Sweet Melissa Encourages Sweet Dreams

Sweet melissa, also known as lemon balm, is known for calming nerves while lifting the spirit. It has the rare quality of helping with sleep without being over-sedating.

In addition to its nervine qualities, sweet melissa quiets inflammation, lowers blood sugar, and stimulates digestion. As a tea, it’s perfect to start the morning or as an after-dinner refreshment.

I use sweet melissa in my Sleepy Tea alongside valerian to promote restfulness and to enhance the flavor.

Topically, sweet melissa can be infused into an oil where it’s anti-inflammatory properties help relieve itching and resolve cold sores. For an itchy scalp, simmer sweet melissa into water, then massage into your scalp after it cools. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Add witch hazel or essential oils to keep it for a month or two.

Sweet melissa is a member of the mint family, so it can take over your garden if not contained. It is a perennial that likes full sun. To harvest, wait until flowers start to bloom, then cut stems just above a pair of leaves. Cut to within 6-8 inches of the soil, but do not remove more than two-thirds of growth. It can be used both dried or fresh.

Super Skin Tea to Build Collagen

Collagen is the key to keeping skin smooth and resilient. It is a major structural component of skin that decreases as we age, resulting in wrinkles and sagging skin. There is no evidence to show that consuming collagen will increase its levels, so we are left to ingest foods and herbs that stimulate the production of collagen.

Minerals such as silica as well as vitamins A, C, and D encourage the body to create its own collagen. Although there are foods that contain these constituents, the best way to consume them is in a tea, where minerals and vitamins are extracted at a higher concentration.

Last summer I wrote about applying vitamins A, C, and D topically because those vitamins can work their magic through the skin.  Silica, on the other hand, must be consumed internally to do its work.

Calendula provides 100 times more vitamin A by weight than a sweet potato

The following tea recipe contains herbs that have the highest amounts of silica, vitamins A and C.  Peppermint, an antioxidant,  is thrown in for flavor, but it also contains vitamins A and C. Antioxidants combat oxidation (aging) of our skin.

 Super Skin Tea Recipe

1 part horsetail (highest concentration of silica of any source)
3 parts nettle (silica, vitamins A and C)
3 parts rose hips (more vitamin C by weight than any other source)
2 parts calendula (highest source of vitamin A)
1 part raspberry leaf (vitamin C, antioxidant)
3/4 part peppermint (antioxidant, vitamins A and C)

For a typical tea, steeping 10 minutes is adequate, but the constituents will be extracted to the maximum with a super-decoction—four hours or more.  You can make a pot to store in the refrigerator and drink it iced or warm it up as a hot tea.