Linden flowers: medicinal properties. Therapeutic bath with linden blossom

The unique healing and healing properties of linden, its beneficial influence on women's health and contraindications for use.

When the linden blossoms, the air is filled with a delightful honey scent. You just want to pause your step to enjoy this subtle and delicate aroma that the seemingly inconspicuous yellowish-white flowers exude.

People have known about the healing properties of linden for centuries. The ancient Slavs considered this tree sacred: they planted it near temples and churches, they hid under it from thunder, as they were sure that lightning could not hit the linden tree, it was called the tree of the beautiful Lada - the goddess of love and beauty. Girls danced around old linden trees, and young fathers, when babies were born, planted a linden seed in the ground to protect their little one from disease and failure.

"Golden Tree" Pliny, Ovid, Virgil called the linden tree. In Western European countries, linden was the tree of the spring goddess Freya, the guardian of the hearth. It was planted in castle courtyards and city squares.

Today, linden is highly valued for its many health benefits. Healing properties and healing effect linden lies in its rich composition and is best revealed in tea, decoctions and honey from linden inflorescences and wings.

The bark, buds, bracts and flowers of the plant contain vitamin C, essential oils, carotene, antioxidants, phytoncides, bioflavonoids, glucose, protein, micro- and macroelements, tannins, amino acids and many other biologically active compounds. Thanks to this truly rich composition, linden is a wonderful medicinal plant. IN different countries it is used both in pharmacology and in folk medicine to treat many ailments. And now about the beneficial properties of linden in more detail.

What are the benefits of linden - the beneficial properties of linden

1. Colds

Linden decoction helps with chronic cough, bronchitis, sore throat, measles and pneumonia, dulls pain and very effectively relieves inflammation, destroys bacteria, and has a diaphoretic, antipyretic, and expectorant effect.

2. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Linden decoction removes toxins from the liver, helps with stomach pain, colic and cramps in the intestines, improves metabolism, increases the formation of bile and facilitates its entry into the intestines. duodenum, enhances secretion gastric juice, relieves food poisoning.

3. Nervous disorders

Linden flowers contain essential oils that have healing effect on the human nervous system. That is why, after walking along linden alleys, many people notice that they are losing nervous tension and your well-being improves.

4. Headache and fatigue

Tea made from linden has a golden color, a pleasant honey aroma and a soft, slightly sweet taste. It relieves headaches, helps overcome fatigue and gain strength after a hard day at work.

5. Joint pain

In the form of lotions, a decoction of linden color helps with joint pain that occurs with gout and rheumatism, burns, wounds and ulcers, boils and inflammation of hemorrhoids.

6. Women's health

Linden decoctions are very useful for women's health. Both young girls and women over 40 should pay attention to them. Thanks to the content of “phytoestrogens” - substances close to female sex hormones, they relieve pain during menstruation, normalize the menstrual cycle, delay the onset of menopause and make it easier.

7. Bladder and kidneys

Linden blossom is a very effective antispasmodic. It treats cystitis, urethritis, nephritis, urolithiasis, relieves pain painful urination, cleanses the body of toxins, helps remove poisons along with urine.

8. Slim figure

Tea made from linden flowers and wings is very healthy and low-calorie if you drink it without sugar, honey or jam. Nutritionists recommend that people who want to lose weight consume it every day, one cup at a time, but with breaks. The aromatic drink will dull the feeling of hunger, eliminate signs of depression, and help with stressful situations, and when losing weight, all these problems are not uncommon.

9. Beautiful skin

Facial toner made from linden decoction, makes the skin elastic and velvety, and frozen cubes give it freshness and a slight glow if you wipe your face with them after waking up. In addition, an infusion of linden inflorescences has a strong rejuvenating effect, so every woman over 25 can benefit from it.

10. Something else

A linden broom is useful in a bathhouse: it is considered the healthiest. And a warm bath with the addition of linden decoction - the best remedy for insomnia, intestinal pain and rheumatism.

Linden - contraindications

Linden blossom decoctions should be drunk with short breaks and in reasonable quantities, otherwise vision may deteriorate greatly, quite unexpectedly and quite quickly. But this does not mean that you can go blind if you drink linden tea every day. It's about about very long-term use, without measure and without breaks, which, in addition to weakening vision, can provoke insomnia, irritability, increased blood pressure, pain in the heart. Drink tea for a few days, one cup at a time, take a break for a week - and everything will be fine.

