In Russia, birch has always been considered the main healer. Everyone knows that colds were successfully treated in the bathhouse with a birch broom, but nowadays not everyone has the opportunity to visit the bathhouse.
Colds can be treated with birch leaves in your apartment. The leaves can be bought at the pharmacy, but it is better to harvest them yourself - the young sticky leaves, which must be collected and dried, are considered the most medicinal ones.
Indeed, there are few plants in nature that would have such a variety of valuable medicinal properties and such a wide range of therapeutic effects on colds, as in birch. Its leaves and buds are widely used in both official and folk medicine in the treatment of almost all colds.
Procurement of medicinal raw materials for birch
For these purposes, birch buds are harvested in winter or early spring, at the very beginning of swelling. At this time, they are pointed, sticky, covered, like tiles, with scales. At the same time, it is important not to waste time and collect the buds before they bloom and the kidney scales open, until the tips of the green leaves appear.
Branches with buds are tied into bundles and in this form they are dried in the open air or in dryers at a temperature of + 25 ... + 30 ° C. After drying, the kidneys are threshed. Dried buds should be dark brown in color with a pleasant odor, bitter taste and a shiny surface due to the presence of a significant amount of resinous substances in them.
Birch buds have the richest chemical composition. They contain up to 5% essential oils, up to 5-7% tannins, a lot of saponins and vitamin C. Fresh buds secrete volatile phytoncides, which have a detrimental effect on microorganisms.
Young birch leaves are harvested in May – June, when they are still sticky, fragrant and not coarse. They are harvested in the morning and dried in a dark, well-ventilated area at moderate temperatures. Both buds and leaves in official and folk medicine are widely used in the treatment of almost all colds.
Application recipes
For bronchitis and flu, an effective collection consisting of equal shares of birch buds, oregano herb, St. John's wort herb, and yarrow herb. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of the crushed mixture with 1 glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 12 hours, strain. Apply an infusion of 1 glass 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
In acute bronchitis, a collection consisting of 1 tsp of birch buds, 2 tsp of knotweed herb, 1 tsp of yarrow grass and 1 tsp of coltsfoot leaves is useful. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of the mixture with 1 glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 8 hours, strain. Take 0.3 cups 3 times a day.
For colds, pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis, many herbalists use alcoholic tincture of birch buds with honey. To prepare it, you need 3 tbsp. Spoons of chopped birch buds pour 1 glass of vodka, insist in a dark place at room temperature for 6 weeks, drain. Add 1 tbsp to the infusion. spoon of honey and stir well. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
A mixture of alcoholic tinctures of birch leaves and garlic with honey is even more effective for these diseases. To prepare it, you need 3 tbsp. Spoons of chopped birch buds pour 1 glass of vodka to insist in a dark place for 40 days. Then strain it, mix with garlic alcoholic tincture in equal parts, add 2 tbsp. spoons of honey boiled in a boiling water bath and stir everything well. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before eating.
If you feel aches in the body with a cold, then rub with an alcoholic infusion of birch buds at night - this will reduce painful sensations, cause severe sweating. At the same time, you can drink tea from birch buds. After rubbing, the patient needs to lie under a blanket in order to sweat properly.
When coughing, the oil infusion of the kidneys with honey helps well. To prepare it, you need 2 tbsp. mix tablespoons of chopped birch buds with 50 grams of unsalted butter, put on low heat, bring to a boil, but do not boil. Simmer over low heat or in the oven for 1 hour. Cool until warm, strain, add 100 g of honey boiled in a water bath, stir well. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 4 times daily before meals.
In folk medicine for bronchitis, warm birch sap and a decoction of birch buds or leaves are widely used. To prepare such a broth, you need 3 tbsp. Spoons of birch leaves pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and cook over low heat until evaporated by half, strain, sweeten with honey. Take 1 tbsp. spoon many times a day or warm up your nose with this broth for a cold.
With angina, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, it is useful to drink birch sap without restriction in a warm form. For angina, it is useful to gargle with warm birch sap several times a day.
For colds with a runny nose, use a collection consisting of 1 hour of birch leaves, 3 hours of burdock leaves, 4 hours of coltsfoot leaves, 8 hours of black currant leaves. To prepare the infusion, you need to pour 1 teaspoon of the mixture with 1 glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 2 hours, strain. Take 0.5 cups 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
In the same case, a collection is used, consisting of 1 hour of birch leaves, 2 hours of mint leaves, 6 hours of grass sequence. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of collection with 1 glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 3 hours, strain. Take 0.3 cups 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
For pleurisy, herbalists recommend a complex collection, consisting of 2 hours of birch buds, 2 hours of calendula flowers, 2 hours of horsetail grass, 1 hour of hawthorn flowers, 1 hour of elecampane root, 1 hour of marsh oregano herb, 1 hour. licorice root naked. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of chopped collection with 1 glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 3 hours, strain. Take 0.5 cups 4 times a day.
In bronchial asthma, a collection consisting of 3 hours of birch leaves, 6 hours of grass succession, 3 hours of plantain leaves, 2 hours of chamomile flowers, 2 hours of nettle leaves, 2 hours of ephedra herb, 2 hours of knotweed herb is used. To prepare the infusion, you need to pour 2 cups of the mixture with 1 cup of boiling water, insist in a warm place for 20 minutes, strain. Take 0.5 cups 3-4 times a day after meals.
Well, if you go to the bathhouse, then make brooms from birch branches. They cleanse the skin well with a tendency to rashes and pustular diseases, accelerate wound healing, help with muscle and joint pain after exercise, and improve lung ventilation.
Birch buds are also part of the anti-inflammatory collection. It consists of 3 tsp birch buds, 2 tsp elecampane root, 1 tsp wormwood herb, 2 tsp dandelion root, 1 tsp tansy flowers. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of collection with 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, drain. Apply 0.75 cups 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
It is necessary to take, especially for a long time, infusions and decoctions of birch buds and leaves with caution, especially with functional insufficiency of the buds, due to the high content of resinous substances in them. This should be done only under the supervision of the attending physician.
Scientists have long proven the effect of birch on human health. In the course of numerous studies, it was found that people living near birch groves almost do not get sick with colds, since volatile phytoncides have antiviral, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects.
Lovers of bath procedures will appreciate the properties of birch. The fact is that under the influence of hot air, its leaves secrete medicinal phytoncides, perfectly sterilizing the air and filling it with antiseptics.
Read also the article: Birch: medicinal properties.
"Ural gardener", No. 29, 2017
