You can take advantage of lemon balm’s many healing properties by making an extract or tincture. A tincture is an alcohol extract of the fresh or dried plant—for lemon balm, it’s best to make a tincture from the fresh plant. This immune-boosting remedy is perfect for cold and flu season. You can also dab a few drops on cold sores or herpes lesions using a cotton swab.
Ingredients
• Large bundle of fresh lemon balm
• 1 bottle vodka
Instructions
1. Coarsely chop leaves and stems of lemon balm.
2. Add plant matter to a glass canning jar until it’s about 3⁄4 full. Fill jar with vodka until plant matter is completely covered.
3. Allow mixture to sit in a cool, dark place for at least 4 weeks, shaking once or twice daily.
4. Strain out plant matter and store lemon balm alcohol extract in a sealed jar for up to a year. Take 1⁄2 teaspoon up to 3 times a day as needed.
Learn how toGrow, Harvest and Use Lemon Balm.