All beneficial features linden trees are impossible to describe. This miracle cure even treats tumors. It is also very valuable that this plant does not lose its beneficial properties in any form. Linden, it turns out, is not a fake medicine, but a real one, very effective, because it was made by nature itself.

Linden is one of the most popular components used in folk medicine and home cosmetology. This tree is famous for its ability to purify the air from harmful impurities and heavy metals, inhaling linden blossom is useful for people suffering from depression and nervous disorders. The beneficial properties of this plant can be successfully used to combat many ailments, and contraindications to its use are very limited.

Properties of linden

In medical and for cosmetic purposes Linden flowers are most often used, but tree bark, buds and leaves are also used. Useful properties of linden blossom:

strengthens the nervous system, acts as a natural antidepressant;
promotes rapid skin regeneration, relieves inflammation, reduces allergic itching;
reduces body temperature during fever;
has a mild diuretic effect;
increases appetite, has a beneficial effect on the digestive system;
reduces blood sugar levels;
used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system.

The beneficial properties of linden can be used to maintain and strengthen the immune system, including in children (contraindications - individual intolerance plants and age - up to 6 months). Not only linden tea, but also the aroma of the plant has a beneficial effect on the immune system. In the children's room it is useful to periodically keep aromatic sachets or pillows with lime color. This accessory cannot be used constantly, as there are contraindications: healthy essential oils contained in linden in large quantities can cause severe headaches if inhaled for a long time.

Besides internal use(linden tea) are also practiced healthy baths with the flowers of this plant (improves skin condition, helps relieve intestinal cramps), medicinal compresses(useful for thermal burns, joint pain), decoctions for gargling and mouthwash.

Linden tea is especially useful for women. This drink contains phytoestrogens, which have a beneficial effect on the female body, have a rejuvenating effect, and relieve pain syndrome during menstruation, regulate the cycle. Tincture of linden flowers is recommended for use for cystitis.

A decoction of linden buds is used in the treatment of migraines and frequent headaches. It is applied in the form of compresses. The course of treatment is not limited. Linden charcoal is obtained from linden branches and wood. It is a valuable drug for the treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, intestinal and stomach disorders. The medicinal properties of such coal have also found their application in the prevention of tuberculosis.

In winter, linden bark is collected, crushed into powder, and used as tea for a choleretic effect. Useful powders dried linden leaves help fast healing wound Tea made from them is recommended for use for boils and purulent formations.

Linden honey is especially popular. It has a general strengthening effect, has a beneficial effect on vision, relieves fatigue and tones the body. You should not overuse this honey. It is enough to limit yourself to one teaspoon per day. Useful decoctions from linden as a complement to drug therapy used to treat cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Contraindications

Linden flowers should be used with caution by people suffering from serious illnesses of cardio-vascular system. The plant itself does not pose a threat, but in combination with strong drugs, may provoke sharp deterioration the patient's well-being. You should not systematically drink linden tea and healthy people, since in this case the load on the heart increases significantly.

You may be allergic to linden flowers, so use them with extreme caution medicinal properties necessary for people suffering from seasonal allergic reactions for flowering. If such manifestations are noticed, you need to stop using not only flowers, but also other parts of the plant (bark, buds, foliage). Contraindications of this kind are rare, since linden is not an allergenic ingredient, but individual intolerance to it may be present due to its rather strong aroma.

Medicinal properties of this plant largely depend on the region where the tree grows. In an environmentally unfavorable environment, linden blossom, foliage and bark are soaked harmful impurities and can harm a person when used in treatment. For this reason it is recommended to use pharmacy fees and check the place of its manufacture.

Contraindications for use medicines Based on linden blossom, most of them concern adherence to strict dosages. Linden tea cannot be used as an alternative to regular black or green tea. Regular use of this drink can significantly reduce vision and aggravate ophthalmological problems. In this case, the beneficial properties of the plant will lose their relevance.

Contraindications to the use of this medicinal plant are also associated with its powerful diuretic effect. For this reason, linden tea should be used with caution by pregnant women. later, nursing mothers, people suffering from painful urination.

Linden tea and aromatic honey are very popular in medicine. If you use this plant carefully and do not abuse it, then you can enjoy using it delicious drinks, and improve the health of the body.

