Linden: medicinal properties and contraindications. Linden for weight loss

Linden is one of the most common deciduous trees in temperate latitudes. Since ancient times, this plant was famous for its useful properties and has been used by many peoples as a powerful and effective healing agent. The benefits of linden for human health are so strong that even today, in the heyday of the pharmaceutical industry, linden is used to treat a wide variety of diseases.

The benefits of linden and its effect on the body

The bark, buds, bracts and inflorescences of linden serve as valuable medicinal raw materials. The flowers and leaves of the tree contain glucose, bioflavonoids, carotene, phytoncides, trace elements, protein, tannin. The essential oil contained in linden flowers quickly spreads through the air, having a calming effect on the nervous system. That is why walking along linden alleys brings great benefits to human health. But the benefits of linden are most fully revealed in teas, decoctions and infusions of flowers.

Perhaps one of the best to use is a broom made from linden twigs. If you are sick, then linden blossom and honey will help you cope with your cold. Linden blossom – excellent antispasmodic, diaphoretic natural remedy. It also helps with problems with bladder and kidneys.

For complex sore throats and prolonged bronchitis, use infusions of flowers and linden bark. Linden infusion has a powerful expectorant effect and can relieve chronic cough. Besides, this remedy used to alleviate the condition of a person suffering from cancer.

Surprisingly, linden tea is a real rejuvenating remedy. You just need to wash your face with linden infusion in the morning, and your skin will not lose its natural elasticity and velvety for many years.

Thanks to the use of preparations from linden inflorescences, the flow of bile into the duodenum is normalized, the process of bile formation is more active, and secretion is improved gastric juice, diuresis increases.

Tilia cordata Mill. - a large, well-known tree from the linden family (Tiliaceae) with a slender trunk up to 25 m high and a wide crown. The bark is brown, smooth on young trunks and branches, and with grooved cracks in the upper layer on thicker ones. Linden has a well-developed root system with a deeply penetrating taproot, making it wind-resistant.
The leaves are alternate, heart-shaped, from 2 to 8 cm long and wide, pointed at the apex, finely serrated along the edge of the blade, with well-defined venation, green above, glabrous, slightly bluish below, with tufts of yellowish-brown hairs along the veins. Leaf petioles are long, tomentose, turning red in autumn. On coppice shoots, the leaves are much larger - up to 12 cm in length and width. Linden is distinguished by its late leafing out; it becomes green in our forests almost the last, at the end of May and even in June (only oak puts on leaves later than linden).
The flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, up to 1 cm in diameter, collected in 3-15 corymbose inflorescences, equipped with a yellowish-greenish lanceolate-shaped leaf, fused with the axis of the inflorescence up to half its length. Each flower has a 5-leaf calyx, a 5-petalled corolla with a diameter of up to 1 cm, many (up to 30) stamens fused into 5 bunches, a pistil with an upper 5-lobed ovary, a short thick style and 5 stigmas. Linden blooms in July (less often at the end of June), flowering lasts 2-3 weeks. Flowers are pollinated by insects.
The fruit is a spherical nut with a diameter of 4-8 mm with a rather thin and fragile shell. The fruits ripen in September, but fall from the trees only in winter, when the trees are already bare. Whole inflorescences fall off and are carried by the wind, and the preserved bract serves as a sail. In winter, after a thaw, when the snow compacts and becomes covered with a crust (infusion), the wind carries linden fruits across the infusion like small ice buoys.
Linden reproduces in nature mainly by vegetative means: layering and stump shoots. In many linden forests, the entire tree stand is essentially of coppice origin. However, it is not for nothing that the linden produces so many fruits; the seed path of renewal is also not alien to it. In forests where there are at least single linden trees, linden seedlings can almost always be found. Let us note, however: not everyone will guess that the shoot with two leaves, the blade of which is strongly dissected, belongs to a linden tree; these leaves are very different from those hanging on the tree.
During the first 5 years of life, linden seedlings grow slowly, then growth accelerates, and from about 60 years of age it slows down again. At 130-150 years old, the linden tree reaches its maximum growth and practically no longer increases in height, but its crown and trunk thickness continue to increase even more. for a long time. The linden tree lives for 300-400 years; individual trees are known to live up to 600 years.

Spread of linden

Range of the heart-shaped linden- Europe and adjacent areas of Asia. It is widespread in the middle and southern zone of the forest zone and forest-steppe of the European part of Russia. Separate fragments of the range of this species are presented in Western Siberia(island linden forests in Kuznetsk Alatau and other places). It forms pure forests (linden forests), and is found as an admixture in deciduous and mixed forests, where the basis of the tree stand is made up of other species, such as pedunculate oak. Often forms the second layer in oak forests and coniferous-deciduous forests. Demanding on soil fertility, does not tolerate waterlogging.
It is widely grown in urban plantings along streets, in parks and squares, as well as in roadside plantings. It tolerates crown trimming well. In Moscow and other cities European Russia, along with heart-shaped linden, large-leaved linden (Tilia platyphyllos Scop.) native to Central Europe. It differs from our domestic linden in having larger leaves and flowers, as well as earlier flowering (about 2 weeks).
Linden is an exceptionally shade-tolerant tree species, so it can grow even in the second tier of dense spruce forests. Its growth is not hindered by shading. At the same time, the linden tree itself, which develops a large crown rich in leaf mass, provides dense shade, which prevents the regeneration of many trees and shrubs under its canopy.

