Bitter healers: Herbs for cleansing and proper digestion.

An important area of ​​application of bitter herbs istreatment of fevers. Sometimes sick people come to me, especially in at a young age, with complaints of fever - body temperature in the morning or evening rises to 37.2-37.3°.

Such patients undergo a long examination, and, as a rule, nothing is found in them. However, a person, in addition to elevated temperature, feels tired, exhausted, weak, and sweats. And the person is at a loss: he does not know how to treat and what to treat. According to medical indicators, he is considered healthy, but there are subjective complaints.

An elevated temperature indicates the presence of an infection that is “walking” somewhere in the body. Such an inflammatory process can appear, for example, as a result of a throat disease, due to unhealthy teeth, diseases of the female genital area, urinary system, etc. In the case of such fevers, invaluable help is provided bitter herbs. We give bitter herbs for about three weeks - they will do wormwood bitter herb, three-leaf watch, gentian. In addition to bitter herbs, it is advisable to use sweat herbs so that the infection also comes out through the skin, since the skin is also an organ of excretion.

Treatment with wormwood and diaphoretic herbs

Bitter and diaphoretic herbs It is better to give it one at a time on one day: first you need to drink the bitter herb, and an hour later take the diaphoretic herb. And in the afternoon, towards evening, you should take herbs that have a laxative effect so that the infection leaves through the intestines. And then the body is completely cleared of infection.

As diaphoretics You can use raspberry leaf, dushitsu, linden, and it’s also a good idea to take a steam bath.

As laxatives aloe, rhubarb, laxative joster, and plantain seeds are good options.

Wormwood should be used in short courses. There is a classification, the so-called bitterness scale, according to which the most bitter herbs are yellow gentian and wormwood. Among the bitter herbs, they are the ones that have the most powerful effect, so they are taken according to the following scheme: they drink the herb for 10 days, then take a break for 2 weeks - and so they do 2-3 courses. As a result of this treatment with wormwood After a month and a half, the fever goes away. I would also like to note that wormwood improves complexion - this is due to its antitoxic, antimicrobial, antiviral properties.

Classification of bitter herbs

The number of plants containing bitterness is quite large. German herbal medicine provides the following classification of bitter herbs.

• Tonic speeches - they improve general state organism, increasing its tone. These include centaury, watch, gentian, elecampane, and barberry root. These herbs are taken in daytime, but you can’t take them at night.
• Aromatic bitters - these are plants that, in addition to bitter substances, also contain essential oils. Such plants include angelica officinalis, yarrow, calamus, and dandelion (root). Bitter herbs with a pungent taste are even more effective than just bitters. They more actively burn toxins, viruses, infections in the human body, improve blood flow (they move blood more actively through the vessels), and enhance metabolic processes. Aromatic bitters are appropriate to use for cosmetic purposes - they improve the condition of the skin, improving its blood supply and having antitoxic properties. Calamus improves brain function, promotes the development of thinking and intelligence.
• Mucus-containing bitterness . These are Icelandic Cetraria, Parmelia, Aloe. They are used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract, stomach, intestines, kidneys. In addition, these bitters have a nutritional and antibiotic-like effect - so the spectrum of action of this class of bitters is especially wide.
• Pure bitterness: tincture of wormwood, bearberry, galangal (root). For example, in the treatment of infectious gynecological diseases, they include nyanya, which contains bitterness and kills any infection well.

What is wormwood?

How does she look?

• The stem of the plant is straight.
• The leaf below is larger than the top and has long petioles. The foliage that is located higher is mostly sessile and less dissected compared to the lower one. Basically, the leaves have the form of thin palmate or septate-pinnate with thin and small lobes of specimens.
• The plant has a small flower raceme, consisting of heads of small inflorescences, predominantly yellow or less often reddish in color. The flowers are bisexual, tubular.
• The fruit of wormwood is smooth and consists of small achenes.

Is it harmful to humans?

Having poisonous components in its composition, wormwood is not without the ability to cause harm to the human body. However, if you follow the recommended dosage and use the herb wisely, taking into account all healing benefits, which wormwood can provide, may well serve as an excellent medicine. However, when starting treatment with drugs made from this raw material, it is worth familiarizing yourself with possible contraindications And side effects wormwood.

• pregnant/breastfeeding woman;
• children under twelve years of age;
• for those patients who suffer from gastritis with low acidity;
• for certain ailments of the nervous system and psyche;
• during exacerbations of diseases of the digestive tract;
• in the presence of thrombosis;
• Wormwood requires caution when used as a medicine for bronchial asthma;
• for any bleeding including menstruation;
• in case of strong susceptibility to the plant in order to avoid an acute allergic reaction.

When treating with this medicinal herb, you can feel the development of a painful condition in the form of side effect, and any hidden chronic ailments or those that are sluggish may also worsen. It is possible to separate pus if inflammatory infections develop inside.

What are the benefits of wormwood?

The benefits of wormwood are due to a number of active components contained in its composition:

• tannins;
• rich content of amino acids, resins, glycosides, chamazulene, torpenoids, tannins;
• Various vitamin groups (B, PP, A, C);
• elements: aluminum, sulfur, magnesium, copper, nickel, potassium, zinc, molybdenum, calcium, iron;
• essential oils: thujone, phellanderene, thujol;
• acids: acetic, malic, succinic, isovaleric.

