Bee Balm (Beebalm, Monarda) can be used to help treat cold, headache, depression, insomnia, indigestion, nausea and flatulence.
You can use bee balm to make a tea or decoction for the treatment. You can also use it to make a tincture.
How to make a bee balm tincture:
– Pick fresh leaves and flower tops
– Wash and dry it in room temperature until half-dried
– Put the herb in a glass or mason jar
– Cover with Alcohol 35%-85% (Spirit, Vodka, Arak, Gin, or Rum)
– Tighten the cap
– Shake it every day
– After 10 days or so, strain and store the liquid in bottles
– Drink 20-50ml, twice a day
You can use fresh herb, half-dried herb, or dried herb to make this tincture, but as an aromatic, bee balm loses much of its fragrance when dried. Fresh herb contains all the ingredients, but also contains too much water. When using fresh herb to make a tincture, it may have a problem of mold growth in the jar. So after washing the herb, you should at least dry it in room temperature for a while to reduce the water.
When making a tincture, you may use this ratio: for 100g dried herbs (or 200g half-dried herbs), use 1000ml alcohol.
Please note, if you have a history of thyroid problems, or is pregnant, you should not take this remedy. Please consult your doctor before using it.
For more information about natural remedies for headache, go to Natural Remedies Center: http://www.naturalremediescenter.com/treat/headache/
