Less Stress and the Science of Lavender
Twenty years into the 21st Century, life seems to be getting more hectic and uncertain all the time. Try searching online for “studies on effects of chronic stress” and you’ll find pages of research on the many ways that stress negatively impacts our health and wellbeing. But studies have also shown that lavender can make a difference in how we deal with the pressures we all experience in our lives.
Naturally occurring aromatic oils such as lavender are a mixture of compounds that have been called the “healing life force of plants.” They contain many medicinal nutrients, oxygenating molecules, amino acid precursors, trace minerals, enzymes, vitamins, hormones and more.
Studies have shown that lavender is effective for helping sleep, PTSD and promoting decreases of blood pressure, heart rate, and skin temperature. Lavender even reduces the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and inspires lucid dreams.
Try using our 100% organic lavender oil in a diffuser or directly on your skin!
De-Aging Your Brain with Meditation
Meditation is a age-old method for training the mind in many cultures. But new research now offers evidence that meditating for as little as 15 or 20 minutes can make our brains “younger” by increasing gray matter in the frontal cortex, the part of the brain linked to decision-making and working memory. While for most people the cortex shrinks as they age, 50-year-old meditators in the study had the same amount of gray matter as those half their age.
Our brains love habits. So if your New Year’s resolutions include making meditation a regular activity, some habit design theories recommend creating a prompt as you build a new habit. The prompt I use is to inhale the scent of lavender oil before I sit - it tells my brain that it’s time to be still and withdraw from my hectic everyday schedule.
Want to try lavender aromatherapy to anchor your meditation habit? Keep our Lavender Sachet nearby as a prompt!
Sustaining Our Natural Environment
If you’re looking to support a cleaner and less toxic world this year, buying organic products is one way to do just that. Here at the Santa Ynez Lavender farm, we nurture our plants using organic methods certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), an organic certifying agency and trade association accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Not using chemical fertilizers and pesticides means a healthier life throughout the entire lavender cultivation ecosystem. Did you know that our lavender farm has its own ecosystem? I’ll blog about that in a future post.
Pesticide-free soil supports many more micro-organisms while organic habitat offers a safe environment for many species. One of the most important are honeybees, currently threatened by colony collapse disorder (CCD). When lavender blooms in the springtime, we see florets full of lively bees. We depend on them to pollinate our lavender and feel good about nourishing their colonies as they struggle to survive the CCD epidemic.
These pollinators not only help our farm but all of Santa Barbara county relies on them for avocados, strawberries and dozens of other fruits and vegetables.
Using organically sourced products is a great way to keep toxic chemicals out of your home and off your skin; at the same time you help us to sustain the web of life in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful new year full of vitality and serenity!