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The healing properties of heather are associated with its unique chemical composition. It is an amazing plant with many useful properties. In the Czech Republic, Norway and Poland, they are recognized as official medicine. There are many legends and interesting stories around heather.
Description and photo of heather
Common heather is an evergreen perennial plant belonging to the Heather family. Southeast Asia is considered his homeland. But at the present time, thanks to its unpretentiousness, it has spread throughout the globe. On the territory of Russia, it is most often found in Siberia. An amazing feature is the plant's long lifespan. She can be up to 40 years old.
The height of the shrub can be 100 cm. Due to its attractive appearance, it is often used in landscape design. The plant has branching stems of gray-brown color, covered with umbellate inflorescences. The flowers have a bright purple-pink hue. The heather fruit is a dark spherical box. Inside it are seeds, divided into 4 nests.
The plant thrives on sandy soils. Most often, heather is found on mountain slopes, in pine forests, peat bogs and burned-out areas of the forest. It is able to grow and reproduce even on barren land.
Heather composition
The healing properties of the heather plant are due to its rich chemical composition. The greatest concentration of nutrients is concentrated in the tops of the shoots. The leafy part of the plant is no less rich in composition. Such an abundance of useful components allows the plant to be used for medicinal purposes. The composition is represented by the following elements:
- flavonoids;
- steroids;
- starch;
- glycosides;
- vitamins C and B;
- organic acids;
- phenols;
- tannins;
- micro and macro elements (potassium, phosphorus, sodium, etc.);
- essential oils;
- resin;
- alkaloids;
- saponins.
Thanks to its rich content of glycosides, heather helps to cope with diseases of the cardiovascular system. The presence of macronutrients in the composition enhances this effect. The use of tannins is to cleanse the body and normalize the digestive system. Due to flavonoids, the plant has a positive effect on blood composition and enhances the body's defense processes.
Phenols provide antioxidant effects, but may be toxic under certain circumstances. Thanks to alkaloids, the medicinal plant helps to eliminate insomnia and get rid of obsessive compulsions. At the same time, blood pressure decreases and heart rate slows down. Organic acids in the composition of the plant ensure the normalization of metabolism.
The health benefits of heather
Years of research have shown that heather has a number of beneficial properties. It contains rare alkaloids, glycosides and a complex of vitamins.When these elements are combined, a powerful immunomodulatory effect is obtained. The plant protects the body from harmful factors and prevents the aging process. In official medicine in European countries, it is successfully used to eliminate nervous disorders. The most pronounced medicinal properties of forest heather:
- diuretic and choleretic action;
- decrease in the intensity of cough;
- activation of regenerative processes;
- accelerating the process of sputum discharge;
- antispasmodic effect;
- strengthening the immune system;
- treatment of skin diseases;
- restoration of hair structure;
- antibacterial action;
- anti-inflammatory action;
- slight sedation.
What heather helps with
Heather and its derivatives have a fairly wide range of uses. It is often included in the composition of multicomponent homeopathic medicines. The plant is used both internally and locally. The way it is used depends on the nature of the disease. Heather can be used as an independent remedy, as well as supplement it with drug therapy. But this issue is previously discussed with a specialist.
Heather treats the following conditions:
- tuberculosis;
- rheumatism and radiculitis;
- insomnia;
- increased acidity of the stomach;
- excess weight;
- colds;
- atherosclerosis;
- urolithiasis disease;
- food and alcohol poisoning.
The use of heather in traditional medicine
There are several options for using a remedy in alternative medicine. The most widely used herbal decoction. It is often prescribed to stabilize the emotional state and get rid of insomnia. The substances present in the composition of the plant have a hemostatic effect. This is true in the presence of various damages.
The medicinal properties of common heather make it effective against colds. It activates the immune defense and prevents the penetration of disease-causing cells into the human body. Sometimes a decoction of heather is added to baths to solve local problems. Alcohol tincture is used to make compresses and rubbing. Heather honey is no less popular. Due to its bitter taste, it is rarely used as a dessert. Most often, it is used to treat colds and viral diseases.
The duration of herbal medicine is determined by the complexity and nature of the disease. In most cases, it is 14 days. Sometimes the duration of treatment is increased to a month.
Heather tea
Heather flowers are used to make healthy tea. The medicinal properties of the drink are to reduce nervous excitability and restorative effects on the body. For 1 liter of hot water, 5 g of dry mixture is required. You need to brew heather for at least 10 minutes. If you do not filter the tea, then it is permissible to store it for 24 hours.
