Weekly Hydrosol for 9/06/10 Melissa (aka Lemon Balm)

First off, when buying Melissa hydrosol, look for one that is distilled in the US. You want to find a distiller that distills the herb just for the hydrosol and not for the oil. The reason for this is the extremely low yield of essential oil. Because of this, most distillers will often (more so then not) cohobate the water. Cohobate means that they reuse the water over and over to increase the extraction of essential oil. When this is done, the hydrosol loses most if not all of its therapeutic value.

This is one of the most stable of the hydrosols, and has been known to last upwards of two years. But to be on the safe side I would still keep in it the refrigerator and freeze what you will not be using within the next 3 or 4 months.

Like the herb, it is good for stress, soothing anger, antidepressant and just about all emotional crises. Melissa can be useful for helping to relieve insomnia. It is more calming to the mind than the body so it works best when the insomnia is caused by an overactive mind. Mix Melissa with Neroli (last week’s hydrosol) for childhood hysterics and work with ADHD.

During pregnancy it can be sipped (1/2 hydrosol 1/2 water) to help with morning sickness, stomach upset (mixed with peppermint hydrosol) and water retention. It is a very gentle and general digestive drink, it aides digestion, reduces spasms and cramps. Melissa has been shown to help with colitis and crohn’s disease. It can have a laxative affect on some, if the dose it to high. For babies, you can spray it topically for cradle cap and diaper rash and as a soothing mist at bed time, it’s even better with German chamomile and Yarrow.

For skin, Melissa is a good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It’s good on its own or in blends for irritations, eczema and other rashes. Use full strength ASAP on poison ivy and oak. Mix in lotions and creams or just spray right on the skin for antiaging and after-sun care. It works well as a compress for inflamed and tired eyes.

What Melissa stands out for its strong anti-viral powers of the uncohobated hydrosol. Apply undiluted to herpes sores every hour or so as soon as you feel it coming on as well as taking ½ tbsp every hour. It is a good prophylactic in the flu and allergy season, it has immune-stimulating and some infection fighting properties.
If you have questions or want to know more just let me know.

Love and Light
Dannie
Wolf’s Aromatics Massage and Bodywork
AromaTheraputics Medicinal Aromatherapy