Other related linden species

On Far East meet local species linden trees that are equivalent in healing properties to cordate linden and are morphologically similar to it: Amur linden (Tilia amurensis Rupr.), Manchurian linden (Tilla mandshurica Rupr.), etc.

Economic use of linden

Like any tree species, linden has the widest use of wood. It is light, soft, and although it is not very suitable for construction, it is indispensable for the manufacture of many carpentry products. Linden is used to make tubs, beehives, furniture, dishes, and drawing boards. But it is especially valued by artists specializing in such an art form as wood carving. Bizarre cornices, delicate images of fruits, flowers, cupids, which amaze us in the palaces of the 18th-19th centuries, were mostly carved from linden wood. And in churches, icon frames often owe their pretentiousness to linden.
No matter how unusual it may seem, waste from linden wood processing in the form of sawdust, stumps, and shavings can serve as feed for livestock, as they contain a lot of starch. Naturally, before feeding waste, it must be dried and ground into powder. Linden produces first-class charcoal.
Of no less interest to the national economy is linden bark, or rather its inner part- bast It is used for matting, mats, washcloths, and various wicker products. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, linden matting bags were the most common container in Russia. The bark of young linden trunks is called bast. The everyday shoes of the Russian peasant - bast shoes - have been made from bast for many centuries. Ropes, all kinds of harnesses, and various bags and purses were made from it. Bark stripped from old trunks covered the roofs.
It is difficult to find a person who does not know that linden is a wonderful honey plant. In places where there is a lot of it, despite the short flowering period, bees manage to collect abundant bribes from linden trees - one bee colony (or rather, one hive) can produce up to 5 kg of linden honey per day. This honey is distinguished by its transparency, unique aroma and taste; it is deservedly highly valued as a wonderful food and medicinal product.
Linden inflorescences (“linden blossom”) have long been used as a substitute for tea in Rus'. They are used to flavor alcoholic drinks. Young, newly blossomed linden leaves are also used for food. Leafy linden branches are excellent food for livestock. They are harvested in the summer, tied like brooms and hung under the roof of sheds and houses. In this state they dry out, and in winter they are gradually fed.
One cannot fail to mention the beauty of linden trees. This breed has long been bred as an ornamental tree in Russian noble estates. Alleys were laid out of it, many of which have survived to this day, although they are already 150-200 years old. Now linden is lined with city streets and boulevards; it forms the basis of many parks.

Features of the preparation of medicinal raw materials of linden

Collect Linden blossom during the full bloom of flowers. The collection period is short, because the linden tree blooms for only 10-20 days. It is advisable, of course, to cut or pluck individual inflorescences so as not to damage the trees. But in practice, usually with garden shears on a long pole, they cut off the branches abundantly planted with flowers and pick off the inflorescences from them. With careful harvesting in this way, you can ensure minimal damage to the tree (you need to take only part of the branches from each tree, while trying to cut off the entire branches, but only their apical part). From one tree you can collect up to 1.5 kg of fresh inflorescences.
We remind you that under no circumstances should linden blossoms be harvested on city streets or in roadside plantings, no matter how attractive the flowering linden trees may look here. Air pollution from vehicle engine exhaust makes raw materials collected near roads and in street plantings unsuitable for either treatment or tea.
The collected raw materials should be dried without delay to prevent them from turning black. Dry it in the air in the shade, in ventilated areas, spreading thin layer on clean litter. The inflorescences should not be overdried so that individual flowers do not fall off. Properly dried raw materials have a pleasant honey aroma.

Medicinal value of linden and methods of medicinal use

Medical raw materials with the trade name “Linden flowers, or linden blossom” are inflorescences collected together with the bracts. They contain essential oil, carotene, flavonoids, saponins, ascorbic acid and other substances.
In scientific and folk medicine, linden inflorescences are prescribed as a diaphoretic for the prevention and treatment of colds. They are part of the sweatshop fees. Linden infusion also has bactericidal properties, so it is effective in the form of rinsing the mouth and pharynx for various inflammatory diseases, it is also prescribed for sore throats (it’s a good idea to add 5 g of baking soda to a glass of warm broth).
excellent medicine is linden honey. Like linden tea, it is effective against colds and is very useful for many other diseases and ailments.

At colds There are several ways to prepare linden infusion and decoction for sweating. 10 g (3 tablespoons) of raw materials are placed in an enamel bowl, pour 200 ml (1 glass) of hot boiled water, close with a lid and heat in boiling water (in a water bath) for 15 minutes, cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, filter, squeeze out the remaining raw materials. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted boiled water up to 200ml. The prepared infusion is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days. Take hot, 1-2 glasses 2 times a day after meals as a diaphoretic, diuretic and antimicrobial agent.

Two tablespoons of inflorescences are brewed as tea in 2 glasses of boiling water, boiled for 10 minutes, filtered and 2-3 glasses drunk hot at night.

One tablespoon per 1 glass of water, boil for 30 minutes. The solution obtained in this way also has antiulcer, desensitizing activity, stimulates the regeneration of soft tissues and the performance of the body.
Linden blossom has long been known in folk medicine. From linden flowers you can prepare a wonderful drink with a pleasant aroma and a beautiful golden color - linden tea, which has a healing effect: diaphoretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, emollient. Tea perfectly quenches thirst. Just don’t go outside immediately after drinking tea.
They tear flowers with narrow yellowish leaves, i.e. whole inflorescences, in dry weather in the morning. Dry in an oven or in the sun. Before brewing, dried linden blossom is lightly fried to improve the flavor bouquet. To increase sweating, you can add the same amount of raspberries to the kettle.

