Juniper: medicinal properties and contraindications

An unsightly plant at first glance is not remarkable, except for a slight resemblance to nettles. Its stinging properties are well known, and the insidious herb is bypassed. Herbalists pay close attention to it, carefully pulling it out of nettle thickets and following it down into damp hollows and to the banks of rivers and ponds. Its medicinal properties are well known, the leaves and other parts of the plant are included in many folk medicine recipes.

How it looks and where it grows

This herbaceous plant reaches 1 meter in height, the resemblance to nettles is very superficial. On closer examination, the differences are obvious. Zuznik has a tetrahedral trunk, dark green leaves with carved edges. Flowers are small, arranged in a circle at the base of the leaves, resembling a maiden's wreath. Flowering begins in July and lasts 3 months.

Interesting: The plant has several names, and depending on the region it is called wolfsbane, wolf's paw, water nettle, purplegrass, mottle.

Some of the names are derived from the shape of its leaves and the place where it grows. There are 12 species, the best known and most used for medicinal purposes is European.

Its distribution area is very wide. It is found in Europe, some regions of Asia, North America, the Caucasus and Siberia. In order to grow, it requires shady, swampy places. The peculiarity of the plant is its ability to release excessive moisture in the form of transparent droplets flowing from the trunk. Look for it near water, in ravines, near streams and near wetlands, in floodplain forests, not far from thermal springs. It does not tolerate direct sunlight, preferring to hide in the shade. One of the signs that the plant is close are thickets of nettles.

Chemical composition

The ground parts of the plant are used for the preparation of medicinal potions. Leaves, flowers and stem tops are equally valuable. They are found to contain:

• bioflavonoids;
• essential oils;
• lycopene;
• tannins;
• antioxidants;
• resins;
• cardiac glycosides;
• bitterness;
• carotene;
• vitamin C;
• fluorine;
• manganese;
• tannins.

Important: The positive effect and full disclosure of the properties of the plant is manifested only in the complex of all elements. If manganese or other substances are removed from the composition, the therapeutic effect on the thyroid gland drops several times.

About 5 percent are organic acids. Cinnamon, as well as rosemary and citric acid are found in the green mass. The main value is the lithospermic acid contained in the green parts of the plant. It suppresses excessive agitation, stabilizes iodine levels, and normalizes hormonal levels. This leads to a reduction in the external manifestations of hypothyroidism, such as overexcitation, eyelid trembling, increased heart rhythms.

The herbal collection acts very gently, without undue stress on the body. Nevertheless, its effectiveness is noticeable in 7-10 days after application.

Collection and Storage

This herb is one of the few that is easy to collect and store. It grows in small clearings, is visible from afar, and does not climb into hard-to-reach places. It is sought along the banks of water bodies. There is no need to pick leaves or pluck every flower. Everything is much easier. Wearing gloves or taking a sharp knife, herbalists simply pluck or cut off the ground part of the plant without picking its parts. Only a small spindle-shaped root remains in the ground, from which the next year new shoots come.

The harvesting period is at the height of flowering, from mid-July to the end of September. You should choose a dry day for harvesting. The herb has an interesting property of withdrawing excess water in transparent drops, because of this you have to dry it for a long time, so there is no need to add more weather moisture.

The harvested plants are bundled together and hung upside down in a cool, shady place. It is best to dry them naturally. Using an oven or warm airflow significantly reduces the medicinal properties.

When ready raw material is folded into canvas bags or placed in jars with a tightly lapped lid and stored in a dry, cool place without access to sunlight. Initial characteristics are stored for 2 years.

Medicinal properties of European citrus

The herb is not considered a panacea, it has a fairly limited range of action. Most of all, it is valued for its mild effect on the thyroid gland, stabilizing its work and reducing the production of hormones. At the same time, water decoctions and infusions can pacify too strong heartbeat, stabilize breathing. The celandine is also used:

• To reduce fever during malaria;
• To remove excess fluid from the body;
• relief of chronic edema and stabilization of blood pressure;
• Prevention of vascular spasms;
• treatment of women's diseases, including mastopathy;
• As an expectorant for mild to moderate pulmonary tuberculosis;
• analgesic.

Often the collection with wolfsbane is recommended for neuroses, sleep disorders, unwarranted anxiety and fears. After anesthesia tea with wolf's paw will help quickly eliminate its effects, return clarity of thought and eliminate nausea. Tannins help relieve coughs, relieve respiratory cramps and reduce bleeding, stabilize the menstrual cycle.

The herb is not used in domestic pharmacology and is not on the list of officially recognized herbs. In several European countries, the properties of marsh nettle are better studied, extracts and extracts from it are included in several drugs for the treatment of hypothyroidism, related diseases caused by thyroid hyperfunction.

Juniper herb in folk medicine

It is not necessary to wait for the official confirmation of the medicinal properties of the herb cinquefoil. Studies can drag on for decades, and folk recipes have long been time-tested and confirmed their effectiveness. The herb is used in single-component decoctions or introduced into mixtures. Overdose has not been seen.

Important: the application begins in an increasing dosage and also decreases smoothly, abruptly stopping the reception of the therapeutic agent should not be allowed.

The course of treatment is long, lasting at least 2-3 months, but the first noticeable improvements occur after 10-15 days. The level of hormones produced by the thyroid gland is reduced, the side effects of the disease are reduced. The effect, if the recommendations for use are strictly followed, is equal to the tablets or may slightly exceed them in effectiveness, while having no side effects.

