A new study conducted by UC Riverside suggests that exercise and healthy diet in childhood lead to adults with bigger brains and less anxiety. The study aimed to examine the long term benefits of a healthy diet and exercise as the two are usually examined separately, or short term.

Researchers divided young mice into four groups, those with access to exercise, those without, and those with a standard healthy diet, and those with a standard western diet.

Related: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

Mice were put on their assigned diet as soon as they were done weaning and stayed on the same diet for three weeks until sexual maturity. The mice then went through an additional eight weeks of “washout” where they were kept with out wheels on the standard healthy diet. Researchers then measured aerobic capacity, did behavioral analysis, and testes different levels of hormones.

Previously, the research team found that eating too much fat and sugar as a child can alter the microbiome for life, even if they later eat healthier. Going forward, the team plans to investigate whether fat or sugar is more responsible for the negative effects they measured in Western-diet-fed mice.

Childhood diet and exercise creates healthier, less anxious adults

Researchers concluded that early life exercise resulted in less anxious behaviors in adult mice and led to increases in adult muscle and brain mass. When fed standard western-style diets the mice became fatter and grew into adults with a preference for unhealthy foods.

A national survey of 977 parents with kids between the ages of 13-18 analyzed the mental health of teens since the beginning of the pandemic. Nearly half of parents have reported that their children are experiencing new or worse mental health problems since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The poll was conducted by Ipsos the C.S Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan medical school.

The restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19 have kept teens at home “at the age they were primed to seek independence from their families,” said poll co-director Dr. Gary Freed, who is the Percy and Mary Murphy professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan.

Nearly half of parents said teens face new or worsening mental health issues during pandemic, poll says

Parents of teen girls reported higher cases of depression and anxiety compared to boys. Thirty-one percent of teenage girls experienced depression compared to 18% of boys. Thirty-six% of teenage girls faced anxiety compared to 19% of boys. A quarter of parents have said that the pandemic has affected children’s sleep schedule.

I used to have terrible anxiety. Throughout high school, I had panic attacks so severe I felt like I couldn’t breathe. At my worst, I would shut down, in tears, unable to take a deep breath, while my whole body shook. The pit in my stomach would get so heavy I was sure I would be sick. Sometimes, I did get sick.

Image credit: Antonioguillem/Adobe Stock

I remember the progression from being a nervous person to realizing I had anxiety, to being able to recognize I was having a panic attack. Yet, I didn’t even realize how bad it was because I was used to living with chronic pain. But when I was 16, I had a severe panic attack, severe enough that I finally thought to myself, “This is not normal, and I am not okay. I can’t live like this.” It was another two years before I fixed the root of the problem.

For two years after that debilitating panic attack, I would practice deep breathing, and on rare occasions, take an anxiety pill to try and help calm my nerves. Unfortunately, my endocrine system was so messed up, there wasn’t much I could do to quell the anxiety without fixing the root of the problem.

I also used to weigh 320 pounds. I woke up anxious; I went to bed anxious. Every moment of my life was full of anxiety. After graduating from high school, I began to learn about the endocrine system. I’ve learned how my toxic lifestyle (diet, prescription drugs, and poor sleep habits) caused my hormonal imbalance and was at the root of my anxiety and numerous other health problems. If you would like to take a deep dive into how hormones work and how to fix the endocrine system, check out the following article:

The endocrine system is the collection of glands and glandular organs that produce hormones to regulate metabolism, tissue function, growth and development (which includes repair), sexual function, reproduction, sleep, mood, the immune system, and more.

HOLISTIC GUIDE TO HEALING THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND BALANCING OUR HORMONES

My anxiety was caused by two major things that were totally within my control:

• Poor diet
• Poor sleep

I’ve learned that my endocrine system was functioning so poorly because of my diet and poor sleep, which was also affected by my poor diet.

Diet

Diet is imperative to fixing the endocrine system and getting rid of anxiety. Just like with most everything else, it starts in the gut. When I eliminated refined sugars, gluten, and processed foods, I felt better within days. When I started eating a salad and drinking a gallon of cranberry lemonade every day, my life changed for the better, irrevocably.

