For most people, a bay leaf is known as a spice, often used in culinary dishes. However, it is also a medicinal plant, which is used to treat a variety of diseases. Before you start using the plant, you need to familiarize yourself with the existing contraindications.
Composition and healing properties
The Bay leaf contains the following useful elements:
- Macroelements and trace elements( sodium, phosphorus, calcium, selenium, potassium, zinc, manganese, iron).
- Vitamins( A, B, C, PP).
- Proteins.
- Fats.
- Dietary Fibers.
- Carbohydrates.
- Organic acids.
- Phytoncides.
- Saturated fatty acids.
- Essential Oil.
- Tannins.
Laurel leaves are used to improve appetite, digestion, treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, joints, remove puffiness, reduce blood pressure, treat arthrosis and arthritis, suppress the activity of the tubercle bacillus, enhance immunity.
The plant has astringent, exciting, antifungal, diuretic antibacterial action, is used for preventive purposes and for the treatment of nervous disorders, fever, colds, stomatitis, amenorrhea, colic, as well as diaphoretic and emetic.
Essential oil obtained from leaves, fruits and flowers, is an excellent disinfectant and insecticidal agent and is used in the treatment of sprains and bruises, is part of some antiseptic soap ointments. Also laurel is indicated for the treatment of psoriasis and cancer.
Active substances contained in the plant, effectively affect inflammation in cholecystitis, stones in the gallbladder, salt in the joints. A sheet is also used for diabetes mellitus, hemorrhoids. Soothing and cleansing properties of the plant help in the treatment of allergies.
Cleansing the body
The recipes of traditional medicine have an effective means of cleansing the body of salts in the joints. The bay leaves can affect the smallest blood vessels. Expanding them, the plant, helps improve metabolic processes, wash salt, reduce swelling and stop inflammation.
To prepare a medicinal broth, it is necessary to crush 4-5 leaves of laurel, put in a small container, pour boiled water( 350 milliliters) and boil for 5-7 minutes on low heat. After that, the broth should be poured into a thermos or wrapped in a blanket and leave to insist on the night. In the morning, the ready-to-use remedy is filtered and taken 2 sips every 45 minutes for 3 days. Then you need to take a break for 7 days, and again, repeat the three-day course. It is forbidden to drink the broth in large portions, since it can cause bleeding.
If necessary, the course of treatment( 3 days-break-3 days) can be repeated after 3 months. For those who do this for the first time, it is recommended to perform cleaning procedures throughout the year every 3 months. Then enough 1 course a year. The best time for purification is spring and summer.
Prerequisites for effective joint cleansing:
- Before starting the procedure, you need to make a cleansing enema with warm water or chamomile.
- During the cleansing period, the patient should follow a diet. Do not overload the stomach with oily, heavy food, you should abandon the meat dishes. Preferably focus on cereals, vegetables, fish.
During the treatment period, the color of urine may change and become pale pink. It is not necessary to be frightened - it means that the process of active dissolution of salts is going on. In addition, the patient has more urination - this is also the norm.
to table of contents ^For weight loss
With a diuretic effect, the bay leaf removes excess fluid from the body. Some believe that this contributes to weight loss and this is true, but the desired effect will be temporary, since in return for the expelled liquid another will come.
To lose lost weight, it is necessary not only to expel liquid from the body, but also to fight fat deposits, for example, to exercise, eat properly, etc.
- Decoction for weight loss with the addition of cinnamon : 5 laurel leaves pour with boiling waterwater and add 1 stick of cinnamon. For 10-15 minutes, keep boiling, then remove from the plate, cover and allow to cool. Ready to drink every day 15 minutes before eating for 200 milliliters.
- Infusion for weight loss : 5 bay leaves pour 500 ml of water, boil for 5 minutes, pour the liquid into a thermos bottle and leave for 4 hours. To drink tincture it is necessary before each reception of food on 1 table spoon.
Treatment
For medicinal purposes, the leaves of the plant are mainly used. For treatment it is necessary to choose only high-quality raw materials. Leaflets should be olive-colored and have a strong aroma. Beforehand, they should be carefully inspected, sorted and rinsed in cold water. The plant can not be stored for more than a year, because over time it loses its aroma and becomes bitter.
