How mother and stepmother are used. Mother and stepmother: medicinal properties and contraindications. Useful substances in mother and stepmother

We knew them visually, but we did not know what they were called. The name of others, such as mother-and-stepmother, you will not need a photo for identification, we somehow guessed it ourselves, without any prompts.

Remember, it's all about the leaves, one side of which is green and smooth, the other slightly fleecy and white. The downside is “mother”. It is warm, soft, slightly moist, straight alive. The upper part is the “stepmother”. She is cold and harsh. And it is by these leaves that we immediately recognize this plant with closed eyes. And the leaf is so similar to a human palm - there are even streaks on it.

Mother and stepmother. Properties

The benefits of each plant or product are determined by its properties, which mainly depend on the nutrients it contains. This also applies to such a plant as mother-and-stepmother. Wikipedia, with a scientific look, says that the real name of this herb is Tussilágo farfara. It consists of two syllables tussis and ago and literally means “cough suppressor”. The word farfara means “sprinkled with flour” - the bottom part really makes that impression.

This name corresponds to the truth. Mother and stepmother parents, grandmothers, herbalists and even doctors recommend brewing for bronchitis, cough, laryngitis, pneumonia. She owes this to tannin, glycoside and mucus (and do not have to frown - this is not the mucus you thought of).

But the medicinal plant mother-and-stepmother is not rich in tannin alone. There are tannins, sterols, carotenoids, polysaccharides, mineral salts, tartaric and malic acids, elements of iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium. And our ancestors from early spring added mother-and-stepmother to salads, possibly because of the content in flowers and leaves. Try it, maybe you will like it.

What can be treated by a mother and stepmother?

This noble plant is a mother-and-stepmother. The herb, the use and action of which was also appreciated by such famous medical characters as Avicenna and Hippocrates, deserves respect. It is not for nothing that it is otherwise called the mother-grass or the king-grass. Even for preventive purposes, you can simply dry the mother-and-stepmother in the spring and constantly add to tea. There will definitely be no harm.

In all other cases, a mother-and-stepmother is useful, the reviews eloquently confirm this. The plant is taken in the form of decoctions, tea and infusions.

Broth mother and stepmother ... Warm up 3 large tablespoons of leaves (crushed) in a water bath with a glass of boiling water for 15 minutes. Dosage 3 tablespoons after each meal.
Infusion of mother and stepmother ... 3 large spoons of flowers and leaves are brewed in a water bath with a glass of boiling water for 15 minutes. After another 45 minutes, filter well and dilute in a glass until full. Drink the infusion warm, store in the refrigerator.
Mother-and-stepmother leaf tea ... Insist 2 large spoons with top in a glass of boiling water, like tea. Dosage - one cup three times a day.

The coltsfoot is successfully used for coughs and colds, because it has a secretory, diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory effect. We make a decoction (see the recipe above) and drink it in a spoon every three hours as an expectorant. If you add honey, lemon or to the broth, it will be much tastier.

Here is a review from one of the caring mothers:

“The decoction of my mother and stepmother, like seagulls from a cough, was familiar to me from childhood. Therefore, I decided to give it to the child. I won't say that the next day the child jumped up, and there was no cough or fever. But the fact that the night passed relatively calmly, and the child did not go into a dry cough - I can assure you of this ”.

In addition to cough, mother and stepmother relieves other ailments.

Tuberculosis. It is best to drink juice for which only fresh leaves are suitable. Grind the leaves and squeeze the juice out of them. Then pour in the same amount of water and boil a little. The course is a week or one and a half. Dosage three times a day before meals, a tablespoon of juice.
Dropsy, suffocation, scrofula.
Atherosclerosis and myositis.
Bile stasis and cystitis.
Hypertension and arthritis.
Runny nose (you can bury juice diluted with water).
Stomach ulcer and allergies.
Stomatitis, toothache.
Bowel problems.
If the nerves are fooling around.
For general strengthening of body and spirit.

You made the juice, but the pulp (gruel) remains. Do not rush to throw it away. It perfectly heals wounds, boils, cuts, burns, treats diathesis and mastitis.

You are in the field, on barbecue or just went for a walk. And you have a headache? A doctor is not needed if a mother-and-stepmother is growing at hand, or rather, under the foot. Place the leaf on your forehead and temples with a smooth stepmother's side. It will relieve pain and lower the temperature.

Remember the mythical forest and meadow nymphs - wreaths always flaunt on their heads. When they were invented, they were invented as funny creatures with excellent mood, who do not have a headache. Take a closer look to see if their wreaths contain mother-grass - our mother-and-stepmother? After all, they were invented by people who are quite close to nature ...

Collecting Recipes with Stepmother

The plant itself is strong and potent. But you can also improve its medicinal qualities.

