Thyme grass, also known as thyme, boar thyme, or motherboard, is widely known to residents of the CIS. This plant is used in folk medicine because of its incredible amount of beneficial properties. It has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the human body.
Back in ancient times, Roman warriors before their campaigns took baths filled with thyme decoction. This allowed them to get health, vitality, added vitality.
Thyme grass was also used in the Middle Ages. Women living in that period dried branches of this useful plant. They soared them with their loved ones on a long journey to save them from all sorts of misfortunes. And Dioscorides and Theophrastus attributed natural superpowers to the thyme grass. With its help, they removed inflammatory processes and fatigue, as well as increased libido.
A little bit about the plant
What does thyme grass look like? It is a shrub whose shoot spreads along the ground. The plant is perennial. Sometimes it reaches 30 years of age.
The main stalk of the thyme becomes woody over time. From it, shoots, densely covered with leaves, begin to grow and rapidly rise up. The leaves on them are of various types. They are either naked or pubescent, but must be located on short cuttings that are opposite each other.
Judging by the description of the thyme grass, it is very beautiful in the summer. In June or July, at the tops of its shoots rising upward, many flowers begin to form, collected in heads. At this time, the plant with a continuous light purple or pink carpet literally covers huge sections of the steppe or hillsides. At the same time, the motherboard emits a very pleasant aroma.
As a rule, thyme is unpretentious. However, best of all, it will still grow on gravel or sandy soil, allowing its roots to easily penetrate deep into. This plant contributes to the consolidation of the soil.
Harvesting thyme, carefully cut only its flowering grassy shoots. If the thickets are disturbed, the plant will be restored with great difficulty.
Composition
The healing properties of thyme grass directly depend on the beneficial substances contained in it. And there are a huge number of them in its composition. These are the essential oils in which thymol is located, as well as terpinene, cimol, carvacrol and linear. In addition to these substances, tannins and resins, organic acids (coffee, oleanolic, ursolic) and flavonoids, vitamins (C and B), a variety of bitterness, gum and mineral salts are present in the thyme.
The thyme contains calcium and potassium, copper and magnesium, iron and sodium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.
Healing properties
For many centuries, at first, traditional healers, and then scientists, examined the effect of thyme grass on the human body. This plant is mentioned in the writings of Avicenna and Theophrastus. The ancient Greeks considered thyme grass, which was sent to people by the gods to provide assistance. Our ancestors held the opinion that the plant has magical properties, and used it to get rid of many ailments. Decoctions were prepared from the thyme, which were believed to slow down old age and prolong life.
This attitude to this grass is not accidental. After all, those powerful biologically active substances that are in its composition have a comprehensive beneficial effect on the body.
What are the herbs thyme healing properties? There are currently nine found.
- The plant is a natural antiseptic. In this regard, it is used to treat inflammatory diseases, as well as for their prevention.
- Thyme has long been used as a formidable weapon in the fight against bronchitis and cough. Effectively eliminate the disease allow its anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties.
- Infusions and decoctions, prepared on the basis of healing herbs, provide excellent assistance with tonsillitis, stomatitis. They are also used for various diseases of the pharynx. The infusion of herbs is recommended for inhalation. Fresh broth of thyme is used to wash wounds, ulcers and other damage to the skin.
- The healing plant allows you to treat sciatica and neuritis, accompanied by pain. The infusion used in this helps increase appetite and improve mood.
- On the basis of the thyme herb, healing baths are prepared. Use the plant in the form of compresses and lotions. Arthrosis is treated in steamed form.
- Thyme is a natural sleeping pill and sedative. It eliminates insomnia, treats nervous disorders, normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and allows you to quickly get out of depression. Even the smell of grass has a calming effect. This becomes possible due to the presence of essential oils in its composition. For a good and restful sleep, you can fill the pillow with this grass.
- For men, thyme grass is valuable in its zinc, as well as other useful elements that help get rid of prostatitis and impotence. To this end, tinctures, oils and decoctions of the plant are used. They are also used to prevent male diseases. At the same time, the oil is rubbed externally, the infusion is taken internally, and decoctions are well suited for healing baths.
- The plant allows you to effectively fight alcoholism. The beneficial substances in its composition remove toxins and toxins from the body, and also cleanse the liver of alcohol decay products. At the same time, drugs prepared from this herb can cause a patient's aversion to alcohol.