Linden. How much has been said and written about her. Here is a hare's living space - a bast hut, and untrue information, which is called "linden", and "not a fool" - try to deceive. The linden tree was sung by poets of the last century and very ancient times. Turgenev and Virgil, Fet and Ovid, Yesenin and Pliny knew about it. Derzhavin wrote: “The linden grove, like heat, shone like a leaf around the honey.”

Yes, and we love this tree for beautiful colour, which appears in the middle of summer, for the intoxicating smell of flowers that can drown out the “aroma” of exhaust gases, dust and gasoline, for delicious linden honey, for a lush green-orange crown that lasts longer than the clothing of other trees. And nesting dolls, and spoons carved from bast, and bast shoes woven from bark - there’s so much they can make from this tree. And not only is it suitable for crafts; linden also has useful properties.

Not just linden blossom...

Linden blossom, eh... In June, when all the trees have long since faded, the linden tree is covered with white fragrant tassels of flowers and, as a monopolist, attracts the surrounding bees. We brew healing tea from linden. Its benefits are manifested during fever and loss of strength. We insist on it to make a tonic for washing. We drink linden flowers to boost immunity, calm tremors, and dull hunger.

A unique tree is linden. It has medicinal properties everywhere. These are flowers, bark, leaves, and the tree itself, as it is. If you have a headache, you need to go to the linden tree, hug it and press your forehead to the rough bark. The pain will go away. Birch has exactly the same property.

A unmarried girls They danced around the tree, luring suitors - also symbolic, although stupid, it was not necessary to dance in circles, but to learn how to cook deliciously, sew and knit and talk affectionately, men love this. The elders gathered under the linden tree to make an important decision. Of course, this tree gives shade and coolness even in the heat. Moreover, according to legend, the linden tree is the only tree into which lightning does not fall, so in a thunderstorm you can hide under it - but we do not recommend checking beliefs, they also usually turn out to be stupidity; in a thunderstorm it is better to hide in the house.

Linden blooms only 1.5-2 weeks a year. But don’t worry if you didn’t have time to collect the color. Fruits appear in place of flowers. They, like linden leaves, and bark also need to be used.

Fresh leaves are applied to a sore head (in the literal, and not in the psychotherapeutic sense of the word).
The fruits – small cones – are crushed. This powder stops nasal and external bleeding.
The bark was previously used for shoes. Now, dried and crushed, it is added to tea to cleanse the gallbladder and remove excess bile.
Bath brooms are made from linden branches.
Charcoal, which is obtained from branches and wood, plays the role of an absorbent and is highly valued for ridding the body of harmful substances and toxins. Not even a large number of coal can absorb 100 times the volume of toxins.
The same coal copes with diarrhea, inflammation in the intestines and stomach, and dysentery.

The whole linden tree is valued; each of its phytoorgans has beneficial properties. Well, the simplest thing is to collect flowers and make seagulls.

Would you like some linden tea?

The linden tree is valued most of all for its linden color. The beneficial properties and contraindications of flowers are known even to those who rarely use recipes traditional medicine.

The presence of flavonoids and glycosides explains why we drink linden tea when we have a cold - the substances have a diaphoretic effect. They cope with fever, nasal congestion, sore throat, and cough. And not only in the fight against colds are linden flowers powerful. Their beneficial properties also apply to other diseases:

Croupous pneumonia.
Urological problems - here they help due to their diuretic effect.
A bath with linden blossom can calm your nerves and relieve stress.
A decoction of flowers removes oily shine on the skin, dries it and returns color.
Laryngitis, sore throat, stomatitis, gingivitis. Gargle and rinse your mouth with the decoction.
Insomnia goes away.
Headache, dizziness, migraine, neuralgia go away.
Blood pressure decreases.
The condition improves with arrhythmia and heart failure.

Linden flowers will help against the listed and other diseases. The beneficial properties and contraindications are due to the presence of valuable nectar in the flower, which attracts bees, phytohormones and other substances.

Play, hormones

Natural phytohormones can delay the aging process, awaken life in the body’s cells, and start metabolic processes. Linden is used at any age. Useful properties for women menopause manifest themselves in the suppression of irritating symptoms during hormonal changes. Therefore, anger at all White light, hot flashes, sudden mood swings, apathy, gluttony or, on the contrary, lack of appetite will not bother you so much.

