Lemon Balm Lowers Blood Pressure, Reduces LDL

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a soothing herb from the mint family, can significantly improve the condition of patients with chronic stable angina, reports a recent study in the Journal of Herbal Medicine. Researchers at Iran’s Ahvaz Jundishapur university of medical Sciences tested 80 patients with the condition, which involves chest pain linked to a lack of blood flow to the heart. The patients were given three one-gram doses a day of lemon balm powder or a placebo. After two months, the patients given the lemon balm had significant reductions of “bad” low-density cholesterol (LDL), both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and increased workout capacity, a measure of heart function.

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