Medicinal properties of lingonberry leaves

Lingonberry leaves are no less useful than berries. They contain many vitamins, microelements, biologically active substances, and in fairly strong concentrations. This makes lingonberry leaves more of a medicinal or prophylactic remedy than a pleasant and healthy addition to tea.Consuming them uncontrollably, and in unlimited quantities, can be dangerous to health.

From a biological point of view, lingonberry is a shrub - a woody plant, characterized by low, often creeping, highly branched shoots without a main trunk. Scourges up to 100 cm long rise above the ground by 15-25 cm and live from 5-7 (wild species) to 10-15 (cultivated varieties) seasons, while the age of the rhizome can reach two hundred years.

Description of lingonberry leaves

Lingonberries in natural conditions prefer to grow in coniferous forests and dried peat bogs, often next to blueberries and blueberries. But berry plants are also well adapted for life in the tundra, arctic zone, highlands, mixed forests, and along the edges of swamps. In the 60s of the 20th century, cultivated lingonberry plantations began to be established, where varietal plants with larger berries, but containing slightly less useful substances, were planted.

Small leathery leaves from 0.5 to 3 cm long, no more than 1.5 cm wide, arranged in an alternate order, on short petioles, densely dotted with flexible shoots. Oval in shape, dense, hard, with curved edges, they are painted dark green, do not fall off in the fall, and overwinter under the snow. Young leaves are lighter in color. The reverse side is pale, dotted with small black or dark brown pits in which special cells that collect moisture are located.

When to collect lingonberry leaves for treatment

There is no consensus on the timing of harvesting lingonberry leaves, even among herbalists, certified biologists and herbalists.The only thing they agree on is that harvesting cannot be carried out during flowering and fruiting of the crop.

Without going into details, lingonberry leaves are collected:

1. Immediately after the snow melts.
2. In the spring, before the buds appear (April - mid-May) or in the fall, after picking the berries.

In fact, lingonberry leaves have beneficial properties all year round. Only during flowering and fruiting are all the forces of the plant directed towards the formation of ovaries. Lingonberries draw up resources for berry ripening, emptying the “storehouses” of other vegetative organs. After all, fruiting for a plant is the same as procreation for animal organisms.

Sometimes it is advised to trim the tops of the shoots and then remove the leaves from them, but you should remember that lingonberries are not a herbaceous plant. Its branches grow slowly. If you cut off the shoots completely, the berries will not appear in this place soon.

When collecting leaves for your own use, it is better to pick only them. You should hold the shrub with your hand so as not to pull the entire plant out of the ground, because the root system lies shallow. It is impossible to conduct a mass collection like this. In this case, it is better to prune the shoots selectively.

The collection of raw materials is carried out in sunny, dry weather after the dew has dried. This should not be done near highways, airports, high-voltage lines, factories, and in areas contaminated with radiation and heavy metals. In order for lingonberry leaves to heal and not cripple, you should take it in an ecologically clean area.

How to dry lingonberry leaves at home

In addition to the fact that the healing effect of lingonberry leaves collected during the flowering and fruiting period is significantly lower than those collected in the autumn-spring period, it is almost impossible to dry them correctly. They will still turn black and lose all their healing properties.

The easiest way to dry leaves is collected from under the snow or in the spring. They are laid out in a thin layer in a warm, well-ventilated place, where direct rays of the sun do not reach. During drying, the raw materials must be turned over frequently.

Properly dried lingonberry leaves retain their green color. They are stored in linen bags, cardboard boxes with holes or wooden boxes, the bottom of which is lined with paper. Lingonberry leaves lose their medicinal properties after 3 years.

On sale, especially in regions where lingonberries do not grow, shoots of unknown color collected in bunches are often found. You should think carefully before using them for treatment - they were clearly dried incorrectly.