Tea can become a real decoration of the table if you brew it in a transparent teapot, placing a flowering branch of a plant on its bottom. Mint, rosemary, thyme and oregano can be added to enrich the flavor.
Heather tincture
No less popular is a tincture prepared on the basis of a useful component. It is used for rinsing, taken orally and applied to problem areas of the body. She copes well with angina, nervous tension and skin diseases. It is very important to take it according to the prescribed dosage.
To prepare a medicinal tincture, 10 g of a dried plant is poured into 50 ml of vodka. The container must be protected from light. The drink is infused in it for 2 weeks. After the indicated time, the medicine is filtered, and then 30-40 drops are taken no more than 4 times a day.
Heather bath
It is recommended to take a bath with heather before going to bed. It helps to relieve nervous tension and helps you fall asleep faster. The procedure is also indicated for people suffering from rheumatism, edema, skin diseases and radiculitis. Initially, you need to prepare an infusion of heather. For this, 50 g of dried raw materials are poured into 3 liters of boiling water. The container is closed with a lid and insisted for half an hour. The finished medicinal infusion is filtered and added to a hot bath. The duration of its adoption is 20 minutes.
Heather compresses
The healing properties of the heather herb are conducive to its use in the fight against serious diseases and various injuries. To make a compress, you need to prepare an infusion. To do this, use a thermos. 1 tbsp is poured into it. l. raw materials and pour it 1.5 tbsp. hot water. The remedy is insisted in a thermos for 2 hours. Then the resulting liquid is impregnated with gauze folded in several layers. It is applied to the problem area for no more than 1 hour.
Heather decoctions
To prepare a useful broth, 20 g of the dry mixture is poured with 200 ml of hot water. The drink is boiled in a water bath for 15 minutes. After removing from the heat, he is allowed to brew for another 2 hours. The resulting product must be filtered. Indications for the use of heather decoction:
- cardiovascular diseases;
- impaired renal function;
- back pain;
- nervous diseases;
- insomnia.
Benefits of heather honey
Heather honey has a specific tart taste, but it also has a lot of useful qualities. Due to its high content of enzymes and proteins, it slowly becomes sugar-free. The medicinal product of beekeeping is widely used in alternative medicine. Among its useful properties are the following:
- restorative effect on the body;
- anti-inflammatory effect;
- diuretic action;
- decreased nervousness;
- restoration of energy reserves;
- wound healing and antiseptic effects.
Heather honey is considered to be a powerful antioxidant. It is recommended to add it to tea for colds. It has the ability to relieve fever and protect against possible complications. For headaches, insomnia and neurotic diseases, it is enough to eat 1 tsp. product before going to bed. This method will allow you to quickly fall asleep and wake up in a great mood.
Side effects of heather and contraindications
Before using heather for medicinal purposes, they study not only the benefits, but also the harm of the plant to health. Otherwise, the likelihood of encountering side symptoms will increase. Experts do not recommend using heather for the following diseases:
- constipation;
- individual intolerance;
- low acidity of gastric juice;
- acute form of gastritis.
Most of all, women in position are interested in the beneficial properties and contraindications of heather. They are not prohibited from using the plant for medicinal purposes. But it is important to respect the recommended dosages. When breastfeeding, it is better to abandon herbal medicine so as not to provoke an allergic reaction in the baby.
If the drug is abused, you can encounter a violation of the stool and pain in the abdomen. In some cases, nausea appears, accompanied by dizziness.
Collection and preparation of heather
It is customary to collect heather during flowering. A sickle is most often used to cut branches. In order for the plant to continue to multiply, more than half of the presented amount of shrub must be left. Do not damage the root system during collection.
The drying process is carried out in the shade or in a ventilated area. The raw materials are spread in a thin layer on the surface of newspapers or films. The attic will be the best drying place. Stir the stems and leaves occasionally to ensure an even release of moisture. The shelf life of the finished raw material is 2 years. It should be stored in fabric bags or paper bags. It is also acceptable to keep the product in glass jars with a lid.
Conclusion
The healing properties of heather are favorable to its use for the overall health of the body. To make this process more effective, you should follow the scheme of reception and storage rules for raw materials. The nature of the influence of the plant on the body depends on these factors.
