Therapeutic Grade Melissa essential oil comes from the melissa officinalis plant, in the mint family. It’s commonly called “lemon balm” and   it is steam distilled from the aerial parts before flowering.  Historically it has been used for nervous disorders, to promote fertility and in Munich, Dr. Dietrich Wabner, a professor at the Technical University in Munich found it effective against the Herpes Simplex virus.  It may be helpful for depression, viral infections, anxiety and insomnia.  Diffuse 1-2 hours up to 3 times a day, apply to the skin or Vita Flex points to support the immune system.

Melissa essential oil is found in the Young Living blends of Awaken, Brain Power, Forgiveness, Hope, White Angelica and in the supplement Multi-Greens.

Our family has personally received the benefits of  melissa essential oil in the Thieves mouthwash blend and Multi-greens.  Awaken is one of my favorite Young Living blends, a combination of 5 different blends including 27 different essential oils including melissa essential oil.   It’s an exquisite blend that  I wear  as a “healthy” perfume.    When you use the essential oil blends or personal care items with melissa in it, you are getting a powerful oil in an economical way.

Select Research:

Kucera LS, et al. Antiviral activities of extracts of the lemon balm plant. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1965 Jul 30;130(1):474-82.

Sadraei H, Ghannadi A, Malekshahi K. Relaxant effect of essential oil of Melissa officinalis.  Fitoterapia. 2003 Jul;74(5);445-52.

Anxiety, depression and attention disorders are on the rise. I believe the causes are two-fold, first simply because we live in a culture saturated with unimportant things. We have thousands of choices we can make every day, from the foods we eat to products for our home and health. Marketing campaigns reach for our hearts, showing that we will be happy if we just purchase their goods and services. We can have instant gratification: on-demand movies, fast food and drugs to take away our symptoms in an hour. These are solutions targeted at making us content for the moment. It’s easy to fall into habits that can be harmful to us if we only have a short term fix in mind, leading to anxiety with so much information or depression from lack of contentment.

I believe a second cause of the increase in these health issues is the vast amount of chemicals we are exposed to every day. Some have even said today we are exposed to more chemicals in a day than people 100 years ago were exposed to in a lifetime. This does not even include chemicals we choose to subject ourselves to: over the counter & prescription drugs, plastics, untested cosmetic ingredients, perfumes and artificial fragrance. All of these chemicals can wreak havoc on our bodies and may cause hormonal imbalance which also may contribute to anxiety & depression.
I saw a mom with a newborn baby in the home fragrance aisle at the store the other day contemplating which “home scent” to purchase, I couldn’t help myself and I just told her to avoid using any of it around her kids, for their sake. Our children’s bodies and ours are being bombarded with chemicals, many of them we consciously are burning and “plugging in” to our homes, poisoning our air. We are chemical beings and all these fragranced products are causing chemical reactions in our bodies – the evidence is mounting that these chemicals are linked to anxiety, depression and attention disorders to name only a few. Over the counter and prescription drugs are even worse, with these and other health issues listed as potential side effects. I’m actually surprised at how many people ask if essential oils will interact with the drugs they are taking, yet don’t give a thought to using a home cleansing wipe labeled “harmful to humans and domestic animals” or consider how common household products and cosmetics are interfering with their prescriptions. Perfumes and artificial fragrance are known to disrupt hormones and the endocrine system making us more vulnerable to symptoms of anxiety, depression and attention disorders.

If you are truly looking for help with issues like anxiety, depression or attention disorders, you seriously have to consider cleaning up your environment, diet and personal care products. Essential oils may offer some promise for dealing with these but they cannot compensate for a lack of common sense and poor choices. I myself have used essential oils to deal with anxiety and depression but I have been careful to assess what might be triggering these symptoms in my body. 

Anti-depressants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs, with prescribed usage doubling in just one decade: 1996-2005.  Some studies have even shown that their effects may be questionable.  Dr. Mercola offers some insight into this research and alternatives to prescription drugs even suggesting that placebos have as great an impact on improving your mood .   Keeping this in mind, essential oils may be a great side-effect free option to try before going on medications.   These suggestions have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

Lavender essential oil helps balance the body, may help with insomnia and is calming. Simply smelling something pleasant can have a positive effect on our psyche. Make sure you are using only a pure, food grade lavender essential oil. I met someone the other day who had a bad experience with lavender. After applying a drop to her pillow, she developed a horrible headache. If an essential oils is altered or diluted with any chemical, one can never really know what side effects may occur from fillers. It is always best to use essential oils from a trusted source that verifiies the ingredients of their products. Mine is Young Living essential oils because I know they have the highest quality control standards in the industry.

Frankincense essential oil may be helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression. I apply Frankincense to my face every day, it’s excellent and nourishing to the skin plus it gives a boost to my psyche. Frankincense can be diffused to improve concentration and mental clarity. Because of this quality, it would be a great choice for using when a student needs to get homework done. This is an excellent oil to use for anxiety – when you have a lot of things going on and you don’t know where to begin. This oil is clearly evidence of divine creation – one breath in and your mind is clear and focused for the most important task at hand.

Valor is a Young Living essential oil blend that has similar qualities to frankincense – simply because frankincense is one of it’s ingredients. It also contains spruce which is grounding and helps create positive memory. I used this in one of my yoga classes and afterwards one student commented that at the beginning of relaxation her mind was running in several directions. She said that the second she smelled Valor, her mind was completely cleared and she could just relax. This blend may also be a good choice for helping focus and dealing with attention disorders.