In equal parts coltsfoot (leaves),. A glass of boiling water on a collection spoon. We insist. We drink from tonsillitis - a glass a day for three visits.
Violet tricolor, coltsfoot (leaves), calendula (flower), anise - all in equal parts. 2 tablespoons per glass of boiling water - for infusion (15 +45 minutes). Relieves asthmatic cough. You need to drink only a glass for the whole day.
Mother-and-stepmother, calendula (flowers) 2 parts, 1 part. Pour a glass of boiling water over, leave for half an hour. The filtered infusion is injected into the maxillary sinuses for sinusitis. But after washing with a solution of (isotonic) sodium chloride.
Mother-and-stepmother, licorice root, pine buds (2 shares each), calendula, marshmallow root, wild rosemary (1 share each). Pour two spoons with a glass of boiling water, warm up. Drink a glass ha day. Infusion helps with asthma.
Mother and stepmother (leaves), pine buds, plantain. 2 tablespoons in a glass of boiling water. Drink during the day against whooping cough.

Mother and stepmother for the benefit of our beauty

Having a fresh or dried mother-and-stepmother at home and not using it to enhance your irresistibility is simply unacceptable. Let's start at the top.

From water, dyes, perms, the hair becomes brittle and weak, and even dandruff appears. Mother and stepmother for hair will have an effect stronger than some cosmetics. We mix leaves and mother-and-stepmothers in any proportions. We make a strong broth, add a couple of drops of essential oil to it for aroma and rinse the hair after each wash. It is no longer recommended to use the balm after the procedure.

In summer, calluses and corns appear on the legs. We get rid of them like this. First, we make baths, adding infusion of mother-and-stepmother to the water. And then we turn the cake into gruel and apply it to the feet at night. She will also save you from.

Children and adolescents can wipe their face with infusion so that diathesis and age pimples disappear.

Mother-and-stepmother for weight loss is effective in combination with other herbs. So, you can make tea from birch leaves (2 parts), (3 parts), coltsfoot (1 part) and corn stigmas (2 parts). Add some of the hay and drink a glass per day in two doses (0.5 liters of boiling water for 2 tablespoons of the mixture).

This mixture improves metabolism and dulls appetite. The result will be noticeable in a few days - a second wind will open, you will not want to walk, but to fly, vision and memory become clear, you are mobile, as if you have dropped several years. Perhaps it was this cocktail that Lyudmila Gurchenko drank in the film “The Recipe for Her Youth”.

natural aphrodisiac.

In cosmetology, it is difficult to find a better hair remedy than a mother and stepmother. A decoction of this herb almost immediately destroys dandruff, hair becomes strong and shiny.

External use of preparations based on Kamchuzhna grass helps to eliminate various skin diseases (erysipelas, ulcers and boils).

For women, white leaves help relieve mastitis. So is she.

Important! Mother-and-stepmother tea is a powerful remedy for seasonal weakening of the body and vitamin deficiency.

With cystitis

Mother-and-stepmother is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. Therefore, it is advisable to use it to get rid of various ailments of the genitourinary organs. It will help relieve pain and cramps.

When you should do douching (enemas) with a decoction of Kamchuga grass.

To do this, put 12 g of grass in 450 ml of water, let the mixture boil.
The drug should be infused for about 50 minutes - during this time, the temperature of the infusion will reach 37 degrees.
The procedures are carried out daily just before going to bed.

Simultaneously with enemas, you should take 14 ml of decoction of mother-and-stepmother three times a day.

With sinusitis

- a very unpleasant disease, which is accompanied by a permanently stuffy nose and severe headache. To alleviate the suffering of the patient, you can use the mother-and-stepmother as follows:

in 170 ml of boiling water, pour 6 g of grass. Insist for half an hour. After that, each nostril should be drawn in a warm solution in turn;
instill 4 drops of fresh juice three times a day;
make powder from dried roots. Inhale it to provoke a sneeze.

You can prepare a collection for inhalation. Place the mother-and-stepmother and eucalyptus leaves in a small saucepan. Add 470 ml of boiling water. Infuse for 20 minutes in a tightly closed container.

Pour out part of the strained broth - you need to drink it 22 ml three times a day.

Heat the rest of the broth and pour into a heating pad. Inhale the vapor coming out of the hole, alternately through the mouth and nose. Inhalation must be repeated every morning and evening. The duration of one procedure is from 3 to 5 minutes.

With hemorrhoids

Quite difficult to treat. Specialized, expensive drugs and permanent procedures are required. And sometimes surgery.

But there is an ancient recipe that has helped many people get rid of this disease.

Collect at dawn.
Grind in a wooden mortar.
Pour in an equal amount of alcoholic beverage (pure moonshine).
Remove to a cool, dark place for a day.
After that, the product should be used to lubricate problem areas.

Improvement occurs in 7 days.

Sitting baths help with hemorrhoids.

First you need to mix:

mother-and-stepmother;
oregano and;
inflorescences of linden and alder;
wheatgrass and steel root;
hop cones.

