Hawthorn, whose medicinal properties were identified back in the 16th century, is used to treat blood vessels, normalize blood pressure, digestion, overwork, insomnia and other ailments. In addition to benefits, there are contraindications.
The content of the article:
Content:
- The composition of the medicinal plant
- Pharmacy preparations
- The use of hawthorn
- Heart treatment
- Effect on blood pressure
- Treatment of blood vessels and atherosclerosis
- With fatigue and stress
- Treatment of prostatitis
- Hawthorn in cosmetics
- Contraindications
- Hawthorn varieties
- Landing and care
- Harvesting flowers and fruits for the winter
Read also: Garlic - the King of spices, and how to maintain its "status" at home, useful properties (Photo & Video) + Reviews
The composition of the medicinal plant
The exact chemical composition of the plant, due to which it has benefits for the body, is still not known to medicine.
It is known that the composition of hawthorn includes:
hawthorn blossom
Hawthorn flowers also contain a lot of useful substances:
Oleaponic acid. Improves the supply of the heart muscle and brain with blood, has a tonic effect.
Hawthorn fruit contains many vitamins and minerals needed for the proper functioning of the body. The composition of the plant includes: carotene, vitamins A, C, E, K. Their use is recommended for people suffering from diabetes, as they contain not only sugar, but also sorbitol.
In addition, berries contain a lot of iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, zinc and copper.
Read also: Rosehip - 10 cult recipes and its beneficial properties and contraindications (Photo & Video) + Reviews Pharmacy preparations
In pharmacology, several of the most well-known hawthorn varieties are used in medicine: blood-red, common, prickly and other species. They contain a huge number of compounds that improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The berries of the plant on the shelves of pharmacy kiosks can be purchased in several forms of release:
- tablets
- powder
- extract
- alcohol tincture
- dried berries
They help treat irregular heart rhythms, have a calming effect, lower cholesterol levels, help with indigestion in infants, and so on.
As for the flowers of the plant, they help with hypertension. The tincture is made in the proportion: 30% of the plant and 70% of purified ethyl alcohol.
Hawthorn tinctures
Preparations containing hawthorn include:
Read also: Potatoes: description of 73 best varieties (Photo & Video) + Feedback from gardeners
The use of hawthorn
Many people use hawthorn fruit to make home remedies. Most often, berries are used in the form of tea, tincture, decoction. Even people with no medical education know that this plant helps with various ailments.
It can improve circulation and digestion. For a decoction, you need to take 2-3 dozen fruits and put them in a thermos, then pour boiling water in an amount of 1 liter and leave overnight. In the morning, a healthy drink is ready to drink.
Pleasant taste will allow you to drink it instead of tea
It is recommended to brew the berries as a whole, this allows you to save the maximum amount of useful components.
Tincture of hawthorn flowers
Can be made from dried plant flowers
- The easiest way to make homemade tincture is to brew in a thermos and leave overnight
- It is necessary to brew at the rate of 1 handful of flowers per liter of boiling water
- Reception must be divided into several times
- An hour before the planned meal, you need to drink one-third of a glass
- Use 3-4 times a day
- The infusion will help overcome arrhythmia and angina pectoris, reduce nervous excitement, and normalize sleep.
Chopped berry tincture
The infusion is obtained much faster:
- 1 tablespoon fruit, 1 cup boiling water
- You can use the infusion after 30 minutes
- You need to drink it 1/3 cup 1 hour before the planned meal
Alcohol infusion
The process of preparing the tincture
- Prepared at the rate of 4 tablespoons of chopped berries and flowers for 2 glasses of vodka
- In order for the tincture to gain maximum benefit, it must be kept for 2 weeks in the dark and cool.
- You need to apply the infusion 25-30 drops diluted with water half an hour before meals
Read also: Apple compote for the winter - 14 cult recipes! Tasty and healthy (Photo & Video) + Reviews Heart treatment
As mentioned above, hawthorn has many components that help in the treatment of heart disease.