- Thyme serves to strengthen the immune system. Aromatic tea made on its basis improves overall well-being and restores metabolic processes in the body.
Culinary application
In addition to medicine, thyme is used for other purposes. The wonderful aroma of thyme allowed it to become a spice, which is included in the composition of marinades, a variety of dishes, brines and some drinks. The pleasant smell and bitter taste of the grass improve the taste of lamb and fish, meat paste and liver, as well as fried potatoes.
Spice goes well with cheeses and peas, beans and boiled eggs, smoked meats and pickles. Thyme grass is also used in cooking (use its upper part). Green shoots of the plant improve the taste of soups, salads and cold appetizers.
Use in cosmetology
As you know, thyme grass has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and wound healing properties. What helps cream or ointment made on its basis? Their use eliminates insect bites and heals small cracks in the skin.
Use similar means and in beauty shops. Here, with their help, they fight acne and purulent inflammation.
Pharmacological companies also produce many formulations, which include thyme herb. What helps each of these remedies? For example, among them there are those that contribute to the restoration of the structure of the hair, which prevents their loss. You can improve your curls at home. To do this, just add to any shampoo three drops of essential oil obtained from the plant. It is enough to carry out such a procedure only once a week.
Essential oil obtained from thyme often finds its application in the creation of the most refined perfume compositions of lotions, perfumes and eau de toilette.
Beauticians use thyme in various forms. This can be infusions, decoctions, as well as oil obtained from a medicinal plant. Thyme allows you to tighten sagging skin, narrow pores, eliminate puffiness. At the same time, various recipes find their application. Thyme herb in this case serves as the basis for face masks and lotions. Such funds have a calming and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. If such cosmetic procedures are carried out regularly, then they will normalize metabolic processes in the tissues. This will eliminate puffiness and oily skin.
An effective compress of healing herbs. To prepare it, you need to take 1 tbsp. l thyme and pour 200 ml of boiling water over it. The infusion is covered and insisted for at least 0.5 hours. The resulting mixture is wetted with a fabric base for masks or a gauze cloth, which is wrung out and applied to the face. The duration of the entire procedure is 20 minutes. In this case, the cloth should be wetted every 5 minutes.
To nourish and strengthen the hair and eliminate split ends, you can rinse the curls with a solution prepared on the basis of thyme and nettle, hop cones and birch leaf. All these ingredients, taken in equal amounts (5 g each), are poured with 1 liter of water, and then brought to a boil in a water bath. Cook the mixture for 15 minutes, and then, removing it from the heat, insist for 0.5 hours. Rinse your head after applying regular shampoo. Repeat the procedure recommended 2 times in 7 days. Exerting its beneficial effect on the hair, the thyme remedy strengthens their bulbs, makes the curls silky and obedient, and also prevents baldness.
Contraindications
Despite the many useful elements that make up the plant, the use of thyme herb has some limitations. Anyone who decides to take the advice of traditional medicine must know them. So, thyme is contraindicated:
- during pregnancy, not only in the form of infusions or decoctions, but also in the form of seasoning;
- people suffering from problems with the digestive system;
- with diseases of the kidneys and liver due to the part of the herb thymol;
- in case of cerebral arteriosclerosis, cardiosclerosis.
Contraindications thyme herbs relate to its reception. If it is prolonged, it will provoke hyperthyroidism. An overdose of agents containing thyme is dangerous for the occurrence of allergic reactions. In this case, deterioration of health and rashes on the skin is possible.
Thyme for children
The growing body of the child is constantly developing and forming. This process is often accompanied by malfunctions that have a negative effect on metabolic processes, which affects the health of the baby.
To eliminate possible ailments, thyme grass is recommended for children. Officially, children under three years old do not give this plant. However, based on existing practice, the following can be noted:
- for children from 1 year old, it is used topically and externally;
- starting from a year and a half, thyme in the form of a decoction is added to the bathtub intended for bathing the baby;
- from 2 years, parents can do their baby with this herb inhalation.
Sometimes thyme is added when bathing children up to a year of life, but only previously this procedure needs to be agreed with the pediatrician. Such babies are given with caution and weak decoctions of the plant.
Indications of thyme grass for children are quite extensive. The plant is recommended for coughing and to eliminate nervous tension, if necessary, improve sleep, in the treatment of skin problems, and also to strengthen immunity.
The healing properties of the plant are also used by manufacturers of children's products. For example, parents willingly purchase tea for babies, which contains thyme and medicinal herbs fennel and lemon balm. This product is called "Grandma’s basket" and is recommended for children from 5 months.
