Culinary and Medicinal Uses For Lemon Balm

by KalMid

Lemon balm is used as both a medicinal herb, and a culinary herb.

For those who suffer from herpes cold sores, you know how painful and embarrassing they can be. Lemon balm herb acts as a natural relief from cold sores. When used daily, it can help to prevent future break outs of the virus. The herb also can help ease the symptom of Herpes 2, which is genital herpes.

How To Grow Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is easy to grow. It tends to like moist soil, in a very sunny location. It can do well with less sun, as long as it gets at least 6 hours of sun a day during the growing season.

You can plant seeds in the spring in growing pots. Keep moist, but don't over water. When the plant has the third set of leaves on it, it can be transplanted into the garden. You can also plant lemon balm into a large pot. By planting it in a pot, it will stop the wild spreading throughout your garden. Lemon balm can also be bought at most garden nurseries.

Remember, plant in full sun, keep moist, and you will have a happy, and healthy lemon balm plant. If you are to gather the leaves for use, it is best to do this before the plant flowers. After it flowers, the leaves lose some of their potency.

Herpes Healing Salve

Filling Herpes Healing Salve to be shipped
Filling Herpes Healing Salve to be sh...

Healing Herpes With Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is the herb to reach for when a herpes out break occurs. Many people know it as just Melissa from it's Latin botanical name, Melissa officinalis.

Lemon balm is not native to the U. S, but it is grown widely in many gardens. As a member of the mint family, it will spread wildly throughout your garden. Many people use is as an ornamental plant to attract bees and butterfiles to their gardens.

If you grow it in your garden, you can make an infusion to use on your cold sores. Brew a strong tea, and dab onto the cold sores. You would do this at least 3-4 times a day while the sore is present.

If you aren't lucky enough to have it growing in your garden, a lemon balm herpes healing salve will do the trick. Apply the salve 2-3 times a day. To keep the sores at bay, you can use it daily. Some folks have stopped their outbreaks by daily usage of lemon balm ointment.

Lemon Balm Heals Herpes Fast

For people who want an all natural way to effectively treat their symptoms of herpes, lemon balm is the herb of choice. Even those who have tried either OTC or prescription remedies rave about how well, and quickly lemon balm works.

Lemon balm contains the natural chemical eugenol. In studies, eugenol has been shown to heal the sores of both Herpes 1, and Herpes 2 in just a few days.

 

Lemon Balm For Anxiety

Lemon balm herb is widely used by herbalists to treat stress and anxiety. Lemon balm calms and soothes the nerves, and acts as a nerve tonic. Many times it is mixed with other nerve herbs. This would depend on the severity of the situation. Herbalists suggest lemon balm to be used as a tea, or a tincture.

Even Dr. Oz suggests the use of lemon balm for anxiety. On his show, he suggests using lemon balm tincture. A tincture is an herbal medicine made with alcohol. A tincture is normally added to a little warm water. If you are sensitive to alcohol, lemon balm can be made into a gylcerite. An herbal glycerite is made much the same way as a tincture, only the base is vegetable gylcerin or honey.

Dried Lemon Balm For Tea

Lemon Balm Leaf
Lemon Balm Leaf
Cloverleaf Farm

Cooking With Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm Chicken Casserole
Lemon Balm Chicken Casserole
Cloverleaf Farm

Lemon Balm For Cooking

Cooking with Lemon Balm gives your favorite dishes a wonderful, lemony flavor.

Fresh lemon balm leaves have a delicious, light flavor of lemon. When chopped up, the leaves can be used in sauces, added to butter, or baked on top of your favorite meat. A favorite chicken dish at our house, Lemon Balm Chicken Casserole is easy to make, and delicious to eat.

Lemon balm can also be made into a syrup for use on pancakes. Just follow a recipe on how to make a simple syrup. You can also add chopped fresh lemon balm leaves to sugar. Allowing the herb to sit in the sugar for a few days will give the sugar a wonderful lemony flavor. Use the sugar for recipes as you would any sugar.

When using lemon balm in recipes, it is best to use the fresh leaves. While dried lemon balm can be used, they do not have the same lemony taste as the fresh leaves do. Fresh is always best.

Cautions of Lemon Balm

Herbs are Natural, but the are medicine.

Lemon balm should not be taken by persons taking medication for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, other wise known as hypothyroidism. It can stop the absorption of the medicine. Lemon balm should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women. Due to it's sedating effect on the body, one should not take lemon balm with prescription sedatives, unless under the advise of a health care provider. Be sure you know how lemon balm affects you before driving or other hazardous things. It can be very sedating to some individuals.

Because of its sedating effect, it should not be taken before operating machinery or by anyone who must remain alert.

The herb may also affect the actions of tranquilizers and sedatives.

Because of its possible effects on the uterus and the body’s hormone balance, it should not be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding.

- See more at: http://www.cloverleaffarmherbs.com/lemon-balm/#sthash.Mes3IOFL.dpuf

Because of its sedating effect, it should not be taken before operating machinery or by anyone who must remain alert.

The herb may also affect the actions of tranquilizers and sedatives.

Because of its possible effects on the uterus and the body’s hormone balance, it should not be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding.

- See more at: http://www.cloverleaffarmherbs.com/lemon-balm/#sthash.Mes3IOFL.dpuf
Updated: 11/19/2012, KalMid
 
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KalMid on 11/22/2012

katiem2, I am glad you enjoyed reading it. Lemon balm is a wonderful herb, and this just touched on some of it's uses. I'm thinking I should do a part two.

katiem2 on 11/21/2012

This is fantastic. I had no idea, I'll be planting some lemon balm this spring. Thanks for the very helpful tips as how to use lemon balm. :)K

BTW, that's a beautiful feature imagine of lemon balm :)

KalMid on 11/20/2012

Hello Dustytoes. Lemon balm is so versatile. This was only some of the many uses. Glad you enjoyed reading.

dustytoes on 11/20/2012

I grow this and did not know of all it's uses. Thanks!

KalMid on 11/20/2012

Thank you. Look forward to writing them.

Mira on 11/19/2012

Yes, I'm glad you joined Wizzley! Look forward to your articles! :)

KalMid on 11/19/2012

Thank you, Mira. I love teaching about herbs, and I am glad you enjoyed it.

Mira on 11/19/2012

Didn't know all this about lemon balm. Great article!

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