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Herbal medicine is an effective way to maintain immunity. The health benefits of certain plants are also recognized by official medicine. One of the most effective folk remedies is rosehip for immunity. Properly prepared teas, decoctions, and infusions help to survive the season of colds and viral infections “without loss” and strengthen the body as a whole, providing protection against other diseases. However, even such seemingly harmless remedies have contraindications, so you cannot “prescribe” them for yourself - you need to consult a doctor.
Beneficial properties of rose hips for immunity
This is a medicinal plant, all parts of which are widely used in folk medicine. The general strengthening effect for the body as a whole and the benefits of rose hips for the immune system are provided by “shock” doses of vitamins, macro- and microelements.
The plant is a “record holder” for vitamin C content. Its main sources are lemon, cranberry and black currant, but in rose hips the concentration is much higher (650 mg per 100 g).It also contains other vitamins necessary to maintain immunity:
- A – activates metabolism, necessary to maintain visual acuity;
- E – strengthens the body’s defenses against the effects of negative environmental factors and free radicals, helping to preserve youth for a long time;
- group B - without them, the exchange of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is impossible; they restore and maintain the healthy appearance of skin, hair, and nails.
Rosehip is an excellent remedy for maintaining and strengthening the immune system.
How to properly prepare and drink rose hips for immunity for adults
There are many recipes for preparing rose hips to support immunity. But it is worth remembering that this is far from a harmless remedy. Therefore, you cannot “prescribe” infusions, teas, and decoctions yourself. Take them only after consulting a doctor. Also, a bad idea that does not help strengthen the immune system would be abuse of drugs and an increase in the recommended duration of the course of treatment.
Tincture
Rosehip tincture to enhance immunity is made only from ripe fresh berries. They should be quite soft to the touch, uniform red-orange color. They are collected as far as possible from “civilization,” especially from highways, industrial enterprises, and large cities.
To prepare the tincture, you will need a glass of fruit and 500 ml of vodka (or ethyl alcohol diluted with water to the desired concentration). The berries are cut in half, placed in an opaque glass container and filled with vodka.The vessel is sealed, left in a cool, dark place for 30-40 days, and the contents are vigorously shaken daily.
Rosehip tincture for immunity is taken three times a day 10-15 minutes before meals. A tablespoon at a time is enough.
For obvious reasons, rosehip tincture is not suitable for strengthening children's immunity.
Infusion
General rules for preparing and using an infusion for immunity:
- Use water whose temperature does not exceed 85 °C. Steep boiling water destroys almost all vitamin C.
- Infuse the liquid for at least three hours. It is better to wait 8-12 hours, preparing the drink from evening to morning.
- Take a maximum of three glasses of infusion, distributing it more or less evenly throughout the day. The maximum duration of treatment is three weeks. To prevent problems with immunity, a glass daily in the morning on an empty stomach (about an hour before breakfast) is enough.
For the infusion you will need 100 g of fruit and 0.5-1 liters of water. The concentration of the finished product depends on its volume. The berries are washed, passed through a meat grinder or crushed in a blender, and poured with hot (70-85 ° C) water. The resulting mixture is stirred and poured into a thermos. Or simply insist in a saucepan, covering it with a lid and wrapping it in a towel.
If possible, it is better to brew the infusion in a thermos, this way it turns out stronger
Rosehip decoction for immunity
Both fresh and dried rose hips are suitable for preparing a decoction. A glass of berries is chopped or turned into porridge using a kitchen hammer, poured with 500 ml of cold water and placed in a water bath. It is important not to let the liquid boil. Having brought to a temperature of 70-80 °C, after 15-20 minutes the broth is removed from the heat, filtered and infused for 2-3 hours.The entire portion should be drunk per day, between meals.
To improve the taste and increase the benefits for the immune system, you can add lemon, honey, apples to the product
Tea
Properly brewing rosehip tea for immunity is extremely simple. Berries are added to large-leaf black or green herbal tea in the desired proportion. Usually 3-5 pieces per tablespoon of leaves are enough. It is then brewed in a teapot. They also drink it like regular tea, 3-4 mugs a day.