All ingredients should be taken equally. For 1500 ml of boiling water, 22 g of the mixture will be needed. After half an hour, the mixture will be brewed and it can be diluted with 4-5 liters of warm water. You should stay in the bath no longer than 20 minutes.

Important! Alcoholic tincture can cure alcoholism (even without the knowledge of the patient). To do this, add 10 drops of the drug to any drink.

With prostatitis

Treats complex diseases, requires an integrated approach. Various herbal preparations can be used for treatment.

whipped up;
lingonberry and birch leaves;
sage;
goose cinquefoil;
horsetail;
nettle.

All herbs are taken in equal mass proportions. The mixture (12 g) must be brewed with 375 ml of boiling water. The broth must be ripened for at least 4 hours. Take 120 ml with food.

Mix the mother-and-stepmother with the leaves and inflorescences of sweet clover, add centaury. Each herb will need 3 g. Pour 210 ml of boiling water over the mixture, leave for 10 minutes. Drink 6 times a day, 65 ml.

The course is 20-27 days. Sexual intercourse should be avoided during treatment.

With gastritis

To treat gastritis, you must prepare the following decoction.

Mix 4 g each of Kamchuga grass and Yarrow.
Pour the collection with 210 ml of boiling water.
The medicine will be infused for 55 minutes.
Drink 1 sip before and after meals.

For another collection, mix equal amounts of whitewash, watch, eucalyptus, nettle, chamomile and alder inflorescences, anise fruits.

Collection (13 g) pour boiling water (355 ml). The broth will take 3 hours to ripen. Treatment should be continued for 32 days.

Important! Mother-and-stepmother leaves can be great for picnics and hiking. Fresh grass can be used to lubricate bite sites. Or apply to the temples in case of a sharp attack of headache.

With hypertension

A decoction of podbel helps to overcome hypertension, atherosclerosis and other heart diseases. The mixture should be drunk in the morning, 65 ml.

To enhance the effect, you can make a complex collection:

kamchuga grass;
hop;
valerian root;
all parts of the strawberry bush;
calendula, viburnum, clover (inflorescences);
mint;
dill seeds.

From the resulting collection, take 12 g, mix with 185 ml of boiling water. The broth should be infused throughout the night. Then drink 55 ml before each meal. You can use this medicine for a long time - up to 15 weeks.

With pharyngitis

To prepare a collection of 2 parts of podbel and 1 part of mint. Pour 220 ml of boiling water. Use as a rinse and inhalation solution.

Gargle at least 3 times a day.
Inhalation must be carried out 4 times a day. The duration of each is approximately 5 minutes.
Ingestion of juice three times a day helps well.

You can drink tea made from Kamchuga leaves with meals. To prepare 1 cup of the drink, you will need 6 g of raw materials.

With bruises

The fastest way to get rid of a bruise is to apply the cool side of the sheet to the sore spot.

You can also crush the leaves into gruel, fix it on a sore spot with a bandage or adhesive plaster. You can keep such a compress throughout the night.

Important! Mother-and-stepmother should not be used for serious liver disease. Also, this herb is dangerous for children under 2 years old.

With arthritis

In case of inflammatory processes in the joints, sore spots should be wrapped with fresh leaves of Kamchuga grass. This will help relieve the pain.

This recipe may seem very simple for treating such a complex disease. But traditional healers consider it to be the most effective for getting rid of arthritis.

To continue treatment in the cold season, it is necessary to make an alcoholic tincture from the flowers of Kamchuga grass. They should be crushed together with the stems, filled with ammonia. The potion will be ready in 30 days.

After which it can be filtered and used externally - to lubricate the inflamed areas.

With varicose veins

Should be treated internally and externally.

To prepare a decoction of 12 g of camchu grass, pour 185 ml of water. Keep on low heat for 12 minutes. After a quarter of an hour, you can start taking the medicine. The medicine should be taken three times, 15 ml each.

For compresses, you should use the gruel left over after straining the broth.

With colitis

Colitis is a disease known to many. Too often, traditional treatment does not bring relief. Nature has many remedies that effectively help with this disease.

Dry the leaves whitened.
Grind to a powdery state.
Take 2 g of the medicine three times a day.
It is better to drink it with hot milk or honey water.

Enemas with a decoction of Kamchuga flowers also help well. 470 ml of boiling water requires 23 g of raw materials. The medicine takes 55 minutes to infuse. After straining, dilute with water (1: 4).

Colitis collection

(flowers) - 20 g;
whitened (leaves) - 17 g:
chamomile (inflorescences) - 9 g.

With a glass of boiling water, brew 14 g of the mixture. After an hour, you can drink 70 ml. Repeat reception twice more a day.

With abscesses

For the treatment of abscesses, the best remedy is fresh kamchuga grass juice - lightly crush the leaves in your hands and apply to the affected area.