It is interesting to note that wormwood has low content calories and contains virtually no fat.

Thanks to such a diverse composition, wormwood is used as a universal medicinal and prophylactic at various diseases. Also, many medicines are prepared on its basis, which have proven themselves quite well in medical practice.

Wormwood has the following useful features for the body:

This natural healer is consulted:

• For oncology in the area of ​​the uterus, intestines/stomach;
• in dental practice: for weak and bleeding gums, stomatitis, ulceration of the oral mucosa, gingivitis;
• for stopping epileptic attacks and removing convulsive syndrome any etiology;
• as an anthelmintic;
• for colds/flu, bronchitis, sore throat;
• helps to get rid of increased gas formation, intestinal colic, eliminates painful spasms and cramps;
• V gynecological practice: wormwood infusion is good for stimulating the onset of menstruation, treats inflammation of the appendages, relieves periodic pain, helps cope with leucorrhoea and other discharge by douching;
• is a natural sedative: used as an antidepressant, as well as in the treatment of psychoses, hysteria, neuroses of various natures;
• successfully treats genitourinary infections and inflammation, both in women and men;
• is an appetite stimulant and eliminates eating disorders;
• fights insomnia;
• helps normalize digestion, eliminates diarrhea, improves the functionality of the digestive organs;
• influences blood composition, treats anemia;
• used as a choleretic agent, used to cleanse the ducts, get rid of sand/stones in the liver and gall bladder;
• relieves kidney inflammation;
• using compresses helps with joint/rheumatic pain;
• promotes disinfection and fast healing wound surface;
• the rich content of potassium/magnesium significantly reduces the likelihood of developing a stroke/heart attack and has a very beneficial effect on the heart muscle;
• treats ocular conjunctivitis by applying a compress of wormwood solution;
• changes muscle tone uterus, which contributes to successful delivery during a protracted and difficult labor process;
• eliminates swelling, bruises and hematomas from contusions;
• used in treatment acne, allergic rashes and acne.

What diseases does it treat?

Wormwood herb in various dosage forms It is quite actively used in alternative medicine to treat many ailments:

• at varicose veins veins;
• in order to provide a supporting and stimulating agent to the body;
• for jaundice and diseases of the spleen;
• with inflammatory processes in the ear area (otitis media);
• in case of intoxication with toxins/poisons;
• to normalize blood pressure;
• in the treatment of obesity;
• in the treatment of alcohol addiction;
• as a cleanser for the body during a fasting day;
• in the treatment of infections of purulent origin;
• to eliminate boils/warts;
• with inflammation of the vocal cords;
• for the treatment of eczema;
• to assist with dislocations, sprains of ligaments/muscles;
• in the treatment of malaria.

Areas of use of wormwood

In cooking

Wormwood is quite often used in culinary dishes, using it as a seasoning for fatty meat dishes. Many especially enjoy the bitter aroma and taste as an addition to roasted goose dishes.

Herbal extracts are also used to impart specific properties in the production of some alcoholic beverages: absinthe, vermouth and some other alcohol tinctures.

At home

The household use of wormwood boils down to its use as an insecticide to kill caterpillars/moths, cockroaches, clothes moths, fleas, and ants.

In beekeeping, wormwood saves bees from diseases of infectious etiology (nosema).

The grass is used in feed for sheep and cattle. Small amounts of wormwood help improve the digestive process and stimulate appetite in animals, but large doses of these herbal inclusions can give dairy products quite unpleasant smell and taste.

Wormwood foliage is used as a dye to dye fabric green.

With the breeding of varieties with a rather spectacular above-ground part (foliage) of wormwood in Lately cultivated as a garden decoration.

In medicine

Wormwood, among the few medicinal herbs with poisonous properties, is included in the pharmacopoeia of many countries around the world.

Official medicine uses the medicinal raw materials of this herb in the form of an extract for the manufacture of medicines in various dosage forms.

Medicines containing the wormwood component are used by doctors in the following areas:

• digestive;
• respiratory tract;
• skin covers;
• musculoskeletal system;
• neurology;
• gynecology.

Homeopathy actively works with wormwood, creating various medicinal fees(appetizing, gastric, anthelmintic and others).

However, despite all the benefits of the medicinal plant, doctors warn about the dangers of wormwood for women expecting the birth of a child. You should also be careful when using the medicine regarding its quantity, since its overdose is fraught with the development of hallucinations, convulsions, and seizures.

Forms of using wormwood in treatment

Extract

The thick extract extracted from the herbaceous part of the plant is an aromatic, bitter mass in a dark brown color. Water solution wormwood extract turns out cloudy. It is used on the recommendation of a doctor from 10 to 20 drops/three times a day/half an hour before meals.

Tincture

Infuse wormwood in alcohol (70%) in a ratio of 1 to 5 to obtain a clear liquid. Its taste is very bitter, its smell is characteristic, and its color is greenish-brown. In treatment, 15 or 20 drops are used / before meals, a quarter of an hour / 3 times / day.

You can purchase the tincture in a 25 ml bottle.

