Project Description

Melissa officinalis

Lemon balm (Melissa Officinalis) Balm – soothing

A wonderful tea and even stronger in herbal tincture for soothing the gut, nerves and anxiety. Easy to grow!
🍃Full of volatile essential oils, lemon balm is a carminative (stimulates the peristalsis of the digestive system) and spasmolytic (relaxes the stomach and other muscles).
🍃Helpful for soothing colic, and easing IBS, SIBO flatulence symptoms.
I also use it for patients with insomnia, depression and irritability
🍃It is great for fevers, common colds and flu.

Leaves are used fresh or dried and as teas,and salads. Use leaves before the plant flowers else the leaves get too bitter, however the whole plant is used in tinctures.
🍃Culpepper said it not only aids digestion but “opens obstructions of the brain and with its purging qualities can expel melancholy spirits”.
Paracelsus also recommended lemon balm to “make the heart merry and revive spirits”. (Shipard, I)
🍃Traditionally used in Greece to regulate menstruation.
🐝The name derives from the Greek word ‘Melissa’ which means ‘bee’ as it attracts bees nit only when in flower but the leaves too.
🍯The honey made in the area in Greece from these bees has a lemon citrus flavour.
An old practise of bee- keepers was to rub the hives with lemon balm in order to keep the bees together in a group and attract others.
🍃Dioscorides, the Greek Physician advocated drinking lemon balm for the bites of scorpions and mad dogs. and was regard an ‘elixir of life’.
🍃There are many other stories of historical use e.g. Arabian medicine, showing this herb to be calming, soothing and making one happy 🤗
Isabel Shipard, a heroic Sunshine coast herbalist recommend it in a tea together with lemon grass, lemon verbena and a slice of lemon🍋
Ref: (Shipard, I How can I use herbs in my daily life)