Honeydew: medicinal properties and contraindications

This herb is a genus of low perennial herbaceous species of the Borage family.

Chemical Composition

This herb contains a huge variety of vitamins and trace elements. The leaves of the plant contain ascorbic acid and many other vitamins, which are certainly very useful for people of all ages. Medunia also contains carotene, iodine, potassium, vitamin C, silicon, iron, rutin and mucilage. All of these elements are necessary for the treatment by folk methods.

How it looks and where it grows

Medunia has both a straight and branching stem. The plant reaches 30-80 centimeters in height. The stem is represented by numerous sessile leaves, which have pubescence all over their area and are located on the entire surface of the stem. As for the flowers of the plant, they are collected in small whorls and are located at the very top of the stems. They have a corolla shape, often funnel-shaped.

There are 2 types of honeydew flowers, which differ in shape, color and structure. Some flowers have longer pistil stems and shorter stamens that are hidden in the corolla. Other flowers, on the other hand, have shorter pistil stems and longer stamens. This feature prevents the flowers from self-pollination, making cross-pollination the most effective.

The different colors of the inflorescences also have their own quite understandable explanation. Honeydew contains plant pigments, which are responsible for the color of the petals. Because the plant has these pigments (anthocyanins), the flowers tend to change their hue, depending on the acidity of the cell sap. Thus, young flowers have a pinkish color because of the strong acidity of their sap. As they age, the flowers gradually turn blue due to a decrease in the acidity of their sap.

Honeydew is found in most of Eurasia. It is found from western Europe to Asia Minor and also in eastern Siberia. The plant prefers cool, penumbra or fully shaded place, hot weather does not like.

Species

A total of 10 to 70 varieties of the lungwort have been discovered, but they cannot keep themselves pure because of pollinability. Because of this, there is currently no clear structure in the system of the genus of the plant. Often only three species, which are very similar in medicinal properties and composition, are used for medical, cosmetic and dermatological purposes.

1. Medunia obscure. This plant is also called dark medunia. It is the most common plant in Eastern Europe. The stem is ribbed and slightly bent and does not grow taller than 30 centimeters. It blooms just after all the snow has melted. Its leaves are small, oblong in shape. There is pubescence on the entire surface of the leaf. The flowers of the plant are at the top of the stem. The color of the flowers of this species is more often lilac, but sometimes white or purple is found. The fruits, by the time they ripen, divide into parts. Interestingly, after the seeds mature, the flower falls off and dies.
2. Medunia medicinalis. Grows up to 30 centimeters in height. Has completely straight stems. Leaves are rough, no more than 15 centimeters. Bell-shaped flowers are located at the tops of the stems. The fruit begins to mature in July and is a small nut. The root of this type of plant is very developed and quite thick.
3. Honeydew is soft. The plant likes very bright and dry places, as well as rich soils. This species of honeysuckle reaches a height of 10 to 50 centimeters. The stem can be described as erect and slightly glandular. The leaves of the plant are velvety and pubescent on one side, retaining their green color until the fall. Leaves of this species tend to taper at the base. Flowers are scroll-shaped and located in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a brown nut.

Collection and Storage

For medical purposes, both the rhizome of the plant and its upper part are used. The top is prepared during the rapid bloom. Flowering shoots are cut off at the very base, then they are put in piles and spread out in a cool room so that they can dry out. Sunlight or dryers will also work. But the temperature should be less than 40 degrees. The main thing is to dry the raw material in a short time, so that it does not turn black.

Roots, in turn, are collected and dried for a very long time, throughout the fall. After the plants are completely dried, they should be made into a powder. Store dried and crushed raw materials is better in small bags.

Medicinal properties of the herb medunia

1. The plant copes very well with lung problems. It contains many useful substances and elements. There is also a huge amount of ascorbic acid in honeydew, which makes it a good remedy that strengthens the body. The flowers contain a substance with healing properties.
2. In addition, the medicinal properties manifest themselves in expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects, which have an effect on the respiratory tract. Decoction or infusion of this plant helps to reduce the pain of bronchitis, sore throat, colds and coughs. Decoctions are often taken internally for kidney and bladder problems.
3. It is also believed that if a person has problems with bleeding, then in this situation, too, honeydew can help. The plant can stimulate blood circulation in the human body and even stop bleeding.
4. Medunia herb can be useful in the treatment of cancer. After all, it can improve the general processes in the body, increase immunity and strengthen it.
5. As for the skin, it can recover much faster with the use of honeydew. It enhances the regeneration of the cells of the body.