We have an excellent article about the hormonal system that I urge anyone to read if they want to learn how to balance and heal the endocrine system. It goes into why diet is paramount to healing the gut, the endocrine system, and chronic illness in general:

As OLM always says, it starts with diet. Supplemental therapies are much more effective with a healthy diet, and for most people, the right diet is all they need. But there are plenty of people who do not have access to healthy foods, and there are many who have such a depleted endocrine system that the body is just plain going to need a lot of help.

HOLISTIC GUIDE TO HEALING THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND BALANCING OUR HORMONES

Two months after fixing my diet, I decided to fast for a week. Within days my depression was back. I wasn’t as anxious as I had been, but the anxiety made it difficult to talk about how I was struggling. I had stopped eating vegetables, and I had stopped working out. I don’t think my gut was healthy enough for me to reap the benefits of fasting. A week later, the first thing I ate was a salad. I felt better immediately. As I incorporated exercise back into my life, my anxiety continued to fade.

I start to feel a little anxious when I don’t eat well enough as well as when I don’t take time to get enough sleep. When I say I’m not eating well I should be clear. My idea of junk food is stuff like homemade pesto with brown rice pasta, or organic brown rice chips with a chunk of goat cheddar cheese. Sometimes we make raw food chocolate pie or sourdough bread. While the average person wouldn’t notice any problems with these foods, and may even feel better compared to a typical diet, I get anxious when I eat wheat or pre-packaged processed “healthy” snack foods.

Sleep

Throughout high school, I would regularly sleep between 12-14 hours a day. I would often joke with my friends about how much sleep I got. While they were on one end of the spectrum, pulling all-nighters, I was on the other end, sleeping as much as possible. None of us were healthy. I struggled with depression throughout high school. I was always exhausted, no matter how much I slept.

Fixing your sleep schedule can be difficult or impossible if you’re not taking care of yourself in other ways. I sleep well when I eat well. Exercise helps, too. When I mess up my sleep schedule (which doesn’t happen often, but it does happen), I find that exercise is the best way to help me get back on track. No matter how mentally tired I am at the end of the day, I can still have a hard time falling asleep if I don’t go for a run or work out in some other way.

I also find that having a set bedtime and wake-up time helps. I generally go to bed by 9:30 or 10:00 every night. My wake-up time is not yet as consistent. Sometimes I’m up at 6:00 am, but other times, if my REM sleep is off, or I’m working out very hard, I can sleep past 8. I’m almost always awake by 9.

I find that my sleep schedule and my endocrine system are intertwined. It can be a vicious cycle when things aren’t going well! An unhealthy endocrine system makes it difficult to impossible to fix one’s sleep schedule, and a messed up sleep schedule makes it difficult to impossible to have a healthy endocrine system.

I find it interesting to pay attention to what happens when I don’t get enough sleep, and I get to experiment with this regularly. I have friends in college who often aren’t ready or able to talk or hang out until 8:00 or 9:00 pm when I’m ready to go to bed. And sometimes I can’t help myself, and I find I’ve pulled all-nighters or had too many consecutive days running on 3-4 hours of sleep while sticking to my very healthy diet.

when I don’t get enough sleep, the first thing that happens, obviously, is exhaustion. I have a hard time focusing and I feel very drained. Then I notice the anxiety. I notice a small pit in my stomach at the thought of doing something I don’t want to do. Something as simple as going on a run when I don’t want to can cause a slight twinge of anxious nausea.

The longer I go without sleep the worse my anxiety gets. It goes from that small twinge of nausea to a constant knot in my stomach at the thought of the unknown. My heart rate will spike unnecessarily at any unease. Happy excitement can turn into anxiety very quickly.

After one all-nighter or 2 days with less than 6 hours of sleep, I notice the bags under my eyes. They’re faint. Someone who doesn’t know me might not even notice them, but they’re there. Shortly after the sun comes up, I can barely see the purple-blue hues beginning to appear under my eyes.

I also experience dizziness when standing up if I’m not getting enough sleep. Recently, for two weeks, I did not get nearly enough sleep and was alternating between all-nighters and getting a couple of hours of sleep a night. Every time I stood up I would get lightheaded. I nearly fainted twice. There are multiple factors that go into this, but I believe that had I been getting proper sleep, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Since correcting my sleep schedule, the issues have gone away.