You can also make compresses by moistening a natural fabric in a lye broth.

If the abscesses are located all over the body, you should take baths with the addition of infusion. In 2, .5 liters of boiling water, brew 55 g of grass. Then pour it into bathing water.

Abscesses can be the result of disorders within the body. Therefore, a medicinal tea should be prepared.

Displace mint leaves, plantain and coltsfoot for 3 g.
Pour 175 ml of boiling water over the collection.
Insist for about a quarter of an hour.
Divide the resulting broth into 55 ml portions, which should be drunk during the day.

Important! Podbel-based preparations should not be taken more than 45 days a year.

If accompanied by rashes, you should prepare a medicinal bath. It will require flowers and leaves (170 g) and boiling water (2.7 liters). The broth should be infused for at least 4 hours. Then heat it up a little and pour it into warm water.

You will need to carry out from 8 to 10 procedures, with a break of 2 days.

In the case of allergic asthma, the following composition must be drawn up:

kamchuga grass, licorice, pine buds - 15 g each;
calendula, dill seeds, marshmallow, wild rosemary, succession - 7 g each.

Displace, take 27 g of the collection and brew 175 ml of boiling water. Cook in a water bath for about a quarter of an hour. After insisting (45 minutes) and straining, add water to the original volume. Take 45 ml several times a day.

With pyelonephritis

A mother-and-stepmother in combination with honey will help to cope with it.

Place a mixture of 6 g of grass and 185 ml of boiling water in a water bath.
After boiling, the broth should be drained and cooled slightly.
Add 6 g of honey.
Divide the resulting product into 3 equal parts.

The best barrier to any disease is strong immunity. To enhance the protective functions, very interesting dishes can be prepared from the underbelly.

To prepare a quick and tasty salad, you need to mix grated raw carrots (90 g) with thoroughly washed fresh leaves of coltsfoot (25 g). Add salt and 45 g of kefir.

Camchu grass soup

Wash the leaves of the grass, chop (100 g).
Peel and cut potatoes (200 g).
First put potatoes in boiling water. And after a few minutes add mother and stepmother.
Bring the soup to a boil. Then remove from heat. Let it brew for a quarter of an hour.

Add sour cream (butter) before serving.

Podbele leaves also make excellent lean cabbage rolls, stews and roasts.

Kamchuzhna grass allows you not only to quickly and effectively get rid of many ailments. But also to make the treatment tasty and enjoyable.

Mother-and-stepmother medicinal properties and contraindications, which were studied back in the days of ancient Greek scientists, remains popular to this day. The herb's Latin botanical name means "cough", highlighting the main medicinal quality of mother and stepmother. Medieval healer Avicena in his treatises described the plant as a remedy for acne, formations, ulcers. He also confirmed an effective result in the treatment of diseases of vision and breathing. Judging by the descriptions, the harm and benefits of mother-and-stepmother have been little studied.

Appearance, description of the plant, application

The medicinal plant coltsfoot grows on hills and slopes, over river cliffs. The plant is a bush located low to the ground. The height of the bush reaches 25 cm in length. The bush grows, covering the ground with its shoots like a carpet. Medicinal leaves are round in shape with serrated ends. The leaves are dark green on one side and covered with white hair on the other. The green side is cold and the inside radiates heat. This property played a major role in the name of the plant. The bush releases its leaves after flowering, therefore, preparations for medicinal collections are collected at the end of flowering. The benefits of herbs outweigh the harm during this period.

The common coltsfoot blooms in spring, the flowers are outwardly similar to a dandelion, but it is difficult to confuse them. Mother-and-stepmother flowers are smaller than dandelion, at first they are small yellow buds, but at the peak of flowering they are covered with fluff.

For medicinal purposes, flowers are used for the preparation of collections, as well as bush leaves. Roots and stems are useless for medicinal purposes. They are not harmful, but their benefits are minimal. Finding a mother and stepmother is easy throughout Russia. The benefits of the plant became known all over the world, the seeds were brought to other countries, the unpretentious plant is accepted in any area, except for too humid or cold places. Distinguishes between several subspecies, which have their own names. Aquatic burdock, two-faced, swallowtail, double-leaf are considered independent plants, but due to their external similarity, they are often called the same. They have similar leaves and flower structure, the general appearance looks different.

Beneficial features

Medicinal herbs and leaves are known for anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiseptic effects, it is thanks to these qualities that they are so often used in folk medicine. The use of decoctions in the old days was the main form of treatment. The common coltsfoot owes its useful properties to a rich chemical composition; the composition of leaves and inflorescences is slightly different.

The chemical composition of inflorescences includes:

sterols;
rutin;
heptocosan;
phytosterols;
arnidol;
firadiol;
triterpene alcohols;
complex carbohydrates.