For women

The properties of honeydew are actively used in gynecology. Decoctions and tinctures using this herb help treat ailments of the female reproductive system. Medunia produces a very positive effect on the hormonal system. With the help of remedies based on this plant, you can regulate metabolism, stimulate the activity of endocrine glands, maintain the balance of hormones. The herb is used in the treatment of hemorrhoids and in order to accelerate the healing of wounds.

For men

The use of decoctions from this plant is very good for men's health. Due to the fact that the herb contains many useful elements, honeydew is very good for treating impotence. You can also use decoctions from this plant and in order to prevent male genital problems. In addition, infusions on this herb is good analgesic and have a diuretic property. Substances and components that are contained in honeysuckle, help in increasing the protective functions of the body.

For children

Medunia can be used by children strictly from the age of 3 years. The herb strengthens the body of the child, normalizes the condition of the body. Infusions of this herb help eliminate insomnia and headaches, cure coughs, asthma and many diseases of the respiratory system. Medunia herb prevents diabetes, and fresh leaves help in the healing of wounds.

When pregnant

Doctors do not advise to treat with the herb during pregnancy and subsequent breastfeeding. But it is worth noting that the caution applies only to the treatment. During the spring period, when all pregnant and lactating women experience avitaminosis, it is allowed to add the leaves of the plant in tea. However, you should discuss this subject with your doctor and listen to his recommendations.

Medunia in medicine

One of the most effective treatments in folk medicine is considered decoctions and tinctures of the herb of this plant. It is necessary to remember that a day is allowed to use no more than two to three spoons of the remedy.

Pay attention! The herb should necessarily be poured with hot water, because cold and warm water can not properly interact with the individual substances of the plant.

Tincture of honeydew on beer with honey

You need to take two spoons of honeydew (herb) and pour a liter of real beer. Add a tablespoon of honey to the saucepan in which the ingredients are mixed. Place the tincture on the stove and boil on medium heat until the solution is less than half of its original volume. Then strain the resulting tincture. Use the infusion three times during the day, one tablespoon before meals. You can make such a syrup for lung diseases, pneumonia. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the drink should not be taken.

Infusion with honeydew

To prepare this tincture, you need to take a spoonful of honeydew and pour very hot water into a saucepan, then give time to infuse for two hours. Take one cup per day. It is desirable to divide into several intakes. Such a tincture with honeydew is allowed to treat bronchitis, even chronic, using also in situations when the voice is hoarse. Decoction is used for kidney disease and hemorrhoids. It is used to treat tuberculosis in a child, but you should first consult a doctor.

Tincture for lung diseases

To prepare this tincture, you need to take two tablespoons of medunica, pre-dried, pour it with boiling water and let it infuse for four hours. Then remove all the herb from the solution and drink 160 milliliters daily, three times a day for 30 minutes before meals. To increase the effect on respiratory diseases, you can add other herbs to the tincture, such as thyme.

The infusion can be used externally - as a bath, rinse and gargle. It is prepared on the same principle, but you need to take more dry herbs, namely four tablespoons instead of two.

Tincture against hemorrhoids and diarrhea

To prepare a very simple and useful infusion, you need to take 100 grams of honeysuckle, pre-dried, and pour a liter of boiling water. Let the tincture infuse for two hours. Then strain the solution and remove the herb from it. Consume two to three times a day with half a cup. To achieve a good effect, it is necessary to mix the herb of medunia with the seeds of flax in equal proportions.

Thoracic collection

Medunia herb is one of the ingredients of the chest collection, which is used as a very effective remedy for expectoration for angina, cough and bronchitis, colds, rhinitis and many other diseases associated with the respiratory organs. To prepare a collection, you need to take in equal parts such ingredients as oregano, mother-oil, lime, mint, thyme, violet, pine buds and honeydew.

Fill two spoons of this collection with half a liter of hot water and send it to infuse for two hours. Take the collection of half a glass three times a day before meals. One course of treatment is two weeks.

Infusion for inflammations

To prepare a tincture, you need to take four tablespoons of the leaves of medunia, pre-chopping them, pour two cups of very hot water and leave to insist for four hours. The infusion should be taken with the addition of sweetener, three spoonfuls, no more than 5-6 times during the day. This tincture can help not only with inflammation, but also with diarrhea and cramps. Externally, it can be used for inflammation of the skin and mucosa. To treat hemorrhoids and women's diseases, the tincture is prepared in the same way, only the strength should be greater.