Diseases associated with the main human organ can manifest themselves in various ways, including:
- fast fatiguability
- body weakness
- CNS disorders
- poor cerebral circulation
- fainting
- shortness of breath
- pain and pressure in the chest area
Etc. If a person has at least one similar symptom, you need to urgently go to a specialist.
Heart failure
The heart muscle can lose its strength over time and its contractions become weak, for this reason, the rest of the organs of the human body begin to feel severe oxygen starvation. In order for blood circulation to normalize, it is recommended to use hawthorn. With it, you can overcome the fatigue of the heart muscle, tone and strengthen its contractions.
There are some of the most common ways to consume hawthorn:
tea balm
Tasty and healthy!
To make a healing balm you will need:
- black tea in the amount of 100 g.
- rose hips 2-3 tablespoons
- chopped or whole hawthorn berries - 1 dessert spoon
- peppermint - 1 tbsp.
- chamomile flowers - 1 dessert spoon.
This composition should be brewed in the form of regular tea.
hawthorn juice
Ready drink
For the manufacture of:
- Take 200g. fruits of the plant and a small amount of water heated to a temperature of 30 degrees
- Berries must be squeezed with gauze, juice should be taken 1 hour before meals
- The leftovers from the spin can be steamed into boiling water and drunk instead of tea
- Tincture. 1 tablespoon of crushed berries should be poured with water heated to 90C in an amount of 200 ml
- Let it brew for half an hour
It is necessary to drink the infusion in the morning and evening, half a cup daily.
Another very healthy drink from a mixture of useful plants:
- Mix hawthorn and motherwort in equal proportions (about 1 tablespoon each), add peppermint and medicinal hops to the mixture, 1 half tablespoon each
- Then pour boiling water over all this herbal mixture - 1 cup and let it brew for half an hour
- You need to use the infusion daily for 200 ml. within a few weeks
Ischemic heart disease, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction
When the work of the coronary vessels is disrupted, this can cause a lot of negative consequences, in particular, compression and pain in the thoracic region, shortness of breath, a sharp increase in blood pressure, as a result of which these symptoms can indicate coronary heart disease. One of the most common causes is atherosclerosis, the appearance of cholesterol plaques. In medicine, such a disease is referred to as angina pectoris, it is popularly called angina pectoris.
Acute cardiac ischemia leads to myocardial infarction. To exclude coronary artery disease, it is recommended to use tinctures from hawthorn flowers and berries for preventive purposes.
Preventive measures for ischemic disease
As a preventive measure for coronary heart disease, a tincture of several natural components will be an excellent remedy:
- It is necessary to mix 2 tbsp. rosehip and hawthorn berries
- Add to them 1 tbsp. chokeberry and carrot seed
- For brewing, you need 3 tbsp. spoon collection add to 1 liter of boiling water
- The infusion must stand for at least 4 hours, after which the medicine is ready for use.
- You need to drink a remedy daily 5-6 times in the amount of half a glass
Preventive infusion
Disease prevention is better than cure
For the prevention of these serious diseases, an infusion prepared at home in the following proportions is suitable:
- crushed berries or hawthorn flowers - 1 tbsp.
- take motherwort herb in equal proportions
- the mixture is poured into 200 ml. boiling water and stand for an hour
- you need to drink a third of a glass half an hour before meals
Another version of the healing decoction, which includes several components of plant origin:
- hawthorn fruits - 1 tbsp.
- fennel - 1 tbsp.
- valerian - 1 tbsp
- For cooking, you need to take 1 tablespoon of the resulting mixture and pour 200 - 250 ml. boiling water
- Then place in a water bath and bring to readiness for 10-25 minutes
- It is better to use a decoction 1-1.5 before meals in the amount of 1/3 cup
Can also be used for infusion exclusively berries hawthorn. It will be very useful for angina pectoris:
- 1 tablespoon of fruit is poured
- 1 cup boiling water and left to infuse overnight in a thermos
- It is recommended to take 1 glass 40-60 minutes before meals
Read also: Sea buckthorn: description, cultivation, useful properties and contraindications, treatment, preparations for the winter - a symphony of benefits and taste! (Photo Video) + Reviews
Effect on blood pressure
Hawthorn is known for its ability to normalize blood pressure, not every plant can boast of such a quality.
