Top 5 Benefits of Lemon Balm
The Honey Plant
The Honeybee Plant
Lemon Balm, also known as Melissa officinalis, is well-known as the "honey plant" for its known uses by beekeepers as a beneficial plant for bees. Lemon Balm also gets its name from its unique scent and flavor. When smelled or tasted, lemon balm has a distinct, lemony taste and smell to it. This is why it has been used in perfumes, soaps, and lotions for centuries. In addition to these benefits, lemon balm has also been known to have various medicinal and health benefits to its users.
1. Digestion
Lemon Balm is well-known for its medicinal uses in aiding digestion. It can help relieve stomach cramping and other digestive issues, as well as relieving gas. If you have stomach issues or an upset stomach, ingesting or drinking lemon balm in a tea could help relieve your symptoms. If you are thinking about using lemon balm as an alternative to over the counter stomach or digestion medicine, it is important to discuss this with your doctor and go over any risks or side effects. Just because it is a plant does not mean there are no health risks at all! Before turning to the herbal remedy, talk to your doctor about your options and see whether or not this plant could be helpful for you and your digestion issues.
Tea Time
2. Anxiety and Sleep Disorders
Lemon balm has mild sedative effects as well as a calming effect on the body. Therefore, it can be beneficial to use in treating anxiety and sleep disorders, as the calming and soothing effects of this plant will help ease your mind, relax you, and help you ease into sleep cycles more effectively. This makes lemon balm the ideal plant to use in a tea, as many people like to drink a nice hot cup of tea before bed. This can help to get you relaxed and ready to sleep, so if you have been struggling with insomnia for a while, consider making lemon balm tea and seeing if this strategy might help you get a better night's rest.
3. Pain Relief
Lemon balm can also be used as a pain reliever, which is most commonly used for treating toothaches. If you rub lemon balm oil on the tooth, it should help to relieve and reduce pain in the area. In addition to toothaches, lemon balm can also help to relieve stress headaches and menstrual cramps. Because of the soothing and calming effects of this herb, it is said to relieve tension in the body, thus relieving pain.
Lemon Balm Essential Oil
4. Prevent Nausea
Because lemon balm works so well with digestive issues, it can also be used as an anti-nausea medicine. Most people will drink this in a tea to help alleviate the symptoms of nausea. Most grocery stores sell ready-made teas for nausea and if you look closely at the ingredients of some, you might see lemon balm among the list of ingredients. By itself, it can relieve nausea but it is often more powerful and potent in conjunction with other herbs for this purpose.
5. Cognitive Function
Some studies also suggest that using lemon balm as a supplement could help improve cognitive function in relation to memory, concentration, alertness, and performance. Not many studies have been conducted in this field, but it is something that is being considered and researched by many herbal enthusiasts. In combination with other herbs, this could serve as a powerful remedy for people suffering with cognitive function issues such as memory loss, ADD, and other disorders that may affect cognitive function.
A Plant With Many Uses
As you can see, lemon balm is a very versatile plant. There are many ways you can use this herb to help treat ailments and improve the overall quality of your own health and life. Even though there has not been as much research on lemon balm and its effectiveness, it is important to note that if you do look at bath products, teas, and other common items found in the store, you will see that a lot of these products contain lemon balm because of the very usefulness of this plant. In addition to these health benefits, lemon balm is a great plant to have around you in a garden as it will promote healthy pollination of other plants, and, much like bee balm, lemon balm will attract the bees to help facilitate pollination. Overall, this is a wonderful plant that has so many great benefits that the possibilities are truly endless as to how you can use this herb in your everyday life.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.