Does lemon balm help with memory?
Research at Newcastle University on lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) showed promising results in that it improved the ability to learn, store and retrieve information as well as enhancing calmness. Elaine Perry, a professor at the university, is now working on a trial using Melissa officinalis essential oil with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s. The results will be released in 2009. Bearing in mind this potential, treat this plant well and it will reward you. Defy its scruffy nature by trimming it regularly, pruning random clumps into shapely balls. To prolong your supply in winter, cover it with a cloche. Because living plants have variable quantities of active ingredient, it is not possible to be prescriptive about dosage. In trials, dried herbs or essential oils are used to quantify doses. At Neal’s Yard, Dragana suggests chopping the leaves finely, putting them in a jam jar and covering them with runny honey. Stored this way, the leaves should last two months. Which herbs aid di