To vary the taste of the drink, you can add other components beneficial to the immune system to rose hips:
- Fresh or dry blackcurrant, rowan, viburnum, hawthorn. The berries are mixed in equal proportions.
- Nettle leaves, pieces of fresh carrots. The first ingredient is taken in half. Carrots - about the same amount as rose hips.
- Dry leaves of lingonberry and black currant. Their mixture (both components in arbitrary proportions) and tea leaves are taken in equal volumes.
- Fresh ginger. For a tablespoon of tea leaves and 3-5 rose hips, a piece of peeled and finely chopped root weighing 5-7 g is enough. The finished drink turns out to be quite spicy, it is recommended to sweeten it with honey.
- Chamomile, linden, calendula flowers. They can be taken either individually or in a mixture. Here it is advisable to do without tea leaves.
In general, most plants used in folk medicine can be added to rose hips. They are combined depending on the effect you want to achieve.Tea with rose hips, sage and calendula not only strengthens the immune system, but also stops inflammatory processes; with oak bark and lingonberry leaves it has an antibacterial effect.
Rose hips add an original sourness to ordinary black or green tea.
Syrup
Syrup is the best way to support children's immunity. Due to its sweetish, pleasant taste, there are no problems with its intake. It is prepared from peels ground in a meat grinder or blender. Approximately 100 g is poured into 150 ml of water, brought to a boil over low heat, and after half an hour remove from the stove. Then add 100 g of sugar, stir until all the crystals dissolve.
The finished syrup is filtered, poured into a suitable container, and stored in the refrigerator. The liquid turns out quite thick, this is normal. Take a tablespoon a day before lunch or dinner.
You don’t have to prepare rosehip syrup yourself, but simply buy it at the pharmacy
How to give to children for immunity
The maximum daily dose of such drugs for a child under ten years of age is half the adult norm. To maintain the immunity of adolescents, it is increased to 3/4 of this volume. The dosage regimen is the same as for adults. You should not drink decoctions, infusions, teas, syrups for longer than three weeks in a row. Otherwise, problems with the gastrointestinal tract are very likely.
If rose hips are given to a child to prevent colds, he does not have any significant problems with the immune system, 100 ml of decoction or infusion per day is enough. Half the serving is drunk about half an hour before breakfast, the second – 1.5-2 hours before bedtime.
Contraindications
There are many contraindications for taking rose hips. If any of them are present, such immunity remedies should be abandoned, despite all their benefits:
- Individual intolerance. Rosehip is a strong potential allergen. A negative reaction manifests itself individually - from mild itching, redness, rash to severe swelling and breathing problems.
- Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to gastritis, colitis, ulcers (especially in the acute stage), rose hips should not be taken if there is increased acidity of gastric juice or a tendency to heartburn.
- Any pathology of the cardiovascular system. These include thrombophlebitis. Due to the high concentration of vitamin K, the fruits “thicken” the blood. Rose hips for immunity are taken with caution and only after consultation with your doctor for hypotension. For those who suffer from hypertension, such drugs are a categorical taboo. They also increase blood pressure, possibly even cerebral hemorrhage.
For those who are aware of their tendency to allergic reactions, the first time to try products with rose hips for immunity is in minimal doses.
Rose hips contain organic acids in high concentrations, so if they are abused, tooth enamel suffers, caries develops, and the mucous membrane is corroded to ulcers. To avoid this, it is recommended to drink decoctions, infusions, teas through a straw and immediately rinse your mouth thoroughly.
Conclusion
Rosehip is extremely beneficial for the immune system. This effect is ensured by the high concentrations of vitamins, macro- and microelements it contains. Decoctions, infusions, and teas prepared from rose hips are an effective general tonic. Of course, the health benefits depend on whether the product is made correctly and whether it is not abused. There are also contraindications, this should also be taken into account, after consulting with a doctor, so as not to harm yourself.
