Oh La la Lavender…

copyright 2017 Art of Living, Prima Media, Inc/Maria Liberati
Editor: Christina Joell

Every morning upon  rising I gaze out my front window at my lavender…. and welcome the new day..it has become somewhat of a calming ritual this summer….
Lavender, Lavender, How Do I love thee, let me count the ways..
1-I love you for the way you calm my anxiety and restlessness
2- I love you for the flavor you add to some of my favorite recipes
3- I love you for your vibrant color that entertains my eyes
4- I love you for your fragrant, yet gentle perfume
5- I love you for your rich oil that helps to soothe my stomach
There are many types of lavender plants that can be grown such as the English lavender, French lavender, and Lavandin. Lavender is worth praising because of the many benefits that it serves. This gorgeous purple plant is a multi-purposeful goldmine for the body.
For example, lavender is considered to be an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Because of these properties, it can be used to help heal minor burns, sores and bug bites. What’s even more fascinating is that lavender oil itself can be used as a mosquito/bug repellent, which is perfect for the summer time! The scent of lavender is not as pungent as many of the other chemically made bug sprays. Even if the scent is too strong, it can be diluted with other products (lotion, water, etc.) to prevent it from being too harsh. There are even reports where the plant was used to help alleviate toothaches.
Lavender is also used to help cure internal problems in the body such as stomach aches, intestinal gas, nausea and headaches. It has also been proven to help with mental help, such as assist with depression, anxiety and restlessness. The smell of lavender has a calming property to it, which means it helps keep stress down. It’s the perfect add-in for a bath. The calming property of it will help with restlessness, as mentioned before. After a long week of work (or even just a long day), as lavender scented bath is just what you need to help relax.
Along with the health benefits, lavender has been used as a beauty product. The refreshing scent is used in many beauty products from soap to perfume, but the usefulness of it goes beyond just the scent. Lavender can be used to treat acne. It can also be used to help cleanse the scalp of dandruff and impurities. As mentioned before, because it is considered an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, it can support scar tissue and help restore the skin that’s been damaged.
Because of the many advantages to using lavender in products, it would only make sense that there are specific festivals dedicating to celebrating the plant, right? Well, there are. In Italy, there was an “Assisi Lavender Festival” from June 17th to July 2nd. If you’re upset because you missed it, do not fret because in Montrose, PA, there’s a lavender festival occurring on July 15th of this year. Another festival is the Sequim Lavender Festival in Sequim, WA from July 21-23rd. It is claimed to be the lavender capital of North America! There’s a number of things to do and see, including a street fair, food court, music and farm tours! If not a festival, there are lavender tours that you can go to from North America all the way to Europe, in places like France and Italy. They are a spectacular experience and you can even snag some lavender to help benefit your life!
 
For recipes get your copy of the Gourmand World Award Winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:Holidays and Special Occasions-2nd edition