Place equally 2 tablespoons of a mixture of linden blossom and raspberry fruits into 1 cup of boiling water, boil for 5-10 minutes, strain. Drink hot in one dose for colds and flu.
A 10% decoction of linden inflorescences with honey or raspberry jam before bedtime.
Since ancient times, linden blossom has been known in peasant life in Rus' as a blood purifier, analgesic, sedative, and diuretic and was used for rheumatism, gout, abdominal pain, kidney stones and gallstone colic, and inflammation of the female genital area.
The linden bark is crushed and mixed with cold water, the inside cleanses and moves.
The juice is squeezed out of the pimples that are found on linden leaves, and with this we will anoint the bodily uncleanness, and so the body will become clean and smooth.
The leaves of the linden tree, when they spread out anew, are boiled in wine and consumed, any outflow (swelling) of the interior will fall from it.

Ancient herbalists report that linden blossom is beneficial for hypochondriacs and people prone to strokes; tincture of linden blossom was used to cure “old epileptic disease.”

Not everyone knows that linden blossom can heal and nervous diseases. A strong decoction - 5 tablespoons of crushed inflorescences per 0.5 liters of water, boil for 30 minutes. - helps with neuroses, strong nervous disorder, frequent fainting, convulsions.
But an alcohol tincture of linden inflorescences, which is prepared as follows, has a more clear anticonvulsant effect:
Fill the jar to the top loose layer freshly dried inflorescences, without tamping them, and pour vodka to the very edge; leave for 2-3 weeks. Take 7 teaspoons 3 times a day, and before bedtime increase the dose to 1 tablespoon. Unfortunately, stale linden blossom does not give the desired effect.

For children suffering from seizures, it is more beneficial to give fresh linden juice, collected in early spring at the beginning of sap flow.
Linden has a disinfectant effect, so an infusion of inflorescences is used to rinse the mouth and throat for sore throat.

Brew 20 g of linden blossom in 1 cup of boiling water, cool to temperature fresh milk, add 5 g of bicarbonate of soda (soda is dissolved in warm broth).

Mix well linden blossom with sage and chamomile in equal parts, brew 1 teaspoon of the mixture with 1 glass of boiling water. Apply the infusion every 2-3 hours.
Linden fruit powder stops bleeding from the nose and wounds.
For breastfeeding, ulcers, burns, hemorrhoids, swollen joints, painkillers and anti-inflammatory poultices are effective.
in 2-4 tablespoons of linden leaves, scald with boiling water, wrap in gauze and put on a sore spot.
Lubricate or make compresses on the affected areas from fresh linden bast. It is good to apply to painful hemorrhoids.

A pulp of fresh leaves and leaf buds is used as an emollient.
Consumption and diathesis were treated with the inner layers of fresh linden bark, taken internally. You can also drink mucous decoctions from linden leaves or bark.

Dried linden branches are burned on a fire or in a stove. Choose coal. Crushed, 3-4 teaspoons are taken orally for bloating or diarrhea. When treating tuberculosis, take 1 teaspoon of charcoal diluted with goat's milk.
Linden is known as a remedy for stopping hair loss.

Eight tablespoons of linden blossom are poured into 0.5 liters of water and boiled for about 20 minutes. The resulting decoction is used for washing hair.

Masks and decoctions of linden blossom - an indispensable tool when caring for dry skin. Linden decoction refreshes and tones it well. Concentrated warm linden decoction can be added to any nutritious cream.

Take 2 teaspoons of nourishing cream for dry skin and mix with 2 teaspoons of concentrated hot decoction of various herbs and linden blossom. The warm mass is applied to the face and neck in the form of a mask.
It is very useful, instead of washing, to wipe dry facial skin with a cold infusion of linden blossom (from dry raw materials). In combination with honey, this procedure has a rejuvenating effect. In combination with dill, it tones sagging, wrinkle-prone skin.

Recipes for therapeutic nutrition from linden

Linden seeds are very nutritious, they are consumed in the same way as hazelnuts or walnuts, from them an oil is obtained that is close in quality to olive oil and tastes like almond oil.
Fresh leaves are used to make salads, dried leaves are added to dough.

Salad of linden and dandelion leaves
Young linden leaves are washed, finely chopped and mixed with chopped dandelion leaves, green onions and dill. Season with sour cream or vegetable oil. Linden leaves - 50 g, dandelion leaves - ZOg, green onions, greens
dill, 1 tablespoon sour cream or vegetable oil, salt.
Young leaves are dried and stored in paper bags. Dried leaves, ground into powder, are added to the dough for vitaminization.

Linden flower jam
The flowers are cut off from the stalks, placed in a colander, washed with water and placed in an enamel bowl. Prepare syrup (400 g of sugar, 1 liter of water per 1 kg of flowers), boil it, filter and pour boiling syrup over the flowers, ensuring that they are completely immersed in the syrup. In 5min. add until the end of cooking citric acid(3 g per 1 kg of flowers). The finished jam is packaged in sterile jars and cooled.