Thanks to the activation metabolic processes Linden is effective for weight loss and has a diuretic effect. Reviews say that replacing linden tea with coffee or regular tea, you can significantly speed up fat burning. But only if you do not add sugar or honey to the drink. This is not necessary; the tea itself has a pleasant sweetish taste. Additionally, linden relieves swelling and breaks down cellulite.

“I read about the benefits of linden for colds and fever. I know that my complexion is returning. But I just found out about the weight loss effect. Yes, he is. But not all the time. Good to drink loading dose tea at the beginning of the course. It will remove excess moisture and relieve swelling. The tea is delicious, but there is one drawback. After it, you shouldn’t leave the apartment for a long time - tea has a very strong diuretic effect. You can also drink this drink afterwards. Vitamin C, A and other substances will strengthen the body and normalize the functioning of the stomach. The result is that in a month several centimeters from the waist and 8 kg of weight disappeared.”

Doctors, of course, know about this property of flowers and therefore recommend linden tea for certain situations. But they warn that precisely because of this strong effect, linden has contraindications:

“Linden is a natural diuretic. This strong effect may be detrimental to the cardiovascular system. Do not forget that traditional medicine only seems harmless. Therefore, if you decide to lose weight using linden blossom, first consult your doctor.”

Saunas and steam baths can enhance the effect of the linden diet. Pour a decoction of leaves and flowers onto the stones and inhale the healing vapors.

Have you noticed that there is not a word in the contraindications about the dangers of tea for nursing mothers? Yes, indeed, linden breastfeeding will not harm either mother or baby. Tea can bring down a fever, cure a cough, and improve lactation. And along with milk, the baby receives substances that protect him from diarrhea, colic, viruses, and strengthen his weak immune system.

Moderation even in tea

Linden blossom tea is brewed for about 25 minutes. You just need to put a spoonful of flowers in a thermos and pour 500 ml of boiling water. Sugar may not be added. The drink is a bit sweet even without it.

Drinking a lot of linden tea is harmful to both the heart and Bladder. The maximum daily volume is two to three mugs. And for nursing mothers - 3-4 mugs, but not per day, but per week.

For those losing weight, the following recipe. For a glass of boiling water, add a tablespoon of color. Cover and leave for half an hour. Then strain and drink half an hour before meals and before bed. You can add other plants to the infusion:, or with.

During times of time pressure at work, it will be a salvation herbal mixture. Take linden flowers, mint, motherwort in equal parts. Pour boiling water over the mixture (a glass per spoon of herbs).

In bad weather, prepare a poultice for pain in aching joints. A generous handful of linden blossom is poured into a glass of boiling water. Insists. Squeeze out the grounds and apply to the joints. Cover the top with film and a towel so that the grass does not cool down longer.

Go to the bathhouse

Linden has soft wood, so it will not be possible to build a strong log house from it. But decorating it with linden shutters and finishing it is easy. And linden is also suitable as a material for building a bathhouse.

Linden for a bathhouse is a nice thing. Linden bast, that is, the removed and dressed bark, was used for bast shoes and bath caps, and brooms made from linden branches for the steam room are still considered the most exquisite, royal, tender and healthy.

Like flowers, linden broom is saturated with phytoncides that activate sweating, relieve fatigue, irritation, and suppress bacteria.

When going to the steam room, take an infusion of leaves with you. Instead of water, pour the infusion onto hot stones. You will feel the aroma that will spread.

Branches with leaves are collected before flowering begins. And then - have time to collect linden blossom so that you can always make fragrant tea.

June comes, and almost all the southern regions of the country begin to smell fragrant with the intoxicating aroma emanating from the yellowish-cream small thyroid inflorescences. The linden blossomed, healing the surrounding air with its essential oils. The older the tree becomes, the more it is strewn with drooping half-umbrellas with long, delicate stamens. While the plant is fragrant, experts on its beneficial properties try to collect linden blossoms in time to enjoy aromatic teas throughout the year.

It is not for nothing that linden honey is valued in folk medicine - the inflorescences from which bees collect nectar have healing properties. The pleasant aroma of linden is produced by farnesol, an alcohol that is part of essential oil flowers. There are also balsamic resins, flavonoids, saponins, phytoncides, tannins, vitamins (especially important ascorbic acid), carotene, mucus.

