10 years ago this writer first learned of the existence of a balm. It was then that my grandmother planted in the country obscure herb with a pleasant lemon scent. They were small green bushes height cm 50. I admit, their appearance, I probably would not have noticed if it were not for my old passion for tea. Summer is over, and Melissa from the country gradually migrated to the family teapot. What is the purpose of my grandmother slipped it into black tea, then I was not interested at all, but the taste and aroma of teaMelissa officinalisI could not help but appreciate. Somewhat later I learned more about the health properties of tea beloved.
Melissa - undemanding plant. It grows in Europe, but well take root in Asia, but because it was cultured and started to raise many gardeners. There are even a plantation of Melissa, who grow it for industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. In medicine the stems and leaves of lemon balm, which is collected before or at the beginning of flowering, just as it has a fragrant lemon scent. After flowering, the fragrance is replaced by an unpleasant odor, somewhat resembling the smell of bedbugs. And this plant blooms throughout the summer. Then it is dried in the shade or ovens. DryMelissa officinalis and used as a cure for many ills. It is very good for asthma, hypertension, various diseases of the stomach, and she takes great pains. Therefore, drink a decoction of lemon balm for migraines and headaches, pain and cramps in the stomach, painful menstruation, and pain in the heart. Melissa has long been known as an excellent sedative, but because in all nervous diseases and insomnia it is irreplaceable. Avicenna as long celebrated its restorative and tonic properties. This herb stimulates the appetite, adds strength and gives courage for the whole day. With such a wide range of actions, it is used in complex therapy and is added to many herbal teas.
It is often confused with balm mint peppermint (it even sometimes called lemon mint). Although they are completely different plants, in many ways they are similar, because a substitute and complement each other. Just like mint, lemon balm helps with toxemia in the first trimester of pregnancy, reduces gagging and freshens breath, helps with dental pain. And mint and melissovy tea has a pleasant aroma and perfectly quench thirst.
Melissa officinalis its structure contains a plurality of healthy human components: essential oil, and vitamin C, and resins, and various acids. And because the grass is not only dried lemon balm. It is made from essential oil with lemon scent. Aromatherapy sessions with melissovym oil relaxes the body and soothe. The same effect, by the way, and have a bath with extract of lemon balm. The essential oil of lemon balm is applied inside: it is recommended to people with various diseases of the heart. Moreover, oil is used in perfumery. This herb also insist on alcohol. Such infusions often used externally for bruises, ulcers, arthritis, paralysis. They also lubricate various skin rashes.
Melissa is good not only for medical purposes, it is often added into all sorts of dishes and drinks, especially the wide use of it in diets because it normalizes metabolic activity of the body, helps the rapid assimilation of food. The driedMelissa officinalis eat as spicy seasoning, and its fresh leaves are added to soups, salads, vegetables, meat and fish dishes. In black tea spiked a little dry lemon balm, lemon to give a special flavor and aroma, and sometimes tea brewed from its flowers. Moreover sometimes tea brewed exclusively from Melissa. 3 teaspoons pour a glass of boiled water and insist 10 minutes. In comparison with the usual tea Melissa put more, that he was more dense and dark.
Despite the fact that now the services melissovyh infusions, tinctures, decoctions, poultices conventional medicine uses not so often fail to recognize its beneficial properties is impossible. In many countries with great honor belong to this drug grass. Melissa is harmless to human health. Although there is still contraindications: suffering from arterial hypotension is not necessary to use it.
Melissa officinalis known to mankind for thousands of years, and deservedly loved by many. A thousand years old recipes rarely fails.