Linden is popularly called unmercenary.
“Whoever approaches the linden tree will leave with goodness,
She will prepare a sheet - she will feed the cattle,
From the heat-rain will cover, the heart will calm.
The bee will collect honey
The owner will leave with a broom,
Shoe, dress, drink, warm,
It will drive away a bad cold.
Whoever plants a linden, people remember him,
To that God prolongs life.
According to Raphael, lime is ruled by Jupiter, ruling planet for people born under the signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. According to Sedir, linden is ruled by the Moon and is healing for those born under the sign of Cancer.

Tilia cordata
Taxon: Malvaceae family ( Malvaceae)
Other names: small-leaved linden
English: Small-leaved Lime, Little-leaf Linden

The name comes from the Latinized Greek word tileia- , Latin cordatue- heart-shaped, which is associated with the shape of the leaves.

Botanical description of linden

Linden heart-shaped - a tree up to 20-25 m in height, with a large spreading crown. Dark, almost black deeply fissured bark; young branches are red-brown, usually glabrous. The leaves are alternate, long-petiolate, heart-shaped, blades 5-10 cm long, dark green, serrated above, with a long-pointed apex, usually symmetrical, less often unequal, the width is almost the same as the length, the leaves below are bluish-green, with tufts of yellowish-green brown hairs at the vein nodes. Linden leaves bloom in May-June. The flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, 10 mm in diameter, collected in 3-15 pieces in half-umbrellas. Each inflorescence contains a pale yellowish-green elongated-lanceolate thin bract about 6 cm long, fused with the peduncle up to half its length. The fruit is a single-seeded nut, 4-8 mm in diameter, spherical, tomentose-pubescent, with a woody or leathery shell, brown; seeds are broadly obovate, 4-5 mm long, shiny, red-brown. The heart-shaped linden blossoms in late June - July, the fruits ripen in August-September.
Linden blossoms last 2-3 weeks, even less in hot weather. Flowers are pollinated by insects, mainly bees. The fruits fall in whole clusters in winter and are dispersed by the wind. In the first years, linden grows slowly, from 4-5 years of age growth accelerates, from 60 years of age it slows down again, and at 130-150 years of age it stops completely. The lifespan of linden is 300-400 years, but individual trees live up to 600 years. It also reproduces by stump shoots and layering; In many forests, the linden tree is entirely of coppice origin. Linden is extremely shade-tolerant and grows well next to oak trees and coniferous trees. Has a well developed root system. Heart-shaped linden is demanding on soil fertility and does not tolerate waterlogging. Resistant to cold, due to the relatively late leaf opening, it does not suffer from spring frosts. Every year fewer and fewer linden trees remain on Russian soil. In the forests it is mercilessly cut down, but in cities, among asphalt, it grows for only about 60 years. But during this time, it provides enormous assistance to humans: for example, a linden tree absorbs up to 16 kg of carbon dioxide in a year of its life - this is 1.5 times more than oak, and 5 times more than spruce.

Where does the heart-shaped linden grow?

Various types of linden are found throughout Europe. Heart-shaped linden grows in a mixed forest area middle zone the European part of Russia, the western foothills of the Urals, in Bashkiria, Western Siberia, the Caucasus, Moldova, Crimea, and Ukraine.

Collection and preparation of heart-shaped linden

For medicinal purposes, linden inflorescences (linden blossom) are used together with the bract - the fly.
Flowers are collected at a time when most of the flowers have bloomed, and the other part is still in the budding stage. Raw materials prepared in more late time, when some of the flowers have already faded, when dried they turn brown, crumble heavily and become unusable. From one young tree growing on the edge, you can collect 0.7-1.5 kg of fresh inflorescences. The raw materials are dried immediately after collection under a canopy, in a ventilated room, in the attic or in a dryer at a temperature of 40-50 ° C, spreading in a layer of 3-5 cm. Readiness is determined by the fragility of the peduncles. You cannot dry it in the sun, as the raw material loses its color. The humidity of raw materials is allowed no higher than 12%. Store in a well-ventilated area, protected from light. At proper storage the raw material does not lose its properties for 3 years.

Chemical composition of linden

Linden flowers contain essential oil, which contains farnesol, glycosides hesperidin and tiliacin, saponins, flavonoid glycosides quercetin and kaempferol, tannins, vitamin C (31.6%), carotene.
Linden leaves contain a lot of protein, 131 mg/% vitamin C and carotene.
In fruits - about 60% fatty oil, close in quality to Provencal, and in taste - to almond or peach
Triterpene substances - tiliadin and oil - up to 8% were found in linden bark.

Pharmacological properties of cormatata linden

The healing properties of linden are associated with quercetin and kaempferol. Tiliacin has activity. Linden preparations have a calming, diaphoretic, expectorant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, emollient effect, stimulate the stomach, and moderately reduce blood viscosity.

Use of linden in medicine

Linden preparations are used internally for increased nervous excitability, convulsions, chest pain, abdominal pain, chronic cough, accumulation of phlegm in the lungs, for abdominal pain caused by liver blockage, kidney disease, childhood infections, as an auxiliary diaphoretic for influenza and acute bronchitis, insomnia, externally for rinsing the mouth and throat in inflammatory diseases, for washing the face to give the skin elasticity.
Tea made from fresh or dried linden flowers is antispasmodic, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypotensive, and depressant. . .
Linden tea is also used in the treatment of indigestion, hypertension, hysteria, nervous vomiting and palpitations.

