Both Chamomile and Lemon balm are calming and known to help relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety as well as aid a good night's sleep. Those suffering from fatigue, work stress, PTSD, or even bipolar disorder will benefit from daily use of these safe herbs for anxiety. Ulcer or colitis sufferers will fall completely in love with lemon balm, a fresh minty lemony aroma without the potentially harmful acidity of citrus.

A member of the daisy family, chamomile has been used in herbalism since ancient times. Scientists believe that chamomile's flavonoids can calm the central nervous system, which may reduce feelings of anxiety and panic. Chamomile tea is a popular tea known for its calming effects.
Chamomile, or Matricaria chamomilla, has been used medicinally for thousands of years by ancient cultures in Greece, Rome, and Egypt. The dried flowers and essential oils of the plant were used to treat many conditions, including chest colds. Even though Chamomile is native to Africa it was brought from Kemet to the Greeks who then introduced it to Rome. The term chamomile comes from the Greek word chamomaela, which means "ground apple". The Egyptian Chamomile produces a gorgeous deep-yellow cup and it is caffeine-free!
Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) has been used by ancient Egyptians for at least 2,500 years, as evidenced by hieroglyphics that depict the flower. The Egyptians believed chamomile had magical and healing properties and held it sacred to the sun god Ra (pronounced Ray). They used it in many ways, including in the form of essential oil. The Egyptians would extract the fragrant oil from the chamomile flowers and use it in perfumes, cosmetics, and aromatic oils for massages and rituals. This practice enhanced their spiritual experiences and elevated their senses.
Ancient Egyptians held bees and honey in high regard, and they were often associated with royalty and the afterlife. Bees were considered a symbol of royalty, and the bee hieroglyph represented Lower Egypt. The first king of Egypt, King Menes, was known as "the Beekeeper", a title that was also given to subsequent pharaohs. The bee was sometimes depicted next to a pharaoh's cartouche, which was a way to indicate the pharaoh's title "Bee King". Lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis, has been used for over 2,000 years for medicinal and culinary purposes. The herb's name comes from the Greek words mélissa or mélitta, which mean "bee", and meli, which means "honey". Professor Gene Kritsky on the subject of Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt has recently published his latest book 'Tears of Re' (pronounced Ray as in sun ray) which references the Egyptian mythology that the tears of the sun god Ra (Ray) fell to earth and transformed into Honey Bees.
The first actual evidence of beekeeping whereby man captured or lured honey bees to nest inside artificially made cavities/hives comes from Bronze age ancient Kemet (Egypt) during the 1st Dynasty around 3100 BC. Early evidence consisted of inscriptions describing bees and how they were kept. By the 3rd Dynasty 2650BC paintings and hieroglyphs depicting bees were more common and more detailed. Some of the best examples from this period can be found at the solar temple of Nuiserre which was built to pay tribute to the sun god Ra.
Ancient Egyptian beekeepers kept their bees in clay or mud pipes approximately 1.2 meters in length and 1/3 of a meter in diameter. These were typically constructed from a bundle of thin sticks, grass and reeds held together by mud which was baked in the hot sun. Once dried and hardened the center of the bundle would be excavated leaving behind a strong hollow artificial log. The ends of the clay logs would be sealed with a ring of timber and held in place with a mud cement. One of the ends would include a small opening for the bees to come and go.
The beekeepers would keep a great many of these horizontal hives together in a single apiary. They would be stacked together and earthed up with soil to form a large wall. When it was time to harvest the honey the keeper would simply remove the wooden ring at one end of the hive and pull out the honey comb. When a hive became too full of bees the keepers would remove some combs and bees and transfer them to a new hive - an ancient form of artificial swarming. These ancient keepers understood their bees well and were skilled at mimicking piping queens which they could lure from the hives and then catch and transplant to new homes.
Clay pots containing remnants of wax comb, bees wings and residues of honey have been discovered from the 18th Dynasty 1570-1546 BC .
The ancient Greeks following in traditions brought to them by Africans believed that lemon balm and bees had a strong relationship, and that bees would never leave a hive if the herb was nearby. They would rub lemon balm on hives to welcome bees, and also believed that the herb promoted long life. In first century Rome, lemon balm was used to encourage bees to return to their hives. Lemon balm was used as a strewing herb and to polish furniture.
Medicinal uses
In the 10th century, Arab physicians used lemon balm to treat melancholy and fortify the heart. Paracelsus (1493–1541) recommended using lemon balm to treat "all complaints supposed to proceed from a disordered state of the nervous system". In the Middle Ages, herbalists, writers, philosophers, and scientists noted its use to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion.
During summer, small white or pale pink flowers appear. The plants live for ten years; the crop plant is replaced after five years to allow the ground to rejuvenate. It is mentioned by the Greek polymath Theophrastus in his Historia Plantarum, written in c. 300 BC, as "bee-leaf" (μελισσόφυλλον). Lemon balm was formally introduced into Europe in the 7th century, from which its use and domestication spread.
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