The story of the healing properties of common yarrow began since the Trojan War, or rather from a literary episode attributed to that period. The legend describes an ancient rite of healing that saved the life of the son of the Greek hero Hercules, who died from terrible wounds. Another hero, named Achilles, used a yarrow leaf to heal the wound of a young demigod, and he, thanks to the miraculous plant, soon recovered. Achillea millefolium - Achilles yarrow - is another name for this amazing healing gift of natural pharmacy.
Description
Yarrow grows in household plots, between plantings of cultivated plants, in wastelands and in the area of city dumps. It blooms all summer long, and before the first frosts, it manages to drop nondescript seeds into the soil, similar to flat, in longitudinal grooves, drops.
The prevalence of common yarrow (GF 11, part 2) is not universal - you can meet a plant, one of more than a hundred species of this perennial, only in the temperate latitudes of the Mediterranean, thenthere is - in any corner of Russia, in some countries of Asia and the Far East. Despite the verbose name, there are far fewer than a thousand leaves on a straight, hairy stem of a plant, but there can be twenty times more tiny flower formations.
The main raw materials used for medicinal purposes are medium and large intact leaves from the central part of the stem, which, when crushed or ground in a mortar, begin to emit a pleasant grassy smell with a specific spicy note. Separately, the flowers of the plant are harvested, while collecting not only the petals of the inflorescences, but also the green adjacent part.
Composition of grass
The strong smell of yarrow herb from the Asteraceae family is inherent in it due to the content of essential oils, which are saturated with both greens and seeds of the plant. The composition of only these oils is already a unique collection of valuable acids and chemical compounds, among which the most significant are: cineole, thujol, choline, camphor, azulene, as well as formic, ascorbic and acetic acid.
The leaves, stem and flowers of yarrow during the growing season contain:
- Flavonoids.
- Phytoncides.
- Phylloquinones.
- Coumarins.
- Carotenoids.
- Inulin.
- Organic acids.
- Mineral s alts.
- Tannins and resins.
The root system of yarrow is of no value in herbal medicine.
Side effects andcontraindications
Poisoning with yarrow is seriously quite difficult, but it is possible to provoke signs of an overdose or cause symptoms of individual intolerance by exceeding the permissible limits when taking the substance inside. Allergies to components of the plant are common, but when speaking of rejection of yarrow herb in general, they usually mean an allergy to one of the many types of esters in its composition.
To understand that treatment with this plant is strictly contraindicated, you can if you have one or more symptoms:
- indigestion;
- gas formation;
- dry mouth;
- taste of bile on tongue;
- pain in the hypochondrium;
- rashes or flushing.
However, there are many situations in which it is clearly forbidden to accept any funds with yarrow. This is:
- bleeding disorder;
- hepatitis C history;
- presence of blood clots in vessels.
Pregnancy and lactation are considered relative contraindications, reviewed on a case-by-case basis. With caution, it is recommended to approach people with problems with digestion of food and excessive sensitivity of the esophagus when taking products with this herbal ingredient.
Useful properties of yarrow for women
For women's he alth, the most significant is the hemostatic effect of yarrow. It is used for too strong and painfulmenstruation, uterine bleeding not associated with the menstrual cycle, and also as a prevention of fetal rejection during pregnancy.
Tea brewed from a small amount of yarrow herb is drunk at the first sign of approaching menopause. Regular consumption of the drink during this difficult time for every woman helps to smooth out the sharp moments of age-related changes and prevent a sharp deterioration in well-being. Tea is prepared in this way: take 1 teaspoon of yarrow herb and 0.5 teaspoon of dry calendula, pour the mixture into 300 ml of boiling water and, after cooling and straining the aqueous solution, drink it in a sip three times a day.
With heavy menstruation or inflammatory processes in the uterus associated with bloody discharge, use the juice of a fresh plant or an infusion on dry grass:
- Crushed yarrow leaves are crushed until juice is formed, then filtered. Exactly forty drops of the extract are injected into a quarter glass of cold water and the solution is drunk in one gulp. The treatment regimen involves drinking a concentrated mixture three times a day until the condition is relieved.
- 2 teaspoons of dry grass are brewed with one and a half cups of boiling water and cleaned in heat for 45 minutes to infuse. After straining, the infusion is taken in a third of a glass three times a day, 15 minutes after the main meal.