Medicinal preparations of cormatata linden

Linden blossom infusion: pour 2 cups boiling water 2 tbsp. l. crushed lime flowers, leave for 20-30 minutes. Drink 2-3 glasses a day as tea for colds, headaches, fainting, for gargling with sore throats and in the mouth during inflammatory processes.
Gargle and wash with a more concentrated infusion to soften the skin of the face.
Unstrained infusion with steamed raw materials or young fresh leaves and buds are prescribed as compresses for inflammation hemorrhoids, breast, rheumatism, gout, burns.
Decoction of linden flowers prepared at the rate of 3-4 tbsp. l. crushed flowers in 2 cups of water, boil for 10 minutes, filter.
Linden charcoal. Coal made from linden wood is used for flatulence and diarrhea, in the treatment of stomach or dyspeptic disorders, powdered coal is externally used for burns or inflammation of the skin.
Fresh linden leaves help with - they cover the head.

Using linden inflorescences for cosmetic purposes

The slurry of brewed flowers is used as an emollient for poultices.
For dry skin, it is recommended to wash your face with a cold infusion of linden blossom. To refresh a tired face, apply a facial compress. Brew linden blossom and mint tea, strain and reheat. Pour hot into a large cup. Place a cup next to it cold water, prepare two soft cloth napkins. Soak a washcloth in hot tea, wring it out, place it on your face and hold for two minutes, then change it with a second washcloth soaked in cold water. Change the compresses 2-3 times, the last one is cold, keep it for 5 minutes.
Lime blossom infusion: throw a handful of linden flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave it for 15 minutes, wrapping it warmly, add 1/4 tsp to the infusion. honey Moisten your face and neck generously with the infusion and hold for 10 minutes. Put the rest of the infusion in a cold place, repeat the procedure the next day. Shake before use. This wonderful tool helps to rejuvenate the face, become beautiful and attractive.
Lotion for dry skin: infusion of linden flowers (1.5 tbsp flowers per glass of boiling water) mixed with 1 tsp. honey Wipe your face instead of washing.
With flabby facial skin, it is useful to make a hot compress of lime blossom, hops, mint. Dried herbs are brewed with boiling water (1 tbsp. Collection per glass of water), leave for 15 minutes, strain. Soak a linen cloth in the hot broth, wring it lightly and apply to your face. Once it cools down, dip it into the hot solution again, squeeze it out and make a new compress. Repeat for 5-8 minutes.
Lime blossom decoction stops hair loss: 8 tbsp. l. linden blossom pour 0.5 liters of water and boil for 20 minutes. Cool, strain. Wash your hair with the resulting decoction.
For burns, use a decoction of linden blossom (4 tablespoons of flowers, pour 0.5 liters of water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes). You can also use a paste of linden flowers in the form of a poultice for burns.

The active time of linden is from 2 to 6 o'clock. It rests from 6 to 7 o'clock. The energy of linden is strong and soft. It causes a feeling of warmth and peace, relieves oppression and... It is best to communicate with the linden tree in the afternoon, in the summer, and always in warm, dry weather.

Use of linden on the farm

Linden is the main honey plant of forests and parks in Russia. There are up to 17 million linden flowers per 1 hectare of linden forest with a total supply of nectar of more than 1.5 tons. good years one bee family takes up to 5 kg of honey from a linden tree per day and up to 50 kg during the entire flowering period. According to your taste and healing qualities Linden honey is considered the best.
In the Far East and Korea, buds and young leaves are used after cooking in salads.
Fresh young linden leaves are suitable for preparing spring vitamin salads.
If necessary, you can cook porridge from young linden shoots (the softest and most tender tips of the branches - no more than 10 cm). The twigs are cut into pieces of 2-3 cm, each piece is cut into several thin strips along the fibers, and then boiled in slightly salted water until completely softened.
Edible oil is obtained from linden fruits, which taste like nuts.
A paste of crushed flowers and unripe fruits is used to prepare a very acceptable quality chocolate substitute, however, the resulting chocolate paste is prone to decomposition and is therefore not marketed.
Linden blossom is widely used instead of tea; it has a sweet, pleasant aroma. Linden flowers are used to flavor alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Linden juice- Harvested in the spring, it is sweet and can be used as a drink or processed into syrup.
Linden wood is very light, white or cream, and easy to process. It is used to make tubs, troughs, beehives, dishes, furniture, etc., and burns excellent quality coal. Wood waste containing a large number of starch, grind and feed to livestock. Bast (bast) is used for mats, matting, washcloths, and various weavings. In former times, linden matting bags were the most common container in Russia, and bast bast shoes were everyday shoes. rural residents. They made ropes from bast, made harnesses, purses and other household items.

Used Books

1. Maznev N.I. Encyclopedia medicinal plants. 3rd ed. - M.: Martin, 2004
2. U.P. Hedrick, E. Lewis Sturtevant. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972. ISBN 978-0486204598
3. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Margaret Grieve Paperback, 1931
4. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. 1995, ISBN: 978-0888503343
5. Edmund Launert. Guide to Edible and Medicinal Plants of Britain and Northern Europe. Hamlyn, 1989. ISBN-13: 978-0600563952
6. J. Triska. The Hamlyn encyclopedia of plants. Hamlyn, 1975
7. Uphof. JC Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants, Second edition. Cramer, Wiirzburg, 1968
8. Johnson, C.P. Useful plants of Great Britain. 1862
9. Jean Lauriault. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1989

And why is everything fake, of poor quality called "fake"? Just look at the wonderful linden tree, every year at the beginning of summer it is covered with yellowish-white fragrant flowers, and wonder - where did this obvious injustice come from? To try to change public opinion in favor of an unknown reason for the damaged tree, we will tell you about amazing medicinal and cosmetic products from the flowers, leaves and bark of the beautiful linden tree.