All this makes linden blossom quite valuable for health. Inflorescence extracts are even included in official pharmacological preparations(the most famous of them can be called “Vitalp”).

Traditional medicine actively uses raw materials as:

anti-inflammatory
expectorant
diuretic
sweatshop
painkiller
anticonvulsants.

Colds, headaches, nervous disorders, infertility and a number of other indications - decoctions and teas made from linden blossom help to cope with all of these.

The properties of flowers to dissolve mucous substances and thick phlegm are especially appreciated.

Due to its immunomodulatory properties, linden decoctions are indicated for sick children. Women are more attracted to healing teas because of their antioxidant properties. Therefore, you can find the use of inflorescences in cosmetology.

Contraindications for the use of Tiliae flores

On our own healing flowers lindens are harmless raw materials, but there is one point that should be taken into account. Thinning properties this tool contraindicated for people with poor clotting blood.

It is also worth mentioning the cores - active influence linden blossom on the body leads to profuse sweating. This can place a serious strain on the heart muscle. In this case, there are no contraindications for drinking linden tea, but it is advisable to limit its concentration. Should be reduced and single dose, limiting yourself to a quarter glass of weak drink.

All other judgments harmful effects per person decoctions and infusions of linden blossom are not justified in any way. Does not provide negative influence and duration of treatment healing drinks. Unless allergy sufferers are advised to take the product with caution, while controlling their sensations.

There are several recipes for brewing linden flowers. One person drinks teas for pleasure, while another healing decoctions treats his ailments. Each of them will follow a certain algorithm in preparing a healthy drink.

Tea

The simplest and most classic is considered to be brewed tea made from 10 g of linden flowers per glass of water. The drink is boiled for 10 minutes, then consumed as you like - hot or chilled, not forgetting to add sugar or honey to taste.

But when treating a cold, you should also add berries and raspberry branches, anise fruits, willow bark and coltsfoot leaves (10 g each). In this case, brew 1 tbsp in a glass of boiling water. this fee to get a good diaphoretic effect.

Infusion

Linden flowers can not only be brewed, but also infused. In this case, they take 2 times more raw materials for a glass of water than for tea. Pour boiling water over it, leave for half an hour, then drink. 1 tsp honey will enhance healing effect infusion. This option can be considered basic, varying its composition with different useful supplements(depending on the purpose of use).

Linden tea: video

Linden blossom has become the basis of many traditional medicine recipes. The decoction and infusion mentioned above - excellent remedy for the treatment of colds. It should be taken 3 times a day, half a glass before meals. Participates healing agent and in the treatment of other diseases.

Cleansing the body

It is worth cleaning the body if problems arise with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the liver. Elderberry and chamomile, as well as leaves, are also added to the linden blossom. peppermint, lemon balm and fennel seeds (all can be taken in equal parts). Brew tea at the rate of 1 tbsp. collection per glass of boiling water. Then leave for 2 hours and filter. Use according to the following regimen: 0.5 cups an hour after meals 4 times a day.

For skin diseases

People prone to skin diseases should periodically cleanse their blood. This collection will help here - take 4 tsp each of linden flowers and woodruff grass, leaves walnut 1 tsp The infusion is made at the rate of 1 tbsp. mixture to one and a half cups of boiling water. After 4 hours, strain and store in the refrigerator. Should be taken immediately before breakfast, like regular tea.

Sedative

Teas with linden, mint, St. John's wort and motherwort calm the nervous system well. It is advisable to drink the drink before bed.

Bath

Helps relieve aches and pain in joints healing bath. To start with 2 liters cold water you need to infuse 100 g of linden blossom for 10 minutes. Then boil for 5 minutes over low heat and leave for another 20 minutes. After straining, add to water for a soothing bath. In progress water procedures You can drink regular linden tea.

Immunity

You can strengthen your immune system with tea steamed in a thermos. Place linden inflorescences, nettle leaves (1 tsp each) and a small green sprig of celery, as well as a little grated ginger, into a container. They also recommend squeezing a clove of garlic here, but this is not for everyone. Pour boiling water over it, leave for a couple of hours, then drink throughout the day like regular tea.

Burns

Linden decoctions are used externally for treatment skin diseases and burns. Half a liter of water is poured into 4 tbsp. colors and place on very low heat. After boiling, boil for 10 minutes. Apply the decoction warm, in the form of applications to the affected areas.