Conclusion

I remember what it was like to have severe anxiety. I know how hard it can be to treat. I find that like almost all other things health related, it starts in the gut. Fixing anxiety can take time. My panic attacks went away within days of fixing my diet, but it took months of regular exercise and a healthy diet to fix my endocrine system enough to alleviate my anxiety completely.

• The Effects of Anxiety on the Endocrine System
• Anxiety disorders are linked to inflamed thyroid glands
• 10 Ways to Naturally Reduce Anxiety

A recent study done by the University of Surrey has linked staying up late to higher anxiety, substance use, and impulsivity.

Photo: Basak Gurbuz Derman/Getty Images

Researchers gathered 191 participants between 18-25 years old. They were then surveyed on sleeping preference, sleep quality, levels of anxiety and impulsivity, and substance use (cigarettes, coffee and other caffeinated drinks, and alcohol).

Impulsivity levels were tested using a lab-based computer test where participants were asked to indicate how long they would wait to receive a hypothetical cash reward. Data showed that those who prefer to stay up later were often more impulsive. Those who stayed up later also reported higher anxiety, and substance use, compared to those who went to bed early.

These young adult evening types were also more anxious and reported higher alcohol, caffeine and cigarette use compared to their peers who preferred going to bed earlier. Lower sleep quality did not explain these effects; to see what could, researchers used a statistical method known as mediation analysis, which found that higher levels of impulsivity were the link between being an evening type and greater alcohol, caffeine, and cigarette use.

Young people who go to bed later drink and smoke more due to their impulsivity

Many people underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. In my experience, I’ve found that even when I’m doing everything right (salads every day, a gallon of cranberry lemonade, and working out regularly) I still experience problems if I’m not getting enough sleep, and good sleep.

A recent observational study published in the journal General Psychiatry found that regulating the gut microbiome had positive effects on people with anxiety. In a review of 21 different studies that included controlled anxiety tests, 11 studies showed that regulating the intestinal microbiome produced positive results. The researchers conclude:

We find that more than half of the studies included showed it was positive to treat anxiety symptoms by regulation of intestinal microbiota. There are two kinds of interventions (probiotic and non-probiotic interventions) to regulate intestinal microbiota, and it should be highlighted that the non-probiotic interventions were more effective than the probiotic interventions. More studies are needed to clarify this conclusion since we still cannot run meta-analysis so far.”

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Managing the Gut

After looking at 21 studies and the 1,503 people those studies consisted of, researchers found that regulating intestinal flora was a beneficial action 52 percent of the time. But what did their interventions look like and can that be applied in real life?

The interventions in the study were mostly divided into two different categories, probiotic and non-probiotic. The non-probiotic options consisted of regulating diet, like choosing a low FODMAP diet or using prebiotics like fructooligosaccharides or trans-galactooligosaccharides. Of the 11 studies that showed the positive effects of microbiome regulation on anxiety, 5 used probiotics and 6 relied on non-probiotic options, including diet.

Related: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

Mood and the Gut

Diet has a powerful effect on our microbiome, and that microbiome in turn greatly affects mood. Many of the hormones responsible for regulating our attitudes are produced in the intestinal tract, like serotonin. There is direct communication between our gut and our brain chemicals, and an unbalanced, unhealthy gut will correlate with mood shifts and fluctuations.

Non-probiotic interventions were the most effective method of anxiety treatment which includes the use of prebiotics. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. These bacteria can be found in probiotics, but prebiotics work because they feed the bacteria and create an atmosphere where it can thrive. Because they are a type of fiber, prebiotics are also easy and inexpensive to obtain. Many foods are an excellent source of them, from raw vegetables and fruits (especially dandelion greens, onions, garlic, bananas, apples, and asparagus) to pulses like chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans.

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

A Holistic View

The gut has been called the “second brain” by many scientists and using that connections to treat mental disorders like anxiety is (pardon me…) a no-brainer. One of the benefits of the increased availability and advancements of research in the way we work is how it allows us to see how truly holistic our body is. Everything is connected, and that process starts in the gut. A healthy, thriving gut goes a long way in improving the health of the other systems in our body.