And the leaves:

carotenoids;
tannins;
essential oils;
vitamin C;
slime;
organic acids;
useful glycosides;
tannin.

Useful substances have a complex effect, increase the outflow of phlegm, soften the load on the vocal cords, suppress coughing, and stimulate the work of the bronchial glands.

Thanks to this action, coltsfoot is used in folk medicine for the treatment of pulmonary and bronchial diseases.

Mother and stepmother for coughing has always been in the first place with older children. The large amount of mucus that the grass is saturated with softens the lining of the internal organs, relieving irritation that causes spasms and coughing. The enveloping property prevents the penetration of pathogenic infections into the tissues of organs, protecting the body from the harmful effects of the environment. The healing effect has a beneficial effect on the ciliated epithelium of the trachea, the lining of the bronchi, this suppresses the occurrence of pain.

Medicinal decoctions and herbs have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, suppressing excess secretion production, suppressing increased acidity, which is extremely important for abrasive changes in the lining of the stomach or intestines.

Indications for use

Possessing a mass of useful properties, without complex side effects, the fees of the mother-and-stepmother are used to treat and prevent many ailments.

Breathing problems. Bronchitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, tuberculosis.
The defeat of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastritis, peptic ulcer, inflammatory processes in the gallbladder, liver. Disturbance of the intestine atony, spasms.
Kidney and bladder infections. Cystitis, all types of nephritis.
Vessels and heart. Hypertension, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure. On the vascular side, prevention of atherosclerotic plaques, deep vein thrombosis.
Dental direction. Inflammation of the oral cavity, gums. Stomatitis, gingivitis.
Women's problems. Mastopathy, mastitis, reproductive disorders, inflammatory processes in the pelvic region.
Colds. SARS, flu, whooping cough, sinusitis, rhinitis, fever.
Allergic reactions in children. Diathesis, intoxication.

When applied externally, it helps to cope with the following problems:

purulent infections;
abscesses;
burns;
abrasions;
furunculosis;
scratches;
hair and scalp problems - dandruff, hair loss.

Infusion or herbal teas based on coltsfoot strengthen the body, improve the immune response, give strength and vigor.

Contraindications

Natural origin, the absence of harmful toxins and substances does not guarantee asymptomatic treatment. Even the healing herb has contraindications. With improper use, overdose, as well as a combination with drugs incompatible with mother and stepmother, treatment can cause a negative reaction or harm the body.

Useful glycosides contained in medicinal leaves with an overdose can cause intoxication and.

Taking herbal decoctions or tinctures is recommended for no longer than six weeks in a row, possibly addictive and cumulative.

The herb is included in the list of the most dangerous plants due to the content of alkaloids with high hepatotoxicity and carcinogenic activity in it. These contraindications are considered significant for the appointment only on the recommendation of a doctor.

In Australia, coltsfoot cannot be purchased freely, because it is incompatible with antipyretics, dietary supplements and some vitamins. This information is indicated in the instructions for the drug, contraindications are also prescribed in the scientific literature, there is a description in detail there.

In order to avoid misunderstanding, you need to thoroughly study the contraindications.

It is strictly forbidden to use a mother-and-stepmother to children under two years of age, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Contraindications are associated with strong exposure, which is difficult for a weakened or child's body to withstand. The risk group includes alcoholics and people with chronic liver disease. For women with a delay in the menstrual cycle, the intake of infusions is strictly prohibited.

Contraindication to use is an individual drug intolerance.

In case of an overdose, side effects occur:

vomiting;
nausea;
stomachache;
bowel disorder;
temperature increase.

The coltsfoot is a herb that comes from the Asteraceae class. It has a creeping, branched, thick and strong root system. The active period of growth and flowering of coltsfoot begins in early spring, after the arrival of the first warming. The inflorescences of this plant are yellow in color, and their diameter is about 2.5 centimeters. During its ripening period, the mother-and-stepmother flower becomes fluffy and in its appearance it somewhat resembles a dandelion.

What diseases should the plant be used for?

Mother and stepmother is an excellent remedy that is often used in the treatment of diseases associated with the respiratory system. A decoction made on the basis of this herb is highly effective when undergoing a course of treatment for diseases such as:

bronchitis;
high blood pressure;
runny nose;
laryngitis;
asthma.

In addition, decoctions made from coltsfoot are often actively used during the treatment of angina. Also, this herb is able to excellently eliminate spasms and remove accumulated phlegm from the body. Tinctures made from it contribute to the elimination of strong inflammatory processes that occur in the area of \u200b\u200bthe mucous membranes, reduce swelling, and also eliminate the bacterial factor that contributes to the emergence and development of various diseases.

Due to the fact that coltsfoot stands out among other herbs for its pronounced antispasmodic and bactericidal properties, it is perfect during a course of treatment for various diseases that are accompanied by inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system. Also, this plant is often used during the normalization of kidney function. It quickly and effectively eliminates inflammation and acute pain in the body.