Infusion

To prepare the infusion, take dry wormwood herb in the amount of two tablespoons and pour a glass of boiling water in an enamel bowl and heat it in a water bath for fifteen minutes. The resulting broth is cooled and filtered. The steamed herb is squeezed out. The resulting composition is brought to a volume of 200 milliliters by adding boiled water. The solution can be stored for two days in a cool place. Take a quarter glass, thirty minutes before meals, three times a day.

Sold as dried herb in 100-gram packages.

Oil

To prepare your own wormwood oil for processing ulcerative lesions and wound surfaces on the skin, you need to put freshly harvested herbs in a glass jar and fill the raw material with olive oil. Seal the container tightly and leave for a week and a half. The finished oil will acquire an intense green pearlescent color. Strain the resulting product and store in a cool place.

Wormwood seed can also be used to make an oil that is used to relieve muscle cramps and pain. To do this, take Provencal oil (20 grams) and crushed raw materials (5 grams), mix and infuse for eight hours.

When using oil, 1 or 2 drops should be placed on a piece of bread or sugar.

Ointment

To obtain ointment from this medicinal herb take ten grams of its extract and mix it with pork fat or vegetable oil in the amount of one hundred grams.

Juice

Wormwood juice is obtained by squeezing the green part of the plant during the period before flowering. Take 1 tablespoon mixed with honey before meals three times a day.

Powder

Try to grind the herbaceous part of the plant to a powder and use half a teaspoon after meals up to six times a day. During the week, the number of times you take the powder should be reduced to three times. It's more effective remedy compared to infusion.

Using wormwood at home

Wormwood for fleas

To get rid of these harmful insects, it is important to use only fresh plants. Therefore, you should periodically replace such a flea remedy that has lost its freshness.

• threshold at the entrance to the premises;
• darkened corners in the room;
• pet rookery;
• linen on the bed.

Decoction

A good remedy for killing fleas is a decoction of wormwood, which you can prepare yourself. You need to take fresh grass, wash it and chop it. Place in a bowl, add boiled water and boil for three minutes. Add a few drops of vinegar to the liquid. Cool the broth. During this time it will infuse. The resulting product is added to water intended for bathing an animal or rinsing bed linen. It wouldn’t be amiss, and the rug front door clean with this solution. This liquid can also be sprayed on those places in the apartment that are difficult to reach for cleaning.

Fresh wormwood

Use of oil and tincture

Tincture of bitter wormwood is often used to get rid of both fleas themselves and to prevent diseases carried by these insects. It can be purchased at any pharmacy and is not expensive. The drug is added to water and the resulting solution is treated with the room, combined with wet cleaning. It would also be a good idea to treat the animal’s fur with this liquid if the pet is not allergic to wormwood, which can be determined by applying the product to a small area of ​​skin.

You can use aromatherapy to repel fleas. To do this, you need to place small containers with wormwood oil around the apartment. The cost of this product is not much more expensive than the tincture, but the effect is many times higher. Buying oil is not difficult. You should contact specialized outlets that sell a similar range of goods or look for an appropriate online store.

Wormwood tincture for bedbugs

Wormwood is a real godsend in getting rid of the old-timer among household pests - the bug. This plant with a sharp, far from pleasant odor can drive away insects for quite a long time.

An excellent tincture that will benefit the cause is made from wormwood in alcohol. To make it, you should mix alcohol with fresh raw materials and, after infusing for 24 hours, use it to water insect nests or those places where their accumulations are located.

Wormwood for moths

The bitterness of wormwood cannot be tolerated even by moths. The aroma of the plant causes disorientation in the insect so much that it loses the ability to lay eggs. If you place some dry wormwood branches in the cabinets, the moth will leave to look for a more comfortable place to stay.

Treatment with wormwood in folk medicine

Wormwood for allergies

An effective remedy for an allergic reaction would be an infusion of wormwood, which can be prepared by pouring boiling water (0.5 cup) over one teaspoon of tea herb and leaving it to infuse for several hours. Drink the infusion before meals, half a glass/three times a day.

Wormwood for oncology

In the course of experimental studies, it was discovered that wormwood kills, along with cancer-affected cells, only a small part of healthy cells, in contrast to chemotherapy, which kills very many of them. a large number of. Today, scientists, in an attempt to develop a remedy to combat cancer, are trying to include wormwood in the composition of the invented medicine.

Although the effect of wormwood in the treatment of oncology is undeniable, it would be rather frivolous to rely on the treatment of this deadly disease only with the help of traditional medicine. It is most likely acceptable to use it as concomitant treatment, which complements drug therapy and only with the approval of a doctor.

For gastritis

Wormwood is an indispensable remedy in the treatment of gastritis. Today a lot of food is prepared based on it. medicines for health improvement digestive tract. After all, this herb helps normalize the digestion process and relieves irritation and inflammation of the gastric mucosa.

IN folk medicine wormwood is actively used for making medicinal products against gastritis:

• Teas, which are prepared from finely crushed herbs. A teaspoon of raw material is brewed with boiling water (no more than half a liter) and left for about thirty minutes. The finished drink is consumed several times a day, half an hour before meals, fifty milliliters.
• Tinctures are taken in drops. 25 pieces three times a day before meals for twenty minutes. Dry herbs are used for preparation. For one part of the raw material, take five parts of alcohol and infuse it in a mixed form for several days. Then strain.
• Powders are prepared from dried wormwood, crushed in a mortar and mixed with crushed cranberries (berries). The resulting mixture should be taken up to three times a day, three grams an hour before meals.
• Wormwood extract is purchased at the pharmacy in ready-made form and taken 20 drops, which need to be dripped into water (1 glass). Drink four times a day, a quarter of an hour before meals.