Since ancient times in Rus', this tree was considered sacred. Lipa healed and dressed, saved in heat and cold. The Slavs considered the linden tree to be a tree of love and beauty, a symbol of the goddess Lada, and they held round dances under the linden trees dedicated to main value tree - linden blossom. Indeed, linden blossoms (which usually occur in June–July) invariably cause delight and tenderness. From the delicate linden inflorescences comes such a fragrance, from which the head is simply spinning. Bees love this tree immensely, fly over the golden lace, collect the most valuable nectar - crumbly lime. Golden-yellow fragrant linden honey is one of the best. That is why the linden was nicknamed “honey tree”.

Latin name for cordate linden – Tilia cordata Mill.
Linden family – Tiliaceae Juss.
Grows everywhere on the European territory of Russia, in Western Siberia, in Crimea, Ukraine, Belarus.
Harvesting linden blossom during flowering in dry and sunny weather. At a later date, raw materials lose their medicinal properties. Dry the raw materials under canopies or in rooms with good ventilation (for example, in the attic of a house), spreading them in a thin layer on cloth or paper.

All parts of this tree are healing: inflorescences (linden blossom), buds, leaves, fruits. Linden blossom has antipyretic, bactericidal, diaphoretic, analgesic properties. Infusion and decoction of linden blossom used as an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent for influenza, colds, bronchitis, neuralgia, cystitis, gout, and neuroses.

Almighty linden tea
At night, if you feel unwell, brew 1-2 teaspoons. spoons of dried flowers with a glass of boiling water, drink the drink hot. This tea is an excellent antipyretic and diaphoretic; it helps with colds and flu; people also drink it when female infertility, rheumatism, neuroses. It is also useful to drink linden tea for hypertension, menopausal disorders, and vascular crises. This drink helps profuse sweating, release of chlorides (salts), lowering blood pressure.

Linden bark decoction used as washes, lotions for burns and hemorrhoids. gout Tree buds and leaves useful for skin diseases, headache. Crushed buds are used for burns and mastitis. Leaves are used for cooking vitamin drink, externally – for boils.
Linden juice, like birch, is used for vitamin deficiency, 1-2 tablespoons. spoons 3 times a day.
Powder of linden leaves and seeds used to stop nosebleeds.
Modern medicine also uses lime coal – for poisoning, diseases of the stomach and intestines. Coal from linden wood is consumed 1 teaspoon. spoon 2-3 times a day nasty burp, flatulence, diarrhea, for preparing tooth powder.
lime tarfrom linden trunks and branches has bactericidal properties, effective in the treatment of carbuncles, boils and ulcerative skin diseases, eczema, burns, abscesses, osteomyelitis.

Traditional medicine recipes

For colds, flu, headaches, tuberculosis, cystitis and pyelonephritis, articular rheumatism 3 table. spoons of linden blossom, brew 300 ml of boiling water, leave, wrapped, for half an hour, strain and drink half a glass hot 2-3 times a day after meals. The same infusion is useful for gargling with sore throats and inflammations.
At chronic bronchitis 1 table. Pour a spoonful of linden flowers into a glass of boiling water, cover for an hour, strain, drink a glass hot 2-3 times a day.
Linden decoction: 2–4 table. spoons of linden blossom pour into 2 glasses hot water, boil in a water bath for 10 minutes, strain. Drink half a glass of the decoction 3-4 times a day for influenza, ARVI, hypertension, neuroses, menopausal disorders, cystitis, cramps and pain in the urethra, headaches, nephritis. You can also rinse your mouth with a decoction for sore throat, stomatitis, gingivitis, adding to the liquid baking soda.
Poultices: 2–3 table. Scald spoons of linden leaves with boiling water, wrap in gauze and apply to sore spots as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.
With mastitis 4–5 table. pour 2 cups of boiling water over a spoonful of flowers, let it brew for 30 minutes, apply hot compresses to your chest.
For tired legs, to strengthen blood vessels make hot baths from sea ​​salt and lime color.
For painful menstruation pour 1 table. spoon of dried linden flowers with 1.5 cups of water, bring to a boil, leave for 20 minutes, strain, add 2 teaspoons. spoons of honey, drink 1/2 cup 3 times a day.
Tincture: Pour 20 g of linden flowers (about 6 tablespoons) into 100 ml of 60% alcohol, leave in a dark place for two weeks, strain. Take 25–30 drops per table 2. spoons of water for neuroses, headaches, convulsive coughs, flu, colds, insomnia, neuralgia.

Healing linden blossom wine
Take 3 handfuls of flowers (can be dried), sugar syrup (a glass of sugar per 4 liters of water), 1 lemon, wine yeast. Brew lime blossom in sugar syrup, add lemon slices, maybe with zest, without seeds. Pour the cooled mixture into a fermentation bottle, add yeast. Cover the bottle with cloth or gauze. Leave for a week. Then strain the mixture and leave it to mature with a fermentation stopper or, if fermentation ends, pour it into a bottle. You can drink the wine right away.