It is thanks to this property that hawthorn is used in various recipes with increased or reduced pressure.
Recipes for hypertensive patients
Many people know that high blood pressure can lead to strokes. Also, high blood pressure can indicate problems with the kidneys. A well-known folk remedy for reducing pressure, it is based precisely on the composition of hawthorn in it.
In order to normalize high blood pressure, you need to mix:
- 1 tsp chopped berries, add a small amount of motherwort and chamomile to them and pour a glass of hot boiled water
- Let it brew for 1 hour, then strain with cheesecloth or a sieve
- It is necessary to take the drug in 1 tbsp. one hour before meals
From the flowers of the plant, another useful remedy is also made that normalizes high blood pressure:
- Dry fruits of the plant in the amount of 1 tablespoon, pour a glass of boiling water and stand in a closed container all night
- Then you need to take an infusion of 1 glass an hour before meals for 1 month
- Take 3 parts of hawthorn flowers, motherwort, and chokeberry, as well as 1 part of sweet clover
- It is necessary to brew the collection in the proportion of 1 tablespoon per glass of boiling water, then it is necessary to stand the infusion in a thermos overnight and drink a third of a glass an hour before meals
Easy way to increase blood pressure
Hypotension is no less common disease than hypertension. A decrease in blood pressure is accompanied by such unpleasant symptoms as severe dizziness, weakness throughout the body, it is difficult for hypotensive patients to spend time in the heat. You can improve your condition with physical activity.
In order to keep yourself in good shape, it is recommended to use hawthorn
To prepare an infusion that increases the blood pressure of hypotensive patients, you must use:
- Hawthorn fruits per 2 tsp dry fruits and 1 tsp. flowers in 1 cup boiling water
- It is necessary to infuse the decoction for 2 hours, then consume 1 glass 1 hour before meals
Read also: TOP-9 Recipes for delicious zucchini salads for the winter: “Lick your fingers” Treatment of blood vessels and atherosclerosis
Vessels have elastic walls only if they are healthy. The negative impact of the environment, eating harmful foods, smoking and drinking alcohol, eventually causing the walls of blood vessels to become unusable. A sedentary lifestyle can also cause vascular problems.
When cholesterol levels rise in the blood, over time, this leads to the formation of cholesterol plaques, due to which the lumen of blood vessels decreases, which can subsequently lead to atherosclerosis. To avoid unpleasant diseases, it is worth keeping the vessels in good condition:
- Spend a lot of time outdoors
- Engage in moderate physical activity and take preventive measures
This will avoid another unpleasant disease, like varicose veins.
A good example of atherosclerosis
To understand the seriousness of the disease and the need for preventive measures, it is worth considering. That varicose veins, if left untreated, can cause blood clots.
Preventive infusion
- 3 parts of the flowers of the plant, add oregano, St. John's wort and motherwort in equal amounts.
- For cooking, you must use a thermos, in which pour 1 tbsp. mixture per 1 liter of boiling water
- The infusion should be left for 12 hours in order to maximize the extraction of useful components.
- Consume 0.5 cup one hour before meals
Cholesterol is produced by the liver and in small amounts has a beneficial effect on the body, but its high levels lead to major health problems. Hawthorn is able to lower cholesterol levels.
For this you need:
- 1 tbsp a spoonful of flowers and 200 ml. boiling water
- It is enough to insist 10-15 minutes
- Drink a drink in half a glass half an hour before meals
- When using fruits, it is worth insisting longer than 1.5-2 hours
Read also: Bulgarian pepper for the winter: 3 ways to store a vitamin record holder and 5 most delicious recipes for blanks With fatigue and stress
- Hawthorn has a wide range of activities. Its composition and useful components can improve the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract, and the condition of blood vessels.
