turning out to be the best journey I've ever taken!
WHAT PRODUCTS CAN LAVENDAR BE FOUND IN?
That's all for today. I hope you found this to be an informative, educational and many even inspirational read; please let me know what you think:
too much information or not enough?
clear to understand or no?
etc
And last but not least, do you have an experience of lavender that you'd like to share? If yes, simply email back here with the subject "My lavender story" and let me know if you're happy for it to be shared with my mailing list and social media or not.
Look out for part 2 next week. Until then....
