5 medicinal herbs that can harm
The end of summer is the time to collect medicinal plants. But are they always good for health?
“Many people think: herbs are a weak and harmless remedy. And they are wrong. Herbs have tremendous healing properties. They, like synthetic drugs, can soothe, tone up, soothe pain, relieve inflammation, and fight microbes. However, some herbs have contraindications. Thoughtlessly engaged in phyto-self-medication, you can provoke poisoning and even illness. “
Tutsan
The king among medicinal plants. People say that it helps with 99 diseases. They were also treated by Avicenna and Hippocrates.
Benefit
Regulates the work of the gastrointestinal tract, increases immunity, improves venous circulation, strengthens blood vessels, lowers blood sugar, has an anti-inflammatory effect, a natural antidepressant.
Warning
If you drink for more than a month, it can cause bitterness in the mouth, pain in the liver, constipation, decreased appetite, and tachycardia in the heart. If you drink more than three glasses of broth a day, then weakness and drowsiness will appear. Increases the body’s sensitivity to ultraviolet light: if you drink decoctions of St. John’s wort or preparations containing it, being in the sun for a long time, you can get burned.
Melissa
A thousand years ago, Avicenna wrote that lemon balm “invigorates and strengthens the heart, stops interruptions and drives away melancholy.”
Benefit
Strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure in hypertension, relieves spasms, attacks of tachycardia and asthma, reduces shortness of breath, stimulates digestion, has a mild diuretic, laxative, diaphoretic effect, removes anxiety and irritability, tones up with weakness, soothes with nervousness, creates a good mood, perfectly satisfies thirsty.
Warning
The essential oil contains citral, which gives the plant a lemon scent and taste, but has a slightly toxic effect. If you drink infusions or teas with lemon balm every day for a month, you may experience dizziness, headaches, lethargy.
Peppermint
In the XNUMXth century, a biologist said that there were as many varieties of mint as sparks flew out of a volcano. In the Middle Ages, there were just as many ways to use it.
Benefit
Expands the coronary vessels of the heart, brain, lungs, relieves attacks of angina pectoris, pain in the stomach, intestines, nausea and vomiting, improves digestion, increases appetite, has a choleretic agent, soothes, drives insomnia, migraine, pain and discomfort in women during critical days.
Warning
The essential oil contains over 60% menthol. If you drink infusions or mint teas constantly for more than a month, menthol can lower blood pressure in hypotensive patients, cause bronchospasm in people with respiratory system diseases, and even in healthy people, provoke a change in heart rate (bradycardia). More than three glasses of mint tea a day in men leads to a narrowing of blood vessels in the penis and a decrease in erection.
Nettle
Avicenna wrote: “Crushed nettle leaves stop nosebleeds, a medicinal dressing of nettle with salt helps to relieve nerves … Nettle seed eliminates asthma, standing breathing and cold pleurisy.”
Benefit
Helps with bleeding, as it increases blood clotting, with anemia, diseases of the kidneys, bladder, liver, has a wound healing, choleretic, diuretic, tonic, vitamin, expectorant, anticonvulsant effect, normalizes metabolism, stimulates the formation of insulin and lowers blood sugar …
Warning
It tones up the muscles and increases the contractility of the uterus, therefore it is contraindicated in pregnant women. Increases pressure in hypertensive patients, can provoke further development of neoplasms in the prostate gland in men and in the uterus in women.
Celandine
In previous centuries, celandine was prized mainly for its ability to tidy up the skin, for example, to etch warts.
Benefit
Helps with almost all diseases: cardiovascular, gallstone, gastrointestinal. It has anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, antihelminthic, analgesic, mild choleretic, diuretic, laxative effects, significantly relieves pain on critical days in women.
Warning
Contains toxic substances. It cannot even be dried in a room where people sleep, as it gives off harmful vapors. You can take celandine products only under the supervision of a doctor. It can cause poisoning, fainting, hallucinations, seizures, and central nervous system paralysis. Contraindicated in pregnant women, patients with chronic ischemic heart disease, hypertensive patients.
Important! Before starting treatment with herbs, consult your doctor, find out all the properties of the herb and the dosage you need. Follow the instructions for preparing the broth exactly.