Peace & Calming is a Young Living blend of essential oils. It’s a blend that appeals to most people, it’s a sweeter smell with tangerine essential oil. Some think it evokes thoughts of childhood. Just applying a drop to your carotid artery as a natural perfume can be calming. When it is applied to the soles of the feet it can help move you into a peaceful nights rest. This would be a good choice for overactive children and pets, or adults who suffer from nervous tension.

Stress Away – Roll-On is a Young Living blend that contains vanilla & lime essential oils. This is another blend that works well as a natural perfume with positive side effects of calming you when you are experiencing anxiety.

Peppermint oil is the first choice for mental clarity for attention disorders. Simply applying the oil to the temples can improve concentration and focus. Diffusing peppermint oil when you are studying can help improve memory retention. Peppermint may also be useful in treating headaches brought on by anxiety or depression.

Essential oils have the potential to even out moods, balance our emotions and help improve our mental clarity. But first, it is important to clear your environment and personal exposure to man-made chemicals that may be contributing to these issues. If you are on a lot of medications, have intelligent conversations with your doctor or pharmicist about potential side effects. There are many natural, drug free solutions to anxiety, depression and attention disorders for those willing to do some research and tune into themselves to figure what might be triggering these symptoms in the first place.

1.  Breathe!  Yes, we need to breathe to survive, but often in times of stress we tend to hold our breath.  This deprives our body of much needed oxygen and causes physical stress.  Breathing is one way our body eliminates toxins, especially as we exhale.  Practice regular breathing patterns when you realize you are getting tense.  Diffusing stress relieving essential oils like frankincense and sandalwood can  keep your thoughts focused and grounded.

2.  Laugh - a joyful heart is good medicine.  Research proves time and again that those with a positive outlook on life are healthier. Find what tickles your funny bone: watching a comedy, reading a joke book or watching kids or pets play can lighten your mood.

3.  Play with a baby or child.  If you don’t have your own children or are empty nesters, volunteer at a local day care or church.   Life is so simple for these little ones and when you bring yourself down to their level, the stress of adult life can be put into perspective.  Spending time with pets can help too.  Visit a local animal shelter and give some TLC to animals in need.

4.  Take a walk – simply getting a change of scenery can help diffuse stressful situations.

5.  Take a hot shower or bath - water is very therapeutic.  Add some lavender, breathe deeply and allow your physical body to relax.

6.  Listen to some music – just make sure it is soothing music that will calm your nerves and sooth your soul.  Classical, spa-type music or easy listening tunes can change your mood in an instant.  Choose music to suit your personal preference, check out iTunes samplings or visit your local library if you are looking for new sounds.

7.  Pray or Meditate – Read something inspirational, a devotional or scriptures from the book of Psalms.  Diffuse tree oils like frankincense or cedarwood to increase your spiritual awareness.

8.  Stretch – try some stress beating poses.  Apply Valor to the soles of your feet to improve muscle memory and keep muscles relaxed.  Applying oils like PanAway or Peace & Calming to your shoulders can help alleviate tension in the shoulders that might aggravate stress headaches.

9.  Find a hobby you like – arts & crafts, gardening, reading, playing an instrument to name a few.  Volunteering to help others can take the focus off your stressful situation.

10.  Count your blessings – even writing them down and journaling can be helpful at all times, but especially helpful to work out your feelings on paper.

Lastly, get help if you can’t cope – talk with a friend, pastor or counselor if needed.  It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or sad at times, but if these feelings continue over time or begin to cause physical symptoms that won’t go away it would be wise to seek professional help.  Hopefully with some foresight and taking time to restore your body and soul amidst the holiday bustle, you can avoid any stress related ailments and have a Merry Christmas!

This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. For medical treatment, see a doctor.

Most recently, lavender from Provence is in danger due to an insect which transmits a phytoplasma to the plants ( a bacteria ) and destroys them.  This is due in part to climate changes including winters with no snow and drought during the summer.  No pesticides exist today to save the lavender plants and more and more plants are sick. Researchers are working on hybrids but those are also sensitive to this bacteria.   At this point, the Young Living Lavender farm in Utah has not been affected by this virus.  For the time being, Young Living has a 3 year supply of lavender but the demand for pure lavender essential oil and lavender products will most likely be increasing as supply drops in the coming years.

Lavender is beneficial to tissue regeneration and useful for cuts, scrapes and burns.  It is antiseptic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and a relaxant. Lavender is a very calming oil and can be helpful in combating anxiety and insomnia.

I recommend only using Young Living’s lavender oil neat on the skin – 1 drop at a time since it is highly concentrated.  Here are some uses:

• Insomnia – apply a drop on your pillow or rub onto soles of feet before bed
• Anxiety – we use lavender when flying
• Sunburn – mix 8-10 drops of lavender in a 4 ounce spray bottle – glass preferred – add 1 drop of Young Living’s unscented bath gel.  I get my glass spray bottles from www.abundanthealth4u.com .  This gel helps emulsify the oil so it mixes in the water.  This chemical-free lavender spray is soothing for itchy skin and sunburn especially if kept cool in the refrigerator.  This spray is also a convenient way to lightly mist your pillow before bed.
• Nosebleed- apply it neat to the bridge of the nose to stop a nosebleed
• Antihistamine – apply lavender neat to the nose, around the eyes (careful not to get in the eyes) and on itchy spots or hives to decrease histamine reaction due to allergies.  Young Living lavender can also be ingested as a systemic antihistamine.  Follow dietary guidelines on your YL lavender bottle for recommended dosages in a gel cap

Young Living Lavender essential oil  15ml  - wholesale -  $20.75        retail – $27.30

You can order Young Living oils at wholesale (select Independent Distributor and order a $40 Start Living Kit for lifetime wholesale pricing, and no monthly minimums, enter sponsor #1003003)  or retail (select customer). 

The information in this article is for education purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.