Aspen is a unique and beautiful plant. Since ancient times, it has been used in medicine, and superstitious people consider it a protector against damage and all evil spirits. Probably the fact that the aspen stake is the most effective cure for vampires is known to everyone who watched horror films.
What gives aspen so many beneficial properties? The fact is that its roots are able to penetrate almost to the record depth of the earth's soil, where rare elements are stored.
In Russia, aspen is common in the middle lane of the country. At first glance, the tree looks completely inconspicuous, but in the fall it attracts with its bright golden color. Nearby, at this time of year, mushrooms grow, which are so called - boletus.
The aspen tree lives on the order of ninety years, although under favorable conditions this figure can be much larger. Its height can reach thirty-five meters, the trunk has a thickness of up to one meter. What is the appearance of aspen bark? It is very smooth, its color may be gray-green or olive-green. You have the opportunity to see a photo of the tree itself and its bark in the article. The shape of aspen leaves is round-rhombic. Moreover, they are quite long. Aspen is one of dioecious plants. The female tree is characterized by short and narrow green earrings. In male plants, they will be noticeably longer, and their color has a reddish tint. The shape of the aspen fruit is in the form of a small box in which its seeds are stored. The wind carries them a long distance from the tree, because these seeds have a peculiar puff.
Most often, aspen can be found in countries with a cold temperate climate, which is typical primarily for the Northern Hemisphere. He loves to grow this tree in wetlands, in ravines, not far from the banks of the river. It happens in the forests of mountainous areas.
From other trees, aspen is fire resistant. Even if a plant loses its terrestrial part during such an incident, it has good chances to recover in the future due to the fact that the root system is located deep in the ground and does not suffer from fire.
Man uses aspen for a wide variety of purposes. It, for example, can act as a building material. Bees get propolis from it. In medicine, aspen bark is especially appreciated, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which we will discuss in our article.
Beneficial features
Before you begin to list the beneficial properties and contraindications of aspen bark, it is worthwhile to understand its chemical composition, on which they, in fact, depend. This moment is well studied by scientists, because the tree bark is used not only in traditional medicine, but also in traditional medicine. First of all, it is rich in organic acids. Almost no process that takes place in the body is complete without them. Organic acids significantly improve the functioning of internal organs, restore metabolism, fight against poisonous substances.
Useful for humans and tannins, which are rich in aspen bark. They improve blood composition, help stop diarrhea and eliminate other problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Also, these substances are anti-inflammatory and regenerative.
Valuable chemicals such as glycosides are found only in plants. There are plenty of them in aspen. Why are these mysterious glycosides useful? They have a positive effect on the human cardiovascular system, strengthen blood vessels, and also tone the heart muscle. As for those glycosides that are rich in aspen, they also have a diuretic, disinfectant, soothing effect.
Probably even children know about the benefits of vitamin C. Thanks to the presence of this element, aspen bark helps to get rid of toxins, and contributes to the recovery and oxidation processes in the body.
Fatty oils, which are rich in plant bark, are responsible for the absorption of vitamins and minerals by the body. And the ethereal in particular prevents overstrain of the nervous system and normalizes the functioning of the intestine.
For the circulation of fluid in a plant, chemical compounds called bitterness are responsible.
What is their benefit to the human body? The bitterness present in the aspen bark is valuable in that it accelerates the production of insulin, increases appetite and normalizes sugar levels. They also have a positive effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Carotene, which is rich in aspen bark, not only enhances immunity, but even prevents the development of cancer cells. It also supports bone tissue in a normal state and removes toxins from the human body.
Phenolcarboxylic compounds, also found in the aspen bark, whose properties and contraindications have been studied for many years, have an antiparasitic effect on the body. We have already received repeatedly verified information.
The chemical composition of aspen bark is very, very rich. This explains why it is used as a medicine against many ailments and does not lose its popularity for many years. Aspen bark is sold in pharmacies. Fortunately, the prices for this tool are usually very affordable. Aspen bark can also be prepared independently. This will be discussed a little later.
Can bark be harmful?
Each phenomenon in our world has two sides. Despite the fact that it has such an impressive list of useful properties of aspen bark, there are also contraindications to its use, however, like every plant used in traditional medicine. Individual intolerance to this drug is quite rare, but still it exists. Patients who suffer from chronic constipation and gastrointestinal disorders should take aspen bark very carefully. The fact is that it has an astringent effect and, if abused, it can only aggravate such diseases. Alcohol tinctures on aspen bark can also be dangerous.
Women who are in an interesting position, before taking aspen bark, still should consult with your doctor. Also, consulting a physician will not hurt if you want to use this tool to treat a disease in a child. Remember that self-medication can cause serious harm to health.
How to prepare?
If you have the opportunity to prepare aspen bark yourself, and not buy it at a pharmacy, then you need to know some subtleties about this process. Raw materials contain the most healing substances during the sap flow period in spring. So you need to harvest aspen bark at this particular time of the year. This is done by cutting it from young shoots. Better to avoid trees that grow in big cities or close to busy highways. In the collected material there will be not so much useful substances as harmful emissions.
Cut the bark very carefully so as not to harm the tree. When the bark from young trees is collected, it must be thoroughly dried, and then chopped. We will use the obtained powder for treatment. It can be stored for one to three years. It is advisable that the storage location is not damp and direct sunlight does not fall there. The kidneys and leaves of aspen also have certain healing properties. They can also be prepared if desired. True, they are much less useful than the bark of this tree.