Medicinal fees with linden

Mix in equal parts linden flowers, flax seeds, crushed roots of licorice and calamus (cinquefoil), peppermint and fennel leaves; 2 table. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over spoons of the mixture, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take half or a third of a glass slowly, in sips half an hour before meals 3 times a day for gastritis, peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum With increased acidity gastric juice.
Mix linden flowers, fennel fruits, chamomile flowers (2:1:1); 2 table. spoons of the mixture pour 2 cups of boiling water in a thermos, leave for an hour, strain. Take 1-2 glasses a day, slowly, in sips half an hour before meals for gastric and duodenal ulcers for 3 weeks.
Mix linden flowers, chamomile flowers, St. John's wort, blackberry leaves, and black elderberry in equal parts; 2 table. spoons of the mixture, pour 400 ml of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, wrap, strain. Drink a warm glass of infusion 2 times a day an hour before meals for nephritis, urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, cystourethritis for 2-3 weeks.

Linden cosmetics

Healing infusions are prepared from linden flowers and leaves to rejuvenate the skin, elasticity and shine of hair, and for swelling and inflammation of the eyes.
At oily skin 1 table. pour a spoonful of chopped linden blossom into 1/2 cup boiling water and cook until a thick mass is obtained. Apply a thick layer of it on your face for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
Another good anti-aging mask is: 1 table. spoons of linden flowers pour a glass of boiling water, leave, strain, add 1 teaspoon. spoon of honey, place on face and neck for 15 minutes.
For redness of the eyelids wash your eyes lime infusion: 1 tsp. Pour a glass of boiling water over a spoonful of dried linden flowers, leave for 15 minutes, strain.
Use a decoction of linden blossom to wash your hair for hair loss. and to strengthen them: 2–3 teaspoons. spoons of flowers, pour 2 liters of boiling water, leave for 40 minutes, strain, rinse hair after washing.
Cold infusion of linden blossom (or ice from it) Cosmetologists advise washing your face if you have dry skin. You can prepare a mixture of raspberry and linden blossom leaves for the winter, taken in equal proportions. Then brew the raw material stronger, strain the broth and freeze ice cubes from it. Rubbing your face with the resulting ice helps fight wrinkles.
To increase skin elasticity make a hot herbal compress from linden blossom, hops and mint. Brew 1 table. a spoonful of a mixture of these herbs, taken in equal quantities, let the infusion brew, strain, and then soak a linen cloth in the hot infusion and apply it to your face and hold until it cools. Dip the cooled rag into the infusion again; repeat the procedure for at least 10 minutes. A compress of lime blossom and chamomile infusion will refresh your face. But keep in mind: with extended blood vessels There is no need to make compresses.
For dull and wrinkled skin use linden-cucumber lotion : Mix 1 tablespoon at a time. tablespoons of lime blossom and finely chopped dill, brew the mixture with a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain and wipe your face in the mornings and evenings. Store the lotion in the refrigerator.
Linden masks: a tablespoon of crushed linden flowers, pour 1/2 cup of hot water and simmer until a thick mass is obtained. For oily skin, apply the mass on the face in a thick layer in a warm form (you can do this through a layer of gauze), for dry skin - in a cold one. After 20 minutes, remove the mask, rinse your face with cool water, if your skin is too dry, apply a little oily cream.
To improve your complexion: 2 tsp. mix tablespoons of fatty cream with 2 teaspoons. spoons of a very concentrated linden blossom decoction; Apply the mixture to your face and neck as a mask.
If your hands turn red , weathered, cracked - give them a lime "bath": immerse them in a warm infusion of lime blossom. After 15 minutes, dry your hands with a towel and rub in the nourishing cream.
Well, if you did a lot of physical labor, you “trodden” your feet – arrange linden bath and for them. You can add a decoction of mint or plantain to the linden blossom decoction.

Linden is quite useful plant, and, which is very important, easily accessible to residents of Russia, since this deciduous tree is often found in temperate and subtropical latitudes. The healing properties of the plant are so extensive that even to this day it is widely used in medicine. IN medicinal purposes almost all parts of the tree are used: bark, leaves, buds, inflorescences, bark, flowers, and, of course, honey from its nectar. Let's talk about the benefits of linden in more detail.

Chemical composition of linden

The tree's flowers contain many useful substances, these include vitamin C and A, tannins, saponins, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, flavonoids, hesperedin (glycoside), and essential oil. Linden leaves contain phytoncides.

Collection, preparation and storage of linden

Of course, raw materials should be collected and procured only from plants growing outside the city, which have not been stuffed with chemicals and have not been damaged by insects.

Linden trees usually begin to bloom in mid-June. Flowering lasts only 3 weeks. At this time, the entire tree is decorated with yellow inflorescences. Looks very nice.

During the flowering period, you should carefully pick the flowers with the bracts.

It is necessary to dry the raw materials by spreading them out in a thin layer in a shaded and ventilated place. Hits sun rays should be avoided during drying, as the inflorescences change color. Upon completion of drying, damaged and browned flowers should be removed.

You can store linden for about 2 years in cardboard boxes or jars with a tightly closed lid.

