Does lemon balm lower blood pressure?

Content

1 Melissa raises or lowers blood pressure
2 How to brew tea
3 How to take lemon balm for hypertension
4 Possible harm and contraindications
5 What can you combine with?
6 Conclusion

The herb with the pleasant refreshing smell of menthol is known to many. Melissa is grown in the garden and in the apartment on the windowsill. The aromatic herb is famous for its healing properties. It is widely believed that lemon balm lowers blood pressure, so it is often used to treat hypertension.

Drinks in the form of teas and infusions with lemon balm are effective for mild forms of hypertension

Melissa raises or lowers blood pressure

Melissa has been popular in folk medicine for over 2000 years. Currently, the plant continues to be among the top most popular medicinal plants. The spicy culture is used to reduce and eliminate unpleasant symptoms in a number of diseases. Aromatic herb is used for the following health disorders:

depression;
migraine;
insomnia;
gastrointestinal diseases;
allergy.

As an adjuvant, the medicinal plant is used in the form of teas and infusions in the treatment of acute respiratory infections and influenza. Information about the effect of lemon balm on blood pressure is well known.

The opinion of specialists who study the influence of herbs and herbal mixtures on the human body is clear: fragrant herbs are indicated for hypertension. Accordingly, the medicinal plant should be used with caution by people who have low blood pressure.

The healing properties of lemon balm are due to the content of essential oils. The composition of plant tissues includes aromatic compounds:

citral;
linalool;
geraniol;
citronellal.

In addition, the plant contains macroelements such as potassium, calcium and sodium, which affect water balance and, accordingly, blood pressure. It also contains vitamins A, C, group B and useful organic acids necessary for the body:

rosemary, which is an antioxidant;
chlorogenic acid involved in cholesterol metabolism;
ascorbic acid, which strengthens blood vessels.

If a person’s blood pressure is 90/60 or lower, then the medicinal plant is strictly prohibited. Tea with lemon balm reduces blood pressure, so the condition can worsen significantly. But for patients suffering from hypertension, a medicinal plant is recommended. But it should be emphasized that the hypotensive effect of lemon balm is insignificant. In this regard, drinks with herbs have a therapeutic effect only with a slight increase in blood pressure and at the initial stage of hypertension. However, the property of lemon balm to relieve headaches and have a calming effect on the central nervous system will be useful for patients whose blood pressure surges are caused by stressful conditions.

Important! Apigenin contained in the leaves has a pronounced sedative effect, relieves increased anxiety, and helps in the fight against insomnia.

The active substances in lemon balm can cause a critical drop in blood pressure and lead to fainting.

How to brew tea

There are several options for brewing lemon balm tea. When choosing a method for preparing a drink, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the blend.

Classic black tea with herbs is best drunk in the morning or afternoon, as the drink has a tonic effect. Classic recipe:

2 tsp. Dry black tea with lemon balm leaves is poured with boiling water.
The drink is infused for 10-20 minutes.
The resulting tea leaves are diluted with hot water according to your own taste.

Doctors warn that green tea with lemon balm lowers blood pressure. You can prepare a tasty and healing drink for hypertensive patients as follows:

2 tsp. green tea and brew with hot water at a temperature of +85-90 ⁰With (not boiling water).
Place a plant twig in the vessel.
Infuse the drink in a closed container for at least 15 minutes.

Drink green tea with herbs warm or chilled. This rule is especially important for those with persistently high blood pressure. Doctors do not recommend drinking hot tea if blood levels are elevated.

Advice! The supply of lemon balm should be kept in a canvas bag or airtight glass container. If stored properly, the herb does not lose its aroma and taste for a long time.

Tea with lemon balm, which has a sedative and relaxing effect, is recommended for easily excitable people

How to take lemon balm for hypertension

Melissa leaves are used both fresh and dried. In addition to tea, the fragrant plant can be used in the form of an infusion.

To prepare a remedy for high blood pressure, you will need a container with a tight-fitting lid. The recipe for this folk remedy is extremely simple:

2 tbsp. l. fresh herbs or 1 tbsp. l. dried lemon balm pour 400 ml of hot water.
The vessel is closed and infused for 5-6 hours. The finished product is kept in the refrigerator.
The drink is taken daily in the morning and before bedtime, 2 tbsp. l.

If you have high blood pressure, you should drink lemon balm infusion for 3-4 weeks. After a break of 2-3 months, the course of therapy is repeated.

The delicious-smelling leaves are often added to desserts and fruit salads. Doctors warn that the product should not be treated as a panacea and consumed in excessive quantities. So, when undergoing treatment for hypertension or irritability, you should not additionally drink teas with weed. Conversely, an excess of active substances is harmful to the body, as is their deficiency.

Possible harm and contraindications

Like any medicinal plant, lemon balm has contraindications for use. In addition to the well-known recommendation not to drink infusions and teas with aromatic herbs for hypotensive patients, there are other prohibitions:

Individual hypersensitivity. High concentrations of essential oils are a risk factor for allergy sufferers.
Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Biologically active substances (organic acids, esters) are strong irritants of the mucous membranes. An infusion of the plant can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.

Also, drivers and workers involved in servicing complex mechanisms and emergency service dispatchers should not get carried away with herbal teas. For professions that require a lot of concentration, consuming lemon balm poses a certain danger.

What can you combine with?

Depending on your own preferences, the basic blend of the drink (black or green) can be combined with various additives. Gourmets consider the most popular additional components for lemon balm tea to be:

peppermint;
lavender;
chamomile;
cinnamon;
cardamom;
allspice (peas);
orange zest;
ginger;
lemon;
lime;
honey.

You can prepare a delicious vitamin drink by adding fresh berries. Appetizing black tea is made with currants, viburnum, rowan, lingonberries, and rose hips. Many people will like a refreshing drink with strawberries or wild strawberries. Chilled green tea with fragrant berries is pleasant to drink in the summer heat or during intense physical activity, for example, after working out in the gym.

Comment! A drink with lemon balm and valerian has an excellent relaxing effect. The combination of two herbs has the desired sedative effect on a person under stress.

Thanks to the combination of lemon balm and peppermint, the drink has a special aroma that can be enhanced by adding currant leaves

Conclusion

The information that lemon balm lowers blood pressure is known to many. It is possible to achieve the desired effect if you follow the recommendations of doctors. For hypertensive patients, it is better to use green tea as a base and brew the drink with hot water rather than boiling water. You should not drink too strong an infusion. For high blood pressure, it is best to drink chilled lemon balm tea.