Tea decoction with honeydew

To prepare a tea with honeydew, you can take a spoonful of dried herb of honeydew and pour some hot water into it. Then allow time for the tea to infuse for 15 minutes or more. After the drink has infused, strain. Honeydew tea is quite bitter, which is why you should add honey or sugar and a little lemon juice to your cup. Consume tea with honeydew at least 3 times throughout the day.

Against kidney disease

To prepare this collection, you need to add to a container one part with each of the herbs: honeysuckle, plantain, sage, wormwood. Grind the collection very finely. A spoonful of the collection after grinding, pour one cup of boiled water and add a little honey. Then simmer the solution over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Then let it cool. All that's left is to strain the collection. Consume the decoction by a tablespoon three times a day before eating.

The second option: Take equal parts of the herb honeysuckle, cranberry leaf and currants. Pour it all very hot water (500 milliliters) and give time to insist about half an hour. The container in which to infuse the collection is not so important, later you can pour into a convenient container. Take about 5 times a day for two tablespoons before meals.

Salad with honeydew and vitamins

To prepare this nutritious and simple salad, you need to take jelly leaves, chicken eggs (the number depends on the number of servings) and a bunch of green onions. The ingredients, as well as the preparation itself, are very simple. Dressing the salad can be anything, sour cream, butter, mayonnaise - to the taste of whoever will eat this dish. The salad is also made with other ingredients, adding there radish, radish, or lettuce leaf. What is interesting, the herb honeysuckle, its leaves or flowers can be added to everyday meals, soup, okroshka or green borscht.

Pulmonary collection.

This collection is allowed to use for the prevention and treatment of bronchitis and many other diseases. For its preparation, you need to take two teaspoons of calendula and linden, then mix it all in one large container. After that, add exactly the same amount of other ingredients, namely: honeydew herb, marshmallow root, nettle leaves, violet, rosemary, and also mother and stepmother. Take two tablespoons of each ingredient and add to the mixture. Only after all these ingredients are added and well mixed with the previous ones, add a teaspoon each of pine buds, elderflower inflorescence and elecampane roots. All the ingredients should be well chopped before adding them to the collection. Then mix everything very thoroughly. After mixing three tablespoons of this collection, pour it into a container in which the solution will be brewed. This can be a thermos, a jar, a pot or anything else. Pour the collection with three cups of boiling water and leave to infuse. The time during which the solution should not be touched is 8 hours. After this time, strain the liquid well through a sieve. The best option is to prepare in the evening, to leave it to infuse overnight. In the morning, the solution will already be ready for use.

Types of medicinal compositions with honeydew

There are several kinds of medicinal compositions that include the herb honeysuckle, its flowers, stems and more. Also they often include other herbs and plants, which have a very positive, soothing, therapeutic effect on the human body. What is important, they are very easy to prepare on their own, and everyone can do it. Below are some of them.

Tincture .

Tincture of honeydew helps to cope with respiratory diseases, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia, anemia. For its preparation, use pre-dried raw materials (varying amounts, it all depends on the recipe), which should be poured over boiling water. The liquid should insist on 14 or more days. Then strain the solution. The tincture is allowed to use internally several times throughout the day before meals and externally - for rinses, gargles, compresses.

Decoction

Decoction is a mild, expectorant that is used for coughs, colds, respiratory problems. To prepare the decoction, you need a handful of dry herbs of honeysuckle, pour half a liter of water. Bring the liquid to a boil, boil for 15-20 minutes. After cooking, strain the liquid and use a couple of times throughout the day.

Tea .

To make it, you need fresh or dried parts of the plant honeysuckle. They should simply be brewed instead of the usual tea. Medunia has a huge variety of useful and healing properties. Receiving tea from this herb are the prevention of various diseases, it will be useful for both children and adults.

Juice

The juice of this plant is very useful for any skin problems due to the fact that it has many useful substances. To prepare the juice is quite simple. It is necessary to take a small amount of honeydew (if you want more juice, it is better to take the herb, which was picked later), then with a technique (blender) or a plate and a spoon turn it into a pulp. Then strain the resulting mush through a sieve. You will get the juice, which should be diluted with water in the proportion of 1 to 10. You can drink three teaspoons a couple of times a day.