The medicinal properties of yarrow are used to enhance lactation, as well as to improve the nutritional value of low-fat, watery milk:
- Stir a tablespoon of dry grass in a glasscold boiled water, pour the solution into an enamel saucepan and bring everything to a boil over low heat. After boiling, cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer the broth for another 10 minutes. And set aside for an hour to cool. After straining, the volume of the decoction is brought to the initial 250 ml and the remedy is taken according to the scheme: 2 teaspoons of the decoction three times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- 20 g of herbs are brewed with a glass of boiling water and infused under the lid for about two hours. Strained infusion take 2 teaspoons four times a day before meals.
- Freshly squeezed juice of fresh leaves drink a teaspoon three times a day between main meals.
Pediatricians warn that treatment with yarrow during breastfeeding can adversely affect the he alth of the baby, especially if the mother is allergic to any food. For this reason, you need to start taking the remedy with the smallest dosages and with a constant eye on the well-being of the baby.
Benefits of the plant for men's he alth
In the initial stages of prostatitis, the infection that provoked the disease can be killed without the help of antibiotics. The medicinal properties of yarrow for men's he alth are due to a strong antibacterial effect and increased motility of the bladder, which provides a better removal of the pathological flora after the suppression of its vital functions.
To avoid the progression of the disease and rather alleviate the condition with inflammation of the prostateglands, apply microclysters, a course lasting 30 days. Since the procedures are performed every other day, the whole cycle includes 15 rectal injections, after which the body is allowed to rest for about one and a half to two months, and then, if necessary, the treatment is repeated.
Recipes for microclysters:
- 1 tbsp a spoonful of dry grass is brewed with 100 ml of boiling water directly in a thermos, after which it is infused for 5-6 hours. After straining, the liquid is cooled to 36 ° C and immediately filled with a syringe.
- Combine 1 teaspoon of yarrow herb and medicinal chamomile, brew a mixture of 150 ml of boiling water and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. The warm strained mixture is divided into two procedures.
The development of prostatitis to prostate adenoma implies the mandatory use of strong antimicrobial drugs, but one should not forget about the benefits of a unique herbal remedy. Yarrow, the photo of which is presented in the article, significantly enhances the anti-inflammatory effect of pharmaceutical preparations and at the same time does not have a wide range of side effects.
Recipes for adjuvant therapy for prostate adenoma:
- Take 1 teaspoon of yarrow and birch leaves and 2 teaspoons of bearberry, brew a dry mixture of 0.5 liters of boiling water and insist in a glass jar for 3 hours. Strained warm mixture is drunk 30 ml before meals.
- Take in equal proportions: corn silk, yarrow and goldenrod, mix everything well. 2 teaspoons of the composition are brewed with 200 ml of boiling water, infused for 2 hours and drunk forsip a day.
- Take 1 teaspoon each: yarrow, celandine, chaga powder and St. John's wort, then pour the dry mixture into a liter thermos and pour boiling water over it. After 5 hours of infusion, drink the collection like tea - 50 ml 2-3 r / day.
Most herbal preparations with yarrow have a bitter taste, so in all cases of ingestion, you can add a small spoonful of natural honey to the drink.
Medicinal recipes with yarrow
The unique healing properties of yarrow are used to treat all body systems. In some cases, decoctions and tinctures of herbs and flowers of the plant constitute a complete therapy, in others - auxiliary or supportive.
For intestinal disorders, abdominal pain:
- 3 teaspoons of crushed flowers of the plant are placed in a dark bottle, pour everything with a glass of vodka and put in a shaded place for a week. Ready strained tincture is dripped 15 drops per tablespoon of water three times a day before meals.
- Mix 1 tbsp. spoon of pharmacy chamomile and yarrow herb, brew all 250 ml of boiling water, and strain after half an hour. The infusion should be divided into 4 servings and drunk throughout the day.
With dermatitis, trophic ulcers, non-healing wounds:
- 80 g of dried yarrow herb brew with 2 liters of boiling water and leave for about an hour. The resulting infusion, without filtering, is poured into a bath filled with a third of warm water. Acceptance timesuch a bath - up to 20 minutes, the frequency of procedures - every other day, within a month.
- A quarter cup of fresh crushed plant leaves pour 3 tbsp. spoons of boiling water, stir and add a tablespoon of white petroleum jelly to the mixture. The mass must be rubbed until smooth and used twice a day, rubbing into the affected areas of the skin.
For hemorrhoids, diabetes or thyroid disorders:
- brew 2 teaspoons of dry grass 200 ml boiling water, leave for half an hour, then strain and drink the solution warm, 100 ml in the morning and evening;
- pour 3 teaspoons of dry yarrow into a thermos, brew 1 liter of boiling water and leave for three hours, then drink the infusion like tea - in small cups between main meals.