It is not advisable to use an oven to prepare medicinal raw materials - even if you set the lowest temperature, the loss of nutrients will be great. Special dryers are much better, but it’s still better to give the lingonberry leaves time to wilt and dry naturally.

What are the benefits of lingonberry leaves for the body?

The use of lingonberry leaves can alleviate the condition of many diseases. Their beneficial properties are determined by their composition. Lingonberry leaves contain:

1. B vitamins – B1, B3, B6, B9, B12.
2. Lingonberry greens contain more ascorbic acid (vitamin C) than other marsh berries.
3. Microelements such as manganese, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium.
4. Fresh lingonberry leaves contain up to 9% arbutin glycoside (vaccinin), dried leaves - 5-7%. This substance has a disinfectant and antimicrobial effect.
5. Acids: quinic, tartaric, ellagic, gallic, nicotinic (vitamin PP, B3). Of particular note are benzoic acid, which is a strong antimicrobial and antifungal agent, and ursulic acid, which takes part in cholesterol metabolism.
6. Tannins.
7. Antioxidants.
8. Phytoncides that can destroy Staphylococcus aureus.
9. Phenolic compounds such as tannin.

Lingonberry leaves are a medicinal product recognized not only by alternative, but also by official medicine. They are included in medicinal and cosmetic products, food additives.

The healing properties of lingonberry leaves for women

Of course, women take a decoction of lingonberry leaves in the same way as men, for general strengthening of the body and treatment of diseases. But there are specific conditions that are inherent only to the fair half of humanity.

First of all, this is pregnancy. Expectant mothers can be prescribed lingonberry leaves:

• for general strengthening of the body;
• as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent for edema and other problems with the genitourinary system;
• to lower blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels;
• with anemia;
• to reduce nervous tension;
• as an antiviral and antipyretic agent.

And although in case of edema, the effect of the decoction is considered safer than taking many medications, you should definitely consult a doctor. In some cases, lingonberries can harm the embryo.

During feeding, the beneficial properties of lingonberry tea are questionable. Together with mother's milk, substances with a diuretic effect enter the child's body. Do newborns need them? Here you definitely need to consult a doctor.

Lingonberry leaves alleviate the condition of women during menopause. They can:

• reduce sweating;
• will help cope with neuroses;
• prevent venous stagnation.

In addition, decoctions and infusions are often prescribed to women:

• those who want to lose extra pounds;
• with scanty menstrual or uterine bleeding (only as prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor who prescribes the method of preparation of the drug and dosage);
• those suffering from nervous exhaustion;
• strong hot infusions are taken for painful menstruation;
• with inflammation of the appendages.

The healing properties of lingonberry leaves for men

As many men age, they develop prostatitis. This disease brings a lot of physical and moral suffering to the stronger sex, and ordinary lingonberry tea can alleviate the condition. Properly brewed, it normalizes the flow of urine, relieves inflammation, and improves general condition.

Men should not be treated with lingonberry leaves:

• with low pressure;
• with urolithiasis.

Is it possible to have lingonberry leaves for children?

Opinions differ about at what age children can take infusions and decoctions that contain lingonberry leaves. Some healers go to extremes and believe that the child should turn 12. But more often there is advice when children from three years old are advised to take lingonberry leaves. Perhaps this is also an extreme - at such a young age there must be compelling reasons to give the child such a strong remedy.

In any case, children are different, and lingonberry greens may be a harmless alternative to a medicine that has serious side effects. When to start drinking decoctions, and which recipe should be used, the doctor should tell you.

Usually lingonberry leaves are prescribed for children:

1. As a diuretic. The decoction should be drunk no later than 16-17 hours to avoid involuntary urination at night.
2. Against allergies. But first you need to make sure that the child reacts normally to lingonberries. There are no 100% hypoallergenic foods or herbs. Intolerance can be very strong and may not appear immediately.
3. As an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
4. As part of vitamin and restorative preparations.
5. To reduce blood sugar.