- The plant helps to cope with the instability of blood pressure and many other ailments.
- In addition, it is known that hawthorn improves the overall condition of the body, helps to cope with stress, irritability and uneven excitability.
- There are many reasons for overworking the body, it can be hard working days, troubles, health problems, lack of vitamins in the body.
- To restore strength and return to a normal lifestyle, it is recommended to use infusions and decoctions of hawthorn
- As a sedative, a decoction is used, which includes 1 tablespoon of the fruits of the plant, filled with 200 ml. boiling water in a thermos
- It is necessary to infuse the berries for 1 hour, then consume 3 tablespoons an hour before meals
- Hawthorn berries tend to dilate blood vessels, thereby improving blood circulation to the brain and enriching it with oxygen, which helps to cope with fatigue, irritability, depressed mood and headaches.
- Another effective recipe for infusion for stress
- It is necessary to mix chopped hawthorn berries and St. John's wort in equal amounts, brew at the rate of 1 tbsp per 200 ml of boiling water.
- You need to insist for 15 minutes, and drink as tea
Read also: Apple blanks for the winter - recipes, a rich variety of variations: pickled apples, jam, jam, jam, puree and compote Treatment of prostatitis
- Hawthorn is an excellent prophylactic against male problems
- With regular use of hawthorn, the risk of prostate diseases is practically eradicated.
- Diseases of the prostate are accompanied by discomfort in the lower abdomen, frequent and painful urination, as well as severe irritability.
- Often the disease is associated with age-related hormonal changes in the body of men.
- The use of tea in the composition, which includes hawthorn, will help normalize the functioning of sexual functions and alleviate the symptoms of the disease
- The composition of this tea must include: mint and hawthorn flowers 1 tbsp each, add 2 tbsp. veronica and 3 tbsp. Ivan-tea and highlander bird
- Pour 200 ml into any container. boiling water and add 1 tbsp collection. You need to drink the medicine once a day for 1/3 cup 40 minutes before meals
Read also: If there is cabbage, the table is not empty. Or harvesting pickled cabbage for the winter (13 delicious recipes) Hawthorn in cosmetics
In cosmetics, hawthorn is used quite often, especially in the treatment of skin diseases. Its truly extraordinary properties are able to cope with a variety of skin ailments: acne, inflammation, wound healing effects.
Many major cosmetic companies use hawthorn extract in their cosmetics.
Also, the plant is used to treat hair and scalp, and is used in many masks.
Cosmetic effect of hawthorn
They refresh the dermis and give it a healthy radiant look. Also, the main effect of the extract is a regenerating effect.Cosmetics based on hawthorn allow the skin to cope with stress, relax and enrich the skin.
To whom cosmetics is recommended
Cosmetic products based on hawthorn extract are recommended for use in various skin problems:
- acne
- swelling of the eyelids
- dry skin hairline
- hair laxity, also as a tonic
- improving blood supply
In addition, the plant has medicinal properties for serious skin problems. Since hawthorn contains a huge amount of antioxidants, products based on it are used to treat such ailments as:
- eczema
- burns
- ulcers
Medicinal and cosmetic products can reduce itching and irritation, help cleanse wounds and heal them.
With hawthorn extract
Hawthorn, a common plant. In some regions of Russia, it is considered wild. The plant has a rich composition and has a healing effect, which made it possible to develop various cosmetics based on it:
- face and body creams
- shampoos
- conditioner balms
- decorative cosmetics
The plant is also used to make homemade cosmetics.
For face
The face is the mirror of the soul
It is worth remembering that any component can cause an allergic reaction in case of individual intolerance. In order to avoid trouble, it is necessary to test the tool. To do this, apply a small amount of the mask to the bend of the elbow and hold for 10 minutes.
