Camomile

Chamomile grass is also called uterine. This is an annual plant that reaches a height of up to 40 centimeters and has many branches. It belongs to the Compositae family and has long been known as a medicinal plant. Medicinal chamomile is quite rare in nature, it is mainly grown by hand, after which it can spread freely.

This grass is unpretentious – it grows on hills and slopes, along roads or directly in the fields. In addition, it is readily grown due to its healing properties. Medicinal chamomile differs from all others in the shape of a basket: it looks like a bowling pin, has an empty bottom, as well as small leaves. In addition, it is distinguished from other species by a pleasant aroma, while field and dog chamomile have a sharp, rather unpleasant odor.

The composition of flowers includes up to 1% of essential oil, which contains chamazulene, the main biologically active component, due to which chamomile has pronounced medicinal properties. The fight against inflammation is associated with the action of quercetin, and caprylic acid fights against fungal diseases.

Chamomile contains a huge amount of substances, the main ones are listed in the table.

Procurement and application

For medicinal purposes, only pharmacy chamomile is used, since it is she who has a composition that allows you to fight many diseases. Flowers are harvested from the beginning of June to the end of summer, since it is during this period that it contains the largest amount of essential oil. If it is planned to make baths, the plant is dried completely. The main active ingredient in chamomile is an essential oil, it helps to calm the intestines, has some analgesic effect.

White chamomile is widely known and often used, it can be bought at any pharmacy. It is rightfully considered one of the best ways to treat various inflammations, including inflammation of the stomach. If a person has an ulcer, on the recommendation of a doctor, he can drink chamomile to relieve symptoms and promote wound healing. However, it is important to know that a pronounced effect will only come if you take it regularly for several months.

It is this anti-inflammatory effect that can also be used for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, including the intestines. Chamomile is recommended for hyperexcitability and neuralgia, and is very often used to treat gynecological problems such as uterine bleeding or excessively painful menstruation. For treatment, infusions and decoctions are used, which each have their own indications. The recipe for chamomile is very simple and you can make a tea, tincture or decoction out of it.

Medicinal properties

Chamomile and its medicinal properties are widely known. In general, it is harmless, but it should not be taken in too much. Otherwise, it can lead to an overdose, which will cause serious depression of the central nervous system, lethargy, weakness, or even headache. It should also not be taken by those who are prone to diarrhea.

Chamomile is most often remembered in the treatment of colds. In this case, it is a very useful warming agent, which at the same time reduces inflammation. It is also recommended for those who suffer from excessive gas formation in the intestines or from too strong muscle spasms. The influence of chamomile on good digestion is undeniable, as it stimulates the secretion of more gastric juice in a natural and very gentle way. In addition, it helps to absorb and remove many toxins and waste from the body.

Also, if you have severe bowel pain, you can try chamomile in the absence of other medicines. It is completely safe, able to reduce pain, and relieve inflammation. Tea from the flowers helps to stimulate the gallbladder to more efficiently drain bile from the body, and also improves the functioning of its ducts.

This amazing flower is used to support the liver and kidneys, fight endocrine diseases.

For the nervous system and heart

On the basis of chamomile, many drugs are created that are designed to treat the nervous system or stop the blood. This does not mean that only those who are seriously ill should drink it: in particular, for healthy people, it helps relieve stress and tension, normalize sleep and calm down. So if you are under stress, it is not necessary to turn to any drugs, you can drink chamomile regularly in the form of tea to normalize sleep and feel much better.

Motherwort can also help the nervous system if you do not like the taste of chamomile. Or you can use vitamins to strengthen the nervous system, the main thing – do not forget to take them regularly.

Chamomile can be used for those who have heart problems, including arrhythmia. In this case, you can take it, but only if your doctor allows it. In general, it has a good effect not only on the heart, but also calms the nervous system, thereby reducing anxiety and improving heart function. In the form of tea, it is also recommended to take it with serious intellectual stress or with neuroses.

For better heart function, you can take vitamins for blood vessels and use special nutrition for hypertension.

Chamomile Recipes

Chamomile reaches its maximum healing properties in early summer, more precisely in mid-June. Chamomile flowers are carefully cut off or torn off, then carefully sorted out, removing all excess impurities and withered buds, and then dried. To do this, you need to scatter flowers on paper with a not very thick layer and dry them in a place with good ventilation. Including for this, you can use dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees. Flowers after drying lose most of their mass, about 80%.

It is important to dry the flowers thoroughly, as not dried well enough, they deteriorate very quickly. If the flowers are dried out, they will turn into dust, in which the healing properties of chamomile will not be preserved. Dried flowers can be stored in special paper bags or cloth for up to 12 months. Then, in order to extract all the medicinal properties from the dried flowers, it is necessary to subject them to temperature. The most commonly used tea is from the flowers, but for a more pronounced medicinal property, the flowers must be heated in a water bath, and not boiled over an open flame.

Whether fresh or dried, chamomile is subjected to heat to extract all the beneficial properties. At the same time, you should not boil it on an open fire, it is better to use a water bath so as not to expose this flower to too high temperatures. This is due to the fact that under the influence of high temperature, the chamazulene contained in the flowers is destroyed.

The main thing is to remember that you can only take pharmacy chamomile, so if you do not know which type of pharmacy is, it is best to buy it in dried form from pharmacists.

Infusion

To prepare a strong infusion, you need to take one tablespoon of chamomile, pour 250 ml. boiling water, let it brew in a sealed container, and then strain well through several layers of gauze.

