Burdock

Burdock, or burdock - one of the most common plants in central Russia. In almost every yard, in the warm season, its gigantic leaves and bright purple spiny inflorescences are visible. At the same time, many do not even know that it has inherent impressive healing properties, which are very widely used in modern medicine and the beauty industry. What is this wonderful weed and what are the burdock useful properties and contraindications?

What parts are suitable for use?

Burdock - a biennial plant. As a rule, in medicine use its roots. They are rich in essential and fatty oils, minerals and organic acids. They also contain proteins, glycosides, bitterness, gums, some fatty acids, vitamins B, C, E, A, P, inulin and other valuable substances.

Essential oils, tanning components, ascorbic acid, vitamin C and vegetable fats are also present in the burdock leaves. In ancient times, they were collected for the preparation of simple village dishes, and they literally saved people during the famine years. In modern kitchen, there are many recipes using leaves or roots.

Healing properties of burdock

Burdock in medicine is very widely used, as there are many useful substances. It has a healing, diuretic, laxative, anti-edema, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory effect. The most common treatment juice, infusion or decoction of the plant.

To get the infusion, burdock root is crushed, 1 tsp. poured into a thermos, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and leave overnight. You can also make an alcohol version of it. To do this, fresh root is sent to the jar and poured with alcohol or vodka in proportions of 1:10, after which the infusion is removed for 14-21 days to darken. Infusion is perfect for compresses in the treatment of joints, as well as for drying and eliminating itching.

A decoction of burdock root, just like an infusion, does an excellent job with joint pains and wounds caused by dermatological ailments, but it is also drunk for malignant tumors, liver diseases and colds.

The treatment of burdock juice is especially common. Juice is extracted from both the roots and the leaves. For this, it is suitable young leaves and roots collected in the spring. To prepare the juice, you can use the juicer or grate the grated root, then squeeze the juice. The leaves are briefly held in water to get rid of excess bitterness, and then passed through a meat grinder and, again, squeeze the juice. It is practiced to add a small amount of honey to the juice from the leaves. It is better to cook it in small portions, since it is necessary to start fresh.

Burdock juice is treated for ulcers and urolithiasis, hemorrhoids, pancreatic dysfunction, intoxication, gout, gastritis and other ailments. But the main use of the juice is wound healing, and it can be both cuts and insect bites, as well as wounds caused by dermatological diseases. Since the burdock content of inulin is quite high, the juice perfectly helps in the treatment of diabetes.

Here are some recipes for treating burdock most common diseases.

Diseases of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and urinary system

In these diseases, both burdock juice and decoction are suitable. Juice take 1 tbsp. 3 times a day.

To prepare the broth 10 g of dry chopped burdock is brewed 1 tbsp. boiling water for 30 minutes and put in a water bath. Then it is cooled, filtered. Take a decoction of 1 tbsp. three times a day.

Uterine fibroids and uterine bleeding

For the treatment of fibroids, the decoction is prepared as follows: 1 tsp. dry burdock is poured into a thermos 0.5 liters of boiling water and leave to infuse overnight. You need to take 100 ml 4 times a day. Drink decoction courses for 4 weeks with a two-week break until full recovery.

Treatment of joints and rheumatism

Burdock is used for these purposes in different ways. We describe the most effective ways.

• The leaves are washed, dried, cut into "noodles" and put in a glass jar. It is sent to a sunny place and wait for the contents to give juice and become covered with mold. Mold is a sign of medicine's readiness. After that, gruel is applied to a gauze cloth and applied to the sore joint. Compress must be kept until dry.
• Fresh burdock leaf can also be used. To do this, it is slightly crumpled before the performance of the juice, then the fleece side is applied to the sore joint smeared with cologne or honey. Wrapped in a diaper, top tightly wrapped with a woolen scarf. It is recommended to keep such a compress all night. It is important to alternate honey and cologne, not to use the same two 2 in a row.
• For ease of application, you can prepare the ointment. To do this, the juice is mixed with any vegetable oil (butter, linseed, hemp, sesame) and put in the refrigerator. It is better to prepare the ointment in small portions, as it is recommended to store it for no more than 3 days.
• Compresses can be made from the prepared infusion of burdock root. To do this, the gauze cloth is moistened with infusion, applied to the inflamed joint, wrapped in a diaper and a warm scarf.

These methods are great help from rheumatism.

Features of the use and contraindications of burdock

Knowing what helps burdock, you need to remember: like any other medicinal plant, it is required to collect and use, observing some caution.

• First of all, it concerns the places where plants are collected. It is extremely dangerous to stock them in an area with poor environmental conditions, near major highways, in big cities. This is due to the fact that burdock in these areas accumulates harmful substances, and they will no longer benefit from treatment.
• Burdock is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, since there are no studies on its effect on the developing fetus or penetration into breast milk.
• Burdock is strictly contraindicated in case of predisposition to intestinal colic.
• Contraindication to the use of burdock is also considered to be the presence or susceptibility to the onset of allergies, since the composition of the plant is multicomponent, and one of the substances can cause exacerbation in allergy sufferers.
• Well and the main thing - to remember that any serious illness should be discussed first of all with the attending doctor. It is necessary to consult with him about the possibility of using burdock for a speedy recovery.

Plant in cosmetology

Burdock is used not only for medicinal purposes, but also actively involved in cosmetology. There are few women who have not heard of burdock oil. This simple remedy for strengthening and stimulating hair growth rightfully deserves first place among the other drugs.

For burdock oil is usually sent to the pharmacy, but it is better to still cook on their own. To do this, insist the root for 3 weeks in olive or almond oil in the ratio of 1: 3. The finished cosmetic product is heated in a water bath and applied to the entire length of the hair - as well as rubbed into the scalp. That is how useful components can normalize metabolic processes. Then put on a plastic cap and wrap a towel for 1 hour. The frequency of application of burdock depends on the type of hair: if for normal it is enough to make masks twice a month, then for oily or, on the contrary, for dry and damaged, the procedure should be carried out 1-2 times a week.

Burdock oil can be combined with other oils or infusions to solve problems such as: loss (add pepper tincture), dullness (used in conjunction with almond oil, jojoba oil and vitamins A and E), slow growth (mixed with castor oil), etc. .

Burdock is also good for hair as a decoction for rinsing the head after washing. This will strengthen the hair and give it shine.

Burdock oil is used to remove traces of acne, it helps in the fight against wrinkles, relieves oily shine, thanks to its bactericidal action helps in getting rid of acne.

Burdock in cooking

The roots and leaves of this amazing weed are used in the kitchen.

In the food are young roots of the first year of growth. For cooking, they are harvested in late autumn, crushed into strips and dried in the oven with low heat. After that, it can be stored until the next harvest. Before use, a dried root is enough to hold over boiling water for several minutes.

The leaves are also suitable only for young and small, so they should be collected in the spring, when the burdock has not yet appeared inflorescences, and the leaves have grown to 10-15 cm in length. After collecting them dry and put in glass jars. In this form, they can be stored for a year.

There is an incredible amount of recipes using burdock. These are soups, rolls, cabbage rolls, salads, pickled burdock roots, coffee and other dishes.

Burdock - a multifaceted plant. For centuries it has been used in traditional medicine and in cuisines around the world. More recently, cosmetic and medical organizations were skeptical of this plant, but now it is a worthy component of many drugs, shampoos, ointments, creams. Owning information about the healing properties and contraindications of burdock, you are for mere pennies. Get an excellent tool for health and beauty.