Since ancient times berry cowberry is famous for the useful properties, but not everyone knows, as leaves of this culture are not less valuable. Broths and infusions from a cowberry leaf are capable to present health to a human body and to save it from many illnesses, they are vitamin-rich also minerals.
Chemical composition
The leaf of cowberry differs in the increased maintenance of useful elements and vitamins:
- phytoncides, tannins — rejuvenate cells of a body, have antibacterial action;
- vitamin C — helps an organism at catarrhal diseases;
- arbutin — works as diuretic action, differs in antiseptic and disinfecting properties;
- organic acids — show anti-inflammatory and diuretic action;
- vitamins of group B (B1, B3, B6, B9) — provide the timely growth and normal development of an organism;
- fat oils;
- calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, iron and are a lot of others macro - and minerals.
The chemical composition can be changed — everything depends on the place of growth of a bush. The most useful consider cowberry which grew in the coniferous forest.
Important! Phytoncides which contain in plant leaves do not allow to develop to such disease as golden staphylococcus.
Medicinal properties
Green material of cowberry has the following medicinal properties:
- febrifugal;
- bile-expelling;
- knitting;
- strengthens capillaries and walls of vessels;
- diuretic;
- antiseptic.
Whether you know? Cowberry is one of the few berries, capable to be stored throughout all winter without heat treatment. Thanks to benzoic acid which contains in berry it is not subject to a mold, decayed.
Application in traditional medicine
Many centuries ago folk healers noted from what, from what diseases cowberry leaves help:
- urolithic disease, gout, conclusion of salts from kidneys;
- defeats of intervertebral disks (osteochondrosis);
- inflammation of a prostate (prostatitis);
- therapy of ulcers and other damages of a mucous membrane from stomatitis and the gingivit;
- therapy of rheumatic states;
- therapy of inflammatory diseases of kidneys (pyelonephritis);
- violations of work of a bladder (cystitis);
- therapy of hypertensive diseases;
- reduction of hypostases and strengthening of walls of vessels;
- therapy of diabetes, reduces sugar level in blood;
- as cure for parasitic infections;
- elimination of consequences of avitaminosis;
- diseases of a throat, upper airways;
- treatment of catarrhal diseases.
Whether you know? Cowberry is a plant long-liver, it is capable to live up to 300 years.
When to collect how to dry and store cowberry leaves
The most favorable periods when it is necessary to collect a cowberry leaf for treatment, such periods as the beginning of spring are — at this time cut off inflorescences with young leaflets, or September-October, at the time of gathering berries — break already dense and rigid leaves. It is proved that at this time the leaf accumulates in itself force and a large amount of vitamins, micro and macrocells. The summer period is not suitable for collecting green material as the plant gives all useful substances to berries, and the prepared raw materials badly are stored, blacken.
Collecting leaves of cowberry needs to be made far away from roads, industrial zones that the broken green material did not contain impurity of heavy metals and other pollution. Very young and clean leaflets (before drying it is not recommended to wash them) are subject to collecting. It is undesirable to delay with further processing — after collecting a leaf until drying there should not be a gap in time more than three hours.
Dry collected raw materials in the dry and aired room if there is no such opportunity — in an oven at low temperatures, about 35 °C. Material for drying is displayed a thin layer which is periodically overturned. A period of storage of the prepared and dried material — three years. It is necessary to store the sheet of cowberry in linen sacks, cardboard boxes.
Recipes of application
It is possible to make a leaf of cowberry in various ways, making a start from what aims are pursued what disease is wanted to be cured. As it is correct to make cowberry leaves, we will consider below.
Read also about curative properties and recipes of traditional medicine with application of a linden, a thyme, cornflower, bearberry, a calendula, a wormwood, a hyssop, sage, a sea-buckthorn, hawthorn, dogrose.
Tea
For preparation of tea it is required to fill in 1 teaspoon of the dried-up material with 200 ml of the boiling water, to allow drink to infuse 15 minutes, to filter, and it is possible to drink. If there is desire, then it is possible to add honey to tea.
- For maintenance of the immune system, receiving a charge of cheerfulness and forces — 100 ml of tea are drunk after a meal, 2-3 times a day are admissible to accept it.
- At a hypertension — 150 ml of tea for day, after meals.
Favourite way of preparation of drink is tea from cowberry leaves, its advantage is concluded in the invigorating impact on an organism and strengthening of the immune system and if you remember contraindications, then you will not be able to do to the health harm.
Broth
For preparation of broth in capacity with 1 tablespoon of the dried-up material fill in 1 glass of the boiling water, cover with a cover and on slow fire cook half an hour. Broth cools down, it is passed via the filter and applied according to the recipe of the doctor.
- At cystitis and other diseases of an urinary system broth of a cowberry leaf is drunk, as a rule, on 100 ml by three times a day, in half an hour after meal. Arbutin which contains in plant leaves helps to get rid quickly of pathogenic microorganisms, quickly there comes simplification.
- At inflammation of kidneys — 1 teaspoon of a cowberry leaf and 1 teaspoon of coltsfoot is filled in with 400 ml of the boiling water, on slow fire stirring slowly, weary for 5 minutes. Cool. Accept three times a day 100 ml for an hour before meal.
- At catarrhal states — three times a day, in half an hour after meal, drink 2 tablespoons of broth.
- Cowberry leaves with success apply from hypostases at pregnancy. For receiving broth take 1 teaspoon of leaves, fill in 200 ml of cold water, bring to boiling and on slow fire boil for 12 minutes. Liquid is cooled. Accept on 100 ml in 20 minutes prior to meal 2 times a day. It is desirable to repeat the procedure every other day or according to the scheme which will be offered by the attending physician.
Important! Cowberry broth can reduce pressure and influence a uterus therefore during pregnancy about administration of drugs on the basis of cowberry it is necessary to consult on the doctor.
Infusion
For preparation of infusion it is the best of all to use a thermos as it the longest time keeps heat. In capacity fill up 2 tablespoons of a dried leaf and fill in 0.5 l of the boiling water, twist a cover and put aside for 5 hours.
- At the inflamed conditions of joints, gout, rheumatism — accept 100 ml of infusion through equal intervals of time four times a day.
- For relief of symptoms of diabetes — 50 ml of infusion three times a day before meal.
- At stones in kidneys. In a thermos make 1 teaspoon of dried material and 100 ml of boiled water, insist 3 hours. Accept on the 2nd tablespoons each 4 hours.
- When using infusion instead of hair conditioner, the head of hear will become silky, soft, obedient, at the same time the hair loss will decrease and dandruff will disappear.
Contraindications and harm
Leaf of cowberry — a product unique, its curative force is almost deprived of side effects. Only some restrictions at reception of a herb are possible:
- individual intolerance to plant components;
- hypotonia (the lowered pressure);
- cholecystitis;
- stomach ulcer or gastritis with the increased acidity in the anamnesis;
- with caution children aged up to 12 years have to take.
Medicines which part cowberry or its components is are never accepted after a meal, only on an empty stomach or in certain time before food.
Leaves of cowberry are the unique natural product irreplaceable in fight against many indispositions. In this article we learned, than the cowberry leaf is useful. As properties of a plant (diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antiedematous, metabolic) are put into practice. When using a plant as medical medicine it is necessary to be guided by reason and not to allow excess of allowable limits at intake of drinks which part it is.