Another feature of this plant is that it can have a beneficial effect on the state of the digestive system. Thanks to the use of this herb, there is a significant increase in intestinal peristalsis, and also significantly improves the digestibility of the food consumed. In addition, it should be noted that this plant actively stimulates the free flow of bile in the body. Thanks to its use, it is possible to eliminate diseases such as colitis, increased flatulence. In addition, it should be noted that coltsfoot acts as an excellent tool for eliminating constipation.

Tinctures and decoctions made from this herb are often used during a person's high blood pressure. After all, as you know, a mother-and-stepmother is able to quickly bring down high blood pressure and actively stimulate the work of all organs of the cardiovascular system. Quite often, this herb is actively used for preventive purposes, as well as during the treatment of such an ailment as atherosclerosis. In addition, it is able to actively remove from the body the formation of toxins and cholesterol accumulated in it.

Decoctions made from mother and stepmother are actively used when diseases in the oral cavity appear. For example, such decoctions are often used to eliminate stomatitis, periodontal disease, or bleeding in the gums. Due to the fact that this plant has astringent properties, decoctions prepared from it are able to quickly stop bleeding and effectively heal the resulting wounds. In addition, it is worth noting that coltsfoot, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and strong bactericidal properties, is able to eliminate sources of infection in the body and relieve inflammation.

Mother-and-stepmother acts as a rather effective remedy that helps to eliminate the occurrence and spread of purulent diseases that may appear on the surface of the skin. For example, this herb is often used to quickly and effectively eliminate ulcers, acne, and dermatitis. It is also indispensable in the treatment of abscesses, elimination of bedsores or the treatment of corns. When eliminating skin diseases, special baths are used, in which a tincture made from mother and stepmother is added. Quite often, these tinctures are used for wiping or making lotions.

It is worth noting that such a plant as coltsfoot can be actively combined with a variety of herbs that have medicinal properties. For example, if coltsfoot is additionally added to a decoction made from nettle, then you can get a remedy that perfectly copes with itching, hair loss or seborrhea.

In order to eliminate such ailment in a small child as diathesis or to get rid of excessive sweating of the legs, you can use a special powder, previously prepared from the mother and stepmother. To prepare such a powder, you must take the dried grass and grind it thoroughly. This powder can be used to treat inflamed areas of the surface of the skin or feet.

Juice squeezed from fresh leaves of this herb can be used to eliminate painful insect bites.

In order to eliminate a sharp pain in the head area or to quickly cope with a strong fever, it is necessary to apply green leaves of mother-and-stepmother to the forehead area.

Basic healing characteristics

The leaves and inflorescences of coltsfoot contain a large amount of vitamin C and essential oils. In addition, they contain such useful substances as carotene and glycosides. This plant is a good remedy that is actively used to strengthen the body's immune system. In addition, the mother-and-stepmother has such medicinal properties as:

Long-term anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Disinfectant property.
Relieves cough.
Eliminates and prevents hoarseness.

In addition, decoctions of this plant can be used to stimulate appetite in humans and to treat inflammatory processes that have appeared on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the fact, this plant contains a huge amount of mucus and polysaccharides, it is able to have a softening effect on the entire body and inflamed areas of the mucous membrane.

Alternative medicine use

In alternative medicine, decoctions and tinctures made from coltsfoot are usually used during the treatment of cough as a pathogenic, expectorant. Translated from Latin, coltsfoot means a plant that wards off coughs. Therefore, it is mainly used in the treatment of coughs and diseases of the respiratory system. A mother-and-stepmother is able to liquefy the phlegm accumulated in the lungs and facilitate its removal from the body. In order to enhance the healing properties of the decoctions of this plant, which are used to treat coughs, a plant such as thyme can also be added to them.
As a strong expectorant in folk medicine, infusions made from the leaves of this herb are actively used. To prepare such an infusion, you need to brew the leaves of the mother-and-stepmother, pouring one spoon of this herb with 250 milliliters of boiling water. The resulting infusion must be defended for 20 minutes, and then carefully strain using gauze or a fine sieve. It is recommended to take such a tincture no more than 4 times every 24 hours.
In addition, during the treatment of cough or hoarseness, decoctions made from mother-and-stepmother are actively used in folk medicine. For the successful preparation of such a broth, it is necessary to take well-crushed leaves of the plant and boil them, using a so-called water bath during the boiling procedure, no more than 5 minutes. Then the broth must be given time so that it can infuse. Then it must be properly filtered and a small amount of boiled water added to it. It is necessary to consume such a decoction one tablespoon per day in a complex manner, alternating two hour breaks between doses.

Attention! To improve the removal of accumulated sputum from the body, it is recommended to additionally use complex chest massages along with the use of decoctions and tinctures. Also, for a more effective treatment of cough or diseases of the respiratory system, you can combine the use of medications and tinctures made from coltsfoot.