Sources:

• Anxiety Might Be Alleviated By Regulating Gut Bacteria – BMJ
• Effects of regulating intestinal microbiota on anxiety symptoms: A systematic review – BMJ General Psychiatry
• How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Think Twice: How the Gut’s “Second Brain” Influences Mood and Well-Being – Scientific American
• Probiotics and Prebiotics: What’s the Difference? – Healthline

A new study has found that a “sugar rush” is not a real thing. In fact, your levels of fatigue after the consumption of carbohydrates increase within 30 minutes.

Researchers in the U.K. and Germany examined results from 31 different studies encompassing nearly 1300 adults and found that those who consumed carbohydrates experienced no positive mood changes. In comparison with those who were given a placebo, the carbohydrate consumers reported lower levels of alertness within 60 minutes of ingestion.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

Not A Real Boy

Not only is the sugar rush not real, but there is evidence that regular sugar consumption can lead to higher incidences of depression and anxiety.

A long-term study of 8,000 British civil servants found that men who ate 67 grams or more of sugar daily in a five-year period were 23% more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men who ate 40 grams or less. None of these men had mental health issues before the study began, and the effect sugar had on their mental health remained even after researchers filtered out other possible causes of depression.

Sugar definitely doesn’t help with anxiety. Some of the physical side effects of sugar like blurry vision, difficulty thinking, and fatigue even mimic the signs of a panic attack. Your body is less able to deal with stress. An overactive serotonin system has been linked to social anxiety disorder, and sugar is a well-known serotonin booster. Rat studies have linked sugar consumption to anxiety as well.

Related: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

Reexamining Common Myths

People have more access to information than ever before. There’s an increased interest in knowing how our health works. With that, some of the most commonly held beliefs have been or need to be reexamined. We’ve all heard of the “sugar rush.” It’s not real, and you’re more likely looking at a long-term sugar crash.

Sources:

• No such thing as ‘sugar rush’! Sugar worsens mood rather than improving it – University of Warwick
• Sugar rush or sugar crash? A meta-analysis of carbohydrate effects on mood – Science Direct
• The Link Between Sugar And Depression: What You Should Know – Psychology Today
• 4 Ways Sugar Could Be Harming Your Mental Health – Psychology Today
• The Sugar-Anxiety Connection You Need To Know About – Mind Body Green

For most people, lavender conjures memories of powdery-scented sachets in lingerie drawers, spray colognes, or dainty English soaps. Because of this nostalgic cosmetic association, this age-old garden plant has been mostly forgotten as a medicinal, even by seasoned herbalists. Lavandula angustifolia or true lavender is a gentle but highly effective multitasking plant ally for children and adults alike. This fragrant shrub in the mint family has tiny, purple flowers, but don’t let the lovely fragrance or size only connote cosmetic pleasantry. Lavender is highly therapeutic. It is capable of combating influenza and strep throat yet mild enough to calm the stormiest of tummy troubles in youngsters.

When infused gently in hot water, this lovely herb displays aqua hues that mellow to mauve as it fills the room with its fragrance. With such fairy glamor charms, this tea makes an easy internal medicine for nervous exhaustion, digestive spasms, tension headache and migraine, anxiety, panic attacks, chest infections, tonsillitis, bowel infections, excessive Candida, cold and flu, insomnia, and fevers including typhoid. Lavender can easily be combined with synergistic herbs such as lemon balm, chamomile, and rose petals to tailor its valuable properties for specific maladies.

On the other hand, lavender essential oils—true lavender and spike lavender–—are some of the most important oils in clinical aromatherapy that are capable of fighting drug-resistant infections including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) when used topically.

When looking at the body of modern clinical studies, old herbal manuals, and scribbled notes of aromatherapists, it is easy to see why this humble plant should be one of the most important items to keep on hand at all times—in the medicine chest, the kitchen cabinet, and the travel case.

Uses for Lavender Tea

Allergies and Adrenal Support

Lavender is a natural immune booster, but it can also calm an overactive immune system that is responsible for multiple allergies or sensitivities. The adrenals, the body’s stress glands, can play a significant role in promoting equilibrium between both extremes, and lavender can help. When the adrenals are nourished and the more the parasympathetic nervous system kicks into temper chronic fight or flight response, there will be fewer allergies and less severe allergies.

Tip: To prevent the body from neutralizing the effects of long-term use, alternate weeks that you drink lavender tea. For example, after a week of consistent use, skip a week and then resume.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups a day.