- With diabetes, : put 10 leaves of laurel in the thermos bottle, pour 3 cups of boiling water and let it brew for 2-3 hours. Use broth for 30 minutes before eating 3 times a day. The course is 2 weeks, after taking a break of 14 days and again to repeat the treatment.
- With psoriasis : 10 large leaves put in a thermos bottle and pour 500 milliliters of boiling water and leave to infuse for 2 hours. Drink 100 milliliters three times a day for 15 minutes before meals.
- To improve digestion, treat the digestive tract : 1 teaspoon of chopped leaves pour 400 milliliters of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat, insist for 1 hour and use 1 tablespoon 2 times a day.
- In the treatment of joint diseases, pressure sores, seizures, paralysis, scabies, hemorrhoids and other epithelial lesions: 30 grams of crushed dried laurel leaves pour 200 milliliters of sunflower or linseed oil, insist in a warm place for 10 days and strain. The product is intended for external use, the affected area should be lubricated 2 times a day.
- When stomatitis, toothache, periodontal disease , it is recommended to chew fresh bay leaf. Also chewing the leaf will help get rid of fumes.
- Decoction for enhancing immunity and strengthening the body : 5 grams of ground leaves pour 300 milliliters of boiling water, boil in a water bath for 5 minutes and leave to infuse for 3 hours, then drain. Prepared broth to drink throughout the day, dividing it into 5 servings. After 2 days, repeat the procedure, then make a two-week break and again undergo treatment.
- For laryngeal cancer, the initial stages of tuberculosis, arthritis, arthrosis, rheumatism : 1 glass of crushed plant leaves pour 500 milliliters of vodka and insist 14 days in a dark and cool place. For treatment, take 1 tablespoon of tincture before each meal for 5 days, then break for 14 days and again repeat the course.
- With increased perspiration , the presence of unpleasant odors decoction of the plant to use for the bath and foot trays.
- With a runny nose, cough and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract will help to cope with inhalation over the healing broth: you need 10 ground leaves of the plant to pour boiling water, put on a weak fire and make inhalation over hot steam.
Contraindications to application
- Gastric ulcer and 12 duodenum.
- Severe forms of diabetes mellitus.
- Addiction to constipation.
- Acute period of liver, kidney disease.
- Renal failure.
- Cardiac pathologies.
- Amyloidosis( impaired protein metabolism).
- Individual intolerance.
- A tendency to bleeding.
In cosmetology
Thanks to its medicinal properties, the laurel sheet cleanses the skin, helps to get rid of pimples, narrows the pores, smoothes wrinkles, and is also used to treat dandruff, improve and strengthen hair.
- Tonic for the face from acne : it is necessary to take a glass container in which the finished product will be stored, and half fill it with the crushed leaves of the laurel. Then pour over to the top with hot water and let it brew for 3-4 hours. At the end of the time, strain and use 2 times a day to wipe the problem areas of the facial skin. To tonify the skin, tonic must be poured into ice molds, and in the morning frozen cubes should be used instead of washing.
- Tincture for oily skin of the face : just like in the previous recipe, you need to fill the glass container with the crushed leaves of the plant and pour them with vodka. Insist for 7 days and wipe face 2 times a day.
- Broth to strengthen the hair : 10 leaves of the plant pour 1 liter of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes, insist 30 minutes and strain. Rinse hair 2 times a week.
- Oil from dandruff : in 100 grams of olive oil add 15 grams of crushed laurel leaves and leave the mixture for 5 days for infusion. Ready mixture to strain and slightly warmed up rub into the roots of hair. After 30 minutes, wash the head well. Store the oil in the refrigerator.
Bathing of newborns
Infusion from bay leaves is used externally for diathesis, diaper rash and other allergic reactions in newborns. To prepare the infusion it is necessary to pour 2 leaves of the plant with 500 milliliters of water and boil for 5 minutes. Then the broth cool, drain and soak the cotton pad in it, wipe the problem spots on the body of the baby.
to the table of contents ^When pregnant
For women waiting for a child, treatment with a bay leaf is contraindicated. This is due to his ability to increase the activity of the uterus, resulting in a threat of miscarriage. Nursing mothers are also not recommended to use laurel leaf as a medicine, but 1-2 leaves in a soup to a woman and her baby will not harm.