For a more effective separation of sputum (in the event of bronchitis) from the body, decoctions made from coltsfoot should be used. To prepare such a broth, it is necessary to thoroughly mix in one container, for example in a saucepan, one spoonful of coltsfoot inflorescences, anise, linden and raspberries. The resulting mixture must be poured with one liter of water and boiled well for no more than 5 minutes. It is necessary to boil this broth over a low heat, after which it needs to be given a little time so that it can properly brew. Then the resulting broth should be filtered and consumed 80-100 grams several times every 24 hours.

It should also be noted that the juice made from the leaf of the coltsfoot is actively used in alternative medicine during the treatment of the common cold. Many doctors are confident that this juice is quite capable of replacing any nasal drops that are sold in the pharmacy. When treating a cold, you can use a few drops of plant sap, which should be instilled into the nostrils.

When a cold or viral illness occurs, you must drink plenty of fluids. It is known that the mother-and-stepmother has a general strengthening and stimulating effect on the body. Therefore, when the first signs of ARVI appear, you can use teas and decoctions made from this herb. Also, in the treatment of colds, you can combine the use of coltsfoot with honey, raspberries or cranberries.

Contraindications

Despite the fact that such a plant as a mother-and-stepmother, although it has a lot of useful properties and is a multifunctional tool that is actively used to treat a variety of diseases, it still needs to be used carefully. First of all, you must carefully observe and not exceed the intake of the permissible daily dosages of decoctions and tinctures that were made from this plant. In addition, it should be noted that the period of use of funds made on the basis of mother-and-stepmother should not exceed 28 days.

The use of this plant is strongly discouraged for the treatment of diseases of pregnant women. Also, the infusion of coltsfoot cannot be used during breastfeeding. You should also refuse to take decoctions that were prepared from this herb if you have an intolerance or an allergic reaction to this plant.

In no case should broths made from mother-and-stepmother be used for a long time in the treatment of diseases in large doses. Otherwise, due to prolonged use of these broths, the liver may suffer.

You should not use a mother-and-stepmother to treat children under the age of two. If the first symptoms of an overdose occur, namely: vomiting, rash, allergic reactions, redness, nausea, you must immediately stop using the products made from this plant.

Video: medicinal properties of mother and stepmother

The coltsfoot plant is one of the common, widely known and popular, its appearance is familiar to almost everyone. Many owners of summer cottages are fighting it like a malicious weed, not realizing that they are destroying a useful medicinal plant. We offer you to get acquainted with its medical properties, contraindications for use, as well as learn a few interesting facts.

Description

The coltsfoot plant is a perennial representative of the Compositae family, a relative of the beautiful garden flower, aster. Indeed, if you look closely, the sunny yellow small flower of the plant is very similar to the beautiful red, pink or white head of an aster. The features of the mother-and-stepmother as a representative of the flora are as follows:

Long creeping rhizome.
There are two types of shoots. Flowering plants are formed at the beginning of spring, their height is no more than 30 cm, at the end of each there is a head - a flower. After flowering, these shoots die off immediately.
Vegetative - the second type of shoot, leaves are located on them. They form some time after the end of flowering.
The sheets are very unusual, from the inside they are soft and pleasant to the touch, from the outside they are smooth and cold. The parties are referred to respectively as "mother" and "stepmother".
The shape of the leaf is rounded, with characteristic notches at the ends, the size depends on age. Mature leaves often reach 20 cm in diameter. The color is deep green.
The flower is a basket of bright yellow color, reaches a diameter of 2.5 cm. It is with their flowers that the coltsfoot plant and the dandelion are very similar, but the second has a larger diameter.
The fruit is achene.

It belongs to the number of amazingly fertile, for a season just one bush is capable of producing almost 20 thousand seeds, which themselves have good germination.

Name

Consider why the plant was named coltsfoot. There are several sad legends explaining this strange name.

In ancient times, a man left the family for another woman, leaving his wife and daughter with beautiful golden hair. But the new wife, tormented by jealousy, decided to destroy the child, lured the girl to a cliff and threw her down. The mother, sensing that her child was in danger, ran to the ominous place, but she was late - the girl could no longer be saved. In despair, she rushed to the killer, and both of them fell down, not opening their deadly embrace. The next morning, a huge number of unusual plants appeared at the cliff, one half of the leaf symbolized maternal love, the other - the stepmother's jealousy. And the sunny yellow flowers gave rise to associations with the blond hair of the deceased girl.

Another legend explaining the origin of the name of the plant coltsfoot is as follows. One woman had a daughter, in whom she is also an unloved stepdaughter. Fate took her own child away from her, so the unfortunate mother spent many hours in the cemetery, stroking the ground at the grave. So the plant grew, one half of its leaves was warm, like a mother's love for her own daughter, the other - cold, like a woman's indifference to her stepdaughter.