Decoctions, tinctures in water or alcohol, teas and extracts are used to treat various ailments.

Recipes
Most recipes use dried raw materials, which must be taken into account when dosages are taken if fresh herbs are taken.

Infusion for hypothyroidism

The remedy is prepared very simply. For 250 ml of boiling water take 2-3 tablespoons of raw materials and insist 15 minutes. Then strain and take 100 ml for half an hour before a meal. Each day you need to drink 300 ml.

It is worth considering: The infusion is only good for use for 24 hours. Unused remains are poured out. It is best to prepare it just before use, pre-depositing the herb in portion sachets.

When vetovascular dystonia and palpitations, decoction volkogon is also effective. It is prepared on the general principle, but in this case the scheme of reception changes. The infusion is taken 3-4 times, the dosage is the same, but the treatment duration is not less than 60 days. A break is taken after 21 days for 7 days.

Supportive tea

Cardiac neuroses give a lot of trouble and are hard to treat with pharmacy drugs. It is much safer and more effective to use herbal tea, replacing with them the usual drinks. For 1 glass of boiling water will need 4 grams of dry raw materials. It insists for 10 minutes, strain through a strainer. Drink very slowly, in small sips without adding sugar and honey, without waiting for it to cool.

It is used for insomnia, brewing 2 hours before bedtime. The remedy is used as a sedative, analgesic, hematopoietic.

If you add the rhizome to the herb and reduce the proportion of raw materials from 2 spoonfuls to one when brewing in 250 ml of water, you get a tea against diarrhea and intestinal disorders.

Gathering for thyroid dysfunction

The body is very responsive not only to the lack of hormones, but also to their overabundance. The delicate balance of systems does not tolerate hormonal chaos, giving at once a whole bouquet of diseases. Interestingly, zuznika can be used in both cases, varying the dosage and composition of the medicinal collection.

1. Increased activity of the thyroid requires taking a complex collection every 4 months. The treatment is carried out for at least 45 days. The collection is made up of 2 parts. The first includes 2 parts each of sage, leaf, strawberry, plantain, hawthorn fruits and 1 part each of sage, melissa, mistletoe. The mixture is ground and thoroughly mixed. Boil 15 g of the collection in 500 ml of water, keep on low heat for 7 minutes, then insist 1 hour under a terry cloth. The second part consists of a mixture of tinctures of hops, hawthorn, motherwort, valerian and mint. Measure 100 drops of the mixture and add to the herbal decoction. Mixed with it 10 ml of freshly squeezed juice of succession and 10 g of honey. Take 100 ml 20 minutes before a meal, the last portion is drunk at night. Side effect is a possible allergy to one or more components of the tincture.
2. In case of insufficient production of hormones you will have to have patience for 3-4 years. That is how long the course of treatment with an interval of 1.5 months and a break for 2 weeks. The mixture consists of 3 parts of cinquefoil, 2 dernushnik, 1 part each of the roots of dandelion and eleutherococcus, the seeds of mordovia. 15 g of the complex mixture was brewed in 500 ml of purified water, simmer for 5 minutes in a water bath, insist one hour. In a strained infusion count 100 drops of decoction of young walnuts. The dosage - half a glass before a meal.

Alcoholic tincture

It takes a long time to prepare, but it is stored for almost 12 months. There are two main ways of its preparation. In the first case, pour the crushed herb vodka in a ratio of 1:5 and insist half a month in a dark place in a tightly sealed container. Take 30 drops every 4 hours until the condition improves. In the second version, the preparation lasts for 3 months, the concentration is higher, 1:3, you can use 55% alcohol or vodka. Reception is carried out on 10 drops before meals. The remedy is effective for tachycardia.

To treat hypertension, the dosage is 20 drops, with the addition of honey or infusion of St. John's wort.

Mixture of motherwort and sunflower

A two-component collection, made in equal proportions, helps to speed up rehabilitation after a myocardial infarction. Preparation requires 50 g of dry mixture and half a liter of alcohol or quality vodka. Soaking time in a dark place in a closed state is 2 weeks. Take 40 drops before meals. With Graves' disease, the dosage is reduced by 10 drops, the frequency of intake is the same.

Contraindications for use

Alcohol tinctures are not used in the treatment of pregnant, breastfeeding women, children under 14 years of age. People with low blood pressure will also have to choose another method of treatment. Before starting the course, you need to make sure that there are no allergic reactions, you need to be especially careful when using complex gatherings.

Individual intolerance to the plant is a strict ban on its use, as swelling, fever, itching and skin rashes are possible.

You should know: prolonged excessive dosages and non-compliance with the frequency of intake can provoke the development of diabetes mellitus.

Reception should be suspended at the time of diagnostic tests or plan to pass them during a break in treatment.

Herbalists consider the valuable property of the plant to reduce the side effects of taking pharmacy drugs at the same time as decoction of zuznika. For this purpose, it is enough to drink it 2 times a day instead of tea or coffee. The secrets of the plant have not yet been revealed, the composition is also not fully studied. For example, it is known that in Eastern countries it is used to treat boils and swellings, and in Western recipes it is listed as a remedy for diarrhea and intestinal inflammation. Gather the herb yourself. But if there is no confidence in the knowledge, you can buy it in pharmacies or order it online.

Photo of the herb cilantro