The healing properties of birch buds have long been known: anti-inflammatory, diuretic, analgesic - and this is not the whole list. Birch itself is a unique plant:
in medicine and cosmetology use its leaves (young, early), kidneys, bark, juice, tar. A useful and proven tool is propolis, a product of the processing of excretions from birch buds by bees.
Collection and harvesting of birch buds
For medical and cosmetic purposes, several types of birch trees are used: white, ribbed and dangling. From this, the healing properties of birch buds do not change. It is necessary to collect raw materials at the moment of the onset of heat, when the juice begins to circulate in the tree. Depending on the region, this is the period from the beginning - mid-February to April. At the time of collection, the buds should not be too swollen, and the branches should not be covered with leaves. It is then that raw materials are rich in useful trace elements. To collect the kidneys, it is necessary to cut the branches and spread them in a thin layer in a ventilated room. It can be an attic or a canopy. After some time, the kidneys are robbed by passing the branch by hand. Raw materials sifted through a sieve should be stored in paper bags.
The healing properties of birch buds
- The beneficial properties of birch buds are primarily associated with a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. The main value is tannins, volatile and flavonoids, which in percentage terms exceed the content in elderberry flowers.
- Alcohol tincture on birch buds is recommended for the treatment of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, ulcers or gastritis. The recipe for this extremely useful remedy is rooted in Siberia. It was there that the local herbalists first began to insist on the moonshine kidneys (0.5 liters of moonshine per 1 cup of raw materials) for 20 days. The filtered infusion is taken in 30 drops after breakfast, lunch and dinner, previously diluted with water or honey. But with indigestion and the pain accompanying this ailment, the reception is increased up to 5 times.
- In combination with lingonberry leaves, birch buds perfectly cope with urolithiasis, cystitis, since both raw materials have a diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect.
- A decoction of young leaves and buds is a first aid for weak and dull hair.
- The healing properties of birch buds make it possible to classify them as “blood purifying” remedies. In combination with ointments and lotions, they effectively fight skin diseases, rashes, acne.
- In the form of compresses and for rubbing, the tincture is used for rheumatism, arthritis and gout, relieving pain and muscle tension.
- With slow healing of wounds, their infection or inflammation, it is also recommended to use a decoction of birch buds for wiping and in the form of baths.
Birch buds - folk recipes
- In diseases of the joints (arthritis, arthrosis, ankylosis), gout and rheumatism, a decoction of birch buds is effective. 1 tsp 200 ml of boiling water is poured into the raw material, cooked over low heat for 10 minutes, after which the broth is wrapped and infused for an hour. It should be taken after filtration of 50 ml from three to five times a day.
- A tincture with anti-inflammatory and strong analgesic properties is prepared from the buds of saggy birch and black poplar (sedum). It is incredibly effective for non-healing infected wounds and for infectious prostatitis. The preparation method is quite simple: equal parts of the crushed buds of poplar and birch (total volume 1 glass) are poured with 0.5 l of vodka and infused for 21 days. Inside, 20 drops are taken, diluted in water. For external use, compresses are applied to the perineum. The course of treatment is 21 days, 7 days off.
- An ointment from birch buds is used for inflammation and pain in the joints, in the lower back, and for non-healing wounds. Cooking it is a troublesome business, but as a result you will get a large amount of an excellent painkiller and bactericidal agent, which will last a long time. For cooking, you need 1 cup of kidneys and 0.5 kg of pork internal fat or butter. The raw materials are folded into heat-resistant dishes in layers of 2 cm, tightly closed with a lid and left overnight in the oven at 100 degrees. In the morning, the mass needs to be slightly cooled and filtered. The ointment is ready.
Other medicinal properties of birch
- Cleansing the body of toxins can be carried out using wraps of young birch leaves, which are crumpled to extract juice and laid out on a sheet. You can fold them into fabric bags. Then the body is wrapped in a sheet or wrapped in filled bags. The procedure is accompanied by profuse sweating, runny nose, lacrimation.
- With dermatitis in the groin and under the arms, accompanied by itching and an unpleasant odor, a mixture of birch bark powder (bark) and lemon juice helps a lot. After almost a week of daily use, the odor problem will be resolved.
- Well, of course, you should pay attention to the elimination of toxins and the activation of metabolism in the body. An indispensable tool for this is birch sap or kvass, prepared on its basis. Birch sap is a natural natural antioxidant.
- And for weight loss and the fight against cellulite, a bath with a birch broom helps excellently. These procedures are general healing and firming for the body.
Treatment with birch buds: contraindications
Doctor's recommendations - this is what you need to be guided before self-medicating. Even harmless remedies such as folk recipes have side effects. For example, an infusion or decoction of birch buds can irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and kidneys; therefore, their prolonged use is not recommended. It is strictly forbidden to use any kind of kidneys for pregnant and lactating women.