At the first signs of any indisposition many of us first of all hurry in drugstore behind saving tablets, drops or ointment. But the nature surrounds us with plants with curative properties, and only our ignorance or unwillingness does not give to know the chance to use these gifts fully. Paraphrasing the known phrase, it is possible to claim with confidence that "rescue of ill — work the most ill" or his relatives. We will talk about one medical "straw" from a huge stock of natural drugstore — a plant coltsfoot.
Description
At the end of March or in April, right after thawing of snow and the first spring heat on waste grounds, on river coast, on slopes of beams, on embankments of railway tracks there are golden-yellow, collected in baskets flowers. At first sight they are similar to dandelions, but it is not possible to mix them, they are smaller. Both the most important — quite thick and long stalks are not surrounded with leaves which appear almost upon termination of blossoming.
They are a little similar to grape or to lopukhovy leaves: same roundish, with gear edges, two-color. The top dark green side cool at touch, and lower, covered with dense white fibers, warm. Because of this feature the plant also received the name coltsfoot. In process of the growth this bilateral green material covers the Earth's surface with a dense carpet. These distinctive features distinguish this plant and will not allow to mix it with others when collecting.
Whether you know? On the coat of arms of the Norwegian commune Nannestad on a green background three bright yellow flowers of coltsfoot are represented.
Chemical composition
The Latin name of this plant tussilago as in its structure a considerable part belongs to a bitter glycoside a tussilyagina. In translation it means: tussis is cough, ago — to banish, that is "the banishing cough". Besides, at this green doctor there are essential oils, vitamin C and carotene, inulin, phytosterols, flavonoids, slime. Coltsfoot is capable to accumulate in itself copper, potassium, selenium, bromine and silver.
Medicinal properties have also such plants as: passionflowers, devyasit, a marjoram, a horsetail field, a plantain, a motherwort, a nettle, a St. John's wort, an immortelle sandy, mint, a melissa, a magnolia vine Chinese, a bergenia, a cornflower, a thyme, a dogrose, a sage medicinal, a hyssop, a wormwood bitter, a calendula, a hawthorn, a linden, a bearberry, dyagil, a clover meadow, a thistle, a lyubistok medicinal, solyanka holmovy, ekhinatseya, ivan-tea and a fenugreek.
Curative properties
Useful properties are inherent in both leaves, and flowers the tsar grass (so still call this plant).
- Obviously expressed medical qualities are peculiar to them: disinfecting, anti-inflammatory and mukolitichesky. And this ability is recorded in Latin already in the name of a flower.
- At hysterical cough coltsfoot affects obvolakivayushche mucous the upper airways. Availability of slime in green material strengthens the softening action on the angry surface of a throat and bronchial tubes.
- At bronchitis and pneumonia it is facilitated otkhozhdeny phlegms as this green doctor quickly removes a spasm and dilutes it.
- Thanks to the substances which are contained in a grass the wound healing and disinfecting ability in relation to mucous membranes and integuments is peculiar to it.
- Its application can stimulate appetite and have anti-inflammatory effect on a stomach and intestines.
- Coltsfoot is known for the efficiency in strengthening of immunity, at decrease in vitality, after a disease or for preventive measures.
- She is great "cosmetologist" for strengthening of roots of hair and the assistant in a solution with dandruff.
Important! All medicines with internal reception of coltsfoot are contraindicated for treatment of children up to 2 years.
What treats
As the medical and all-strengthening medicine the tsar grass is used from time immemorial. Its most known and traditional application concerns treatment of bronchitis, inflammations of the upper airways and lungs. It is irreplaceable and at seasonal colds as sudorific and disinfectant. The leaf attached to a forehead by the green party will remove heat and will reduce a headache.
At treatment of a tonsillitis it is possible to apply sesame oil, carrots, a chaga, white honey, a cornel, raspberry, a guelder-rose and dyagilevy honey.