Any of the anti-gastritis remedies can be taken for no more than 21 days. If a repetition of the treatment course is required, it can be resumed after no less than 45 days.

For pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is treated with decoctions using foliage for their preparation, top part plants and rhizomes.

If you take an infusion of wormwood in alcohol, you can improve the patient’s well-being and appetite, normalize digestive process and eliminate stool disorder. The infusion is dosed in drops, where an adult can take 20 pieces. and for a teenager no more than 10 drops. When preparing decoctions, you should not boil them for more than 5 minutes.

Wormwood for worms

A decoction of wormwood is effective for expelling worms by rectal administration. To make it, take a teaspoon of herb per liter of water and boil it. Then the broth is infused for about ten minutes and strained. An enema made from a decoction brings the greatest effect. It is placed using a solution that has not yet cooled down.

For prostatitis

Forgives can also be treated using a decoction of wormwood herb. The course is a week. Already on the 4th day of using the medicine, the patient’s health will become better, as pus will begin to come out. A decoction is prepared from 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs and a glass of hot water. The mixture is boiled for five minutes and strained. The finished solution is added cold water after boiling, bringing to a volume of 200 milliliters. Treatment is carried out by douching.

For hemorrhoids

In the treatment of hemorrhoids, wormwood tincture is used for oral administration and enemas of wormwood decoction are used. The patient's condition improves after just a few days of treatment.

The tincture is taken in drops of 12 pieces. in a spoon of water in the morning and evening hours. 100 grams of alcohol are infused with a small amount of chopped herbs.

A decoction is prepared from 4 tablespoons of wormwood and a liter of boiling water. This mixture is boiled for seven minutes, then left for at least six hours. The cooled broth should be filtered and used for an enema.

For diabetes

Wormwood is also used in the treatment of diabetes. For this purpose, medicines are prepared in the form of teas, decoctions and infusions.

On initial stages illness, you can use the following remedy:

chop fresh wormwood and place it in the hole made in the black bread (crumb). Then you need to roll the bread mass into a ball and eat it. Take for two weeks.

Another recipe for the drug will require taking 2 liters of Cahors and two and a half kilograms of grass.

To make the medicine, you should grind the washed and dried herb in a meat grinder and squeeze out the juice. It should be 400 grams. Pour heated wine over the juice and pour the resulting liquid into dark glass bottles. Take the medicine according to the following regimen: 20 milliliters/2 rubles/day, then a three-day break, then again three days of treatment, and so on. The course duration is two months.

Wormwood for cough

With the help of wormwood you can even cure coughing or bronchitis. Pour vodka over the herb purchased at the pharmacy and leave it in a water bath for about twenty minutes. Infuse the decoction all night. Then strain and squeeze out the herb. Add honey to the resulting liquid. Take in the following order for two days:

• at 7am – 2 tablespoons;
• at 13 o’clock in the afternoon – 1 tablespoon;
• at 19 o'clock - one spoon;
• at 12 o'clock at night - two tablespoons.

Eat the decoction with any fruit as an additional source of vitamins.

Wormwood is a plant of the genus Artemisia (there are about 180 species), of the Asteraceae family. Currently, wormwood is cultivated as a valuable medicinal raw material in Asia, many European countries (in particular, CIS countries), the USA and North Africa.

Wormwood is one of the oldest medicinal plants, it was used to improve the functioning of digestive system, increased appetite, stimulation sex life, there is mention of this in the ancient Ebers papyrus (3.5 thousand years ago).

Wormwood is a bitter herb: where is it used?

Wormwood is one of the main components of vermouth, absinthe and some other alcoholic liqueurs. And in cooking it is used as a seasoning for poultry and meat dishes; it goes especially well with goose. Wormwood in agriculture used as a phytoncide and for pest control, and in the household to repel fleas, cockroaches, moths and other insects. But wormwood has found its greatest use in medicine. Let's talk about this.

Composition of wormwood

The chemical composition of wormwood is very rich: it contains tannins, organic and malic acid), flavonoids, essential oil, phytoncides, glycosides, saponins, potassium salts, ascorbic acid, resins, carotene, micro- and macroelements and many other valuable substances.

Wormwood: properties of the plant for treating diseases

Healing properties Our distant ancestors knew wormwood; it was actively used in folk medicine in those days. Quite widely in Rus', brooms made of bitter wormwood were used in steam baths. The smell of the plant and the substances released during steaming, when penetrating into the pores, filled the steamed muscles with vigor.

Wormwood juice has long been used in folk medicine. Our ancestors also knew about medicinal properties Modern research showed that the essential oil of wormwood pharmaceutical properties similar to camphor and has a cardiac stimulating effect, stimulates the central nervous system.

Today, wormwood is used in pharmacy in more than 20 countries in the world. Even official medicine uses the plant as a means to improve digestion and appetite (in the form of infusions and tinctures, as well as in the composition herbal infusions to increase appetite).