A few points to remember:

1. Children often have low blood pressure. They do not suffer from this, and over time they simply “outgrow”. But lingonberries can further lower already low blood pressure, and this will already be dangerous.
2. Children are given decoctions and infusions in concentrations lower than adults.
3. Since lingonberry leaf enhances the effect of antibiotics, it must be used together with medications with particular caution.

Recipe for lingonberry leaf tea for children

For 1 liter of boiling water take 1 tbsp.spoon of dry lingonberry leaves, leave for 5 minutes, filter. Sugar or honey is added to improve the taste. Drink warm, hot and cold, but no later than 17-00.

How to brew lingonberry leaf

You can brew lingonberry leaves in different ways.

Decoctions

Decoctions prepared from lingonberry leaves have the most powerful effect. The dosage and ratio of raw materials and water should be calculated by a specialist, taking into account the weight of the patient, for what purpose the decoction is intended, and concomitant diseases.

General cooking rules:

• the leaves are crushed or left whole;
• pour boiling water;
• put on a fire or water bath for the period specified in the recipe;
• infuse;
• filtered;
• diluted with water;
• taken before meals according to doctor's recommendations.

Infusions

Lingonberry leaves are poured with hot water and infused for no more than 6 hours. The proportions of raw materials and liquid, as well as cooking times, may vary. Often infusions consist of several components; they use fruits, flowers, leaves and shoots of various plants.

Teas

To prepare tea, lingonberry leaves or their mixture with other plant materials are poured with boiling water, infused for 5-10 minutes or drunk immediately. Proportion – 1 dessert or tablespoon per 1 liter of boiling water. You can add sugar or honey to improve the taste.

Tea balms

The same as the previous drink, only black or green tea is added to the plant material.

How to drink lingonberry leaf

Usually brewed lingonberry leaves are drunk before meals. The doctor will tell you how long before you take the infusions or decoctions. Teas and balms are consumed like a regular hot drink, but not immediately after a meal.

You cannot drink lingonberry decoctions, infusions, even teas or balms all the time. They are usually used in courses - short (10-14 days) or long (3-4 weeks). The break should be at least a month.

In any case, it is better to consult a doctor about taking infusions and decoctions. Teas and balms are drunk in short courses without consulting a doctor.

It should be remembered that teas and balms should be used within 24 hours. Infusions and decoctions can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, but it is better to take the time and prepare a fresh drink.

Lingonberry leaf: beneficial properties and contraindications

The wide range of medicinal effects has earned lingonberry, and primarily its leaves, the fame of a healing plant. When collected in time in an environmentally friendly place, they have:

• antiseptic properties;
• relieve inflammation, in particular, alleviate conditions in diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• act as a diuretic;
• promote the separation of bile;
• lower the temperature;
• used as an immunomodulator;
• help heal wounds;
• have astringent properties;
• enhance the effect of antibiotics;
• depending on the temperature of the drink, time and method of administration, as well as use in collections with other plants, they can have a tonic or sedative effect;
• used in the complex treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system in men and women;
• used for the prevention of urolithiasis;
• used for rinsing for diseases of the mouth and throat;
• help with vitamin deficiency;
• reduce sugar levels;
• have antioxidant properties;
• will help lower blood pressure;
• included in cosmetic products as an anti-aging component;
• alleviate the condition of food and alcohol poisoning.

It’s clear what lingonberry leaves help with. But do they have any contraindications? There are no absolutely harmless products. Even aspirin can cause death in some diseases. Contraindications to taking lingonberry leaves:

• individual intolerance;
• low pressure;
• stones in the kidneys;
• gastrointestinal diseases aggravated by high acidity, especially during exacerbation;
• lactation period, if lingonberry leaves are not part of the therapy prescribed by the doctor;
• renal failure;
• postoperative period, lingonberries are contraindicated in any form.