Anxiety, Depression, and Neurotransmitter Balance

Lavender—both its scent and chemical properties within the flowers themselves when ingested—affect the production of serotonin, a vital neurotransmitter found within the gut and the brain. When this neurotransmitter is imbalanced or deficient, a multitude of “mental health” conditions can manifest. An inhibitory neurotransmitter, serotonin plays a major role in taming excessive production of excitatory chemicals that are responsible for low immunity, disrupted sleep cycles, sugar cravings, and heightened pain. Regular consumption of coffee and other stimulants, prolonged stress, hormonal changes, and poor diet compromise and deplete our serotonin levels. In the simplest terms, serotonin imbalance directly affects many functions in the body including digestion as well as emotional wellbeing. When it is disrupted, it can be evident in many ways ranging from hormonal moodiness to eating disorders such as bulimia and certain types of depression to chronic anxiety. Lavender tea can offer wonderful and near-immediate calming effects by lowering the stress hormone cortisol and regulating adrenaline.

Recommended amount: 1-3 cups a day.

Blood Sugar Balance

 Lavender tea has balancing effects on the pancreas and insulation production, therefore it can be beneficial for blood sugar stability, especially for non-diabetic/reactive hypoglycemia.

Recommended amount: 1-3 cups of unsweetened tea a day.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Because of its effects on neurochemicals and the adrenals, lavender tea is helpful for some individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups of unsweetened tea a day.

Digestive Balance

Chamomile has long been hailed as the quintessential herb for stomach upset, but lavender is also a heavy hitter when it comes to calming nervous bellies, nausea, gas, bloating, and griping pains. A warm infusion of lavender can also increase good intestinal flora while combatting yeast overgrowth. Lavender tea is also an excellent children’s remedy for tummy troubles, school jitters, nightmares, and stomach aches from nervous origins.

Recommended amount for adults: 1-3 cups a day. Recommended amount for little ones: ½ cup twice a day taken by the tablespoon if need be. A little local honey makes it a pleasant drink.

Energetic Properties and Emotional Influence

On the energetic level, lavender can soothe stormy emotions, stimulate peace where there is resentment or jealousy, and lift the mood.

Immunity

 An infusion of lavender flowers drunk a few times a week is a pleasant immune booster that can prevent illness during the flu season, guard against infections, and balance neurochemicals such as serotonin that play an important role in strong immunity. Lavender tea is also wonderful for sore throats, and an added touch of local honey enhances its healing and soothing properties. The tea can be drunk cold, at room temperature, or hot. The latter is useful in bringing down high fevers.

Recommended amount: 3-5 cups a week, skip a week and then resume.

Insomnia  

The scent of lavender and its effects on calming the body and inducing sleep are well known, but the herb prepared as tea gets little attention. A warm lavender infusion taken half an hour before bed can help the body wind down and calm racing thoughts.

Recommended amount: 1 cup of strong unsweetened tea before bedtime.

Muscle Tension and Headaches

Warm or hot lavender tea  can relieve tension headaches and muscle tightness (anywhere in the body, including the neck), and it may help migraines.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups of unsweetened tea.

Caution: Because of lavender’s effects on neurotransmitters and insulin, those on antidepressants, diabetic pharmaceuticals, or sleep medications might need less of these drugs and should be monitored. Always ask your physician about contraindications regarding any medication. Also, despite lavender’s gentle effects, some individuals can be allergic to it. If any signs of allergic reaction occur, discontinue use.

How To Make Lavender Tea

Quick Method

Use 1-1 ½ teaspoons of dried organic lavender flowers per cup of water. Place the dried herb in a heat proof Pyrex measuring cup or a tea pot, pour boiling water over the lavender and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking. If preferred, add honey to taste.

Overnight Method for a Larger Quantity

Fill a 1-quart Mason jar with ½-3/4 cup of dried organic lavender flowers. Pour boiling water over the herbs, filling the jar halfway. Stir the herb mixture and then fill the rest of the jar with water until full. Put a lid on and cover with a towel overnight. Strain and drink. If preferred, add honey to taste. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Individual portions can be reheated.

