Miracle effect of juniper

Being also called Yalovets, grouse and moss, juniper is very recognizable by its pleasant smell and needles of a rich dark green color, forming a conical crown, somewhat reminiscent of cypress. It is interesting that common juniper belongs to the cypress family. The article is devoted to a review of the medicinal properties of this plant and its botanical characteristics.

Botanical description and places of growth of common juniper

Grouse bush - an evergreen inhabitant of the Russian forests (European part and Siberia) and the Caucasian highlands. Juniper's favorite places are deciduous and mixed forests, groves, pine forests, riverbanks and ponds with sandy, moderately moist soil. This is evidenced by the very name of the shrub: "growing between fir trees." Forest is frost-resistant and shade-hardy, but does not tolerate highly polluted air, so its presence is a sign that environmental indicators are normal.

How to determine that in front of you is ordinary juniper? First of all, attention is drawn to the conical shape of the crown up to 3, sometimes up to 5 meters high, which is formed by bundles of whorls of thorns up to 1.6 cm long. Numerous cracks can be seen on the brown branchy trunk. Yalovets belongs to the group of dioecious plants: green soft cones, oval-shaped fruits indicate that it is a female, and long yellow catkins are a sign of a male tree.

The healing properties of juniper

Juniper berries are the most popular among herbalists.: almost 50% of their composition is made up of sugars and resins, and the rest consists of complex essential oils, organic acids (e.g., acetic), wax, vitamin C, iron, copper, aluminum, uniperin, etc. In addition to fruits, the bark containing tannins and needles rich in ascorbic acid have a healing effect.

Due to its composition, the fruits of spawning have antiseptic, tonic, diuretic, diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory effects; pronounced expectorant, diuretic and laxative effects are also observed. These properties allow juniper to provide indispensable assistance for diseases of the genitourinary system (cystitis, nephritis, pyelonephritis, urethritis, urolithiasis). Yalovets berries are useful for diabetics, suffering from insomnia, skin diseases and those who have weakened immunity. In addition, the fruits of juniper help sufferers of gastrointestinal tract disorders and with various kinds of edema.

What is common juniper

Women who have an irregular menstrual cycle and inflammation of the appendages can also be advised to use juniper as a prophylaxis. Shrub bark is often included in medicines for STDs.

A decoction of branches of spawning can be added to the bath at the rate of 1 kg per bath: this procedure will help with joint inflammation.

Juniper based folk remedies

Juniperus communis (uniperus communis) has long been known among the followers of traditional medicine due to its healing properties. Juniper berries are mainly used in medicines, but bark, roots and branches also play an important role, because their composition is very different from the chemical composition of the fruits. Below are the most popular uses for this medicinal plant.

The use of the root and bark of juniper

A decoction of the bark. The first step is to infuse a tablespoon of crushed bark in cold boiled water (0.5 liters) for 12 hours. The second step is fifteen-minute boiling over low heat. The third step is filtering after an hour. Method of application: half a glass between meals three times a day.

As for the root system, it also contains many useful substances such as saponins, tannins and resins. From the juniper roots, you can prepare a special decoction that helps with stomach ulcers and sexually transmitted diseases.

Decoctions of juniper berries

Juniper cones are used in the form of various infusions and decoctions. Here are some of the famous in folk art prescription drug treatments:

• A decoction of fruits and branches. 50 g of medicinal raw material is taken and boiled in a closed container for 30 minutes. Then the broth is added to the bath (ideal water temperature is 38 degrees). The broth is extremely effective in treating joint pain.
• Berry broth. This tool is used three times a day, the dose size is 1 tbsp. a spoon. It is very easy to prepare it: you need to scald 2 tablespoons boiling water with a tablespoon of berries and boil over low heat for twenty minutes. After this, the broth is insisted for 1 hour and filtered.
• Infusion of boiled juniper berries. It is used for edema, cystitis, pyelitis and renal failure. 1 tbsp. l pineal fruit is poured into a glass of boiling water, languishes in a water bath for fifteen minutes, then infused for 45 minutes. Method of application: strained 3-4 times daily after meals.

Features of common juniper

Juniper Berry Tea

Cones are also taken in the form of tea. To brew the fruit, you need to crush 2-3 teaspoons of berries, and then pour them with 500 ml of boiling water and let it brew for several minutes. Take immediately after preparation.

The use of juniper for the treatment of men

Juniper has long been known among medicinal herbs as a means of helping with male sexual impotence. In such a situation, you can use both berries in the form of a decoction, and water and alcohol tinctures from bark, rhizomes and juniper wood. The effectiveness of this tool is ensured by improving blood circulation in the pelvic area, which subsequently stimulates sexual activity.

To prepare infusion from the bark of Yalovets, it is necessary to remove the bark from young shoots and measure 3 tbsp. l crushed raw materials, which are poured with warm water and infused in a thermos for about half a day. Then the mixture is boiled for fifteen minutes in a closed container, cooled and filtered. Take the infusion three times a day, 100 g.

Collection and storage of medicinal raw materials

The main raw material is the fruit. Harvesting is best done in the fall, when the ripening period has ended: the berries should be black and blue. After the conifer berries are collected, they are cleaned of needles, branches and immature relatives. Particular care must be taken to ensure that there are no grass bugs in the feedc - these insects exude an unpleasant odor. Drying is carried out in dryers, under awnings or on the street, if the weather is dry, at a temperature not exceeding 30 ° C. You can store the collected fruits in a well-ventilated area for no more than three years.

Attention! In no case do not allow impurities in the raw materials of Cossack juniper. This is an extremely poisonous plant. Its fruits can be distinguished from common juniper by their length exceeding the length of the needles and a sharp, very unpleasant smell. Also, the berries of this variety have a tuberous surface, green flesh and 2 seeds inside.

After collection, the juniper branches are bundled and dried in a cool room with sufficient air humidity to prevent the needles from falling off.

Precautions and contraindications

Despite the whole range of medicinal properties, the use of juniper products is far from always useful and safe. First of all, remember the maximum duration of treatment, which does not exceed 6 weeks. The usual duration is 2-4 weeks, since juniper is toxic. Contraindications include:

• Exacerbation of inflammation in the intestinal tract and kidneys (nephritis);
• Pregnancy, lactation and childhood, as well as the age of more than 55 years;
• Hypertension;
• Individual intolerance;
• Acute colitis, exacerbation of a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastritis;

Types and varieties of juniper

If the precautionary rules are not followed, there is a risk of severe poisoning.

Verest is capable of providing invaluable assistance in many diseases of various kinds. However, this plant should be used with great caution: the toxic substances that juniper contains can only do harm if the healer is not handled properly.