Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis, is in the mint family. It has in it a volatile oil which, when bumped, gives off  a lemony scent. It is a relaxing herb. There are many ways to use this plant. Its fresh or dried leaves benefit the human body, both through internal and external methods.

Personal Story

I love growing lemon balm. It graces my garden with beautiful light-green, heart-shaped leaves. I enjoy picking the leaves and making a calming tea.

Safety

Lemon balm is class 1, which means it is a herb that a person can safely consume with proper use, per Botanical Safety Handbook.

Traditional Uses for Lemon Balm

Traditionally, lemon balm is taken internally as an antispasmodic to give body support for:

• Flavoring fish or chicken. It is a type of lemon seasoning.
• Intestinal and stomach complaints, such as: colic, flatulence, indigestion, nausea, stomach disease, intestinal disease, gastritis, gastric spasms, irritable bowel disease, cold sores, nervous dyspepsia
• Nervous conditions or nerve pain, such as: anxiety, headaches, irritability
• Cold, fever, flu
• Nervous sleeping disorders, such as restlessness or insomnia
• Infantile colic can be reduced when combining lemon balm and German chamomile
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease)- lemon balm inhibits an overactive thyroid, but leaves a normal functioning thyroid alone. It is safe to use in pregnancy.
• Mumps virus
• Muscle tone conditions
• Women’s period cramping

Topical uses:

• Lemon balm has topical antiviral activity, making it a beneficial application for cold sores (herpes) or similar outbreaks.

How to Use Lemon Balm

• Antispasmodics, such as lemon balm, are best taken immediately before eating.
• For digestion, consuming it in the form of hot tea is best.
• Long-term therapy is usually well tolerated.

Herb Jello

James Green, in his book, The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook, A Home Manual, has a herb jello recipe which could benefit a person with a tummy ache or other condition if you use lemon balm. This is Shonda Parker’s adaptation:

Ingredients:

1 box Hain’s Vegetarian Jello (SuperFruit), divided into four portions (weighing about 22 grams each).

¼ box Jello

¼ cup boiling water (60 ml)

1 oz tincture or glycerite (30 ml or 1/8 cup)

1 oz cold water (30 ml or 1/8 cup)

Directions:

1. Put the powder into a small bowl.
2. Pour the boiling water on the Jello powder and stir well for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure that the powder is completely dissolved.
3. Add the herbal tincture or glycerite and stir it well.
4. Then add the cold water and stir well.
5. Pour this mixture into a small rectangular baking tin or pan (2 ½ inches by 4 ½ inches) or custard cups or individual quiche baking dishes or even into candy molds you can pick up at garage sales or resale shops. The candy mold inspires children to love their medicine.
6. Once the herb Jello has hardened, cut it into equal portions

Note: If using the small baking pan, you can divide into 6 portions that would yield about a 5 ml dose of herbal medicine.

Using lemon balm as herbal medicine is beneficial and fun.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. Please encourage others by writing about how you use lemon balm in the comment section above.