Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lemon Balm, also known as Melissa, balm mint, or common balm that is an herbaceous and perennial plant of the mint family. The plant is used in herbal remedies, teas, perfumes, and as flavoring. It is also known as bee attractant because it is used to attract bees when creating a hive for honey production. Melissa is Greek for honey bee.
It is used for digestive problems, including upset stomach, bloating, intestinal gas (flatulence), vomiting, and colic; for pain, including menstrual cramps, headache and toothache; and for mental disorders, including hysteria and melancholia.
Many people believe it has calming effects, so they take it for anxiety, sleep problems, and restlessness. Lemon balm is also used for Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an autoimmune disease involving the thyroid (Graves’ disease), swollen airways, rapid heartbeat due to nervousness, high blood pressure, sores, tumors, and insect bites.
This wonderful plant contains the flavonoids, quercitrin and rhamnocitrin; the 7-glucosides, apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin, and luteolin; phenolic acids and tannins; rosmarinic acid and glycosidically bound caffeic and chlorogenic acids; and the triterpenes, ursolic and oleanolic acids.
The leaf is full of quercetin, which is a naturally occurring chemical compound produced by the body to prevent allergies. People with allergies do not produce enough quercetin.
Research on Benefits of Lemon Balm
Anxiety: when taken in combination with other herbs can reduce anxiety symptoms.
Colic in Breast-Fed Infants: when combined with fennel and German chamomile reduced crying time.
Dementia: supplementing lemon balm by mouth three times a day has proven to improve symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Herpes Simplex viral infections: lemon balm lip balm has proven effective at shorten healing time and reduce symptoms and recurring infections.
Insomnia: lemon balm supplementation twice daily has shown improvement in sleep in people with sleep disorders.
Stress: research shows that taking a single dose of lemon balm reduces anxiety, improves memory, and increases alertness. Has been proven to reduce child anxiety when visiting the dentist. Low doses are best, higher doses have been known to increase anxiety.
Steam distilled from the fresh aerial parts of the Melissa plant, USDA Certified Organic Melissa Essential Oil is revered amongst oil users. This high-quality Organic Melissa Essential Oil is 100% pure and undiluted with absolutely no additives or fillers.
When you open a bottle of Organic Melissa your senses will be taken over by the fresh, lemony scent that is uplifting and calming during times of gloom and extreme worry. Only a small amount is necessary to enjoy its incredible therapeutic properties.
Organic Melissa can help ease occasional digestive upset, help calm the mind in order to fall asleep more peacefully and relieve tension in the head or neck.
Add 1 drop of Organic Melissa Essential Oil to your Aroma Diffuser, personal inhaler, or diffuser necklace to create a peaceful atmosphere that can help reduce worry or calm the mind during times of emotional gloom.
Dilute at a maximum of 1% with your favorite carrier oil and rub on the abdomen in a clockwise motion when occasional digestive upset occurs.