Healing With Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is otherwise known as Melissa. The name Melissa comes from it’s Latin name, Melissa officinalis. Same herb, same great herbal actions.
For herpes, and herpes cold sores, lemon balm herb is one of the first choice of herbalists. Lemon balm is also be used extensively by herbalists for other viral skin conditions as well. It is widely used for the pain and healing of shingles. We have had doctors, naturopaths order our Lemon Balm Ointment for their pateints with shingles, and it has worked well for all those patients. Customers who have ordered it for shingles have raved about how well it works. Both herpes, and shingles are caused by the same virus family.
Eugenol, is the herbal chemical component of lemon balm. Eugenol is what kills the bacteria. It has been shown to calm muscles and numb tissues. Lemon balm contains tannins that add to its antiviral effects, as well as terpenes that add to its soothing effects.
Scientific studies have shown lemon balm’s herbal properties combat and heal cold sores due to the herpes virus in a short time frame. When applied to the affected area, lemon balm helps heal cold the sores in about 2-4 days. It likewise helps double the time between outbreaks.
Lemon balm is widely used by herbalists for stress and anxiety. Lemon Balm is considered an herbal nervine or sedative. A nervine is an herb that works on helping the nervous system combat stress and nervous exhaustion. Lemon balm makes a wonderful nerve tonic.
Lemon balm is calming, and soothes the nerves. It is good as a single herb for anxiety and stress, but can also be used in combination with other calming herbs such as Valerian, Catnip, Lavender, or Passionflower. If mixed with Valerian or Passionflower, you should not use any other sleep inducing medication such as Valium. When mixing herbs, you should ask a qualified herbalist which ones would suit your specific needs best. For safety reasons, it is important not to combine to many herbal nervines or sedatives as this can be unsafe. For anxiety lemon balm is either given as a tea, tincture or glycerite.
A lemon balm tea is an infusion using water and is very easy to make. Use 1 tsp per 8 oz of water, and drink 3-4 a day. A tincture is an herbal medicine that is made with alcohol. Glycerites are made the same way as tinctures, only vegetable glycerin is used instead of alcohol.
Being a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, lemon balm can be used for gastrointestinal difficulties.
The mint family of herbs includes spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm, basil and rosemary among other. The mint family of herbs is well known for aiding in stomach ailments. It can help such ailments as acid reflux and heartburn, difficulty digesting proteins and fats, colic, flatulence, cramping, bloating, gastritis and irritable bowel disease. Lemon balm is one of the top pick of many herbalists.
Lemon balm contains active herbal ingredients that act as an antispasmodic. Antispasmodics are used to relax smooth muscle tissues in the body. Our stomach is made up of smooth muscles, and by drinking lemon balm tea it relaxes the spasms caused by gas or other stomach upset.
Lemon Balm makes a wonderful lemony tasting tea. If you drink it at the first sign of tummy upset, the tea will help relax your belly in about an hour. Use lemon balm for colic, flatulence, irritable bowel disease and gastritis. Mixed with other herbs such as fennel, calendula, or marshmallow root, lemon balm makes a wonderful stomach healing tea.