Topical Use of Lavender Essential Oil

How to Use Lavender Oil Topically

Due to individual skin sensitivity, neat, or undiluted, application of lavender essential oil is recommended via the soles of the feet. Pores of the foot sole are the largest in the body and are therefore ideal for fast delivery of essential oils into the bloodstream. Inhalation of lavender essential oil can also have profound benefits.

Adults: For undiluted application to the soles of the feet, use 3-4 drops of essential oil maximum per foot. Apply to the soft part of the sole between the heel and the ball of the foot.

Children: Use 1 drop essential oil per sole of the foot or 1 drop of essential oil mixed into 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and massage on chest, belly, or any other part of the body. Avoid mucus membranes.

Tip: The easiest way to apply essential oils neat to the soles of the feet is to simply place an index finger over an essential oil bottle, invert the bottle, and then turn right-side up. The amount of essential oil dispensed on your finger should equal 1 drop. Be sure to allow oils to be absorbed before putting on shoes and socks.

Uses for Lavender Oil

Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, and Chronic Worry

Lavender essential oil is the premiere essential oil for afflictions of the nervous system that manifest as emotional or psychological conditions ranging from certain types of depression to PTSD. Dermal (skin) application and inhalation are both recommended for any of the above. Lavender essential oil is best used consistently, even when symptoms are not apparent. For example, a person who suffers from panic attacks will benefit from lavender by using it between attacks as a preventative measure as well as when symptoms are present. When inhaled, lavender essential oil immediately affects the limbic portion of the brain and works with the adrenals to regulate stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. For inhalation, put a drop on a tissue and inhale as needed.

Cardiovascular Health

Dermal application of lavender essential oil has been shown to increase oxygen and decrease inflammation, thus making it beneficial for heart disease or the prevention of this condition.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. Steam inhalation is also beneficial and can be used by dropping 3 drops of lavender essential oil into hot water and inhaling for ten minutes with a towel over the head.

Chronic Pain Syndromes and Inflammation

Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other pain syndromes respond positively to a topical application of lavender. Lavender is a gentle analgesic that reduces pain, swelling, and inflammation. Steam inhalation of lavender can also benefit the body by reducing physiological stress responses and reducing inflammation.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed.

Steam inhalation: add 3 drops of lavender essential oil to hot water and inhale for ten minutes with a towel over the head.

First-Aid and Skin Health 

A drop or two of lavender essential oil applied to cuts, burns, wounds, and other injuries can instantly promote healing and stop bleeding. Immediate application followed up with daily re-application is recommended for best results. A few drops of lavender essential oil added to water in a spray bottle makes a wonderful sunburn soother that can also be used for inflamed skin condition such as acne, rosacea, and allergies. Lavender applied to the skin after radiation treatment can speed healing and ease pain. Lavender has been shown to decrease certain types of skin cancers, especially when combined with high quality frankincense essential oil.

Headaches

A few drops applied to the back of the neck, the temples, and the forehead can relieve headaches stemming from tension, stress, and allergies. Use as needed.

Immunity

Lavender essential oil is a powerful oil to use during the cold and flu season and is best used as a preventative.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. Lavender essential oil can be combined with other immune-boosting essential oils such as clove or organic lemon. If combining, use 2 drops of lavender to 1 drop of lemon or clove.

Conclusion

In the world of alternative health, lavender is an all-around remedy with many more uses than those discussed here. It is also a gift for the frazzled spirit in challenging times. Here’s wishing you lavender’s beautiful benefits!

Recommended Reading:

• The Many Benefits Of Turmeric, the Perfect Paleo Herb
• The Power of Pau d’Arco – Herbal Remedies and More
• Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet
• Cayenne and Capsaicin, Natures Miracle Medicine

Where to Find Dried Organic Lavender Flowers:

• Frontier Co-op
• Jean’s Greens
• Starwest Botanicals

Author’s Recommended Brands of Essential Oil of Lavender, Spike Lavender, and Other Lavender Species:

• Birch Hill Happenings
• doTERRA
• NOW
• Young Living

Sources:

Books

• Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss
• Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
• Flower Power by Anne McIntyre
• Goddess Consciousness by Marlaina Donato
• Healing Oils, Healing Hands by Linda Smith
• Multidimensional Aromatherapy by Marlaina Donato, CA

Online

• Green Med Info