Well its therapeutic qualities at treatment of a tonsillitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis prove. Having spazmolitichesky and anti-inflammatory property, this plant assists at frustration in work of a liver and gall bladder, at gastritis and stomach ulcer, at cystitis, piyelo- and glomerulonefrita, at various problems of a small and large intestine. At various dental problems — kariyesny damages of teeth, stomatitises, gingivita, periodontosis. Coltsfoot reduces painful feelings, removes inflammation and works as antiseptics. This grass perfectly accelerates healing of various wounds, grazes, burns, saves from purulent infections and a furunkulez.
Treatment by medicines
Apply various parts of this plant which are differently prepared for application to treatment of above-mentioned diseases.
- Coltsfoot infusion is prepared from a small amount of raw materials because the term of its storage even in the fridge is limited two days. Two teaspoons of a grass fill up in the enameled capacity, adding a glass of boiled water, cover and warm up on a water bath of 15 minutes, periodically stirring slowly. Having removed capacity from fire, leave to cool down on continuation of 45 minutes. The prepared infusion at once should be filtered, and the remained cake to wring out and bring the volume of the formed liquid to a glass carefully. Accept a medicine in a warm state to 3 times a day on 75 ml in 40 minutes prior to food. It is recommended as good expectorant means.
- If it is necessary to accelerate process of preparation of a medical potion, then it will be simpler to make broth. 5 g of raw materials to fill in 250 ml of the boiling water, 10 minutes to take on average fire, as much it is required to time to cool it at the room temperature. The filtered curative potion is used on 1 tablespoon by 4 times a day. Both its internal application, and external in the form of lotions facilitates a state at irritations and rashes on skin, venous inflammations, accelerates ripening of abscesses.
- It is better to buy tea from leaves of coltsfoot in the packaged look in drugstores or to collect most to be sure of quality and safety of raw materials. The made grass drink well will affect your organism. It is especially important to apply it at cough, dropsy, suffocation as he quickly removes spasms and facilitates a state at such dangerous symptoms.
It is useful to have tea with a thyme, rooibos, milk oolong tea and also Kuril, and ginger tea.
- Appliques from leaves the tsar grass apply at rheumatism, a furunkuleza, polyarthritis, ulcer damages of skin, at treatment of the infected wounds and banal callosities. Green material warms up, is a little wrung out and imposed on an affected area of skin. From above are covered with kompressny paper and are fixed by bandage. If there are no fresh raw materials near at hand, it is possible for these purposes to steam out dry leaves, having a little cooled, to use for the same designated purpose.
- At cold inhalations with a camomile and coltsfoot give great anti-inflammatory and disinfecting effect. For holding a procedure in 500 ml of hot water boil 5 g of a camomile and 2.5 g of our grass on small fire. Having cooled to a comfortable state, bend over ware with inhalation solution and cover the head with a bed-sheet. It is necessary to breathe in curative couples within 8 minutes. The most interesting that after that there passes not only cold, but also face skin is cleared of eels and pimples. The effect "two in one" is gained: both we are treated, and we get prettier.
Whether you know? Coltsfoot flowers with an accuracy of a barometer will indicate deterioration in weather. They in good time hide the gold heads in fluffy collars.
- For receiving juice it is the best of all to use the fresh raw materials collected in June. Leaves should be washed out well in flowing water. Then to drench with boiled water and to reject on a colander that excess water flew down. When leaves enough dry out, pass them via the meat grinder. From the received weight it is necessary to wring out juice as much as possible. The juice extractor also will be suitable for these purposes. That juice was good for further use, it is diluted with water in the ratio 1:1 and boil a couple of minutes. It is accepted not longer than 10 days, three times in a day on 1 tablespoon after a meal. Therefore it is not necessary to prepare it for the future, long storage promotes loss of useful properties. It is possible to use also fresh juice without boiling. Technology of preparation the same, but the expiration date is extremely small. It is the best of all to squeeze out its every time before reception. Juice of coltsfoot is known as potent agent for simplification of attacks of morning cough and treatment of "bronchitis of the smoker". Two teaspoons of juice should be added to 200 ml of warm milk and at once to drink. Digging in 4-5 times a day 2 drops of juice of this grass in each nasal course, it is possible to get rid of cold as soon as possible.
