Alternative Medicine and the Health Benefits of Lemon Balm

Do you find it hard to sleep at night? Is it difficult for you to relax? Or perhaps you could do with something to settle your stomach? What you may need is a relaxing cup of Lemon Balm tea! Medicinally Lemon Balm has many qualities including its ability to relieve tension, calm the nervous system and the digestive organs.

Lemon Balm, also known as Bee Balm was used in early times by bee keepers who rubbed the inside of new bee hives with the crushed leaves of the plant to encourage the bees to return to their hives.

It is of the same family as mint and gets its name from its scent of lemons. Like mint, this plant can grow to three feet in height and can quickly spread into a large clump. It prefers to be in the sun but once established will grow most anywhere.

Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) has many medicinal uses and is best known for its relaxing qualities. It has been used since ancient times to relieve stress and anxiety. Ointments made from Lemon Balm are used for soothing insect bites and skins and for cleaning cuts and sores.

This herb has a gentle and relaxing affect on the nervous system and can be used for long-term anxiety problems as well as stress-related illnesses and to help lower blood pressure.

A refreshing tea can be made from the leaves. Pour a pint of boiling water over freshly picked Lemon Balm leaves. Leave it to brew for five minutes, strain and drink.

What might be the benefits of drinking lemon balm tea every day? It is believed that Llewellyn, Prince of Glamorgan always had lemon balm tea with his breakfast and he lived until he was 108 years old.

For a cooling punch, slice a lemon into thin rings, place in a large punch bowl. Add ten to fifteen clean fresh Lemon Balm leaves and an equal number of crushed mint leaves. Add a glass of cranberry juice.

As an insect repellent, use the same recipe as for the tea. Allow to cool and dab it over all exposed areas of the body and this will keep the insects away.

Lemon balm has many medicinal qualities including being used to fight colds, settle sore stomachs, ease headaches, lower blood pressure and ease menstrual and respiratory problems. It has also been found that Lemon Balm has helped decrease stress and agitation in patients with Alzheimer disease and dementia.

The scent of lemon balm is used by Aromatherapists to help relieve anxiety and depression. Lemon Balm essential oil is also recommended to help ease tension, cold sores, shingles, emotional shock and insomnia.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_officinalis

http://www.phytochemicals.info/plants/lemon-balm.php