Another way to prepare the infusion is to take 1 part of the flowers, pour 10 parts of water and heat in a water bath for 20 minutes. Then it must be well filtered.

decoction

To make a decoction of chamomile, you need to pour it with boiled water, put it in a water bath and simmer for half an hour at a not very high temperature. After that, let them brew well, strain and add warm boiled water to return the original volume of water.

Alcohol tincture

In order to make a tincture for compresses, you need to take 1 part of chamomile flowers, place in a glass container (preferably in a bottle), and add 5 parts of diluted alcohol or vodka. Close the container tightly and send for a week in a cool place, do not forget to shake occasionally. After a week, strain the resulting tincture, pour it into another glass dish, preferably dark in color, and add vodka or alcohol so that the original volume is obtained. After that, it is necessary to insist it for another week, not forgetting to shake it, then filter it well again.

If everything worked out correctly, the tincture will have a transparent color and a pleasant aroma of chamomile. If you want to take chamomile tincture internally, check with your doctor first, as it has a strong healing effect due to the high concentration of substances contained in chamomile. If your doctor allows you to take this treatment, do not continue it for more than two weeks.

Chamomile tea

It is chamomile tea that is most often used to treat sore throat and to support the state of the nervous system. It can be taken without the advice of a doctor, especially since it is very easy to prepare. To make tea, take a teaspoon of chamomile flowers, add 250 ml of boiling water and infuse for a few minutes. If you do not like the taste of the decoction, you can add a few tablespoons of honey to it to improve the taste. This simple recipe will help you cope with insomnia and reduce overwork.

Chamomile for colds

You can use chamomile for inhalation. To do this, take 2 tablespoons of flowers, add 250 ml of boiling water and let it brew. After another 30 minutes, add a liter of boiling water and inhale. This will help reduce inflammation of the nasopharynx, simplify breathing and reduce discomfort.

In case of a runny nose, you need to take a teaspoon of chamomile, add a glass of hot water and insist for several hours, it is best to do this in a thermos. In this form, it is used for compresses, which are placed on the bridge of the nose to warm and reduce inflammation.

With angina, it is very good to gargle with chamomile infusion: brew a tablespoon of chamomile in a glass of boiling water, then spend some time in a water bath, strain well and gargle as needed. The result will be much more pronounced if you add a tablespoon of celandine to this infusion.

Chamomile for children

Chamomile is used to bathe children. It is excellent at soothing skin irritation or inflammation, which is why it is considered an excellent natural remedy for newborns. To make a bath for a child, you need to take a tablespoon of chamomile, add a liter of hot water to it and let it brew for some time. After that, it is necessary to carefully strain the resulting infusion so that the flowers do not fall on the delicate skin of the child. Add it little by little to your baby’s baths. This remedy perfectly copes with inflammation of the skin and helps the child to calm down and sleep soundly. However, it must be remembered that it is not recommended to use it every day.

For external use

Chamomile is very good to use for such delicate treatment as eye inflammation or mucous problems. The decoction is used for a variety of skin conditions, including rashes, burns, and ulcers. It helps to maintain the freshness of the skin, including it is used for baths with excessive sweating of the feet.

Chamomile infusion, which is used for external use, is prepared as follows: 250 milliliters of boiling water is added to 2-3 tablespoons of chamomile, and then infused for an hour in a tightly sealed container. After this, the infusion must be filtered to remove residues.

If you need to relieve pain and tired legs, you can use compresses – for this you need to take flowers (3 tablespoons), pour 1,5 liters of boiling water and let it brew, then strain and use for compresses. It will be great if you add flax seeds to the infusion. It is also great for burns as a disinfectant.

Chamomile is able to help people with radiation, baths or compresses are used for this. The effect will be better if you add sea buckthorn leaves there, the main thing is to use them for a month or longer. In this case, a more pronounced therapeutic effect can be achieved by adding fresh flower pollen to the bath or compresses, if it can be obtained. Also, chamomile will be a great helper for insomnia, just add it to the bath and take it every other day for maximum effect.

hair use

Chamomile is very convenient to use in order to strengthen hair, reduce oiliness, and promote hair growth. To do this, use a special decoction, which wash the head. This decoction is prepared very simply: 4 tbsp. of these flowers are poured with 1,5 liters of boiling water, this mixture must be boiled for several minutes. It is best to use it to rinse your hair after washing your hair.

With the help of chamomile, you can try to dye your hair, it is especially effective for gray hair. For coloring, you need to take 1 part of chamomile, pour it with three parts of water and insist for several hours in a sealed container in warmth, preferably in a thermos. Then you need to apply this decoction to your hair and keep it up to 2 hours, wrapping your head in a towel. After this, the decoction must be washed off. The result of dyeing will not last very long, but this is a very simple natural way to dye your hair.

Противопоказания

In medicinal chamomile, there are few contraindications. However, it can have a harmful effect in some cases. In particular, it is not recommended to take it during gastritis, in which there is a lack of hydrochloric acid. In addition, some people have individual intolerance – in this case, the reception should also be abandoned.

Also, despite all the benefits, chamomile must be taken in strictly prescribed doses: due to an overdose, coughing, headache and dizziness, exacerbation of pain during menstruation, or nausea and diarrhea may occur. Chamomile during pregnancy, lactating women can only be taken if the doctor allows it. It is he who indicates how much chamomile and in what form can be taken.