Recipes using linden inflorescences can be described further, but there are so many of them that it is impossible to cover everything at once. Even if you only drink teas with linden, you can already bring great benefits to yourself.

Healing properties of linden: video

Linden remedies are especially useful for female body. They help not only get rid of colds and relieve headaches, but also calm the nerves in stressful situations, and also make it possible to get rid of infertility. With the help of linden inflorescences, you can take care of your appearance and cleanse your body in order to lose weight.

Benefits for cough

The use of decoctions and teas with linden has already been mentioned a little higher. Taking into account the specifics of the female body, it should be taken into account that a shelling cough can also affect the condition of the mammary glands. This is especially important for nursing mothers to know. Therefore it is recommended to take breast collection, facilitating expectoration.

In addition to linden, it also includes other inflorescences - mullein, buckwheat, marshmallow, elderberry, coltsfoot, poppy (petals only) and lungwort grass. Infuse 2 tbsp in 1 liter of boiling water. mixture, placing everything in the oven for 12 hours. Drink the infusion, strained, every 2 hours, a quarter glass, until the cough goes away.

During pregnancy

Teas made from linden flowers are harmless for pregnant women, although you should not get carried away with them. But it is advisable to use it as needed.

Any cold will go away easier with this remedy, preventing the infection from affecting the health of the unborn baby.
Linden will help relieve swelling that traditionally accompanies pregnancy.
The woman’s state of mind during this period is also important, so linden teas at night will come in handy, providing the pregnant woman with a restful sleep.

For face

Cosmetology is one of the industries where linden blossom extracts are used. Can also be used folk recipes for facial care. A good homemade toner that is suitable for any skin type.

Having prepared the linden infusion (1 glass), dissolve honey (2 tsp) in it. By rubbing the product on your face in the morning and evening, you can very quickly restore elasticity and freshness to the dermis.

You can also add a little decoction to your night face cream - this will enhance its rejuvenating effect.

good ice cubes from a decoction of linden blossom. They are recommended to wipe your face after washing your face in the morning, as well as before applying cream in the evening. This not only has a calming effect, but also has an antibacterial effect.

For children

Children love linden tea, especially if you add honey. Therefore, you should always have flower collection on hand in case your baby catches a cold. Due to the harmlessness of the plant, decoctions help well in cases where the use of other drugs is not recommended.

Light linden and lemon balm teas will relieve a nursing mother from sleepless nights, as they have a calming effect on the baby. Healing baths that the child should take before bedtime also contribute to this. In this case, linden may well replace the string.

Drinks prepared from linden inflorescences have a cleansing property, allowing you to normalize the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, the decoctions have an enveloping effect on the mucous membrane, protecting it from injury. All this allows you to lose weight quickly and without harm to the body. In a month you can lose 5 kg of weight and forget what cellulite is.

For this purpose, it is recommended to drink regular linden tea, drinking a quarter glass on an empty stomach and half a glass before each meal. Before this, you should cleanse for 2-3 days according to the recipe indicated above (in the section “Application and folk recipes”). Linden baths will help in the fight against cellulite, which it is advisable to take at least 2 times a week.

Not everyone collects herbs; pharmacology comes to their aid. In the pharmacy you can find dried and packaged linden flowers, as well as all kinds of herbal teas. Therefore, without any problems, everyone will choose drugs for themselves, both for health, and for maintaining immunity, and for beauty.

Creams and ointments based on natural ingredients skin care products, shampoos and infusions for treating and strengthening hair - you can also find linden blossom in their composition.

The price for 50 grams of dried linden flowers in pharmacies is from 100 rubles and above.

When and how to collect linden flowers

Linden plantings are found in almost any city, so collecting color with it will not be difficult.

To preserve the beneficial properties, you need to know the rules for collecting and storing raw materials. As for the linden tree, you need to do it before it fades. In some regions this period occurs in mid-June, in others - in early July.

The weather is of no small importance - it should be a dry, windless day. The collection of linden blossoms is carried out either early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the heat has already subsided. In this case, only healthy inflorescences of a rich golden color are taken. Those that have turned brown and damaged by the pest should be ignored.

It is easier to collect flowers together with bracts, but in pharmacology preference is given to pure inflorescences. Although there are also a lot of flowers useful components. After collection, the raw materials are again sorted and dried.