Wormwood preparations help increase the secretion of pancreatic and gastric juice, thereby increasing appetite and motor function intestines and stomach, increase urination, and also have antiulcer, anti-inflammatory effects and activate defenses human body.

The selective effect of wormwood also deserves special attention. For example, with increased excitability, insomnia and nervousness, preparations based on wormwood have a calming effect, and with depressed state, neurasthenia, fatigue, apathy or weakness, these drugs, on the contrary, have a stimulating and tonic effect.

Studies have shown that wormwood, due to its bitterness content, increases the stamina and performance of the human body, strengthens the liver, and the aromatic bitterness present in the essential oil of wormwood has a sap effect, improves the absorption of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and also promotes growth muscle mass. Surely for this reason, Russian heroes actively used wormwood to refresh and strengthen muscles.

Many of the properties of wormwood, known for a long time, are still used today: it improves complexion and eliminates purple spots under the eyes. Wormwood decoction vapor helps relieve ear pain. And if you take the decoction before drinking wine, it will help with a hangover.

For sore throat, a lotion of wormwood on the inside of the palate is effective. And in combination with soda, wormwood is a useful herb for pain or fluid accumulation in them.

The plant is also useful for old eye inflammations, if you make a bandage from it under the eye, and it also helps with blurred vision. If you make a bandage from wormwood with grape juice, it will calm the rapid pulsation of the eyes, reduce swelling and help with hemorrhage in the eyes. eyeball.

Therapeutic herbal bandages are placed on the stomach, liver and side - it will relieve pain in these organs. Wormwood drives away urine and menstruation, especially if used in the form of suppositories with water sweetened with honey.

For cracks in anus It is useful to drink wormwood wine.

If you boil wormwood alone or with rice (or lentils) and eat it with honey, it will kill intestinal worms and lightly ease the stomach.

Wormwood will help against the bite of a shrew, scorpion and poisoning from hemlock (if you drink it with wine) or mushrooms.

The bitterness present in preparations from this plant increases the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells, normalizes the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, reduces digestive disorders and the phenomena of intestinal autointoxication.

Chamazulene, obtained from wormwood, is used in the treatment of rheumatism, bronchial asthma, eczema or burns due to exposure to X-rays.

As an aid in the treatment of cancer of the rectum, stomach or uterus, traditional medicine recommends a decoction of wormwood root, which is prepared as follows: 2 tablespoons of the raw material are poured into 200 grams hot water, Boil for 5 minutes, strain and squeeze. You need to take it three times a day, 2 tablespoons before meals.

How to use an infusion in the form of microenemas of 50 grams at night. The infusion is prepared as follows: dilute dried wormwood with boiling water 1:10.

We can talk about wormwood for a long time, but its most important advantages are as follows: preparations from it have analgesic, hemostatic, antipyretic, expectorant, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, wound-healing and astringent effects. They are used for inflammation of the mucous membranes, poisoning, insomnia, epilepsy, neurasthenia, paralysis, fever, edema, colitis, migraine, dyspepsia, hypertension, liver disease, hemorrhoids, obesity, gout, heartburn, bloating, flatulence, ascariasis, ulcers and gastritis stomach, influenza, bronchitis, malaria, cholera, shortness of breath, rheumatism, hypertension, jaundice, anemia, tuberculosis, dysentery, bad smell from the mouth, to stimulate the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, increase appetite, remove bile, improve digestion, normalize the functioning of the pancreas. Wormwood is used externally to treat long-term non-healing pustular skin diseases, ulcers, wounds, bruises, dislocations, burns, frostbite, sprains, and joint diseases.

When starting treatment with wormwood, you should consult a doctor, since wormwood has some contraindications and restrictions for use. Firstly, preparations from this plant can be used for no longer than 2 months to avoid negative effects on the body. For diseases such as enterocolitis, gastritis with low acidity, ulcers of the duodenum or stomach, and internal bleeding, as well as during lactation and pregnancy, it is better to avoid wormwood preparations.

As the old Russian proverb says: “Bitter heals, sweet cripples.” This is especially true for bitter herbs. The main argument against bitter herbs: “They are tasteless and disgusting, they cannot be eaten.” Yes, they are bitter and have a specific, pronounced taste. But their benefits to our body compensate for their bitter taste.

What if someone told you that there are plants that, when eaten regularly, support healthy liver function, act as a tonic and mild diuretic to cleanse the blood and the entire body, help with kidney stones and improve the condition of everything? gastrointestinal tract; help reduce weight; cleanse the skin and get rid of acne; improve intestinal function, eliminating both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or reduce high blood pressure; serve as a preventive and therapeutic agent for anemia; reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood serum by almost half; eliminate or significantly reduce heartburn and increased gas formation, reducing the severity of fatty foods; are used to prevent and control diabetes mellitus, and at the same time do not have any negative side effects and selectively act only on the diseases you have.

What if you were also told that these plants taste great when used in salads, soups and teas - what would you do to get your hands on such a treasure?

Luckily, nature is on your side and provides you with these wonderful plants in abundance! We are talking about bitter herbs, or bitter greens.

