In folk medicine, a huge number of plants have found their application. One of the brightest representatives, distinguished by their healing properties, is juniper ordinary (heather, juniper). For what ailments it can help, how to take it correctly, and to whom it can be done, read our material.

The healing properties of juniper

The uniqueness of this evergreen coniferous shrub is that it contains a large amount of essential oils, and throughout the plant, and not just in separate parts.

If we take the percentage ratio, then in:

• cones - 0.5–2%;
• bark - 0.5%;
• shoots - 0.25%;
• needles - 0.18%.

Pine cones contain almost 40% invert sugar, uniperin dye, as well as organic acids - methane, ethanoic, hydroxy succinic. In the cortex there are high molecular weight phenolic compounds, and the needles are rich in vitamin C. The roots of the plant also contain saponins, resins and essential oils.

The uniqueness of this coniferous ether is due to its rich chemical composition:

• organic and ascorbic acids;
• camphene;
• terpenes;
• borneol;
• minerals, including iron and manganese;
• terpineol;
• tannins and dyes.

Did you know? Our ancestors drove sick and infirm people from their communities into the juniper thickets. After a while, they returned from there fully strengthened and healthy.

Such an oil has disinfectant and antibacterial properties. Heather-based preparations are used as urinary and choleretic drugs, as well as to cleanse the circulatory system. Essential oil helps tissue repair, and inhalation with its use can cure pulmonary tuberculosis. In therapeutic doses, it is taken for diseases of the urinary tract, dropsy, to normalize the kidneys.

Alcoholic venereal infusions and herbal extracts are used for grinding, lotions and compresses for:

• rheumatism and myositis;
• radiculitis;
• cramps and paralysis of the arms and legs;
• neuralgic pains, etc.

Means with juniper will help in the absence of appetite, increased gas formation, nausea, vomiting. The main thing: clearly follow the instructions for the preparation and use of the drug, which is selected individually, according to the disease.

What can be cooked from juniper

In addition to medicinal tinctures for alcohol and decoctions, juniper is widely used in other areas. So, from bark make toys and souvenirs, jewelry and canes. Alcoholic drinks insist on fruits, they are added to pastries and fruit drinks. The fruits of juniper are also used in the process of preparing various meats, including game. By adding cones, the taste of vegetables (for example, beets and red cabbage) is emphasized. They make sugar, make jam and beer, make wine. In the past, bumps were used to produce yellow fabric dye.

Important! When harvesting raw materials, it is worth being extremely careful. In all parts of the juniper there are toxic substances. If it enters the mucous membranes of the juice of a plant, you should quickly rinse it off with plenty of water.

Given that all parts of the plant are suitable for use, it is worth familiarizing yourself with information on their collection and storage. For berries, they leave at the end of summer and continue harvesting until the beginning of October. You should take a piece of light tissue and a container for collecting cones with you. Under the tree, spread the brought material and shake the branches of the bush. The harvested crop can be used fresh for tinctures, and it must be dried in a dark, well-ventilated room on iron grills or sieves.

The dried product is stored in a glass container with a tight lid or in a linen bag. You can harvest the needles of the plant at any time of the year, and the roots in late autumn or early spring. They are dried and then ground.

Juniper cone jam

For cooking, you can use both pine cones and branches. But the classic is still fruit jam. Read how to do it below. First of all, you need to collect the fruits. Going after them into the forest, it is worth remembering that only the fruits of common juniper are suitable for food, since its other species contain hazardous substances.

To distinguish edible fruits from poisonous is quite simple:

1. Berries grow on a branch of 3 pieces.
2. Inside the berry are only 3 seeds.

For the preparation of jam, you can use both dry and fresh fruits. Suitable cones:

• smooth;
• brilliant;
• brown-black with a blue or blue wax coating;
• at the top there is a groove of three rays;
• the flesh is brownish-green;
• seeds in the shape of a triangle;
• the smell is specific, spicy;
• the taste is sweetish, sharp, tart.

It is worth noting that the seeds are very bitter, so they do not participate in the cooking process, and it is worthwhile to knead the fruits carefully so as not to damage them. To begin with, the berries are thoroughly washed and dried.

Important! If you are not sure that it’s just ordinary juniper in front of you, you should not eat its fruits. They can be hazardous to health.

