Balm, from the Plant Melissa officinalis, is also called balm mint, bee balm, blue balm, cure-all, dropsy plant, garden balm, lemon balm, melissa, and sweet balm.

Bees love this lemon-scented herb, which is what earned it the nicknames of 'lemon balm' and melissa (from the Greek for "bee"). But its fragrance is nothing compared with its many and varied medicinal properties, earning it another nickname - "cure-all". Balm has the ability to heal wounds, ease indigestion, relieve menstrual cramps, fight cold sores, relax nerves, help prevent sleeplessness - and even repel mosquitoes.

Modern research backs up many of balm's healing powers. "Various small-scale laboratory studies in Germany have demonstrated that its leaves contain compounds with sedative, digestive and anti-spasmodic effects", says Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacognosy at Purdue University School of Pharmacy in West Lafayette, Indiana, and author of "The Honest Herbal".

Although Balm has just recently made its mark in American medicine, it's been highly valued by herbal practitioners in Western Europe for some 2,000 years. Balm was considered a must-have plant for Elizabethan herb gardens, and over the centuries it's been a popular home remedy for a host of common ailments.

• Calms nerves - and more: To calm your nerves, aid sleep, ease menstrual cramps and reduce fever, try a cup of Balm tea. Use about 2 teaspoons of chopped leaves (preferably fresh, not dried) to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep for 10-20 minutes, and drink while hot. Balm tincture is another treatment option, with the usual dose being a teaspoon, or less, as needed - up to three times a day. Still another choice is to take a relaxing Balm bath. To prepare your bath, tie a handful of Balm into a cloth, and run your bathwater over it. In addition to feeling its tranquil effect, you'll love its lemony aroma.
• Soothes minor wounds and insect stings: Balm works as a local pain reliever. To treat wounds, make a hot compress using 2 teaspoons of Balm per cup of water. Boil for 10 minutes. Soak a clean cloth in the tea, and place it on the wound.
• Fights herpes: Balm has been shown to battle herpes simplex, the virus that causes cold sores. A Balm ointment available in Germany has been shown to speed the healing of herpes lesions and lengthen the time between outbreaks. You might try applying a poultice of crushed leaves to herpes lesions, though this form will probably not be as effective as a commercial preparation.
• Keeps mosquitoes at bay: Bees love Balm, but mosquitoes hate it. To repel these pests, rub Balm oil or the pleasantly scented leaves over your skin.

Balm causes no documented safety problems, although it has been shown to inhibit certain thyroid hormones. For this reason, people with Graves' disease or other thyroid-related problems should use Balm only with a doctor's approval.

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