Useful properties and benefits of linden for the body

• strengthens the immune system,
• treats colds,
• brings down the temperature
• helps cure kidney diseases,
• lowers blood sugar,
• removes toxins from the body,
• eliminates the violation menstrual cycle,
• has antispasmodic and diaphoretic effects,
• improves digestion,
• fights diarrhea, belching and bloating,
• relieves ulcers
• eliminates headaches,
• copes with respiratory diseases,
• treats hemorrhoids,
• relieves joint pain,
• alleviates the condition of oncology,
• eliminates inflammation of the oral cavity,
• calms the nervous system,
• helps relax,
• fights insomnia,
• rejuvenates,
• heals burns,
• treats skin diseases,
• reduces swelling and inflammation of the skin,
• tones and improves skin condition,
• strengthens hair.

The healing properties of linden for women

Linden is a very useful plant for women's health, due to the presence in the inflorescences of the plant of phytohormones identical to female sex hormones. To maintain health, it is recommended to drink an infusion prepared from linden inflorescences. And women over 35 years old need to do preventive actions: drink linden tea every morning for 3 weeks. Perform the procedure once every 6 months.

In addition, linden eliminates menstrual irregularities, treats infertility and uterine bleeding. For this you need 1 tbsp. pour 1 cup of boiling water over the flowers of the plant. Let it brew for 15-20 minutes, then strain and take 1-3 glasses 3 times a day.

To ease the condition during menstruation, it is recommended to take a herbal bath.

Contraindications and harm of linden

• individual intolerance,
• diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Excessive consumption of linden tea, decoction or infusion is fraught with heart problems, since the plant has diaphoretic properties and stimulates immune system, and this is an additional burden on the heart.

Also, drinking tea every day can worsen your eyesight.

Medicinal properties of linden

In folk medicine for treatment various ailments It is customary to use tea, decoction and infusion of linden.

Linden tea is tasty and easy to prepare. It creates an atmosphere of warmth and comfort, soothes, helps to cope with colds and reduce fever.

To prepare a drink, pour 1 tbsp. flowers of the plant 1 cup boiling water. Cover with a lid and wait half an hour. Then strain. Tea is ready! It is recommended to add .

Linden flower infusion

It is used to prevent colds.

Pour 1 handful of plant flowers in 1 liter of boiling water. You can add others healing herbs. Close the bowl with a lid and let it brew for 30 minutes. Strain.

Decoction of linden flowers

Can be taken both internally (to treat colds) and externally (for washing and treating wounds and burns). Decoction is recommended to rinse your mouth with inflammation of the gums.

To prepare lime broth, you need 2 tbsp. linden flowers pour 0.5 liters of water. Place the dishes on low heat. After boiling, wait another 5 minutes. Let it brew for 30 minutes.

Linden treatment

From a cold. Prepare tea or infusion from linden. Drink until the condition improves. It is recommended to add honey to enhance the effect.

For immunity. 2 tsp linden flowers, 1 tsp. nettles, 20 g grated ginger root. Place all components in a thermos and fill with boiling water. Leave for 40-60 minutes. Take the infusion throughout the day.

For headaches. Apply crushed linden flowers to your temples and forehead. You can also inhale the aroma of freshly brewed raw materials.

For the stomach. Take linden decoction.

For joint pain. Fill the leaves of the plant hot water, and then apply to the problem area. Wrap it in a towel. You should walk with the compress for about 1 hour.

For cystitis. Prepare linden decoction. Take it 2 times a day. From the second day of treatment, you should drink 0.5 liters of the decoction. The duration of the course is 2 weeks.

For inflammation of the oral cavity. Add 5 g of soda to the linden decoction. Rinse your mouth with this mixture 3 times a day.

From burns. Carefully treat problem areas with linden decoction.

From skin diseases. Similar to the previous point.

From chronic fatigue, stress. Pour 100 g of flowers into 2 liters cold water. Wait 20 minutes, then boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for another 20 minutes. Strain the resulting broth and pour it into a bath, the temperature of which should be 35-37°C. Acceptance time therapeutic bath- 20 minutes. The procedure should be done once a week.

Linden broom for a bath

The healing properties of linden are widely used in. Those who like to “steam” are made from linden, knowing what they are capable of, namely: they treat urolithiasis, eliminate joint pain, relax and relieve stress, alleviate gout, increase sweating, heal wounds and have bronchodilator properties.

If you have kidney stones and joint pain, it is recommended to hold a broom over the problem area for 2-3 minutes.

Breathe in the aroma of a linden broom - it calms and relieves feelings of anxiety and fear.

How to steam a linden bath broom

Place the broom in warm (not boiling) water and wait half an hour. As soon as the twigs and leaves soften, you can begin bathing procedures.

Linden for hair

Linden is a real find for women who strive for luxurious hair and love folk remedies. The flowers of this plant strengthen hair, give it shine and a well-groomed appearance, eliminate itchy scalp, dandruff, and, of course, enrich it with useful substances.

Linden hair rinse

Hair conditioner. 8 tbsp. fill the flowers of the plant with 0.5 liters of water. Place on low heat for 10 minutes. Strain and cool before using. Rinse your hair with the broth after washing your hair. To obtain a noticeable effect, this natural remedy should be used 2 times a week.

Linden for face

Struggling with skin rashes, brings the skin in order.

1 tbsp. linden + 1 tbsp. raspberry leaves + 1 liter of water. Bring to a boil, then let it brew for 5 hours. Strain the resulting broth. Wipe your face with it 2 times a day.

Linden is a real treasure for lovers traditional medicine and cosmetology. The plant is very useful and therefore has so much wide application. Be sure to try its healing properties.

Be healthy!

The benefits of linden flowers video