Calming DIY Lemon Balm Tincture
DIY Lemon Balm Tincture
Hello Beautiful Plant Medicine Lover,
I have a fun recipe to share with you today!
Do you occasionally get mild anxiety? I mean the kind that comes suddenly out of nowhere and slightly scares you, then you notice that your tummy is fluttering.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, is considered a calming herb. It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion (including gas and bloating, as well as colic).
Fortunately, there are many herbs that support digestion, including lemon balm, orange peels, fennel seeds, and gentian roots. The tincture recipe, below, is a simple recipe that you can take either before or after a meal to support your digestion and anxiety.
Enjoy!
Growing Lemon Balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, is considered a calming herb. It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion(including gas and bloating, as well as colic). This herb also grows happily in a pot outdoors, or even indoors. To keep a pot of lemon balm happy in the house, locate it near a window where it can receive about six hours of sunlight, or place it under grow lights. Water the soil when it feels dry.
Lemon Balm Tincture
Lemon balm has many health benefits and one of the best ways to use it is in a tincture. Learn how to make this simple lemon balm tincture using fresh lemon balm from your garden!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Infusing Time 42 days
Servings 150 doses
Equipment
Pint Mason Jar
Fine Mesh Sieve
Cheesecloth
Dropper Bottles
Ingredients
2 cups fresh lemon balm roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups 80 proof vodka approximately
Instructions
Roughly chop up a few handfuls of fresh lemon balm then put the chopped herb into a pint jar, filling it almost all the way and mashing it down a bit with your hand or a wooden spoon.
Pour in the 80 proof vodka to cover the lemon balm. You might have to push down the leaves a bit and some still may float, but that’s ok.
Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a cool and dark place (a pantry works well). For the first few days check on it and give it a gentle shake.
Let the tincture infuse for at least 4 to 6 weeks, but it can go even longer than that, several months or more.
When you’re ready to use the tincture, use a fine mesh sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth to strain out the lemon balm. Use the cheesecloth to squeeze as much of the tincture out as possible.
Store the tincture in dropper bottles for easy use. It will keep for many years!
Notes
If you want to make an alcohol free tincture (great for children) use vegetable glycerin instead of vodka to make a glycerite.
Lemon Balm Tincture
Lemon balm has many health benefits and one of the best ways to use it is in a tincture. Learn how to make this simple lemon balm tincture using fresh lemon balm from your garden!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Infusing Time 42 days
Servings 150 doses
Equipment
Pint Mason Jar
Fine Mesh Sieve
Cheesecloth
Dropper Bottles
Ingredients
2 cups fresh lemon balm roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups 80 proof vodka approximately
Instructions
Roughly chop up a few handfuls of fresh lemon balm then put the chopped herb into a pint jar, filling it almost all the way and mashing it down a bit with your hand or a wooden spoon.
Pour in the 80 proof vodka to cover the lemon balm. You might have to push down the leaves a bit and some still may float, but that’s ok.
Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a cool and dark place (a pantry works well). For the first few days check on it and give it a gentle shake.
Let the tincture infuse for at least 4 to 6 weeks, but it can go even longer than that, several months or more.
When you’re ready to use the tincture, use a fine mesh sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth to strain out the lemon balm. Use the cheesecloth to squeeze as much of the tincture out as possible.
Store the tincture in dropper bottles for easy use. It will keep for many years!
Notes
If you want to make an alcohol free tincture (great for children) use vegetable glycerin instead of vodka to make a glycerite.
Sending you Love and Big Blessings!
If any of this is resonating with you and you’re ready to get support with your holistic lifestyle, let’s connect deeper. Schedule time with me here or join my free Facebook group here or learn more about aligning with your holistic self in my Level 1 course here.