Bitters are dark green herbaceous plants, typified by dandelion and arugula. In addition to the fact that they are rich in vitamins, like any other greens, bitter herbs have unique nutrients that have a particularly beneficial effect on the digestive process.

Bitter greens have a distinct, distinct flavor that may take some getting used to, but the health benefits certainly make the effort worth it.

The bitter taste is light, cooling and dry in nature. In the Western diet, it is the bitter taste that is almost completely absent. Bitter herbs are a beneficial and healing way to create more alkaline environment in the body and add a bitter taste to the well balanced diet nutrition. So, what are the most beneficial properties of bitter herbs?

Diet super food

Bitters herbs are filled with vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. Rich in folic acid and fiber, low in fat and sodium (salt), these greens are a powerhouse of nutrients.

They promote excellent skin condition (beta-carotene), strengthen the nervous system ( folic acid), healthy blood clotting (vitamin K), and also contain phyto-components that support healthy vision.

Miracle for digestion

Eating bitter foods activates the taste buds while stimulating the production of digestive enzymes and the secretion of bile, which in turn promotes healthy digestion. And the better your food is digested, the more nutrients your body can absorb from the food you eat. If your body cannot absorb any nutrients, then whatever you eat will not bring you any benefit.

Moreover, bitter herbs help detoxify the liver, which regulates cholesterol levels, balances hormones, and cleanses the blood of toxins. Bitter herbs also help digest fats more efficiently.

Balance taste and reduce cravings

Of course, for optimal health, it is recommended to eat foods of all possible flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and astringent. The main thing is to have everything in moderation. Unfortunately, many people's diet consists mainly of sweet and salty tastes and leaves little to no use for the rest. We can only benefit from eating foods that activate all our taste buds, and we can start by adding incredibly healthy bitter greens to our diet.

There is also evidence that consuming bitter herbs reduces cravings for unhealthy foods and thus helps in weight loss.

So how can we include these wonderful herbs in our diet in order to both benefit and enjoy the taste? It's actually not that difficult.

When purchasing, choose organic greens with fresh leaves and the one that is on this moment in season. Chard and beet tops are available from spring to fall. Dandelion leaves are best consumed in spring and summer.

Greens can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but it is better, of course, to eat them immediately. To prepare leafy vegetables for eating, rinse or “bathe” them in a sink of water and then remove any tough petioles or stems.

To smooth out the bitter taste a little, try a universal recipe: lightly salt and simmer leafy vegetables in a frying pan with a little oil. Adding salt and high-quality vegetable oil when cooking reduces bitterness, improves digestibility, and even releases nutrients for easier absorption.

Here's a list of bitter herbs and leafy vegetables to try: amaranth, arugula, endive, broccoli raab, dandelion leaves, escarole, frisee lettuce, kale, mizuna, mustard tops, nettles, radicchio (or radicchio) lettuce, rapini, tatsoi salad, turnip tops, watercress.

The bitter herb wormwood is an integral element of steppe landscapes and main ingredient absinthe, the most “bohemian drink”. But in medicine, wormwood grass is in demand, first of all, because of its unique chemical composition. It is the content of active biological substances and other components that gives wormwood its medicinal properties.

Types of wormwood

The plant called wormwood belongs to the Asteraceae family. These are large herbaceous or semi-shrub representatives of the flora, which have their own specific characteristics depending on the species. Among the most significant species of wormwood for industrial, procurement, pharmaceutical and other purposes, the following are distinguished:

• Gmelin's wormwood – medicinal plant, whose main distribution area is in the Far East;
• Louisiana sagebrush is native to regions of North America. The color of the leaves is grayish-white, the inflorescences have a pale yellow tint. IN medical purposes only the above-ground part is used;
• Milky-flowered wormwood is an ornamental shrub used for exterior decoration in landscape design;
• Annual wormwood is a small bush with green leaves that have a carved shape. It is an annual, but quite suitable for use in medicinal purposes. Fabric dyes are also prepared from the plant;
• Rutoleaf wormwood is a common species in Siberia and some regions of Asia. Contains a large amount of essential oils, which explains its wide application in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics production;
• Field wormwood is a low-growing perennial shrub that grows in steppe regions and lowlands. Can be used to prepare medicinal products;
• Wormwood is a perennial herbaceous shrub with silver-bluish foliage. When rubbed, the herb has a characteristic odor due to the presence of essential oils in its composition. This type is the most valuable from a pharmaceutical point of view.

Chemical composition

The aerial part of wormwood (herb and leaves), most often used for medicinal purposes, contains such chemically active components as:

• Mineral salts;
• Tannins;
• Organic acids;
• Vitamins A, C;
• Carotene;
• Essential oils;
• Glycosides - absinthine and anabsintin (give a bitter taste);
• Flavonoids;
• Phytoncides;
• Alkaloids;
• Saponins.

All of the above substances cause pharmachologic effect wormwood, which will be discussed below.

Beneficial properties of bitter wormwood

Wormwood grass is known primarily for its characteristic bitterness. That is why wormwood is used for the manufacture of herbal preparations - those that stimulate the secretion of bile and enhance the activity of the secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract. Bitter glycosides in the plant increase the excitability and reaction rate of neuroreceptors in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, making food absorption faster and better.

