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Bright orange flowers of calendula (marigold) appear in June and delight the eye until late autumn. This plant is as unpretentious as it is useful, so calendula tincture is one of the most common traditional medicine.
The orange color of the petals is a consequence of the high content of carotenoids in them, which have immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Carotenoids strengthen vision and prevent the development of malignant tumors.
Also, calendula flowers are rich in flavonoids – compounds that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and have an antispasmodic effect. Flavonoids compensate for the lack of estrogens during menopause. The green calyx of the flower contains tannins and bitter substances that stimulate the secretion of bile.
Properties of tincture of calendula
Tincture of calendula in alcohol or vodka can be taken orally and used externally for compresses or lotions. The tool has a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect, reduces the acidity of gastric juice.
The medicine is useful in the following diseases:
- weakened immune system, chronic fatigue syndrome;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by inflammation of the gastric mucosa (gastritis, ulcers);
- hepatitis;
- cholecystitis, cholangitis;
- high blood pressure;
- rapid pulse;
- headaches and mood swings with menopause;
- bronchitis, sore throat, sore throat;
- stomatitis, thrush in the mouth;
- joint inflammation;
- damage to the mucous membrane in gynecological diseases;
- anal fissures;
- facial rash, rosacea;
- too oily facial skin;
- minor burns, scratches, wounds;
- hair loss;
- malignant tumors (can be taken only in consultation with the doctor).
Due to the high content of carotenoids, the tincture has a beneficial effect on vision, especially if it is reduced due to weakened immunity. But even highly diluted alcohol can burn the cornea of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe eye. Although there are suggestions on the Web to make compresses for the eyes from calendula tincture diluted with water, it is better not to experiment.
If you want to put lotions on your eyelids, it is recommended to prepare an aqueous calendula infusion for this. It is useful to drink a course of tincture in parallel with lotions (to increase immunity).
calendula tincture recipe
The tincture is prepared from fresh or dried calendula flowers, without stems. Flowers can be collected during the entire flowering period, from June to the first frost. Any calendula is suitable for infusion: medicinal or field. But if the medicine is prepared from dried flowers, you need to know when they are plucked, since the shelf life of dried calendula is no more than a year.
On sale there is a ready-made tincture of calendula for alcohol. At home, the flowers are poured with both alcohol and vodka or moonshine with a strength of 40–45 degrees. For lotions and compresses, alcohol tincture is preferable. But if it is needed for douching or taken orally for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, it is better to use good vodka, purified double-distilled moonshine or alcohol diluted to 40 degrees.
To prepare a medicine from fresh flowers, they fill a half-liter jar with them, slightly crushing, but not ramming too much, after which they are poured with vodka or alcohol. The jar is tightly closed with a plastic lid and placed in a dark place, for example, in a kitchen cabinet. Shake the jar every 2-3 days. After 15 days, the tincture is filtered, poured into a vessel and stored in a dark place.
Another version of the calendula tincture recipe:
- pour a tablespoon with a slide of dried and crushed calendula flowers into a jar;
- pour 200 ml of vodka, moonshine or alcohol;
- insist 15 days in a dark place, shake occasionally.
The tincture retains its healing properties for no more than a year and a half, after this period it can only be used for compresses and rubbing.
Application of calendula tincture
The tincture is allowed to be taken orally by children from 12 years of age. Dosage for children – 1 drop for each year of life. You can gargle from the age of 3, but for kids, the tincture is bred even more than for adults. There are no age restrictions on lotions and compresses.
To strengthen the immune system, take 20-25 drops of tincture, diluted in 50 ml of water, 2 times a day 20-30 minutes before meals. The course of admission is a month. You can repeat the course only after 10 days. After 3 courses – a break of at least six months.
For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cholecystitis, bronchitis, menopausal symptoms, take 25-30 drops of tincture with 50 ml of water 3 times a day for half an hour before meals. After a month of taking, they take a break for 7-10 days, then, if necessary, repeat the course.
With hepatitis, treatment is carried out according to the scheme:
- 1st day – 3 times a day, 30 drops of tincture with 50 ml of water half an hour before meals;
- 2nd day – 3 drops of tincture 31 times a day;
- 3rd day – 3 drops 32 times a day;
- …
- 28th day 3 times a day, 57 drops;
- break for 10 days;
- repeat course.
Up to 3 courses in a row are allowed, then they take a break for a month.
With arrhythmia, high blood pressure, 20 drops of tincture are dropped onto a piece of sugar or mixed with 50 ml of water. The medicine is taken 3 times a day 2 hours after meals, the course of treatment is a month, the break between courses is 10 days.
External use of calendula tincture
With angina, 1 teaspoon of tincture is added to 100 ml of water. Gargle with this solution 6-8 times a day, until complete recovery. Each rinse should take 5-7 minutes.
Rinse your mouth with the same solution for stomatitis or thrush. Babies wipe their mouth every 2-3 hours.
For gynecological diseases, a teaspoon of tincture is diluted with a glass of boiled water. The solution is used for douching. They can also make lotions for anal fissures.
Burns and minor scratches are treated with undiluted tincture. If you have time to wipe with a completely fresh burn, then there will be no blister. Lotions are made on festering wounds: 1 teaspoon of tincture is mixed with a glass of water.
In case of joint inflammation, tincture is rubbed into the sore spot for 10-15 minutes, then it is wrapped with a warm scarf for 3 hours. Calendula tincture relieves inflammation, but does not anesthetize, so the pain will have to endure for a while.
In the evening, after washing, purulent acne and boils are cauterized with undiluted tincture. The skin around is gently wiped with a lotion prepared from a teaspoon of tincture and 100 ml of water. The lotion is useful for oily skin, it prevents the formation of wrinkles.
To make the lotion more nutritious for the skin and improve complexion, dissolve 1 tsp in warm water. honey, and when the product has cooled down, add 1 tsp. tincture of calendula.
With intense hair loss, tincture is rubbed into the skin every evening. Before washing the head, gauze is moistened in calendula tincture and applied to the hair roots. A plastic cap or bag is put on top and a warm scarf is tied around the head. The compress should be kept for 2 hours.
Contraindications to the use of calendula tincture
Treatment with calendula can harm people with an allergic reaction to plants in the aster family.
It is forbidden to take inside tincture of calendula:
- pregnant and lactating;
- under reduced pressure;
- people with a removed gallbladder;
- children under 12 years old.
Flavonoids enhance the effect of certain drugs. Therefore, with hepatitis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, oncological diseases, you should not take calendula tincture inside without consulting your doctor.
Attention! Self-medication can be dangerous, consult your doctor.