Who does not like to walk in the coniferous forest, breathe in a fresh aroma, enjoy its unforgettable silence. Do you know that you can take a piece of it with you home? Guessed? Of course, we are talking about needles, which are abundant here. This unique natural resource goes completely free, and can help in a variety of life situations. Today we’ll talk about what pine needles are. Useful properties and contraindications will be useful to know for absolutely everyone. And then the next time, going to the forest, you will not forget to bring pine needles with you.
From the very heart of nature
We will not dwell on the fact that collecting the material that you plan to use for treatment in city parks does not make sense. It is suitable for maximum decorative crafts, which can also be quite interesting. You have to take a trip out of town to find environmentally friendly needles. Growth conditions also matter. It was life in the harsh conditions of the northern regions that endowed this tree with healing qualities that have been known to man since ancient times.
Even in a modern pharmacy it is impossible to find a pill that could compare in its effect with pine resin or needles. Mother Nature herself endowed them with miraculous healing power, designed to help people with a number of serious diseases and pathological disorders.
Harvesting raw materials
Unlike deciduous trees, conifers allow you to collect green needles all year round. Do not collect those that have already fallen and are carpeted under your feet. They are suitable only for decorative crafts. Even if they partially retained their aroma, it makes little sense to use them as a medicine. Another thing is green needles, fragrant, with live droplets of resin. It is in this form that you need pine needles. Useful properties and contraindications today we decided to consider not in vain. Many of us use ointments and tinctures with pine oil, but not everyone knows that similar products can be done at home for free.
The most useful nutrients are found in needles in the winter, so with the onset of winter frosts go to the forest. However, for some potions you may need fresh shoots. In this case, the procurement must be done precisely in the summer, during the period of active growth. You can store them in the refrigerator. But putting branches in water is strongly discouraged. In this case, the needles will lose all nutrients in two days.
Chemical composition
What causes a magical effect on the body, which has pine needles? Useful properties and contraindications today we will consider in sufficient detail so that you get a complete picture. So, the needles contain trace elements and macroelements, and in quantities that can argue with the most modern dietary supplements. In addition, the needles are a source of volatile and phytohormones, vitamins and essential oils, ascorbic acid. A unique set allows you to strengthen the immune system and help in recovering from a disease.
Medicines
Let's now talk in more detail about how pine needles are used. It is important to study the beneficial properties and contraindications before you start taking one of the selected drugs. I must say that you have a large selection. Based on odorous needles, you can make infusions and decoctions, ointments. In addition, the broth is added to the bath for relaxation or treatment, or undergo a course of treatment with inhalation with it. All products with the needles extract have the following properties:
- Antiseptic. It is a powerful natural antibiotic. Even just a twig placed in a room cleans the air and kills bacteria.
- Diuretic. We are accustomed to drink cranberries or cranberries during edema, but the bitter decoction of the needles helps no worse.
- A choleretic effect can bring relief in cholecystitis and other problems with the gallbladder.
- Immunostimulatory. The most important of all the properties that distinguishes pine. Decoctions of needles in the spring and autumn are a powerful prevention of seasonal diseases.
- Pain medication. Homemade ointment based on needles allows you to relieve joint and toothache, relieves migraines.
Range of applications
To combat what ailments can be used pine needles? Useful properties and recipes that we will use today will allow you to collect your own piggy bank of natural remedies to combat certain diseases. The range of applications is so wide that it creates a panacea effect. Of course, from all the needles it will not help, but in some cases it can really bring relief.
- The very first is colds. Here, pine needles are simply unrivaled. Pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis recede with minimal damage to your body.
- Often decoctions and tinctures are used in gynecology for therapeutic baths, warming and douching. As part of complex therapy, this gives a very good effect.
- Tincture of needles can bring relief in stomatitis and gum disease.
- In winter, a simple decoction helps to avoid vitamin deficiency, providing the body with a full complex of vitamins and minerals.
- Used tincture of pine needles for hypoxia caused by damage to the heart and blood vessels, or chronic lack of B vitamins.
- The digestive system is another large field of activity for the use of needles. Gastritis and cholecystitis, pancreatitis - any of these diseases can be corrected using this folk remedy. Of course, you first need to consult a doctor for advice.
- Therapeutic baths with a decoction of fragrant needles are an excellent remedy against dermatological diseases.
Colds and flu will easily defeat
With the onset of autumn, epidemics of unpleasant diseases begin, which are quite difficult to resist. But the task becomes easier if you have pine needles. Useful properties, the use of which is reflected in the fight against SARS, allow preventive measures to be taken. Any doctor will confirm that the disease is easier to prevent than to treat. However, coniferous extracts help to quickly defeat an infection that has already entered the body and reduce the load on the most important organs.
The most effective recipes
In all diseases of the respiratory tract, from colds to flu, pine needles are an indispensable tool. Useful properties and contraindications, recipes must be studied and consulted with your doctor beforehand. The essential oils that it contains help get rid of cough and greatly facilitate breathing. A luxurious vitamin composition gives the body a chance to quickly cope with the effects of viruses and bacteria and strengthen the immune system.
How to prepare a medicinal infusion? For this you need 100 g of needles. Pour it into the pan and set it on fire by adding a liter of water. The mixture should not boil too much, after 3-5 minutes you can remove and cool. After this, you need to strain and add honey. In order to get a lasting result, it is enough to use ½ cup 3 times a day. Despite the fact that this remedy is natural, it has contraindications, so do not forget to consult a specialist.
Pneumonia
A serious illness that can lead to a number of complications. Therefore, without wasting time, we begin treatment. For this, pine needles are taken as the basis. The healing properties of the modified leaves are so high that they can do without antibiotics. So, you need to mix five parts of needles and three parts of rose hips. Pour boiling water for several hours. Honey and lemon are added to the resulting infusion.
It is very useful for colds to carry out a course of inhalation. They help to quickly cope with a strong cough. To do this, fresh needles need to be poured with cold water for 12 hours, and then bring to a boil and inhale the vapors with essential oils.
Healing baths
And we continue to talk about how pine needles can be used. Useful properties (how to take certain drugs on the basis of this medicinal raw material, we are studying today) - this is a big topic of our conversation. Such procedures are extremely beneficial for the respiratory tract and help with a number of diseases. There are two options for how to prepare therapeutic baths:
- The needles are put in a pan and cooked for about 30 minutes, after which you need to insist them for another 90 minutes. 1 kg will require 10 liters of water. After this, the finished infusion is filtered and poured into the bath.
- Can be made easier. Pour the hot tub and throw a cloth bag in which the needles are tied. By the time the water temperature becomes comfortable, the needles are brewing well.
For immunity
Most often, parents are busy finding the optimal means to strengthen it. This is understandable, kids get sick more and more often. Therefore, pine needles are very useful to you. Useful properties and contraindications for children are evaluated only on the basis of the likelihood of individual intolerance. In other cases, you can prepare the simplest vitamin drink and drink it for children. To do this, you need 30 g of needles and a glass of boiling water. The mixture needs to be boiled for 10-15 minutes, insist and add honey.
Contraindications
They need to be taken into account, no matter how wonderful the pine needles are. Useful properties and contraindications, reviews of doctors - all this is important information. The first point, we have already examined in sufficient detail, as for the warnings, they primarily concern pregnant women and nursing mothers. They will have to look for another option for the treatment and protection of immunity. And also chronic and acute diseases of the internal organs are contraindications. This is primarily the heart and kidneys. But against the external use of coniferous decoction and tinctures, doctors have nothing.