Tea
Lemon balm & honey tea
Lemon balm smells of lemon without being one, and has been called the heart''s delight since the Middle Ages. Paracelsus thought it could revive a person. That is putting it strongly, but it does something to the heaviness.
It is gentle. Not a plant that lifts you, but one that loosens the grip a little, so you can breathe deeper.
Use fresh balm if you have it. Dried works too, but the fresh smells like a small promise.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon balm, or 2 tsp dried
- 250 ml boiling water
- 1 tsp honey, preferably raw
Equipment
- Strainer or tea infuser
- Cup
- Plate to cover with
Method
- 1
Pour 250 ml boiling water over 2 tbsp fresh lemon balm, steep 10 minutes, stir in honey, drink twice daily.
Dosage
2 cups daily.
Stir the honey in when the tea is drinkable, not scalding, so the honey''s enzymes survive.
Shelf life
Fresh balm keeps a few days refrigerated. Dried keeps 1 year, dark and airtight.
Safety
Lemon balm can affect thyroid function with large, sustained use. If you have an underactive thyroid or take thyroid medication, speak with your doctor before drinking it daily over time.
It is mildly sedative. Take care if you also take sedatives or sleeping medication.
Honey must not be given to children under 1 year.
And most important: a tea is not a treatment for depression. If things have been black for more than two weeks, if you lose interest in what you usually love, or if you think about not being here, speak with your doctor. Getting help is not weakness, it is the wildest thing you can do.
How the herbs work
Lemon balm contains rosmarinic acid, which eases anxiety and lifts mood mildly. In studies it has reduced restlessness and improved mood under light strain.
It also relaxes cramping in the stomach, which matters, because heaviness of spirit and an unsettled stomach almost always travel together.
The honey is not decoration. It makes the tea something you want to drink again tomorrow, and a plant only works if you remember it.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.