If allergic redness does not appear, the product can be safely used on the skin of the face.
For eyelids
The eyelids are highly prone to swelling, there can be many reasons
- Around the gas, the skin is very thin and delicate, so it requires special care.
- In order to quickly get rid of edema, you can prepare a simple care product.
- To do this, you need parsley roots and hawthorn juice.
- The roots must be crushed with a blender and mixed with berry juice in a ratio of 1: 2
- Apply the product to the skin around the eyes and hold for 20 minutes
For baths
The plant is used for various foot baths.
- With fatigue and heaviness in the legs, it is recommended to make baths based on 2 liters of boiling water, add 6 tablespoons of plant berries mixed with horsetail in equal proportions
- The mixture must be boiled for 10 minutes, then condemned to a comfortable temperature and put your feet down there.
- Take a foot bath for no more than half an hour
- Also, this infusion can be added to the bath.
- Taking a bath with hawthorn will improve blood circulation, soothe and become a guarantor of restful sleep.
For hair
Weak hair is a problem for many women.
- The reason for this can be sudden changes in temperature, lack of vitamins, and so on.
- To restore a healthy look to the hair, it is recommended to use mixtures based on hawthorn
- For the mixture you will need: 1 tsp. plant berry juice, 1 tsp. cognac, 2 tbsp. decoction of burdock
- All ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and rubbed into the hair roots.
- Wrap your head in a towel for greater efficiency and hold for 1-1.5 hours
- To treat dandruff, you can use the following recipe: 2 tbsp hawthorn flowers, 2 tbsp. yarrow and alcohol
- This mixture must be poured with 1 liter of water and insisted for 3 days in a dark place
- Then use the tincture as a hair rinse
- After the hair is dry, the same infusion should be rubbed into the scalp for greater effectiveness.
Read also: Harvesting Mushrooms for the winter - 15 delicious recipes: dried, pickled in jars, salted and other variations for every taste Contraindications
Like all plants, hawthorn brings not only benefits, but also has contraindications.
- It is necessary to use hawthorn infusions and decoctions correctly, especially for people with problems of the cardiovascular system
- Before you start using the plant as a medicine, you need a mandatory consultation with your doctor, especially for cores.
- It is impossible to use infusions, teas and decoctions with hawthorn for a long time. Everything should be in moderation
- Therefore, in order to avoid negative consequences, the dosage and duration of use should be clarified with a doctor.
- On an empty stomach, the use of medicines based on hawthorn is strictly prohibited, as this can provoke vomiting or intestinal spasm.
- When using hawthorn as a medicine, you should not drink cold water immediately after infusion or decoction of hawthorn, as this can lead to intestinal colic and spasms
- In some cases, hypotensive patients should use infusions not from berries, but from the flowers of the plant
- We strongly recommend that you do not self-medicate without the advice of specialists, as this can cause a number of negative consequences with incorrect dosages.
Hawthorn varieties
Hawthorn has been known since ancient times. Its feature is the variety of varieties. Geographically, the plant grows in Russia and the CIS. In these territories, the most common varieties are: cow-red, prickly, single-piston. Also cultivated species: Dahurian, Altai and Ukrainian.
Blood red (Siberian)
Blood red (Siberian)
- This variety is a low shrub that grows up to 4 meters in height.
- The plant blooms only 3-4 days. The flowering period occurs at the end of spring or early summer
- During flowering, an unpleasant smell emanates from the shrub, reminiscent of stale fish.
- The fruits of the plant are round in shape, 8-10 mm in diameter, with edible seeds, which are 3-4 per fruit.
- Ripening of berries begins in the autumn period from September to October. After planting a seedling, the first harvest appears in 7-8 years
- Hawthorn of this species is not whimsical, perfectly tolerates any weather, drought and poor soil
- Often shrubs are used to create hedges.
- In Siberia and the Far East, the plant grows near water bodies.
prickly (common)
prickly (common)
- The species grows as a small shrub or tree, the height of the plant reaches 5 meters.
