USE : Place 2 teaspoon melissa ( lemon balm ) herb with leaves & flowers in a cup , pour boiling water and steep for 15 minutes , then strain
The word Melissa is the abbreviated Middle Latin form of the Greek word melissóphyllon, which means ’bee leaf‘. The name comes from the Greek word mélissa or mélitta meaning bee itself derived from meli meaning honey. Officinalis is New Latin and means ‘in use pharmaceutically’. The reason for this is that in antiquity, Lemon Balm was cultivated as a food for bees. Virgil and Pliny reported that, due to its strong aroma, leaves of Lemon Balm were rubbed on new beehives to entice the bees.

The medical use of Lemon Balm has started more than 2000 years ago. In the 10th century, Arab physicians used the plant to fortify the heart and to treat melancholy. In the Capitularies of Charlemagne the order was given for Lemon Balm to be planted in every cloister garden.

Melissa is popular as a tea infusion. As a seasoning it is extremely versatile, particularly in oriental foods and summer beverages. It is also an important ingredient in herb liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Bénédictine and in spirits such as Carmelite.

BENEFITS
Treats insomnia
Eases indigestion
Treats herpes lesions and cold sores
Helps treat Alzheimer’s symptoms
Relieves stress
Helps reduce anxiety
Boost cognitive function
May help relieve indigestion
Can help treat nausea.

Benefits of Go Green Armenia’s wild thyme tea:
‣ Anti-fungal
‣ Fights indigestion and gas
‣ Treats bronchitis and cough
‣ Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
‣ Keeps the brain from aging

Thyme has been known since ancient times for its magical, culinary, and medicinal virtues. Tradition held that an infusion of thyme taken as a tea on midsummer’s eve would enable one to see the fairies dancing. Young women wore a corsage of blossoming thyme to signal their availability for romance. The generic name may have been inspired by one of thyme’s traditional attributes. Greek folk herbalists believed that thyme would impart courage (thumus in Greek) to those who used the herb, particularly soldiers. Greek men particularly liked the pungent scent of thyme and would rub the herb on their chests. The Romans believed that adding thyme to bath water would impart energy. They also included thyme in bedding to chase melancholy and to prevent nightmares.

The strong scent of thyme was employed as a moth repellent, and burned as fumigating incense. The philosopher-herbalist Pliny the Elder recommended burning the dried herb in the house to “put to flight all venomous creatures.” In the kitchen thyme has been used for centuries to season sauces, soups, stuffing, and soups. Thyme has long been recognized for its antiseptic properties. The Egyptians used the herb in formulas for embalming the dead. The herb was among those burned in sickrooms to help stop the spread of disease. Oil of thyme was used on surgical dressings and in times of war as recently as World War I, to treat battle wounds.