- This curative plant will become the irreplaceable rescuer for the tired, tired-out legs. Those who suffer from a varicosity can apply with success foot bathtubs with leaves of "the green doctor" too. For this purpose it is necessary to take only two handfuls of the dried-up raw materials, to fill in with their water brought to boiling, to insist 15-20 minutes. Then to add this infusion to a basin with hot water. Reception of a bathtub lasts 25 minutes and to do it advise not more often than three times in 7 days.
- Spirit infusion is prepared from equal parts of flowers of coltsfoot and alcohol or vodka of high quality. It is necessary to draw it in the pritenenny place not less than a week. After this term of endurance after filtering tincture is ready to the use. At colds of various etiology, at hoarseness of a throat, inflammation of a throat and cough accept on 30 drops in 20 minutes prior to food in the morning, during the lunchtime and in the evening. Having placed in a linen sack, they can be put to knee joints, stupnyam as a compress, to rashes on skin as a lotion. To store spirit tincture of a medicative herb advise in a thermos.
Important! You should not throw out plant flowers which were used in process at once. On the basis of these flowers the preparation of a new portion of tincture or tea is possible.
- At catarrhal diseases it is recommended to accept powder from dry leaves of "the green doctor". Simple dosage: three times per day on a third of a teaspoon, washing down with enough water. To six times a day it is necessary to rinse a throat, using 10 g of the dry powder which is filled in with 300 ml of boiled water, infused half an hour and filtered. Fine means for removal of inflammation of a mucous mouth.
- After preparation of juice from the tsar grass it is possible to put on use and the remained crushed leaves. At the surrounding herpes, a dermatosis this gruel is distributed on skin, covered with paper for compresses and wrapped up with a warm scarf or a scarf. Such compresses from curative leaves are advised to carry out three times a day not longer than half an hour.
Recipes of collecting about mother and the stepmother
Useful properties of coltsfoot can be repeatedly enhanced in combination with other herbs.
- At the complicated sharp diseases of a respiratory system the application of this plant assembled with the following green assistants is expedient: the crushed rhizomes of a wheat grass creeping and a comfrey, flowers of a mullein, black elder and a linden. All components undertake in equal parts. Preparation of vegetable broth requires 10 g of mix. But at first it is necessary to boil thoroughly root components within 5 minutes, then to add other components and, having removed from fire, to insist 30 minutes. Intake is conducted at the rate of 1/3 volumes of the filtered broth in 30 minutes prior to food.
- At improvement of health it is recommended to pass to the following mix from identical shares: coltsfoot leaves, flowers of black elder, grass of the mountaineer bird's. 2 teaspoons of raw materials are ready 0.5 liters of boiled water and are accepted as tea before recovery.
- 300 ml of boiled water fill in 15 g of the collecting consisting of equal quantity of leaves of a plant and also raspberry, a sage and flowers of a calendula. To draw, filter and drink a little for three times at tonsillitis.
- From collecting, difficult on structure, infusion for simplification of asthmatic fits of coughing is prepared. Enter it: ours tsar grass, mint, plantain, Labrador tea marsh, violet three-colored, calendula flowers, camomile, root of a devyasil, licorice root, anise. 10 g of mix fill in with a glass of boiled water, 15 minutes under the closed cover warm up, three quarters of hour insist at the room temperature and filter. All glass is drunk during the day.
- 2 parts of leaves of coltsfoot and flowers of a calendula and 1 part of leaves of a yarrow in connection from 250 ml of hot water have to infuse half an hour that cure for washing of the upper maxillary bosoms for sinusitis turned out. Previously this procedure has to be carried out with use of isotonic solution.
- Against whooping cough the collecting consisting of equal shares of already green doctor famous to us, pine kidneys and a plantain is applied. 20 g of mix on 300 ml of boiled water to insist, filter and in a warm look to drink during the day.