But the pharmacological effect of wormwood is not limited to this. It has the following effects on the body:

The range of uses of wormwood herb is very wide. With her help treat such diseases, How:

Wormwood is included in alternative medicine recipes as active component. It can be used in several ways:

The standard course of treatment with wormwood herb in the presence of worms in the body is a week.

This simplest method, in which for three days a small pinch of dried raw material is taken every 2 to 3 hours (without reference to meals). The patient simply chews a small portion of wormwood and drinks it down clean water.

Attention: nicotine consumption reduces the effect of wormwood therapy by a third!

After three days, the method of administration changes: the drug is consumed up to 6 times a day for four days. During treatment, you should adhere to a dietary diet and exclude animal products and foods high in carbohydrates from your diet.

For joint pain

Gout, rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis and other diseases musculoskeletal system the body is also successfully treated with the help of wormwood herb. The plant will not eliminate the disease completely and will not solve the problem that gave rise to its appearance, but it will help cope with pain symptoms and inflammatory processes in the joints. The most commonly used are poultices, compresses and rubbing with alcohol tincture of wormwood grass. But pain-relieving baths in decoctions with the addition of the plant are also popular.

For cooking medicinal bath brew half a kilo of dried raw materials in 2 liters of water. The mixture is boiled over a fire for 10 minutes, then filtered through a sieve and infused for about half an hour. Pour the decoction from the plant into the bath and soak in hot water for 15 - 20 minutes. You can add it to your bath sea ​​salt, this will strengthen muscle tone.

For hemorrhoids

The disease known as hemorrhoids is an inflammatory pathological process in the rectum, which is characterized by the appearance of tortuosity, dilation and congestion in the hemorrhoidal veins. At the stage when the venous nodes do not yet need to be set inwards, it is possible to cope with the symptoms with the help of wormwood decoction and tincture. They have a relieving effect on pain symptoms, contribute to the reduction and resorption of hemorrhoidal formations.

Plant-based products are used externally. Sitz bath for hemorrhoids is prepared as follows: 50 g of dried wormwood herb is poured with a liter of boiling water and infused for 24 hours.

Attention: the water during the procedure should not be hot, this can aggravate the painful condition of the hemorrhoidal veins.

The finished infusion is filtered through a sieve, then the wormwood tincture is diluted with 3 - 5 liters of warm boiled water. The liquid is poured into a basin, the patient sits in it for 15 - 20 minutes. It is recommended to take sitz baths with wormwood before bed to maximize relaxation.

In severe stages of hemorrhoids with prolapse of nodes, compresses and lotions with infusion of the plant are used. Five spoons of raw material are poured into 500 ml of boiling water and left for 2 – 3 hours. A cotton wool or gauze swab is moistened in warm herbal infusion and applied to the affected area. You need to keep the compress until it cools down. The procedure is repeated 4–5 times a day. After it, you should stay in a warm room for about an hour so as not to expose the anal area to cold. It is useful to drink decoctions and tinctures of water orally from time to time.

For gastrointestinal diseases

Medical therapy, traditional and non-traditional, recommends preparations based on the herb wormwood to alleviate the condition of hypoacid gastritis, enterocolitis, exhaustion, dyspepsia and for complex treatment food allergies. Depending on the type of disease, decoctions and tinctures from the plant are prepared in different ways:

• For gastritis with low acidity, pour 5-10 g of dry raw material into 400 ml of boiling water and leave under the lid until the liquid becomes tinted. Drink instead of tea three times a day 30 minutes before meals;
• For indigestion and poor appetite– a spoonful of wormwood herb is stirred in a glass of boiling water. After cooling, add two teaspoons of honey and a quarter glass of cranberry juice to the infusion. The mixture is brought to the required volume with a liter of cold boiled water and consumed as a drink throughout the day. The product should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than two days;
• For stomach and intestinal pain– 1 tbsp. l. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over the wormwood and close the lid, leaving it to cook in the teapot until ready. When the infusion has cooled a little, drink it 1.5 hours before meals. Honey is mixed into the liquid to remove strong bitterness. The tincture is taken three times a day.

For diabetes

Essential oils, ascorbic acid and other biologically active compounds wormwood has a positive effect on the regulation of blood glucose concentrations. For treatment diabetes mellitus eat grass different ways. Some people prepare medicinal “meatballs” from wormwood and bread. To prepare, crumble the crumb of black bread, add half a teaspoon of chopped dry herb to it and roll into a ball. It is eaten 15–20 minutes before lunch; it is recommended to continue treatment for 2 weeks.

A decrease in the level of glucose in the blood of a diabetic patient for a short period of time can be achieved by consuming a regular decoction of wormwood for 3 to 4 weeks.

Not only water, but also herbal-based alcoholic infusions are popular. Medical alcohol or vodka is poured into a small bowl, into which 20 g of dry wormwood is added. The product is mixed and poured into a dark glass bottle. After 2 - 3 weeks it is ready for use: method of administration - 12 - 15 drops per day after each meal. Before starting treatment, consult your doctor: not all experts approve of alcohol tinctures with the wormwood plant for the treatment of diabetes.

