Mother Nature has given people many plants that are able to maintain health and treat various ailments. Unfortunately, pharmacy medicines are so actively promoting and advertising that people often do not bother to inquire and learn about the natural healers that grow right under their feet, do not contain any “chemistry” and do not require fabulous money for the possibility of their use. Meanwhile, there are a lot of such medicinal plants. One of them is Ivan tea, the properties, the use and contraindications of which are discussed in this article.
Title
The plant is considered mysterious, which is legendary. It is called differently, depending on the area where it grows. For example, the names “Kuril tea”, “Kopor tea” and, of course, the famous “Ivan tea” are known. In scientific terms, he is a narrow-leaved fireweed.
The origin of the name "Ivan-tea" has different versions. According to one of them, it was widely known among the peoples of the Far East, where it was used as a cure for male problems. Therefore, he received such a name. Another version is more mercantile: merchants mixed black tea leaves with it, thus increasing their profit.
Consider what constitutes Ivan-tea, medicinal properties and contraindications, as well as recipes for its use.
Description
This plant is known to everyone since childhood. It stands out with pink flowers in the meadow. Some types of fireweed can be confused with each other (for example, fluffy fireweed should not be consumed), so it is important to know exactly what Ivan-tea (narrow-leaved fireweed) looks like . Its beneficial properties are found throughout the plant. Even the roots can be used as a medicine. But the most valuable are flowers and leaves.
When dried, it acquires the taste of black tea. Therefore, since the beginning of the nineteenth century, he easily replaced expensive teas from China and India. They drank it much more often than kvass, fruit drinks, sbiten and broth. But for some reason, over time, they forgot about him.
Composition
This medicinal plant contains a large amount of tannins, especially in its leaves and roots. It also contains tanides (which are derivatives of tannin), pyragol (from ten to twenty percent). It is known that, when ground, leaves are more useful than whole leaves. This is due to the combined effect of plant mucus, the percentage of which reaches fifteen, and tanides.
In addition, ivan tea contains flavonoids such as kempferol and quercetin, as well as organic acids in which vitamins of group P are present.
Where grows
In almost all latitudes, Ivan-tea grass is found. The healing properties and contraindications are known to the healers, wherever they live. The main places where this grass grows are meadows, roadsides and forest edges, that is, he prefers sunny and open areas.
Its height reaches one and a half meters, turning the plant into pleasant bushes with pink flowers. Then you can start collecting it. In the middle lane, this time begins from the end of June and lasts until the beginning of autumn, when willow-tea is collected, fireweed narrow-leaved.
The beneficial properties of the plant, however, are not known to everyone. Sometimes, when he appears in the garden, they try to get rid of him like an ordinary weed, instead of using it as a medicine or just a drink.
Narrow-leaved fireweed is distinguished by special endurance. For example, it may be the first to start growing after a fire. But in moist and humid places, on acidic and loamy soils will not appear.
Collection and preparation
An encouraging aroma alone will cause a surge of strength and energy if it happens to be found somewhere on the edge of a forest or lawn, willow-tea grass! The medicinal properties and contraindications of it, in addition to the pleasant smell, have long been known. Therefore, many decide to grow the plant purposefully. It is quite possible to implement the idea, since it is unpretentious, not afraid of any drought and, besides, it will weed out.
Its leaves and flowers are collected before the start of the push (which usually occurs from mid to late August), as otherwise they will become unusable. Harvesting willow tea is quite uncomplicated for medicinal purposes. But if they are going to use it as tea, then the leaves, in addition to drying, must be fermented. Then the taste will improve at times.
When collecting flowers, they simply pluck them from inflorescences and put them in large packets, and the leaves are best used from the middle of the stem, without capturing the lower and upper.
In an open room, the plant is dried in the shade or in the sun, spreading out evenly with a thin layer on paper or fabric. It is advisable from time to time to stir up raw materials with your hand.
The prepared drug is stored in paper bags or fabric bags for up to two years.
In the oven, Ivan-tea grass is also sometimes dried.
Healing properties
Both contraindications and indications must be known and taken into account when using it.