It is better to dry linden inflorescences on fresh air, in the shade, avoiding moisture. For this purpose, special breathable sieves are used. If someone does not have this opportunity, then clean gauze, spread on a table (bedside table), away from the window, in a well-ventilated room, will do. During the drying process, the flowers should be turned over periodically to prevent them from steaming.

To understand that the inflorescences have dried completely, you need to use check weighing. First, the mass of fresh raw materials is determined (before drying). The second weighing can be carried out when it is believed that the flowers have dried out. The following proportion is considered an indicator of the end of drying: per 1 kg of raw materials - 300 g of dry color.

If everything was done correctly, the properties of linden blossom will remain for 3 years. You can put dried flowers in paper bags or clean glass jars. The closed container is stored on one of the shelves in the kitchen cabinet, taken out as needed.

A beautiful deciduous tree - linden during the flowering period attracts people not only with its unusual “honey” aroma, but also with its healing properties. The yellowish-white modest flowers, which bloom in early to mid-June, are famous for their unforgettable smell, and invariably gather around them an army of honey bees and herbalists who successfully compete with bees for fragrant flowers. In our country, linden blossom has long been used to treat colds, linden tea was brewed during pregnancy and for weight loss, as well as for problems with sleep, loss of strength, and others. similar conditions. Today, linden flowers remain one of the most effective and safe diaphoretic and antipyretic drugs used to treat children and pregnant women.

Linden blossom - beneficial properties and applications

Linden is a deciduous tree growing throughout Russia and neighboring countries. Healing properties All parts of the plant are possessed, but linden blossom is especially famous - small inflorescences that appear on tree branches in the month of July. Unfortunately, these flowers can only be collected during 10-12 days a year, when most of the flowers have already bloomed but have not yet withered. Another limitation to the widespread use of this medicinal plant– this is a delicate linden color, it must be dried in the shade, preferably in the fresh air, protecting it from excess dampness and humidity. Also, flowers from trees growing along highways or on the streets of large cities and industrial centers cannot be used for treatment - they will accumulate many harmful substances and toxins that are dangerous to human health.

Provided they are properly assembled and dried, linden flowers have a number of useful properties:

anti-inflammatory – high content vitamin C derivatives salicylic acid, bioflavonoids and other biologically active substances, makes decoctions and infusions of linden blossom a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, they help relieve inflammation, reduce swelling, itching and painful sensations at colds, cystitis, joint diseases and so on;
antimicrobial– organic acids, tannins and flavonoids transform linden flowers into a powerful antiseptic that destroys pathogenic microorganisms, therefore, linden infusions and decoctions are recommended for gargling and oral cavity for tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, as well as for stomatitis, gingivitis and others dental diseases;
sweatshop– linden tea and linden decoction effectively reduce body temperature and have a diaphoretic effect; they are recommended to be taken for colds, bronchitis and even tuberculosis;
expectorant– a decoction of linden blossom thins sputum, irritates the receptors of the bronchial mucosa and promotes faster removal of fluid from the bronchi and lungs; it is recommended to take the medicine when prolonged cough or any respiratory diseases;
bile and diuretic effects– activates everyone’s work internal organs and digestive glands, helps cope with diseases of the kidneys, gall bladder and other digestive organs;
antispasmodic– linden preparations have a relaxing effect on smooth muscles, help cope with pain in the stomach and intestines, in the kidneys and female genital organs;
sedative– linden tea and linden blossom decoctions have a calming effect on the nervous system, they are good for insomnia, nervous overstrain, chronic stress and overwork;
immunomodeling– linden blossom affects not only the entire body, but also directly the human immune system, stimulating the production of antibodies, activating the functioning of organs internal secretion responsible for the condition immune system person;
tonic– linden blossom improves metabolism in the body, accelerates the movement of blood through the vessels and contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals that our body needs for normal life, so regular use of linden preparations helps normalize general state human, reduce clinical manifestations chronic diseases and improve performance, vitality and mood;
hormonal– linden flowers contain herbal analogue female hormones– phytohormones, which are very useful for women suffering from disorders menstrual cycle, gynecological diseases and menopause. Moreover, these hormones do not have any negative effect on male representatives;

Contraindications

Linden tea, decoctions and infusions of linden are, first of all, medicine, so you should not replace regular tea with them or take them in long courses without special indications. Strict contraindications there is no linden blossom to take; it is considered one of the most safe means for the treatment of colds in pregnant women and children younger age, but in such cases you must first consult with your doctor. Long-term use or an excess of linden blossom can negatively affect the condition nervous system, heart and organs of vision.

