lavender
lavandula angustifolia
Known for her lavish use of aromatics, cleopatra soaked the purple sails of her ship in lavender oil so that, with the ancient Egyptian equivalent of a MIC DROP, the perfumed wind would herald her arrival long before her fleet reached shore. {Yeah, she got the guy.}
This seductive & powerfully grounding yet uplifting nervine doubles as a carminative, dissolving tension, aiding in digestion & increasing nutritional absorption.
The potent aromatic oils help to dissolve tension. In the brain, this helps to relieve headaches, in the gut it stimulates digestion & absorption, while dissolving cramps & digestive discomfort- all making this herb a great accent to use in cooking. A little goes a long way!
The uplifting, yet relaxing effects that lavender’s essential oils evoke make it a great ally in times of depression, anxiety & panic. Those powerful oils also help to reduce feelings of fatigue as well as promote sleep when it’s time to rest.
Aromatic plants contain potent oils that modulate tissues & organs that are inflamed or tense, as well as those that are sluggish or stagnant. They have an opening, relaxing effect that is especially compelling when looking at heart rate variability (HRV).
Our heart should beat faster when we inhale, than when we exhale. If the intervals between beats are uniform whether inhaling or exhaling, there is a low HRV. Optimal HRV correlates to a heart with endurance, a resilient nervous system and mind that is freer for more optimal cognitive function & creativity. According to Guido Mase in The Wild Medicine Solution, ‘aromatic plants are uniquely suited to improving HRV,’ which can elicit physiological effects similar to those evoked by running, meditating, or music. ‘Aromatics can help us be more relaxed & at ease or more focused & creative or both, consistently increasing HRV, especially in those who CONSUME them’ (Mase, ?).
When it comes to aromatics, Lavender is QUEEN. We fold that blue gold into a mess of raw cacao, raw hazelnut butter & maple sugar in our Food of the Gods. The potent volatile oils present balance the protein-rich hazelnuts, making the decadence digestible.
We blend lavender with thyme & rosemary- other notable aromatics, in our elf dust, a versatile salt reminiscent of Herbs de Provence, that can dissolve GI tension & up nutrient absorption in any meal.
We get our ravishing blue bounty from Generation Herb in Craftsbury, VT, and Lavender Essentials of Vermont, in Derby, VT.*
F I N D I T I N :
{raw cacao, hazelnut & lavender}
Theobroma, the genus name for cacao, means 'food of the gods.' The ancients revered the mysterious euphoria that is cacao's divine gift. Wed to its lush soulmate, hazel, accented with cleopatra's muse, lavender, here lies our most opulent nourishing tonic.
{ burrough's raw cacao powder, raw biodynamic stone-ground hazelnuts, wayeeses farms maple sugar, generation herb lavender & celtic sea salt }
{ an herbal salt }
Once used as currency & valued more highly than gold for its prowess in preservation, flavor & ritual, this nutrient-rich sea salt can adorn any dish. Rich in enchanting antivirals & potent digestive stimulants rosemary & thyme & accented by alluring lavender & calendula: the golden gut-healer, this jar of culinary treasure is the elfin answer to herbs de provence. Sprinkle on anything you cook & everything you eat.
{ generation herb rosemary, lavender & thyme with wilson herb farm/ zack woods herb farm/ generation herbs or hillside botanicals calendula in celtic sea salt }