The benefits of honey from honeydew

Many beekeepers show a great love for honeydew. And there are several reasons for this. It blooms in the spring, in the middle of April to be exact, and is one of the earliest honeydrops. The blooming period of the plant is about a month, and a huge amount of nectar is released. The flowers themselves of this plant are very fond of bees.

The honey that is collected from the honeydew is an incredibly valuable product for the bees themselves and the entire bee family. It is during the honey harvest that mothers are very active in laying eggs. And during this time, the worker bees replenish their lost strength and food reserves.

For buyers, honeydew honey is also a very valuable product, because it helps to strengthen the body, helps to get rid of coughs and colds. But with all the positive qualities of this product should be approached to its consumption with great caution. This is because the honey with honeydew has the power to provoke the strongest irritation of the mucous membranes in the mouth.

Also, honey should not be consumed by people who are allergic to this product.

Cosmetic applications

The plant is often used in cosmetology, which is due to the fact that the herb has anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, cleansing, rejuvenating properties. In addition, honeydew has the ability to stimulate hair growth, preventing and preventing hair loss.

Honeydew is the best ingredient for strengthening hair. The plant shows its properties in the form of powder, which is used for rapid healing of wounds and as an anti-inflammatory drug. Also warm tinctures with this herb are prescribed as compresses for external use. Warm tinctures are used when washing, for acne, wounds, abrasions, pustules.

For use in cosmetology, the above-ground part of the plant is harvested during its flowering period.

For the treatment of pustular acne

To treat pustular acne, as well as reddened skin, it is necessary to make compresses. To create them, you need to take two tablespoons of dried leaves of the herb honeysuckle, pour half a cup of boiling water. Give time to infuse, then put the not yet cooled pulp in gauze and apply to the affected area.

The second option: Four tablespoons of dried herbs of honeysuckle or leaves and flowers pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes, then strain the solution. After that, soak tissues in this liquid and apply to the affected area.

Decoction with leaves of honeysuckle

Decoction with the leaves of medunia is also very widely used internally in various diseases, as well as externally on inflamed skin, for compresses and gargles. To prepare it, 50 grams of dry herbs (or a little less if you use fresh) pour boiling water in the proportions of 1 to 2 or 1 to 3 (it all depends on the doctor's recommendations, because for different cases you need a different concentration of the solution). Then let the solution to infuse for half an hour. As soon as the time expires, the remedy can be used.

Compress

Usually after using the decoction, there remains a pulp of herbs, it is allowed to use in the form of compresses, which are used externally, in order to treat psoriasis, dermatitis, fungal rash and so on. To prepare the compresses you need to put the gruel on gauze, then wrap the edges and get a pouch, which should be applied to the irritated area on the skin. The approximate time for which the compress should be applied is 10-15 minutes. The procedure can be repeated several times a day if desired. If the compress is infused in alcohol, it will begin to have warming and antiseptic properties.

Tincture .

You can use the tincture in the same way as other means and solutions - internally, for the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases, and externally, for the prevention and treatment of diseases that are associated with the skin. For its preparation take 30 grams of fresh plant medunia, pour vodka at a ratio of 1 to 15 and allow time to infuse the solution for about 15-20 days. The infusion should acquire a bright yellow, red or brown color. After that, strain the solution and pour into another container.

Rejuvenating salad

The ingredients are very simple, all you need for the salad: 45-60 grams of honeydew, a bunch of green onions, some parsley and dill, the juice of half a lemon and oil to taste and as desired. Rinse all the ingredients well under running water and chop. Mix everything, dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Eat the salad every day for two or three weeks, only then the positive results will be noticeable.

Rejuvenating and refreshing mask

For its preparation, you need to take equal parts of honeysuckle, linden leaves, clover flowers and mint in any form. All the ingredients must be dried and finely chopped. All this mixture of herbs pour boiling water and let infuse for 40 minutes. You should get the consistency of sour cream, so you should add boiling water to the desired thickness. After that, apply the ready mask on all exposed areas of the body, namely on the face, decollete and hands. Hold the mask for 15 to 20 minutes, then wash it off in warm water without using soap. Repeat this procedure every week.

The advantage of this mask is that it is suitable for all skin types. Especially well the composition helps women whose age has passed the 35 mark. The upper age limit on the mask, of course, does not have. It moisturizes the skin, nourishes it and cleanses it.

Photo of the honeydew