Application forms
Based on the beneficial effects of the grass, it becomes clear that it has a beneficial effect on all systems and organs of the human body, and also helps to increase immunity.
The use of thyme at home involves the preparation of infusions, decoctions and teas with it. Based on the type of disease, these agents can be used both internally and externally. For example, in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system, thyme is widely used to eliminate joint pathologies. At the same time, drugs made on its basis enhance the therapy of the disease when taken internally, as well as externally for rubbing and compresses.
Cough syrup
Thyme herb is widely used not only in traditional medicine recipes. Uses this plant and the pharmaceutical industry. For example, thyme is included in the Pertussin preparation, the action of which eliminates cough.
To cope with this problem at home, a syrup, decoction or infusion from the described plant will help. Such funds will have a disinfectant, antispasmodic, and also expectorant effect on the patient’s body.
To prepare a syrup for a patient with bronchitis, you will need to stock up with one bunch of fresh thyme, 450 ml of water, five cloves of garlic and 300 g of honey. The plant should be washed with running water, and then laid out on a towel to dry. Next, the grass is cut into large pieces and poured with water. A container with such a mixture is placed on the fire and boiled until half of the volume is boiled. It takes about 10-15 minutes. Next, the drink is removed from the fire, cooled and filtered. Juice squeezed from garlic and honey are added to it.
It is necessary to store the drug in the refrigerator, in a jar with a tightly closed lid. In the case when the syrup is supposed to be given to children, it is better not to add garlic to it. Take it should be 1 tsp. twice a day. Healing syrup helps liquefy sputum and its elimination. In addition, he relieves cramps in the larynx.
From pressure
Healing thyme contributes to the expansion of blood vessels and the removal of spasms in them. That is why the infusion of this plant is recommended in the treatment of hypertension. To prepare it, you will need 15 g of dry thyme, 10 g of fireweed, 5 g of chamomile and 1 liter of water. All ingredients are poured with boiling water, covered with a lid, insulated with a towel and infused for at least 45-60 minutes. You need to take the infusion in the morning, afternoon and evening for ¼ cup. As a result of the regular use of such a drug, normalization of the heart muscle will occur, blood vessel walls will strengthen and blood pressure will decrease.
From female diseases
The most popular tea is thyme tea. It tones the body and restores vitality, normalizes the activity of the nervous system, allows you to quickly get out of depression, eliminates headaches, improves eyesight, restores lost appetite, improves immunity and makes the skin beautiful and supple. Also, tea with thyme allows you to normalize the hormonal background of the female body. This eliminates mood swings and pain with PMS. Another drink is recommended in the treatment of diseases of the genital organs of an inflammatory nature.
How to brew grass thyme for tea? Make it quite simple: 1 tsp. dry grass is brewed with 200 ml of boiling water and infused for approximately 10-15 minutes. The finished tea is filtered using a strainer. They drink it three times a day, each time making a fresh drink. As a result, the process of eliminating inflammation begins for a short time and the hormonal background normalizes. All this helps to improve mood.
From prostatitis
Thyme herb for men is used as an anti-inflammatory and bactericidal agent. A decoction made from it is recommended in the treatment of infectious diseases that affect the genitourinary system. The drug helps to eliminate pain and swelling. At the same time, urination is greatly facilitated.
To prepare a healing broth, you need to prepare 2 tbsp. l thyme and 100 ml of water, which is filled with dry grass. A container with such a mixture is placed in a water bath and after boiling it is cooked for another 10 minutes. After infusing the drink for 2 hours, it is filtered and taken before meals 50 ml in the morning and evening.
From alcoholism
Thyme contains thymol infusion. This substance provokes an attack of nausea during its contact with alcohol. Thanks to this action, the tool allows you to cause an aversion to alcohol.
To prepare the infusion, you need to take 15 g of thyme and 0.5 l of water. Pour the grass ½ part of the liquid and bring to a boil on the stove, after boiling for another 10 minutes. After turning off the fire, the mixture merges. Leaves of thyme must be squeezed and pour them with the second part of previously boiled water. The drug is infused for 30 minutes. It will be necessary to give the patient 50-70 ml of the drug 3 to 5 times a day, for a course of 1-2 weeks.
Regular consumption of thyme infusion produces such a persistent aversion to alcohol that a person begins to feel sick with just one smell of alcohol.