Aspen Bark for Diabetes
It was already mentioned above that the bark of this miraculous tree normalizes the level of sugar in human blood. That is why it is so actively used to treat diabetes. The effect will be especially good in the initial stages of the development of the disease. There are several recipes. Here are the most popular ones.
Recipe number 1
In folk medicine, a lot of positive feedback was received by a remedy prepared specifically for this recipe. You need to take a spoonful of crushed dry aspen bark and pour a small amount of boiling water. We boil the resulting substance over low heat for ten minutes. We filter our broth. The recommended dosage is half a glass. It is better to take in the morning chilled.
Recipe number 2
A remedy prepared according to this recipe also has many supporters. People note that after its use they felt a significant improvement in their health. Preparing the composition is very simple. Grind raw aspen bark with a blender. Fill with water in a ratio of one to three. The resulting mixture must be infused for at least several hours in a dark place. You also need to take half a glass.
Given that the tree bark speeds up metabolism, these recipes are also suitable for those people who want to lose weight. However, the use of aspen bark in order to lose weight will be effective only in combination with sports, proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
It is also necessary to remember that before deciding to be treated with one of the folk remedies, it is necessary to undergo an examination and get specialist advice, since self-medication can only aggravate the situation.
Treatment of prostatitis
Recently, prostatitis has become a fairly common problem among representatives of a strong half of humanity. The ailment is very serious and requires medical treatment. The fact that aspen bark can become a means of combating prostatitis, doctors have confirmed. But, of course, the treatment itself should be comprehensive and consist of many stages.
Some adherents of traditional medicine may recommend infusions of aspen bark with alcohol for this ailment. However, it is better to give preference to decoctions. For cooking, you need one hundred grams of dry powder from aspen bark and a liter of boiling water. We cook all this on low heat for twelve to fifteen minutes and insist at least three hours. Mix and drink every day. There are no particular dose restrictions. It can be a whole glass, and half of it.
About the benefits of aspen broth
The recipe described above can be used not only for the treatment of aspen prostate bark, but also for other purposes. For example, he showed himself very well in the fight against diarrhea and gastritis, thanks to his astringent and emollient properties. Some patients claim that a decoction of aspen bark helped them get rid of body aches. In any case, the composition is quite rich in vitamins and with almost any disease will help restore strength. Also, such a decoction arouses appetite, perhaps someone has a problem with this. It is worth mentioning that salicyl is present in the aspen bark. Therefore, decoctions from it fight colds, fevers, and even malaria.
Helminth bark
Science has long been aware of the antiparasitic effects of aspen bark. At the same time, experts note that in the fight against helminths this is one of the most effective means that generally exist. This drug, unlike medicines, does not cause any harm to the body, but it helps to cure giardiasis and opisthorchiasis. The process of getting rid of parasites is light and soft. Glycosides present in the aspen cortex help to completely cleanse the body.
Ointment
An ointment from aspen bark is quite effective in treating all kinds of skin diseases. Helps to heal wounds, burns, ulcers. Cooking it is not so difficult. In addition to the bark of the tree, we will also need high-quality baby cream or interior pig fat. We burn aspen bark and mix the resulting ash with the second component. Store ointment better in the refrigerator.
By the way, aspen extract is widely used in industrial cosmetology. Creams, lotions, face masks are prepared from it.
For the treatment of boils, inflamed acne, pustules, alcohol tincture of aspen bark is well suited.
Aspen with other diseases
What diseases will aspen bark be effective against? Therapy for diseases of the bladder and kidneys is almost complete without this ingredient. The thing is its pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the aspen bark leaches toxins from the body, significantly increasing the amount of urine. And it destroys pathogenic bacteria.
Bronchial asthma, coughing attacks and even tuberculosis are treated with the help of the bark of the plant. It not only eliminates the cough, but also soothes the center of its occurrence, prevents the accumulation of sputum.
Recommended for arthrosis, rheumatic, gouty pains, radiculitis. The tool relieves inflammation, swelling, pain in the joints and muscles, improves blood flow, prevents the deposition of salts.
As for gynecology, some sources claim that aspen relieves inflammation of the ovaries, but such an effect has not yet been scientifically proven.
Interesting facts about aspen
We figured out what diseases the aspen bark helps from. Finally, we present to your attention several interesting facts about this tree:
- Aspen is pollinated by the wind, not insects.
- The leaves of this tree are loved by deer, hares and moose because they are very nutritious.
- The closest relatives of aspen are willow and poplar.
- In Russia, aspen is used in the production of matches.
- In the Netherlands, aspen shoes were previously made.
- In the Christian religion, aspen is usually called a cursed tree, because Judas allegedly hanged on it.
- Aspen is a very noisy tree whose leaves rustle loudly even with the slightest breath of wind.
- Bark from ancient times used for tanning leather.
- This tree is growing very fast.
- Aspen roots can creep up to fifty meters from the trunk.
- Aspen boasts healing properties, however, the tree itself often suffers from many diseases.
- A huge number of folk sayings and proverbs in our culture are associated with aspen (for example, “trembling like an aspen leaf”).
Our ancestors gave us truly valuable knowledge. Based on them and our own experience, we can judge what medicinal properties and contraindications the aspen bark is characterized. Their use in combination with modern therapy gives a tangible result. The main thing is to treat your health with full responsibility, not to self-medicate and to listen to the advice of knowledgeable people. Be healthy!