Tonight, I have a migraine. It’s been 3 weeks since my last one. As a Lymie I get lots of unexplainable issues creeping up, mostly  when I am stressed and over tired. Hence, this week. Yet, I never used to get headaches or migraines, but since that damned little bug bit me – my system has gone hay-wire and they are a constant in my life. They are also one of those symptoms that are generally quite changeable and an indication of a deeper problem (see above).

But tonight, as I sip my sweet and aromatic tea, my headache is slowly disappearing.

I should interject with some really important stuff: it’s very important to find the underlying reason (like constipation, allergies, an imbalanced constitution, stress, nervous system disorders, hormones, poor digestion, dehydration and just about anything else) for the headache and treat that. Otherwise you are no better off than a medical doctor who is trained to treat symptoms and not get to the root of the problem. So, 

while herbs can work wonders for the pain, especially if you choose an herb specific to your imbalance, they’re not cures. You must discover the root of the problem!

So, let’s take a closer look (really close look – found a cool macro shot via the inter-web and stole it) at this wonderful miracle herb. Scent alone will give away this wonderful herb – I dare say it is the most recognizable flower by scent! And it is divine.  Found in immeasurable perfumes, it can also be used as a cooking herb (candied and added to scones, and wonderful in preserves), but it is the essential oil which is its prize!

Distill the flower stalks to extract the volatile oils for a wonderfully relaxing medicine. One of the few essential oils you do not need to mix with a carrier oil, you can apply it directly to the skin to help speed the recovery of burns and scars, or place some on your temples when you have a headache, migraine or tension in your shoulders and neck. Works quite well, and helps that it is a sedative.

So, can you name this medicinal herb? Bonus points for latin name!