In fact, all the ancient herbs collected contained this medicinal plant. It can be considered universal in the treatment and prevention of a variety of diseases. The most famous medicinal properties shown by fireweed are as follows:
- significantly affects the increase and strengthening of immunity;
- useful for men (enhances potency);
- used for the treatment and prevention of prostatitis and adenoma;
- heals the digestive system;
- helps with disease and prevention of endocrine diseases;
- effective in gastritis, colitis and ulcers;
- increases hemoglobin and regulates its balance;
- promotes healing of wounds and abrasions, quickly stops bleeding;
- used as an antipyretic;
- relieves the condition of the child with chickenpox and measles;
- heals nerves and helps stabilize the psyche;
- increases efficiency, improves mood and invigorates;
- normalizes pressure;
- removes toxins and toxins from the body
And this is not the whole list of beneficial effects that Ivan-tea is capable of exerting. The medicinal properties and contraindications of it are confirmed by official medicine. In addition to them, the plant has a lot of properties that are not confirmed by professional doctors. But we can definitely say that Kuril tea, or Ivan tea, Kopor tea, has a beneficial effect on health.
Contraindications
Any medicinal plant, according to traditional medicine, has not only indications, but also contraindications. However, there is an exception to this rule. We are talking about such a plant as Ivan-tea. The only thing doctors are warning about is that excessive use of it for more than two weeks can cause diarrhea. But this, according to many people who accepted it, is a rather controversial statement, since sometimes, on the contrary, fireweed is used to get rid of this problem.
Application
Ivan tea, whose medicinal properties and contraindications are so incommensurable, is one of the few herbs that can be freely consumed during pregnancy.
If a catarrhal disease is just beginning, then after drinking a decoction or tea from the plant, you can forget about the disease. However, in the acute phase, it is unlikely to be sufficiently effective.
Ivan tea is often used as a sedative, although it will not act as a regular sleeping pill, as it has a mild effect. With constant use, it will help not only normalize sleep, but also strengthen the nervous system.
There are even cases when, upon its adoption, the development of cancer cells ceased. Therefore, it is also known as an antitumor agent, which is also used to prevent metastases.
The plant copes with various diseases of the genitourinary system not only men but also women.
Recipes
Of the grass, alcoholic tinctures and teas are usually made. To get a great taste, you must use the fermentation method when drying. Then get the famous Koporye tea. To do this, the freshly picked leaves are tightly packed in a jar and covered with a lid. The container is exposed to the sun, and when the leaves in it change their color to dark brown (usually it takes several days), the fermentation process will be completed. Then they are cut and dried in the usual way. Koporye tea will turn out to be really tasty. It is not without reason that under Tsarist Russia large quantities of fireweed (Ivan-tea) were exported. The properties and contraindications mentioned above must be considered when using it as a drink.
Here are a few prescriptions that can be used for medicinal purposes.
- With prostate, take one tablespoon of grass and insist for two hours in a glass of boiling water. A day, the drug is consumed four times in a tablespoon for a whole month. You can also mix it with ordinary tea and drink two to three glasses a day with the addition of honey. In this case, it is taken longer: from four to six months.
- The first described recipe for fighting prostatitis can also be used as an antitumor agent.
- In addition to decoctions, teas and tinctures, you can make butter from herbs. To do this, a glass of fresh flowers is poured into a glass of vegetable oil and infused in the sun in a closed glass container for three weeks. The prepared product is used for wound healing, for ulcers, burns and cuts.
- The healing properties of the Ivan-tea herb are excellent in cypress honey, which is so useful that healers advise it to use even for patients with diabetes mellitus. They have long been treated for bleeding, painful menstruation and inflammation of the bladder.
- Grass is actively used for cosmetic purposes. It helps with acne and other skin inflammations. You can use, for example, a decoction of it. To do this, three tablespoons are poured with boiling water and insisted until cool. From the funds obtained, make daily lotions lasting two hours, periodically wetting a napkin in it.
- Ice from the broth of Ivan-tea, which need to wipe the face every day, will also be effective.
- In addition to the skin, the plant will help the hair. To do this, prepare a tincture and periodically wet the hair roots with it.
Official medicine about Ivan tea
Medicine is not so rarely began to turn to alternative methods. This speaks to the common sense of today's doctors. After all, it is clear how chemical preparations, healthy, on the one hand, can harm health with their many side effects. In addition, it would be illogical to refuse facts that testify to the elimination of various diseases. Ivan tea, about the medicinal properties, the contraindications of which were discussed, doctors are increasingly recommending as an addition to the traditional treatment. And among ordinary people, it is becoming increasingly popular.