Nature has given mankind a great variety of plants.that feed, clothe, warm and treat. In this article we consider the useful properties of hawthorn. How to brew and drink it.
It is very important to properly dispose of the gifts of nature. Then the plants will support our immunity, help restore health, calm the nervous system.
Among not only beautiful, but also extremely useful, a special place is occupied by a permanent resident of gardens and orchards - hawthorn.
More often it is cultivated as an excellent decorative culture. Delicate white inflorescences make a solemn garden in spring. During the summer, the plant looks nobly as a green hedge.
In autumn, the dull autumn landscape is painted with dangling tassels of bright red berries with tiny crowns below.
Table of contents
More useful than dogrose
Not everyone is familiar with healing properties of hawthorn, but every piece of this noble tree can be useful. Knowing about the beneficial properties, people from the XVI century cultivated varieties, constantly improving its varietal characteristics.
By the amount of vitamins hawthorn fruits surpass the well-known wild rose.
Flavonoids contained in its composition help neutralize free radicals and strengthen blood vessels.
A wide range of organic acids, vitamins, essential oils, trace elements (magnesium, molybdenum, zinc, cobalt, phosphorus, etc.) contained in the inflorescences and fruits of hawthorn, makes it a full-fledged ingredient in the composition of medicines.
In folk medicine, respect as a sedative, tonic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial agent, relieves stress, strengthens blood vessels and heals wounds.
Use useful properties at home you can by cooking:
- tea;
- decoction;
- tinctures.
About the useful properties of hawthorn tell the program "To live is great!":
Collection of raw materials
Fruit. The maximum level of nutrients accumulated with the onset of the first autumn frosts. The collection is best done from late September to early October. Dry them at a temperature not higher than 50-60 degrees.
Flowers. Given the short flowering time, the collection of flowers should be carried out within 2-3 days, on a dry hike. Inflorescences carefully cut off, avoiding squeezing the petals.
To dry them laid out in a dark, well-ventilated area.
Leaves. Gather in early spring before or during the flowering period. Clean, green, with no additional impregnations, not damaged by pests or diseases. Allowed to cut or tear off the leaves with a part of the stem.
Bark. It is better to separate from the wood in the spring, the period of the beginning of the movement of the juice.Prepare lead from young plants or shoots. Make circular cuts to the wood and peel off the strips.
Store in glass jars, paper bags or canvas bags in dry, dark, ventilated places not accessible to insects.
Shelf life is limited: leaves, like flowers - 1 year, fruits - up to 2 years.
How to brew tea
For brewing tea using leaves and flowers.. In its pure form, hawthorn is brewed less frequently than with the use of blends with black or green tea, other medicinal herbs.
For the purpose of prophylaxis, hawthorn may make up the fourth part of the collection, for strengthening and healing - half or more.
To maximize the benefits of the drink, you need to remember that when using boiling water some useful properties may die. The most favorable temperature for brewing is up to 85 degrees..
In the kettle
Hawthorn flowers are brewed as standard black tea. To do this, use a glass or porcelain kettle, which is pre-scalded with boiling water.
In the heated teapot, the mixture is poured, poured with boiling water, covered with a lid. To keep warm, the kettle is covered with a towel.
Restorative:
- 1 part dried hawthorn flowers;
- 1 part black leaf tea.
Warm up the kettle, pour 1 cup boiling water 2 tbsp. spoon mixture of the resulting mixture and leave for 2-3 minutes, and then strain. You can add honey or lemon.
Calming:
- 1 part hawthorn flowers;
- 1 part motherwort;
- 1 part mint;
- 1 part hop cones.
1 cup boiling water pour 1 tbsp. the resulting mixture, leave for 15-20 minutes, then strain. Drink in the evening before bedtime.
For heartburn:
- 1 part hawthorn flowers;
- 1 part peppermint.
1 tsp mixture to 1 cup boiling water, insist about 15-20 minutes.
In a thermos
Use for brewing thermos allows you to keep a maximum of useful substances. Thermos for a long time retains heat, which makes it possible not to grind ingredients.
Our actions:
- rinse the thermos with boiling water;
- we fall asleep collecting, we lay the whole fruits;
- pour boiling water into a thermos;
- leave open for 5-10 minutes;
- close the lid and insist for at least 3 hours.
About 750 whole fruits are used per 750 ml of water or collected according to the recipe.
Conveniently fill the thermos at night, in the morning to get a well-infused tea. Below are examples of recipes for using a thermos.
Calming: Take 1 part of dried hawthorn berries, willow-herb, a couple of sprigs of mint. Pour the collection in a thermos and pour 250-300 ml of boiling water. Insist at least 3 hours.
The resulting tea is necessary use one hour before bedtime. Before use, add 1 tbsp. a spoon of honey.
To improve digestion: take in proportion 1: 1: 1 dried hawthorn berries, walnut walls and black tea leaves. 3 tbsp. spoons of the mixture, pour 1l of boiling water and leave in a thermos for at least 30 minutes.
Heart tea: Prepare a collection: 100 g of black tea, 2 tbsp. spoons of hawthorn and rosehip, 1 tbsp. spoon of mint, 1 teaspoon of chamomile flowers. Brew daily for a tablespoon, the resulting mixture, 1 liter of boiling water.
How to make hawthorn collection
Harvesting hawthorn is used to make decoctions. As an example: 1 tbsp. 200 g of boiling water are poured over a spoonful of collection and boiled over low heat until the volume of the liquid has decreased 2 times. Used in the treatment of arrhythmias.
Crushed fruits, flowers or other ingredients they are not filled with hot, but cold water. Then the container is placed in a water bath, incubated for 30 minutes, and then filtered.
How to drink teas and decoctions: rules
Recipes for tea and decoctions contain for each disease or purpose a specific set of ingredients and methods of preparation.
In the treatment of arrhythmias, angina pectoris, for lowering cholesterol, they prepare broths and take 1 teaspoon before meals 3 times a day.
With hypertension 1 tbsp. A spoonful of dried berries is poured with 1 glass of water and kept for 1.5-2 hours in an oven or other warm place. Take before meals 3 times a day and 1 tablespoon.
For the treatment of nervous disorders and stress 1 tbsp. spoonful of fruit, poured 250-300 ml of boiling water, insist 2 hours at room temperature. Take before meals for 2 tbsp. spoons.
Tea should be drunk 2 hours after a meal, it is not recommended to use it on an empty stomach. Do not drink tea with cold water, so as not to cause intestinal cramps.
The presence of fructose allows the use of hawthorn to persons with diabetes.
The long-term effect of the application does not occur immediately, but after 30-40 days. Given this, drugs it is better to take courses.
Who is contraindicated to take
Hawthorn does not apply when individual intolerance or allergic reaction, increased blood clotting.
Due to the property of lowering blood pressure, hawthorn hypotension sufferers it is used only for general strengthening purposes in the minimum dosage or, it is not used at all.
Hawthorn not recommended pregnant and lactating women.
Despite the mass useful properties decoctions, teas and tinctures based on hawthorn do not cancel the use of medicines in the treatment of diseases.
Need to consult a doctor, to correctly determine the methods and dosage, to obtain the maximum effect and not to harm the body.