Pine cones: useful properties, tinctures. Video

Back in the XNUMXth century, the traveler and naturalist P.S. Pallas wrote that young pine and cedar cones collected at the ends of branches are the best balsamic and anti-zing agent.

Pine cones ripen in the second year. As a rule, they open under the influence of dry winds that carry seeds. But in folk medicine, young pine cones are used for the preparation of various preparations. In addition to medicinal tinctures and decoctions, very useful pine honey is also prepared from them, which has bactericidal properties, is useful for various diseases of the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract, it is also taken when the body is depleted.

Pine cones contain essential oils, vitamins C, B, K and P, carotene. Syrups, tinctures and decoctions made from young cones are used to treat broncho-pulmonary diseases, flu, colds, arthritis, and stroke. They increase hemoglobin well and saturate the body with useful substances for vitamin deficiency.

Before preparing medicinal preparations from pine cones, they must be collected. Procurement of raw materials in different climatic zones occurs at different times. In central Russia, cones are usually harvested at the end of June, and in warmer regions at the end of May or early June.

When collecting cones, you need to pay attention to the condition of the tree on which they grow. If a pine tree is damaged by insects or affected by diseases, then you should not collect cones from it.

Pine cone tinctures are a very effective cough suppressant.

To make a tincture you will need:

• 50 grams of green pine cones
• 2 cup water

Pour 2 cups of boiling water over young pine cones and leave for 2 hours in a warm place. Then strain through a gauze filter. To improve the taste, you can add half a kilogram of granulated sugar to the prepared infusion and boil until a viscous syrup is obtained. You can also add another 50 grams of honey to the finished strained syrup, stir thoroughly and take 5-6 tablespoons daily.

To prepare a quick-acting cough infusion, you need to take:

• 1 tablespoon young pine cones
• 1 glass of water

Pour a glass of boiling water over the pine cones, wrap the dishes well and leave for 40 minutes. Then strain and take 1-2 sips at the urge to cough.

To make a healthy and tasty cough syrup, you will need:

• ½ cup young pine cones
• 1 glass of water
• 2 cup of granulated sugar

Only freshly harvested pine cones are suitable for making syrup according to this recipe.

Rinse pine cones thoroughly in a colander with cold water. Then transfer them to an enamel bowl, fill the cones with water, also cold, cover and put on low heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Bring the resulting broth to its original volume by adding boiling water. After complete cooling, strain the broth into another bowl, add granulated sugar, stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat. Take a tablespoon of syrup with milk or tea.

In chronic bronchitis, a decoction can be prepared as an expectorant and disinfectant, for which you will need:

• 1 tablespoon pine needles and chopped cones
• 1 glass of water

Pour a tablespoon of chopped pine cones and needles with a glass of boiling water. Cover the dish with a lid and heat in a boiling water bath for half an hour. Then cool the broth for 10 minutes at room temperature, then strain. Squeeze out the remaining raw materials well. Pour boiled water to the resulting volume of broth to a glass.

Take 1/3 cup 2-3 times daily after meals

Alcohol tincture of pine cones is an excellent remedy for the prevention of stroke, for the preparation of which you need to take:

• 12 mature pine cones
• 1 liter of 70% alcohol

Add alcohol to the desired amount of mature pine cones and leave to infuse for 2 weeks. After this time, strain the tincture and take a teaspoon daily after meals. Alcohol tincture should be consumed once a day.

Also a good remedy for the prevention of stroke and elimination of its consequences is a tincture of pine cones with apple cider vinegar.

For her you need to take:

• 5 mature pine cones
• 250 milliliters of alcohol (70%)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Pour the mature pine cones with alcohol, which can be replaced with good vodka, and leave for 10 days at room temperature. Then strain the infusion, add a teaspoon of homemade apple cider vinegar. You can add grape or tea vinegar instead.

Every day before going to bed, drink a glass of weak warm tea with the addition of a teaspoon of this tincture. It is also advisable to sweeten the tea with honey. The course of treatment is 6 months.

But pine cones treatment has contraindications. It is necessary to use pine tinctures and decoctions with caution for people with a predisposition to allergies. In this case, the dosage should be chosen very carefully, it directly depends on the individual tolerance. You also need to be attentive to people with various kidney diseases. You can not take drugs from pine cones during the acute course of hepatitis. Therefore, it is imperative to consult a doctor before starting treatment.

About what you can eat while following a slag-free diet, read the next article.