Melissa officinalis is one of the rare plants that are at the same time medicinal, fragrant, decorative, spicy, aromatic and industrial. It has been cultivated in southern Europe and northern Africa for more than two millennia. It grows in beehives, yards, near settlements, along fences and hedges, in forests. Bees simply adore it, which is why it got the name ”royal jelly”. It blooms from June to September and has a specter of flower colors, from tiny white, whitish-yellow, bluish and pale pink. It has a scent reminiscent of lemon which is why we also know it as lemon balm.
Arabs were the first to use this plant for medicinal purposes, making tea from it against tension and depression. This practice continued in the Middle Ages and vidars used it against pain, metabolic problems and insomnia, as well as for better appetite and digestion. In France, lemon balm is still the most useful plant for eliminating fatigue and headaches. For greater effectiveness, mix it with valerian, chamomile and hops.
Melissa Oil and Tea Against Depression
Melissa is a great natural remedy against mental problems, depression, anxiety, fear, tension and other disorders caused by stress. It is a particularly good natural remedy against fears of diseases – hypochondria. For the treatment of mental disorders, combine lemon balm with other medicinal plants that have a similar effect. You can use valerian, chamomile, lavender. It refreshes and improves the mood and due to its extremely pleasant smell, it is used in pharmacy, as well as in the perfume and cosmetics industry. Research by German scientists has shown that Melissa essential oil acts on the part of the brain that controls the autonomic nervous system, thus protecting it from negative external influences. In addition to extremely valuable oil, it also contains phenolic acids, flavonoids, bitter substances, tannin.
Melissa tea helps to overcome stressful situations, depression, as well as headaches caused by nervousness or vomiting on a nerve basis. Stress also causes irregular menstruation and this herb can help with this problem too. In addition, it improves memory, evokes beautiful thoughts, regulates digestion. It strengthens and recovers the heart, has an antibacterial effect and helps heal wounds. It also cleanses the blood, slightly dilates peripheral blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Note: people who take sedatives and thyroid medications should not use lemon balm without first consulting a doctor.
French herbalist Maurice Mess best describes the value of lemon balm: “Melissa officinalis is the queen of all stimulating herbs. To a clumsy lover, a restless head of the family, women burdened with problems, desperate, everyone who is accompanied by a feeling of defeat in life, I advise this magical plant, which renews the organism, restores strength and joy of life.”
Here’s how you can make Melissa tea:
Pour a teaspoon of dried lemon balm over 200 ml of boiling water. Cover and left it to stand for five minutes before you drink it. If you decide to use it internally, you can put a couple of essential oil drops (1-2) into a cup of tea or another beverage. You can check other effective ways of using Melissa oil in this article and buy 5ml or 10ml bottles directly from us in our shop here: https://shop.bulgarianoils.com/.
