Melissa has many different names: lemon balm, bee mint, honey color, lemon mint. People knew about this grass and its properties from ancient times. Even Avicenna used melissa to treat the digestive organs, heart and strengthen the whole body, and the ancient Romans used it in perfumery. Melissa hails from the Eastern Mediterranean and Iran, also found in the Caucasus and Crimea.
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Lemon balm - the most famous spicy and medicinal plant, whose name is translated from Greek as "bee". Indeed, bees love this grass very much. Its smell, reminiscent of lemon, especially at the beginning of flowering, not only attracts them, but also soothes them. Therefore, beekeepers often use this property of lemon balm when working in an apiary: if you rub your hands with lemon balm, then the bees will no longer bite.
Honey color - a perennial plant, grassy, grows bush from 20 to 80 cm in height, leaves with a large-toothed edge, very reminiscent of mint.
The plant blooms almost all summer with white or pinkish flowers, which are located in the axils of the leaves.
Melissa has a very wide range of applications, primarily in medicine. Such an amazing plant not only captivates with its wonderful aroma, but also represents a whole natural pharmacy. All the healing properties of the herb are in a significant content of essential oil, rich in a large number of various components. This oil has a calming effect, therefore, lemon balm is extremely useful in the treatment of various neurosis, insomnia, hypertension, heart disease.
The upper parts of the plant (leaves, stems) are used. Harvesting is carried out before flowering and then dried in rooms with good ventilation. Such raw materials can be stored for two years.
Melissa in medicine is used in the treatment of many diseases in the form of external poultices, compresses (boils, bruises, ulcers), as well as in the form of tinctures and decoctions (gum disease, toothache). Melissa has a good effect in toxicosis, anemia, stomach pain, dizziness, heart and female diseases.
Bee mint teas have a calming and relaxing effect on the body, gently cleanse the stomach and renew the composition of the blood.
The antiviral properties of the herb are effective in the treatment of viral diseases, skin diseases and insect bites. Speaking about all the properties of lemon balm, useful for the body and the treatment of various diseases, we can say with confidence that its possibilities are unlimited. It turns out that lemon mint is also an indispensable assistant in the fight against excess weight.
Taking lemon balm as a medicine, you must remember that there are also contraindications here. The main thing is the intolerance of such a plant by the body. Doctors also do not recommend taking medications with honey color for those who suffer from arterial hypotension, as well as for stomach ulcers, liver failure, epilepsy, ulcers, pregnancy, and children under three years of age.
In addition to medicine, lemon balm is widely used in perfumery, food industry and cooking. Excellent tonic drinks are made from lemon mint; housewives use it for preservation. The plant can also be consumed fresh by adding it to salads, meat and fish dishes, soups and sauces, or as flavorings in tea or vinegar.
You can grow lemon balm, pleasing with its aroma and useful properties, you can at home. Today, on almost any plot of land (and even just on the windowsill) you can find this wonderful plant.