For alcohol addiction

Chronic alcoholism is a disease that is extremely difficult to treat. If there is no effect from traditional therapy Traditional medicine recipes are used. One of them is based on a herbal collection, the component of which is wormwood. One part of the herb is mixed with creeping thyme (4 parts) and boiled in a water bath for 15 minutes (two tablespoons per 200 ml of water). After cooling, the decoction from the plant is taken 10 ml three times a day before meals.

Since wormwood has a bitter taste, it will not be possible to add it to the patient’s food unnoticed: he must voluntarily recognize the seriousness of the problem and agree to treatment. The course of admission is up to three months.

Another folk remedy for alcoholism is prepared using wormwood and thyme, mixed in a ratio of 1:4. 2 tablespoons of raw material are poured into 500 ml of hot water and cooked for 10 - 15 minutes. The decoction is drunk a quarter glass 3 times a day for a month.

A noticeable effect is obtained from a herbal collection of wormwood, licorice root, horsetail, thyme and centaury. Herbs are taken in quantities of 2, 4, 2, 2 and 3 tablespoons, respectively. After mixing, pour about 30 g of raw material and add a glass of boiled water. The mixture is simmered over low heat for 15 minutes, then left to cool. The decoction is taken 100 ml three times a day, the course of administration is up to a month.

For colds

Severe fever, pain and aches in the joints, as well as congestion and irritation of the mucous membrane in the nasopharynx, accompanying colds, exhaust a person, taking away a lot of his strength. You can alleviate the condition with an alcohol tincture of wormwood herb. It is prepared from fresh raw materials collected before the flowering phase. Fill with wormwood liter jar halfway and fill with vodka. The tincture is placed in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Shake the jar every few days to active substances quickly passed into the alcoholic liquid. After 21 days, strain the infusion and pour it into another container. The product is stored in the refrigerator; you need to take it 3-5 drops per day in a quarter glass of water once a day until your health improves.

For insomnia

Wormwood herb helps with sleep disorders of various kinds. Difficulty falling asleep, restlessness (a person does not stop tossing and turning in bed), intermittent and shallow sleep, awakening in the middle of the night - all these are manifestations of insomnia associated with sleep disorders. The minimum measure is to make a small pillow (dumka), into which dried bunches of wormwood are sewn, and place it at the head of the bed. Essential oil plants will calm when inhaled nervous system and will have a soporific effect.

There is another recipe for internal use. Two tablespoons of wormwood roots or herbs are poured into 400 ml of boiling water and left under the lid for an hour and a half. The infusion is drunk warm an hour before going to bed.

With more strong problems A product based on wormwood oil will help with falling asleep. The seeds collected in the autumn season are ground to a powder. The resulting mixture is poured with vegetable oil (take olive or flaxseed) in a ratio of one to four. For seven days it is infused in a place protected from light. All this time, the oil is shaken regularly. Method of administration: drop wormwood oil onto a teaspoon granulated sugar or a piece of refined sugar and apply three times a day to relieve nervous tension. It is also taken immediately before bed.

For the prevention of cancer

Herbal medicine with wormwood for the prevention of education cancerous tumors in folk medicine it is described in sufficient detail. It should be clarified that this is not a 100% guarantee from oncological diseases: taking decoctions and infusions serves as a preventive measure.

The aerial part of the plant, collected at the beginning of the summer season, is taken as the basis for medicinal raw materials.

The standard preparation recipe is as follows: a spoonful of dry pounded raw materials is poured with boiling water (250 ml) and left for half an hour. After filtering, the infusion is taken 70 ml three times a day before meals. The prophylactic course lasts 10 days, followed by a break for two weeks. A total of at least three courses will be required.

Application in cosmetology

Wormwood grass is an excellent component for cosmetics, prepared at home. Based on it, they make: soothing baths, poultices for bruises, decoctions for the treatment of skin acne, baths for sweaty feet.

Wormwood has a pronounced antipruritic and regenerating effect, so it is used for hair care for seborrhea.

Plant oil is added to creams intended for oily and problem skin types. Biologically active substances of wormwood promote detoxification and rejuvenation of the skin, stimulating metabolism and epidermal restoration processes.

For skin and hair care try the following means plant based:

• Infusion for rinsing - 100 g of dried herb is stirred in a liter of boiling water and left for half an hour. Afterwards, filter the liquid and rinse your head with it. Repeat after each shampooing;
• Rejuvenating bath - pour three tablespoons of wormwood into a saucepan and cook in water (2 liters) for about 30 minutes. Cool, strain and pour into the bath. The duration of the procedure is no longer than 25 minutes;
• Nourishing mask for the face – grind 2 – 3 pinches of wormwood herb in a coffee grinder and, adding a spoonful of hot water, stir to a paste. After cooling, mix in a spoonful of shea butter and the contents of one ampoule of vitamin B2. Apply the mask to cleansed facial skin and wash it off after 20 minutes. It will give the skin elasticity and improve complexion.

Contraindications and harm

Wormwood herb is not recommended for long-term use. Its chemical components can accumulate in the body, which in case of overdose and uncontrolled use can cause poisoning. Its symptoms include hallucinations, visual disturbances, loss of coordination, confusion, nausea and vomiting.

The plant has a mild toxic effect, so it is contraindicated for women during pregnancy and lactation and children (all persons under 18 years of age).

The plant should be used with caution if there is allergic reactions and asthmatic manifestations.