Lingonberry leaves for cystitis

Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder. The earlier treatment is started, the easier it is to defeat the disease. Instructions for the use of lingonberry leaves sold in pharmacies most often describe the treatment of cystitis, either single-component or together with medications.

Relief of the condition occurs thanks to:

• vitamin C, which relieves inflammation and strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• natural antiseptic arbutin, which acts as a diuretic;
• benzoic acid (anti-inflammatory).

Thanks to lingonberry leaf, the amount of urine increases.If you take it from the first days of illness, bacteria and microorganisms that provoke exacerbation are simply washed out of the genitourinary system.

Recipe for cystitis

A good result is obtained from a collection of lingonberry and St. John's wort leaves. They are taken in 4 tbsp. spoons, pour 1 liter of boiling water, put on fire. As soon as the mixture boils, wrap it in a warm blanket and let it brew for 2 hours. Then filter and drink within a day.

Lingonberry leaf for swelling

Lingonberry leaves have a diuretic effect. At the same time as urine, salts are excreted, which cause fluid retention in the body.

Recipe for swelling

Crushed lingonberry leaves (1 teaspoon) are poured with a glass of boiling water. Leave for 30 minutes, drink 50 ml four times a day.

Lingonberry leaves for kidneys

This point should immediately begin with a warning - self-prescription of lingonberry leaves for the treatment of kidney disease can be life-threatening! Only a nephrologist should do this!

Yes, lingonberry leaves heal the kidneys. This is the next most important area of ​​​​application of this plant material as a medicine after cystitis. But in order to determine the possibility of therapy, dosage and method of administration, you need to be not just a doctor, but a specialized specialist.

Lingonberry has a pronounced antiseptic and diuretic effect; it activates the kidneys, cleanses them of salts and toxins. And this can cause not only a therapeutic effect, but also lead to an exacerbation and become life-threatening.A patient with pyelonephritis who takes lingonberry leaves may not know that the disease has developed into kidney failure, in which this plant is strictly contraindicated!

In case of glomerulonephritis or stones in this organ, lingonberry preparations can also be dangerous. Only a nephrologist can prescribe them.

Lingonberry leaf for prostatitis

Inflammation of the prostate gland is one of the most common reasons for middle-aged and older men seeking medical help. This unpleasant disease is divided into two large groups:

• stagnant, or non-infectious, due to low immunity, hypothermia, excessive sexual activity or abstinence, low physical activity, bad habits;
• infectious, arising not only as a result of the development of sexually transmitted diseases, but also with chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis, and renal pathologies.

Injuries, circulatory disorders and hormonal imbalances contribute to the occurrence and development of prostatitis.

Lingonberry leaf will help get rid of or alleviate the disease due to the following properties:

• diuretic and disinfectant;
• anti-inflammatory;
• the ability to increase immunity and activate the body's own defenses.

It is not worth treating prostatitis on your own - it can go into a chronic stage, which is difficult and time-consuming to deal with. Everything should be done under the supervision of a doctor, and besides, the use of lingonberry leaves is not as harmless as it might seem. But preventative tea will not harm those who have no contraindications.

Lingonberry tea for the prevention and treatment of prostatitis

Often prostatitis is accompanied by a decrease in immunity and mood.A tea drink can alleviate the condition by mixing lingonberry leaves, rose hips and rowan berries in equal parts. One tablespoon of the collection is poured with boiling water, left for 7 minutes and drunk as regular tea.

Lingonberry leaf for arthritis

It is impossible to treat already developed arthritis with lingonberry leaves alone. It perfectly complements medications, but can be taken as an independent remedy only if prescribed by a doctor.

Limited mobility, joint pain, and joint deformation can be caused not only by arthritis. Lingonberry leaves will also help with gout, and they are taken equally. It is impossible to cure these diseases completely, but it is possible to alleviate the condition.

The therapeutic effect is due to the anti-inflammatory properties of lingonberries. Infusions, teas and decoctions are taken independently during remission and for prevention. In the acute period, you should consult a doctor.