Use of linden in folk medicine

Linden blossom infusion– used for colds, inflammatory diseases respiratory organs, tuberculosis and influenza. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tbsp of dry linden blossom into 1 tbsp of boiling water, infuse with a lid on for 30-40 minutes and filter.
Take this infusion warm, preferably freshly brewed, 1 tbsp - 3-4 times a day before meals. It can be used to treat children from 2 years old, the dose of infusion for colds is 1/4-1/2 tbsp 3-4 times a day, to improve the taste for children, you can add a spoonful of honey or a little sugar to the infusion.
Infusion for gargling and mouthwash– linden blossom is used to gargle the throat and mouth for colds, sore throat, bronchitis, stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease and other dental diseases. Prepare an infusion at the rate of 1 tbsp per 1 tbsp of boiling water, infuse for 20 minutes, filter and use for rinsing 4-6 times a day.
Linden decoction– taken for diseases of the digestive, gastric and intestinal colic, as a bile and diuretic for diseases of the liver, gall bladder and kidneys. Prepare this decoction in an enamel bowl, pouring 1 tbsp. hot water 3 tablespoons of linden blossom, then heat the decoction in a water bath, but do not boil, for 15 minutes. Then infuse, filter and add boiled water, bringing the volume of the decoction to 200 ml. Drink the decoction warm, 1 tbsp 2-3 times a day after meals. The course of treatment is usually 7-10 days.
Infusion for weight loss and improvement of metabolism– as a diaphoretic and activating metabolism, linden infusion is recommended to be drunk by people who want to lose weight, get rid of edema and “cleanse” the body. This drink is prepared from 1 tsp of dry linden blossom per 1 tbsp of boiling water, infused for 30 minutes, filtered and drunk warm, once a day before bed or after physical activity.
Linden blossom infusion for women– linden infusion is very useful for women suffering from menstrual irregularities, heavy bleeding, menopause and so on. In such situations, it is recommended to drink linden infusion prepared from 2 teaspoons of raw materials and 0.5 liters of boiling water. The infusion is closed, wrapped and infused for 30-40 minutes, then filtered and drunk 1/2 tbsp 2-3 times a day after meals, starting the infusion from the beginning of the cycle and continuing to take it for 10-14 days, after that take a break for 2 weeks and repeat the course.
Linden tea for nervous overexcitation, stress, insomnia and to strengthen the immune system– to prepare tea, pour 1 tsp of dry linden blossom into 1 tbsp of boiling water, let it brew for 10-15 minutes, strain and add 1 tsp of honey or sugar to the drink. Drink linden tea slowly, before bed or on an empty stomach, 1-2 times a day, for 10-14 days in a row, after which you must take a break for 2-3 weeks.
Linden blossom decoction for cystitis– in case of acute cystitis, linden blossom can help quickly cope with the disease if treatment is started at the first signs of illness. To do this, pour 3 tablespoons of dry color into 1 liter of cold water, bring the broth to a boil, then cover it with a lid and leave for 1 hour. The decoction must be drunk during the first day of illness; from the second day, drink 0.5 liters of decoction per day. To get rid of acute cystitis Usually 3 days of taking the decoction are enough, but to get rid of the disease forever or chronic cystitis the course of treatment should be at least 2 weeks without interruptions.
Bath with linden blossom– helps with joint diseases, nervous overexcitation, insomnia and inflammatory skin diseases. When preparing a solution, pour 100 grams of dried flowers into 2 liters of cold water, leave for 10-15 minutes, then heat for 5-10 minutes, then leave for another 10-20 minutes and filter. Add this decoction to a warm bath, the water temperature should not exceed 37 degrees, the patient is completely immersed in water and takes a bath for 10-15 minutes. Do not use when taking a bath detergents, shampoos or gels, it is best to wet your body after the procedure and go to bed. You should take a bath with linden blossom regularly, but not more than once a week.
Linden blossom and pregnancy– infusions and decoctions of linden blossom are considered one of the safest diaphoretic and antipyretic drugs during pregnancy, but they must be used with extreme caution, and in case of hypertonicity of the uterus, threat of miscarriage and any other pathological conditions You must first consult with your doctor.