- The fruits of the shrub are small. A distinctive feature of the species is slow growth
- Wild shrub is most common in European countries
- The plant tolerates the absence of sunlight well, unpretentious to the soil, easy to cut.
- In Europe, it is often used as an impenetrable hedge.
Single pistillate (single stone)
single-petal hawthorn
- This species grows in the south of Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
- Feature - fast growth, grows up to 6 meters in height
- The life span of a plant ranges from 200 to 300 years.
- The fruits are medium in size, contain only 1 stone, hence the name of the species.
- After planting, the seedling begins to bear fruit after 6 years. The plant is easy to cut and shape.
Landing and care
Reproduction of hawthorn occurs in various ways. Seed propagation is often used. From the seeds, as a rule, a hedge is grown, since growing in this way contributes to the loss of all the healing properties of the plant.
- Planting seeds begins in the fall. Seeds from slightly unripe berries are used
- Landing should be done frequently, since this method of reproduction is notable for poor similarity.
- If it is decided to plant in the spring season, then the seeds must be prepared in advance, and for this they must be at a temperature of +1 to +3C for several months.
- In the first year of life, the shrub will be able to reach a height of 10-15 cm.
- Over the next two years, the plant will reach half a meter
- During this period, it is necessary to carry out the first pruning
- You need to leave only the lower 3-6 kidneys
- This will contribute to the rapid growth and branching
Shrubs are planted at a permanent place of growth at the age of 2 years.
- It is not recommended to plant hawthorn near pears, plums, apple trees, as this can lead to infection by a common pest.
- Before transplanting, it is necessary to dig a hole measuring 50 * 50 cm
- Between the pits should be a distance of at least 2 meters
- At the bottom of the pit, you need to put fertilizer, fertile soil and humus
- Within 2 weeks, you need to maintain optimal soil moisture so that the shrub can take root
- After the hawthorn has taken root, it is necessary to prune from time to time to give it the desired shape and height.
- Shrub resistant to frost and drought
- The first fruits can be obtained in 5-6 years
- Hawthorn can bear fruit annually or after a year, for one fruiting the shrub is able to produce up to 20 kg of berries
- The thorns of the bush play an excellent role in growing a hedge, which is quite problematic to get through.
- For a hedge, seedlings should be planted from each other at a distance of no more than 50 cm.
Harvesting flowers and fruits for the winter
For some diseases, hawthorn flowers are more effective than fruits
- They are also prepared for the winter period. The main thing to avoid when harvesting shrub flowers is humidity.
- It is necessary to pluck flowers in dry weather, since the flowering period is very short, this task is not an easy one.
- For harvesting, flowers are needed that are fully opened.
- You need to cut very carefully, capturing a small part of the stem
- The most favorable time for this process is in the morning, when the dew is completely dry.
- Harvest must be scattered in a dry and dark place. It is better to spread in a thin layer
- The drying area should be well ventilated. Store flowers in cloth bags
- Shelf life up to a year
When harvesting the fruits of a plant, there are also certain rules that will allow you to save the maximum benefit.
- You need to harvest in September-October. Picking berries is necessary, just like flowers in dry weather.
- After that, they must be washed and dried at a temperature of + 50C
- As a result of drying, hawthorn berries acquire a wrinkled and darker appearance. Fruit tastes much sweeter
- It is also recommended to store berries in bags of their breathable material, it is preferable to use cotton fabric
- Shelf life - 2 years
- Berries can also be stored in the freezer. To do this, you need to wash and dry the fruits, and then arrange them in special plastic containers for freezing and cover with a lid.
Hawthorn is widely used to treat many ailments. Useful are not only its fruits, but also flowers, bark. They make excellent vitamin teas, tinctures, decoctions.
Many people know hawthorn as an excellent general tonic. But its medicinal properties and scope are much wider; this herbal raw material is actively used in the treatment and prevention of many diseases.