- Improves a metabolism and the tea made from 1 part of coltsfoot, 3 parts of leaves of blackberry, 2 parts of corn snouts and birch leaves reduces appetite. For the best effect it is possible to add also Senna's share. In day advise to drink a glass of tea for two receptions. On preparation of the recommended portion only 1 tablespoon of the prepared raw materials is necessary. They say that in 3-4 days as if there will be a second wind, it will want fulfillments, take-off, the sight and memory will improve. Perhaps, it is also the notorious recipe of youth.
Collecting and storage
At preparation of herbs one of important points is collecting eco-friendly and quality raw materials. It is natural that the useful herbs growing at roadsides of roads on the place of walking of dogs or a pasture of animals, at cemeteries, should not be used for treatment of people. It is necessary to choose for this purpose dwellings, remote from lively places, not littered grounds.
Whether you know? Coltsfoot in the people is called fire salad. And one more its feature is reflected in it. The flower well grows on the former campfires where there are no rival plants. And ashes as fertilizer promote its rapid growth.
It is necessary to start collecting flowers of this wonderful Aesculapian in the early spring after the beginning of mass blossoming. It is necessary to choose for this purpose dry serene day. It is impossible to break the blossoming branches at all, it is possible to pull out unintentionally with a root all plant. Use scissors for cutting at the basis of "baskets" - inflorescences, clean, without brown spots. As leaves on a plant appear in June, and time of their collecting moves respectively too. Green material should not be too young, but also the overripe greens of advantage will bring a little. Leaves are cut off to a half of a scape. Pay attention to lack of brown spots on both parties. Both flowers, and leaves dry at observance of identical conditions: the opacity, well aired room, a canopy or the attic, raw materials is displayed by a thin layer on paper. That further leaves were convenient to be stored and then to use, they can be cut with strips previously. The dried-up grass should be stored in paper packages, cardboard boxes or the closed glass jars. For convenience it is possible to sign capacity accidentally not to mix the laid-up medicine. Recommend to store it 2 years, further useful value is lost.
Side effects
Each medicine, whether it be pharmacological medicines or the herbs recognized as traditional medicine, has two parties of the impact on a human body: useful and dangerous. Under certain conditions use of any given medicine can cause various by-effects in different people. The same situation can arise also at the use of coltsfoot. It contains also substances, toxic for a liver. And if to be overzealous in a dosage or duration of intake, then instead of the expected advantage it is possible to do enormous harm. The maximum term of treatment by this plant is 6 weeks. At overdose the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes can develop. In this case the use immediately stops, and further it is necessary to see a doctor. Important even before use of this grass to consult with the doctor about expediency of such decision.
Contraindications
The medicines and collecting containing coltsfoot cannot be used during pregnancy and feeding by a breast. In view of the toxic substances which are contained in it there can be deforming changes in a liver, and there is very big risk of loss of the child. During the laktatsionny period these substances can get into breast milk and do serious harm to health of the kid. This green medicine can cause allergic reaction in the people having an allergy to an ambrosia, marigold, chrysanthemums.
Accepted in large numbers the tsar grass causes increase in pressure and can neutralize effect of medicines of the return action. Therefore hypertensive persons should change it for a medicinal potion of similar action. At serious diseases of a liver fire salad can provoke real "fire": deterioration in a state, exacerbation of chronic diseases, irreversible changes in fabrics of this body. In the presence gepatoprobly "the green doctor" is not applicable. Drugs which slow down blood clotting, for example, "Ibuprofen", "Heparin" or "Aspirin", can interact with coltsfoot and aggravate this process. Internal bleeding can result. A conclusion is obvious: simultaneous intake of these medicines is inadmissible. Certainly, the nature is rich with plants whose useful qualities are simply invaluable for prevention and treatment of many diseases.
But if you make the decision to use them, then it is necessary to be guided in it by a medical precept: "Do not do much harm!" It is always necessary to weigh everything pros and cons, to consult with the doctor, to arm with information. Only then coltsfoot will render you the necessary help as she specifies by that who wants to dig out a well, to the place of the bedding of water, closest to a surface.