Recipe for treating joints

Pour half a glass of boiling water over a teaspoon of dried lingonberry leaves, leave for 30 minutes, filter, and take three times a day before meals. It is recommended to make a fresh infusion each time.

Lingonberry leaf for weight loss

The effectiveness of using lingonberry leaves for weight loss is due to the content of glycosides, which have pronounced diuretic properties. They do not burn fat, but only remove excess fluid from the body.By taking the preparations, you can easily lose 2-3 kg in a month (and this is the maximum period that you can drink decoctions and infusions at once).

At the same time, we should not forget about contraindications and the fact that salts, trace elements and other useful substances are washed out of the body along with urine. Along with diuretics, you need to take a mineral-vitamin complex.

Recipe for weight loss

Lingonberry leaves (2 tablespoons) and linden flowers (1 tablespoon) are poured with 300 ml of boiling water and left in a thermos for 6 hours. After this, filter the infusion and drink 100 ml 30 minutes before lunch and dinner.

Lingonberry leaves for gastritis

For gastritis, people often take lingonberry water or berries. But due to the presence of tannins in the leaves, decoctions, teas and infusions are also included in complex therapy for gastrointestinal diseases.

Recipe for the treatment of gastritis with normal or low acidity

A teaspoon of dried lingonberry leaves is poured with a glass of boiling water. Leave for half an hour and strain. 20 minutes before meals, take 100 ml of the drink.

Lingonberry leaves for urolithiasis

Nephrologists recommend lingonberry leaves only for the prevention of stone formation, but not for treatment. The claim that some part of the plant helps dissolve existing deposits has not been confirmed. But there are cases when, under the influence of the diuretic effect of a decoction or infusion of lingonberry leaves, a large stone moved from its place and blocked the ureter.

Restrictions and contraindications for use

Lingonberry leaves are considered a herbal medicine, recognized by official medicine. They can bring both benefits to the body when used skillfully, and harm if used uncontrollably and without thinking about the consequences.

But you cannot limit yourself to a list of medicinal properties and contraindications of lingonberry leaves before taking infusions and teas. There is also individual intolerance.

Hypersensitivity test

Before using brewed lingonberry leaves internally, you need to make a concentrated infusion, moisten a clean cloth with it and tie it loosely around your wrist for 10 minutes. The bandage is removed and an antihistamine is taken at the slightest sign of allergy or discomfort, namely:

• redness;
• tingling;
• itching;
• hives.

To test the sensitivity of children, the infusion is made less concentrated.

Diseases for which treatment will cause harm to the body are listed in the paragraph “Lingonberry leaf: beneficial properties and contraindications.”

Limitations for use, when it is necessary to consult with your doctor, are the following factors:

• pregnancy;
• kidney disease;
• age up to 12 years;
• diets for weight loss;
• taking antibiotics (lingonberries enhance their effect).

These are precisely those cases where lingonberry leaf can act as both a healer when taken correctly, and a destroyer if, due to ignorance or thoughtlessness, concomitant diseases are not taken into account or the dosage is incorrectly calculated.

Side effects when taking lingonberry leaves

If all factors are taken into account and the decoctions and infusions are taken after consultation with a doctor, a check for hypersensitivity is carried out, there should be no side effects. But! Where are the raw materials collected? How did it dry? Was it stored?

If the collection location and storage method are difficult to check, then gray rather than dark green leaves should serve as a signal that they should not be brewed. It’s better to lose money (not that much) than to lose your health and throw away useless medicine.

And with prolonged use of lingonberry leaves as a diuretic, the salts and other beneficial substances it needs are washed out of the body.

Conclusion

Lingonberry leaves have a lot of beneficial properties and are used in complex therapy to treat many diseases. Teas and balms made from them are simply delicious! But they can only be used if there are no contraindications or hypersensitivity. Better - under the supervision of a doctor.

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