Cooking uses of yarrow
Yarrow, the photo of which can be seen in the article, is rarely found in the description of haute cuisine recipes, since its use is more often justified in dietary and vegetarian dishes. Of particular difficulty is the verification of the exact proportions of the substance, because at the slightest excess of the permissible dosages, the finished dish receives a very sensitive bitterness. The optimal calculation of the amount of dry grass for the first and second hot dishes is half a teaspoon of herb for 4-5 full servings.
Spicy, moderately spicy sauces made from small young leaves and shoots of the plant are served with fish and red meat. Powdered dry grass is added to vegetable oils fordressings for vegetable salads, in dough for baking snack buns, in a mixture for pickles and preservation. In small quantities and after appropriate procedures to remove excess bitterness from the herb, yarrow is used to flavor sweet dishes and wine and liquor products.
Yarrow for problematic facial skin
Oily skin, dotted with foci of inflammation and reacting with irritation to many external and internal factors, happens not only in adolescents - women of any age suffer from problematic epidermis. Pharmacy lotions bring relief for a short time, but natural antibiotics, in the role of which yarrow also acts, can close the problematic issue for a long time, if not forever. As an ambulance for increased greasiness or acne, you can try using one of the following masks:
- Freshly squeezed juice from the green part of the plant is added dropwise to the egg white while beating until a fluffy mass is obtained. In total, you can add from 5 to 15 drops - depending on the degree of skin damage. The liquid mask is applied with a brush and kept until dry, then washed off.
- Brew a cool infusion in a thermos from a full tablespoon of dry yarrow herb and 100 ml of boiling water. The liquid infused for an hour is filtered and used as a tonic.
- Mix 1 tbsp. spoon of chamomile and yarrow, brew all 0.5 liters of boiling water and insist under the lid until cool. Warm strained infusion is used for cosmetic ice or washing.
Good results in drying and matting oilyskins give complex formulations using ready-made infusions with yarrow. Dry stabilizers are taken as the basis for the mask: cosmetic clay, oatmeal, starch. The dry matter is diluted with warm infusion to a thick slurry, then honey, cosmetic and essential oils, fruit and vegetable juices are added to the mass. Such masks give a long-term effect and significantly improve the characteristics of the epidermis.
Yarrow for mature skin
After 45, rare women's skin can tolerate aggressive care products, such as alcohol lotions or fresh juices of medicinal plants, but this does not mean that it requires less care. Obvious signs of aging, manifested in the weakening of the subcutaneous skeleton and the epidermis itself, force us to significantly change the tactics of the course and direct efforts to stimulate cell metabolism.
The first remedy to cope with several problems at the same time - skin fatigue, gray complexion, fine wrinkles and morning puffiness, will be rubbing the face with cubes of frozen infusion or yarrow decoction. After a week of daily procedures, skin turgor will noticeably improve, a clear facial contour will appear.
Milk tonic, infused with fresh yarrow herb, replaces a nourishing cream with increased dryness of the skin and fine lines of wrinkles. It is prepared as follows: a dessert spoon of chopped greens is poured into 150 ml of hot (not higher than 80 ° C) boiled milk and insisted in a sealed container for 45 minutes. The product is stored at a temperature of 4 to 8 ° C tothree days, but before wiping the face, a small amount of tonic is heated to 25-30 ° C.
Benefits of yarrow for hair
This plant should be declared a panacea in healing the scalp and strengthening hair, only thanks to the complex and very useful esters contained both in the seeds of the common yarrow and in all the elements of its green parts. But after all, in addition to esters, the composition of the herb contains a lot of useful vitamins and organic acids that have a beneficial effect on the delicate structure of the follicle.
Dry herb powder is added to anti-dandruff shampoos to enhance their action, it is mixed into honey-oil hair masks or simply brewed with boiling water and the ready-made solution is used to rinse hair after shampooing. Infusions and decoctions with yarrow, prepared according to any recipe, can be moistened with hair when combing, relieving them of excessive dryness and static.
For women who periodically experience seasonal hair loss or are familiar with focal forms of alopecia, you should always have a bottle of yarrow oil at home, which is easy to prepare on your own. To prepare such a composition, take 2 teaspoons of the dried grass of the plant, which are crushed in a mortar with a few drops of olive oil until a slurry is formed, and then the mixture is poured into 200 ml of the same oil and everything is shaken well. For several days, the bottle with the solution is removed in a cool dark place, and then used by rubbing the extract into the scalp forhalf an hour before washing your hair.
From time to time, even for he althy strands, it is useful to carry out preventive two-week oil wrap courses, especially since the procedure will be equally useful for all types of hair and does not entail any negative reactions for the body, except for the already indicated individual intolerance.
