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Lavender Benefits (According to Ayurveda)
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Table of Contents

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Lavender: Plum Lavender Chutney
Recipes with Lavender: Plum Lavender Chutney
Frequently used to aid sleep and relaxation. It is anti-convulsive and anti-depressant. English lavender yields an essential oil with sweeter overtones useful for balms and lotions. French lavender is sharper, containing camphor and terpenes. Mexican lavender is used only in landscapes.

Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was used in WWII to disinfect floors and walls. Though used to treat burns and acne, topically lavendar oil increases photosensitivity and is cytotoxic.

Like most members of the mint family, the aromatic oils in lavender have a carminitive effect redirecting Vata downwards.

Lavender essential oil is used to restore hair growth.

About Lavender

The name lavender comes from the latin root lavare meaning 'to wash.' Lavender flowers yield abundant nectar for beekeepers. Pumas respond to lavender the way cats respond to catnip.

Cooking Lavender

Lavender flowers can be candied with sugar syrup. It is used to flavor baked goods and desserts. It is also used in teas.

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  • SERVING SIZE: 1/16 tsp
  • FAMILY: Lamiaceae
  • SPECIES: Lavandula officinalis
  • EAT IN: SUMMER

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Is Lavender Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Lavender' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Take the Quiz

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Metabolic Nature of Lavender

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

Find Out More

COLD

ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD

DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

Find Out More

ASTRINGENT

ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying Pitta pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot & moist. Full-blooded, vigorous. Vivacious, social, and epicurean. Bullish.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry metabolic nature. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

Other

Subtaste:
Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

Tissue (dhatu):
Nerves

NERVES

Marrow tissue (Majja Dhatu) includes bone marrow and nervous tissue.

SEE ALL 'NERVES' FOODS / HERBS

Family:
Lamiaceae

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Lavender
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Mind, Stress & Sleep:
Makes You Tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS

,
Analgesic

ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Boosts Gaba

BOOSTS-GABA

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, reduces nerve excitability. It is the body's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Thus, it promotes relaxation, calm, and sleep.

SEE ALL 'BOOSTS-GABA' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Skin Care & Beauty:
Vulnerary

MILD VULNERARY

An herb used for the treatment of wounds (antiulcer, connective tissue tonic).

SEE ALL 'VULNERARY' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:
Antifungal

STRONG ANTIFUNGAL

Herbs that destroy fungus.

SEE ALL 'ANTIFUNGAL' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:
Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Reproductive Health:
Relaxant Parturient

RELAXANT-PARTURIENT

Used when labor is stalled due to irregular, colicky or spasmodic contractions (hypertonic). Ensures full dilation of cervix.

SEE ALL 'RELAXANT-PARTURIENT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Stimulant Parturient

STIMULANT-PARTURIENT

Used to induce labor when labor is stalled due to weak or ineffective contractions. Includes both stimulants and oxytocic parturients.

SEE ALL 'STIMULANT-PARTURIENT' FOODS / HERBS

Strength, Muscle Health:
Muscle Relaxant

STRONG MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, hear palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Other:

Foods with a Similar Nature to Lavender

  • Chamomile

    Chamomile has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Nervine, Vulnerary, Analgesic, Boosts-gaba, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Makes-you-tired, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic

    Garlic has these Actions in Common

    Antifungal, Makes-you-tired, Vulnerary, Antispasmodic, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Nutmeg

    Nutmeg has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Analgesic, Makes-you-tired

    LEARN MORE

  • Poppy Seed

    Poppy Seed has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Makes-you-tired, Antispasmodic, Muscle-relaxant, Anxiolytic, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Mint

    Mint has these Actions in Common

    Vasodilator, Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Antifungal, Nervine, Antispasmodic

    LEARN MORE

  • Cloves

    Cloves has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Antifungal, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Rosemary

    Rosemary has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Muscle-relaxant, Antifungal, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Hemp Seed

    Hemp Seed has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Sedative, Makes-you-tired, Analgesic, Muscle-relaxant

    LEARN MORE

  • Oats / Oatmeal

    Oats / Oatmeal has these Actions in Common

    Vulnerary, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Makes-you-tired

    LEARN MORE

  • Allspice

    Allspice has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Antispasmodic, Vasodilator, Muscle-relaxant, Analgesic

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Lavender

  • Lavender Essential Oil

    Lavender Essential Oil has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Relaxant-parturient, Antifungal, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Stimulant-parturient, Anxiolytic, Vasodilator, Boosts-gaba, Vulnerary, Makes-you-tired, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Lemon Balm

    Lemon Balm has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Relaxant-parturient, Sedative, Analgesic, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Valerian

    Valerian has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Sedative, Vulnerary, Analgesic

    LEARN MORE

  • Tagar (Indian Valerian)

    Tagar (Indian Valerian) has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Sedative, Vulnerary, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba

    LEARN MORE

  • Kava Kava

    Kava Kava has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Makes-you-tired, Muscle-relaxant

    LEARN MORE

  • Black Cohosh

    Black Cohosh has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Relaxant-parturient, Sedative, Analgesic, Antifungal

    LEARN MORE

  • Motherwort

    Motherwort has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Relaxant-parturient, Stimulant-parturient, Vulnerary, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Sedative, Vulnerary, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Sedative, Vasodilator, Antifungal, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Passionflower

    Passionflower has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Vulnerary, Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Skullcap

    Skullcap has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nervine, Sedative

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Lavender may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Lavender may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Lavender. Please see your health care provider for more information.
  • Analgesic: If the mechanism of pain relief is narcotic, do not combine with antihistamines.
  • Muscle-relaxant: Do not combine muscle relaxants with antihistamines.
  • Sedative: Do not combine nerve suppressing sedatives with nerve stimulants, pharmaceutical sedatives, most anxiolyitcs, or antihistamines.

View other ingredients
for Summer

Lavender is recommended for Summer. Check out these other Summer foods here.
VIEW ALL SUMMER FOODS MORE FOODS FOR PITTA / KAPHA MAIN INGREDIENT PAGE

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.
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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Lavender'

Do you like 'lavender'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'lavender'?

234 likes
Sign in to review or comment

Ysha Oakes Albuquerque, NM
2009-11-26
“Lavender blossoms can have a diuretic effect balancing Kapha's tendency to also hold water."
Like Reply
John J Immel Asheville, NC
2013-01-31
“You have many options for using lavender - essential oil, etc. This page refers to the flower."
Like Reply
dominique New york, NY
2013-08-15
“Why is lavender anti-vata here if it is generally used to balance vata?"
Like Reply
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