Birch

Medicinal properties and recipes for the use of birch

birch description

Birch is a well-known tree that reaches about 45 meters in height, the girth of the trunk is up to 150 centimeters. Birch belongs to the birch family and the genus of deciduous trees, there are more than a hundred species of it. This tree is most common in the Northern Hemisphere. From many chronicles, we know that even in ancient times, when the Slavs seriously believed in water, forest and heavenly spirits, they had a single goddess, her name was Bereginya. She was the mother of all the riches on earth and spirits, and they worshiped her only in the form of a sacred white tree – this was a birch. Since that time, birch has been called the tree of health and life. Almost all birch components are used in traditional medicine recipes (buds, birch sap, bark, young leaves, birch fungus, activated charcoal and birch tar). And in other areas, birch bark and wood are used.

In the second half of March and in the first half of April, birch sap flow occurs, such a period lasts about 10 days. Birch sap is very useful, and it is during this period that you need to drink it, as it rejuvenates the body, destroys urinary stones, stimulates metabolism, and removes worms. In addition, birch sap normalizes acidity, has an excellent diuretic effect, will be a good option for gout, arthritis, a wonderful helper for colds.

birch roots

The root system of a birch is very powerful, depending on the growing conditions and species, it can be superficial, but more often there is a birch with roots that go deep into the depths. The tap root of the seedling itself dies off very quickly, but the roots located on the sides develop powerfully and have rich and thin uriculate roots.

The roots of birches are shallow, due to which they need periodic watering. Often, a cap forms on the trunk of a tree or on the root neck, it can appear on all types of wood, be it aspen, alder, pine, oak, but most often it can be found on a birch. A burl is a growth with dense wood, even thicker than the wood of the tree itself.

As soon as water enters the birch roots, the reserves of starch, which are formed in the trunk and roots, turn into sugar, then it dissolves in water and rises through the woody vessels to the kidneys. Before the sticky leaves begin to bloom, the birch has a sap flow, which is called the “cry of the birch.”

Healing properties of birch

As we have already said, birch sap collected in early spring is very useful: it has a tonic effect. It is eaten three times a day, 1-2 cups for 1,5 months. Birch buds contain essential oil, flavonoids, resinous substances, phytoncides. The kidneys have diaphoretic, diuretic, choleretic, expectorant, antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antifungal effects.

In folk medicine, birch buds are used as a blood cleanser and diaphoretic, they are also used for baths, poultices and compresses for rheumatism, joint pain, gout, acne and skin rashes, bedsores, burns and eczema. With indigestion and spasms, an infusion of birch buds helps.

birch planting

When planting a birch, the distance between the trees should be at least four meters. Birch does not like the deepening of the root neck. The soil mixture should consist of peat, leafy soil and sand. But the best option would be a drainage of sand with a thickness of about 15 centimeters.

Planting is carried out in early spring at the age of the plant no older than seven years, and older ones are planted in the winter with a frozen lump. Before the leaves appear, that is, in early spring and late spring, the birch is fed: one kilogram of mullein, ten grams of urea and about 15 grams of ammonium nitrate are taken per bucket. The birch needs watering during planting and four more days after it.

The use of birch in folk medicine

For medical purposes, young leaves, bark, coal, buds, birch sap, and tar are used. You can dry the kidneys both in the open air and in dryers, but at a temperature not exceeding 30 ° C, they can be used for two years. Leaves must be collected only in May, during the flowering period of birch, when they are sticky and fragrant. Just like the kidneys, they need to be dried in the open air, but only in the shade, the period of use is also two years. Birch sap is harvested only from those trees that are to be cut down, since all kinds of ways to break the bark harm the tree. Coal and tar are extracted from wood. Propolis is also used – this is a substance that bees get by processing the secretions of tree buds.

birch leaves

The leaves are rich in essential oils and ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, tannins, saponins, coumarins. Components such as carotene, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, barium, manganese and zinc are also part of the beneficial substances of birch leaves. Silver is found in the unique leaves, they perfectly purify the air.

birch buds

Birch buds, due to their diuretic, choleretic and expectorant properties, are used for edema, bronchitis and diseases of the biliary tract. Selenium and zinc accumulate in birch buds. There are grape sugar, essential aromatic oil, resins, ascorbic acid, tannins.

Fatty acids, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron are found in the composition of useful substances of the kidneys. The tree has “reserve buds”, in the summer they release droplets of liquid with very strong bioactive substances that kill putrefactive and pathogenic microbes. “Birch tears” are harvested by bees to make propolis.

Birch Recipes

A decoction of birch buds can be prepared at the rate of 10 grams of the product per 200 milliliters of water, it should be boiled over low heat for 30 minutes, cooled for 10 minutes and strained through a strainer. It is recommended to use the product inside 3-4 times a day, one large spoonful. Resin and essential oil, which are contained in birch buds, have not only a diuretic, but also a disinfectant, expectorant effect.

Decoction of birch leaves

You can also make a decoction from birch leaves. To do this, 30 grams of leaves need to be lowered into 400 milliliters of water and put on low heat for 15 minutes, after which you need to add a quarter teaspoon of soda. The medicine should be used three to four times a day for half a glass. This decoction is used as a choleretic and diuretic. And a decoction of the leaves is used as a lotion for cuts and abscesses. For the treatment of chronic and acute eczema, a hot bath is created from a decoction of birch buds.

Infusion of birch leaves

An infusion of young birch leaves is prepared as follows: in 400 milliliters of boiled water cooled to 45 ° C, about 50 grams of raw materials are infused for about 5 hours. This solution is drained, the leaves are squeezed out, again filled with water and infused for 6 hours. After that, the composition must be filtered and combined with the first solution. This infusion should be applied 3-4 times a day for half a glass. Young leaves, or rather an infusion of them, are used as a stimulant drug, it is prescribed for disorders of the nervous system, jaundice, renal colic, as a vitamin and anti-inflammatory agent.

birch tincture

Alcohol tincture from birch buds is prepared as follows: take 15 g of buds, pour 500 g of alcohol (70%). Take the remedy 3 times a day, 20-25 drops, diluted in a spoonful of water, for kidney diseases, stomach ulcers, bladder diseases, and helminthic invasions. This remedy is also indicated for dropsy of renal origin.

With the help of alcohol tincture, you can treat bedsores, problem skin, pyodermatitis, acne, boils, rub sore joints with rheumatism.

You can also make a tincture from young leaves by infusing them in a dark place in a glass container with water for a month.

Contraindications to the use of birch

All kinds of decoctions from the buds and birch leaves are prohibited for pregnant women. Resinous substances that are in birch buds can irritate the renal parenchyma in a certain way, so such drugs must be used with extreme caution and periodically monitor urine tests.