For the classic recipe for juniper cone jam you will need:

• 1 pc. orange and lemon, only the first should be large and sweet, and the second - medium size;
• 10 pieces. juniper fruit;
• 400 g of sugar.

Citrus fruits are used to improve the taste of the finished product.

Step-by-step cooking instructions:

1. Wash the orange and lemon well, pour over boiling water.
2. Remove a thin layer of zest from citrus fruits in any convenient way (fine grater, sharp knife, etc.).
3. Then remove the pulp, do not discard the white layer of the peel.
4. Remove seeds from citrus fruits and cut into arbitrary pieces.
5. Place the zest, peel and pulp in the blender bowl (pitted, otherwise there will be bitterness).
6. Gently rub the cones with a wooden spatula or spoon, remove the seeds.
7. Grind citrus fruits until smooth mashed, add juniper mixture and sugar.
8. Mix everything, pour into a cookware with a thick bottom and leave for 2-3 hours.
9. After the specified time, the container with the workpiece is sent to the stove, brought to a boil and boiled for 15 minutes over low heat.
10. Remove the jam from the stove, allow to cool at room temperature.
11. Such an action is carried out 4-6 times more, before the procurement of the necessary density by the workpiece.
12. Then the finished product is transferred to a sterilized container, tightly corked and, after cooling, removed for storage.

They use this jam not as a dessert, but as a means to prevent various ailments and to strengthen the body's immune properties, 2-3 dess. l after meal. Keep the workpiece in a cool, dark place. Shelf life is 12 months.

How to brew for use in traditional medicine

Juniper is widely used in folk medicine. Based on it, various infusions are prepared. For example, with hypomenstrual syndrome, a treatment fee is prepared.

To do this, mix 20 g:

• goose cinquefoil;
• root;
• St. John's wort
• seeds of parsley, anise and dill (can be fennel);
• cones of juniper.

In addition, 40 g are added:

• parsley roots;
• rosehip berries;
• grass wormwood bitter.

For the preparation of infusion 2 tbsp. dry mixture pour 500 ml of boiling water, insist a quarter of an hour. Take 100 ml of filtered drink before breakfast and evening meals. The course lasts until the symptoms disappear.

Did you know? Earlier in Russia, made of venereal wood was a container for storing milk, which did not sour in it even on hot days.

Liver diseases are also treated with infusion. To prepare it, you must connect:

• 4 parts of the immortelle sand;
• in 3 parts - stigmas of corn, rose hips and pusher grass;
• 2 parts each — tea rose petals, common strawberry fruits and pharmacy chamomile flowers;
• 1 part each - birch leaves, dill (fennel), calendula roots, cinnamon grass, juniper fruits.

To prepare the infusion, you need to take 1 tbsp. herbal mixture, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and brew for 30 minutes. Then the infusion should be filtered and taken 150 ml three times a day before meals. Such a drink is used as an additive to the main course of therapy. The diuretic collection is prepared as follows: take 100 g of burdock root and wheatgrass and 200 g of juniper berries and horsetail grass. Then 2 tbsp. collection insist 20-30 minutes in a liter of boiling water. Use a collection of 100 ml 3-4 times a day. This tea can be used for boils and various rashes, because it cleanses the blood well.

To improve the therapeutic effect in lesions of the skin, you can resort to healing water procedures. To do this, take 1 kg of branches of heather and 10 liters of boiling water. Juniper should be poured into boiling water, boiled for 10-15 minutes, removed from heat, cover, leave for 1 hour. Then let the liquid pass through the filter and pour into a bath with warm (+ 40 ° C) water, adding 50 g of sea salt. Take such a healing bath for no more than a quarter of an hour.

Harm and contraindications

• Juniper therapy has a number of contraindications, it can not be used for:
• pregnancy and lactation;
• kidney disease;
• severe form of hypertension;
• exacerbations of peptic ulcer.

You should also abandon the use of juniper for children under 12 years old, people with allergies or individual intolerance to this plant. In addition, cones cannot be consumed for more than 2 consecutive months, since prolonged use may cause bleeding or irritation of the renal parenchyma.

If you adhere to the doses recommended for consumption and use only the fruits of common juniper, the therapeutic effect will not be long in coming.

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