LEMON BALM

Melissa officinalis

 

HERB PROPERTIES:

ANTIDEPRESSANT

ANTISEPTIC

ANTITHYROTROPHIC

ANTIVIRAL

AROMATIC

CARMINATIVE

DIAPHORETIC

NERVINE

 

SUPPORT BENEFITS:

DIGESTIVE

MENSTRUAL CRAMPS

ANXIETY: (PREVIOUS STUDIES SUGGEST THAT A COMPOUND IN LEMON BALM (ROSMARINIC ACID) MAY HAVE ANTI-ANXIETY EFFECTS BY INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF GABA (A SIGNALING CHEMICAL) IN THE BRAIN.)

SLEEP PROBLEMS: (LEMON BALM/VALERIAN SUPPLEMENT APPEARED TO HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT IN REDUCING THE SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DISORDERS.)

HYSTERIA

MELANCHOLIA

HEADACHE

TOOTHACHE

RESTLESNESS

ALZHEIMERS: (PRELIMINARY STUDIES SUGGEST THAT LEMON BALM EXTRACT MAY INHIBIT CHOLINESTERASE (THE SAME MECHANISM AS DRUGS THAT ARE USED FOR MILD TO MODERATE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE) AND ALSO REDUCE DAMAGE FROM BETA-AMYLOID (THE PROTEIN THAT BUILDS TO FORM PLAQUES).

ADHD

GRAVES’ DISEASE

COLD SORES: (LEMON BALM EXTRACT INHIBITED THE PENETRATION OF HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE 1 (THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES COLD SORES) INTO CELLS. )

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

NERVOUS, RAPID HEARTBEAT: (LEMON BALM EXTRACT WAS FOUND TO REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF PALPITATION EPISODES AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, COMPARED TO THE PLACEBO.)

TUMORS

SORES

INSECT BITES

CONTAINS PHYTOCHEMICALS THAT SEEM TO HAVE A SEDATIVE, CALMING EFFECT.  IT MAY ALSO REDUCE THE GROWTH OF SOME VIRUSES.

 

WAYS TO USE

TEA

EXTRACT

SALVE

TINCTURE

OIL

FRESH LEAVES

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MAKING LEMON BALM TEA? :  TEA RECIPE BEGINS BY SNIPPING A FEW FRESH LEMON BALM LEAVES. RINSE THEM WELL, AND PAT THE LEAVES DRY. CUT OR TEAR THE LEAVES INTO SMALLER PIECES AND PUT THEM INTO A TEA INFUSER. POUR HOT WATER IN AND INFUSE THE LEAVES FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. WHEN BREWING LEMON BALM TEA, MAKE SURE TO KEEP THE TEAPOT OR CUP COVERED AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER TO HOLD IN THE STEAM, WHICH IS THOUGHT TO CONTAIN THE HERB'S THERAPEUTIC AROMATIC OILS.

 

DOSAGE INFO:

WEAK INFUSION: HOT INFUSION- STEEP 30 MIN- 8 OZ 1-4 TIMES DAILY

COLD INFUSIION: STEEP 4-8 HOURS, 4-8 OZ, 1-4 TIMES DAILY

TINCTURE: 2-5 ML 3 TIMES DAILY

GLYCERITE: 1:6 2.5-10 ML, 3 TIMES PER DAY

CAPSULE:V300 MILLIGRAMS (MG) OF LEMON BALM TWICE A DAY. YOU CAN TAKE A SINGLE DOSE OF 600 MG IN ACUTE EPISODES OF STRESS.

FOLLOW MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS ON PREPARED PRODUCTS!

 

 

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

SIDE EFFECTS OF LEMON BALM CAN INCLUDE HEADACHE, NAUSEA, BLOATING, GAS, VOMITING, INDIGESTION, DIZZINESS, STOMACH PAIN, PAINFUL URINATION, ANXIETY, AGITATION, AND ALLERGIC REACTIONS.

LONG-TERM, REGULAR, OR HIGH-DOSE USE OF LEMON BALM ISN'T RECOMMENDED (THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT DISCONTINUING USE CAN TRIGGER REBOUND ANXIETY IN SOME PEOPLE).

LEMON BALM MAY CAUSE SEDATION. THE HERB MAY INTERACT WITH SUPPLEMENTS AND MEDICATIONS, SUCH AS SEDATIVES, THYROID MEDICATION, CHEMOTHERAPY (LIKE TAMOXIFEN AND IRINOTECAN), WARFARIN, GLAUCOMA MEDICATION, AND DRUGS THAT AFFECT SEROTONIN AND GABA. IT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN WITH ALCOHOL.

HIGH DOSES OF LEMON BALM MAY AFFECT THYROID FUNCTION AND CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED ANXIETY AND A NEGATIVE MOOD.

IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO TEST A SMALL AREA OF LEMON BALM CREAM, SALVE, OINTMENT, OR OIL FOR A DAY BEFORE APPLYING IT IN LARGER AMOUNTS TO THE SKIN.

PREGNANT WOMEN, NURSING MOTHERS, AND CHILDREN SHOULDN'T TAKE LEMON BALM SUPPLEMENTS. AVOID TAKING LEMON BALM WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF A SCHEDULED SURGERY.

 

GROW YOUR OWN!

 

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BASIC GROWTH REQUIREMENTS:

WATER DEEPLY ENOUGH TO SATURATE THE ROOTS, AND THEN ALLOW THE TOP OF THE SOIL TO DRY SLIGHTLY BEFORE WATERING AGAIN, AS SOGGY SOIL MAY CAUSE THE PLANT TO ROT. LEMON BALM IN CONTAINERS MAY REQUIRE WATER EVERY DAY, ESPECIALLY DURING HOT, DRY WEATHER.

 

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