Fir trees are trees that cause every person to associate with the New Year. They decorate dwellings for several days, and after that they are thrown out. But few people know about their benefits, which are used mainly in traditional medicine. About the chemical composition of spruce needles and in what cases it helps the human body - further in the article.

The chemical composition of needles

Christmas tree branches have healing properties. This feature is due to the chemical composition of the needles, not fully understood by scientists.

They contain substances such as:

• essential oils;
• tannins;
• resins;
• mineral salts;
• carotenoids;
• amino acids;
• minerals: iron, chromium, manganese, aluminum, etc .;
• vitamins: C, P, K, PP, H, B1, B2, B3, B6.

Due to the presence of these components, products made from needles help cure patients with a wide variety of diseases, as well as prevent the appearance of diseases.

Important! You can not take funds made from needles on their own. Be sure to consult your doctor.

Beneficial features

Fir branches have many useful properties. They help not only people, but also when they are ground, they can be added to pet food and birds.

• The main positive qualities of needles include:
• antimicrobial - kill harmful microbes, bacteria and fungi;
• anti-inflammatory - able to remove the inflammatory process in the body;
• sweatshops - contribute to better sweat secretion;
• painkillers - help to dull the pain;
• diuretic - increase urine output;
• choleretic - improve the outflow of bile;
• immunostimulatory - stimulate the immune system;
• regenerative - contribute to the restoration of skin cells.

Application in traditional medicine

In folk medicine, spruce needles have found very wide application. It positively affects almost the entire human body and affects almost all systems and organs.

• This raw material is recommended to be taken in such cases:
• vitamin deficiency, scurvy;
• tuberculosis;
• colds (flu, sore throat, SARS, cough);
• diseases of the upper respiratory tract (laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma);
• damage to the upper skin (cut, burn, ulcer);
• insomnia, fatigue;
• stress, nervous breakdown;
• diseases of the oral cavity and nasopharynx (periodontal disease, rhinitis, sinusitis);
• rheumatism, gout, sciatica;
• fungus;
• skin diseases;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system (microinfarction, myocarditis, rheumatic heart disease);
• urinary tract infections, urolithiasis;
• menopause;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, ulcer, dysbiosis).

The collection and preparation of needles

The collection and procurement of medicinal raw materials plays a very important role in the future.

Important! Harvesting spruce shoots, you can not pick off the tops, because the tree will stop growing up. It is better to tear them off the side branches.

In order for the products made of spruce needles to bring the most positive result, experts recommend following these tips:

• the best period for harvesting needles is winter, because at that time it contains 2 times more vitamins than in summer;
• young shoots are recommended to be plucked in spring when they are painted in light green;
• you don’t need to collect many branches, because tinctures from needles bring a good effect only in the first 6 months, and then their effect weakens.

Ways to use

Spruce needles are used in many ways. From it you can make tea, decoctions, infusions, tinctures, masks, baths, compresses, aromatic oils, bath brooms, conquer living quarters, etc. It all depends on what purposes and for what diseases it is used.

Did you know? The oldest spruce in the world grows in Sweden. Her age is more than 9550 years.

Tea

More often and easier coniferous tea is prepared. It is very useful for vitamin deficiency, colds, prolonged coughing, metabolic disorders.. For this you need 4 tbsp. tablespoons of raw materials rinse with boiled water, pour 1 liter of boiling water and brew for 20 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth, cool. Take during the day, adding lemon, sugar or honey to taste.

Decoction

Also to decorate the body and purify the blood, a decoction of spruce needles is perfect. It is necessary 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped needles pour 1 cup boiling water and cook for 30 minutes. After that, cover tightly, leave for 3 hours to insist. Strain, drink 1/2 cup throughout the day. You can also add honey or sugar to improve the taste.

Tincture

Spruce needles tincture is applied to increase immunity, prevent hypertension. It is prepared according to the following recipe: pour 0.5 g of raw material into 0.5 g of vodka. To sustain 2 weeks. Take 1-2 times a day (at night, after lunch) for 3 months. Store in a cool dark place. The shelf life of tinctures is up to 12 months. In the drink you can add a peel of orange, lemon, cloves, anise, cinnamon.

Did you know? Wood made from spruce is called resonant. It is used in the manufacture of individual parts for violins.

Contraindications and limitations

In addition to the beneficial effects of spruce needles, their use can be harmful to the body.

• Excessive use of drugs is contraindicated in such cases:
• individual immunity;
• should not be consumed by children under 2 years of age;
• during exacerbation of gastritis or ulcers of the stomach and duodenum;
• may aggravate asthma and migraine symptoms;
• contraindicated for cancer patients.

Spruce raw materials can easily be found in pharmacies or prepared on their own. Regardless of the wide range of uses of drugs, you should always use them with caution and do not take in large quantities.