Beautiful Lavender

Uplifting Summer 2020, Issue 3 - The Healing Power of Lavender -

 

Lavender is a beautiful and purple flowering plant that generously offers so much support to those who love to incorporate it into their lifestyle. I noticed that our beautiful Vancouver Island had lavender flourishing in July and ending its bloom this August this 2020. Sometimes lavender is known to bloom sooner, like in a month or more before July.

What is lavender good for?

On a physical and psychological level, lavender helps with:

-Sleep issues

-Headaches

-Stress

-Anxiety

-Depression

 

If used in skincare the right way, lavender helps with:

-Anti-Aging

-Burns

-Scars

-Breakouts

 

How can you use lavender?

-in food & teas (see recipe below)

-essential oils used in skin care, like in custom made Virtueberry salt scrubs (please contact me for Lavender Salt Scrub requests), or face and body lotions and creams, hydrosols, fragrances and perfumes, shampoo, direct topical application can also be used on burns, cuts, or breakouts, and also can be used on pillows pre sleep, and aromatherapy diffusers.

-as décor (not only the above uses have been used in modern times, but also in ancient times, like in ancient Europe, where the Great Halls would be covered with such plants

-as bug repellent

 

Special Guest

I would like to introduce you to Betty Norton! She is Vancouver Island’s herbology teacher that I studied under many moons ago in her wonderful apprenticeship program in Brentwood Bay. Betty has shared a Lavender Recipe in this special edition of Virtueberry, Issue 3, August 2020. If anyone is interested in learning more about Herbology classes or the apprenticeship program for the Fall 2020, or the following year, please reach out to me, and I can connect you with Betty, or you can click on her name and be directed to her page. Thank you, and wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy September 2020! Ps. I made this recipe today. What an amazing and uplifting aroma, let alone it being a truly beautiful and healthy vinegar!

 

Blueberry & Lavender Rice Wine Vinegar

By Betty Norton

This is a fun, flavourful and pretty vinegar. Sometimes we need to just be playful. You can make a little or a lot. This recipe can be enjoyed on salad or rice.

 Take 1 jar with ¼ cup fresh blue berries and ¼ cup fresh or dried lavender flower.

Cover with rice wine vinegar. Because you are using a vinegar, place parchment or wax paper over the lid, before you put on the lid. Leave outside fridge. Shake daily. I let it set for 1 full month.

(According to Betty, she does her medicine making for a full moon cycle, which is 1 month)

Note: If you prefer no lavender, leave out, and if you prefer to leave out blueberries, try substituting with blackberries or raspberries!