The therapeutic effects of flowers have been acknowledged for centuries. According to Janice Cox in her book "Natural Beauty at Home," flowers have often been used in cosmetics for symbolic reasons. For example, lavender was thought to bring good luck to women. Other flowers are valued for their healing properties. In aromatherapy, flowers such as lavender, passionflower, dandelion and chamomile are popularly used to heal specific conditions and alleviate certain mood disorders. You can use flowers for healing in either essential oil or dried form, available at most natural and health food stores.
Lavender
Lavender is one of the most highly prized flowers in aromatherapy and traditional herbal medicines. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), lavender has properties that include the ability to alleviate depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia, to heal fungal infections and to treat certain skin disorders such as eczema. You can find dried lavender flowers in herbal teas, and commercially prepared bath and body care products frequently contain lavender because of its relaxing, stress-relieving properties. You can also use the essential oil of lavender in homemade bath and skin preparations.
Passionflower
According to UMMC, passionflower has traditionally been used to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, insomnia and seizures. It is frequently combined with other herbs such as valerian. You can take passionflower in capsule form or use the dried herb in tea for relaxation and stress relief.
Dandelion
You may think that dandelion is just a nuisance that pops up on your lawn in the springtime, but dandelion has numerous therapeutic properties that make it valuable in herbal medicine. According to UMMC, dandelion leaves are edible and contain significant quantities of vitamins A, B, C and D, and iron, potassium and zinc. Herbalists use dandelion to treat digestive, liver and gallbladder problems. You can use dandelion in dried form as a home remedy for treating digestive problems. Use one or two teaspoons of the herb in a cup of boiling water, steep for 10 minutes and strain before drinking.
Chamomile
Chamomile is used in many over-the-counter anxiety remedies and in herbal teas to promote relaxation and stress relief. You can used dried chamomile to make a homemade herbal tea by using two to three tablespoons in a cup of boiling water. According to UMMC, the flowers of the chamomile plant are dried, crushed and steam-distilled to produce essential oil that has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Add a few drops to a warm bath to heal skin disorders and calm conditions such as eczema.