Spread

Let's continue the description of the coltsfoot plant by indicating the places where it can be found. There are many of them, first of all sun-drenched meadows, ravines, river banks. The plant is also found on forest edges, summer cottages, fields, meadows, preferring moist clay soils without turf. This natural healer grows in Western Europe, Siberia, Asia, and is also found on the African and North American continents.

Features:

The medicinal plant coltsfoot is interesting because in the spring (in mid-March - early April) flowers appear first, and then leaves. For this feature in Great Britain the flower is called "the son before the father". The plant has a powerful root extending a meter into the ground, develops at a very high speed, so it can become a real disaster for fields and vegetable gardens, displacing cultivated plants. Sometimes mother-and-stepmother is called the first herald of spring, because modest yellow flowers begin to adorn the ground, barely free of snow.

It grows in families, so the meadow is almost always dotted with yellow baskets: if one flower has already faded, then the second is just starting to bloom. After that, like the dandelion, the plant scatters the seeds located on the fluffy villi.

Leaves and inflorescences are used as medicinal raw materials, it is recommended to collect the latter in July, without waiting for them to grow large and coarse. The resulting raw material should be dried in the fresh air, avoiding exposure to direct sunlight, periodically turning it over.

Healing properties

The plant began to be used for medicinal purposes in ancient Greece and Rome. Since these ancient times, it has been known that the gift of nature helps to cope with the symptoms of bronchitis and alleviate the course of bronchial asthma. Hippocrates and Avicenna used it in their work.

In Latin, the coltsfoot plant is called Tussilago farfara L., which means "healing cough." The name very accurately characterizes the specificity of a perennial, its flowers really allow you to quickly get rid of throat diseases, including coughs, both dry and wet. But that's not all. The plant has such an extensive list of medicinal properties that it is used not only in folk medicine, but also in quite traditional ones. There are several main effects:

Disinfectant action.
Expectorant effect.
Due to the content of tannins in the leaves, the plant prevents the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
Essential oils have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart.
The plant is used for pathologies of internal organs: kidneys, bladder, intestines, stomach.
The leaves of the plant are applied to wounds and burns for their speedy healing.
The medicinal flower will also help with increased fatigue, drowsiness, overwork.

Sometimes coltsfoot is used as part of complex therapy to treat a wide range of diseases of the throat, oral cavity, purulent infections. However, it is important to remember that, having used a large amount of a drug, it is impossible to speed up getting rid of the disease, but it is very easy to harm yourself. Therefore, the dosage should be strictly observed and, if any controversial issues arise, consult a medical specialist.

Contraindications

The medicinal plant mother-and-stepmother has several contraindications, which should be taken into account by everyone who has decided to improve their health and well-being with its help. Who shouldn't eat flowers and leaves?

Pregnant women and young mothers during lactation.
Children under 3 years old.
With liver pathologies (hepatitis, cirrhosis).
With persistent menstrual irregularities.
Cases of individual intolerance.

Also, doctors do not recommend extending the course for more than 1.5 months, because after regular intake of the herb of the mother-and-stepmother, glycosides accumulate in the body and begin to poison it. The use of the plant in conjunction with antipyretic medications is possible only after consultation with the doctor.

Possible side effects

When taken correctly, in compliance with the dosage, coltsfoot rarely adversely affects a person's health. However, the following side effects are possible:

Stool disorder.
Vomiting and nausea.
Abdominal cramps.

Most often, they occur when a medicinal plant is consumed in unreasonably large doses. In this case, the reception is immediately terminated.

The best recipes

Let's get acquainted with the most useful recipes from the piggy bank of folk wisdom, which will help to use the healing properties of the mother-and-stepmother plant with maximum benefit. You can quickly get rid of a cough with the help of this tool: pour a glass of boiling water over 1 tsp. leaves of the plant, insist for 30 minutes. The resulting drink should be consumed three times a day, 1 tbsp. l. 10 minutes before meals. After 2-3 days, only memories will remain from the cough.

Such an infusion will help to normalize the acidity of the stomach: 20 g of dried flowers are taken for 1 liter of boiling water, the time for infusion is 60 minutes. Then the product is filtered with gauze, taken every 6 hours, 100 ml.

For a choking cough, you can use the smoke from the plant. To do this, crushed dry grass and leaves are poured into a hot frying pan, and a person suffering from coughing inhales the resulting smoke. A 2-3 minute treatment will bring relief almost immediately.

Fancy pasta

Mother-and-stepmother is a useful plant that can also be eaten, surprising the household with an unusual dish, the ingredients of which they will never guess. So, for cooking you will need:

Apple.
Butter - 2 tbsp. l.
Mother-and-stepmother flowers - ½ cup.
Sugar - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - a little bit, on the tip of a knife.

The apple should be baked in the oven, then chopped until puree, mixed with oil, flowers, sugar, add cinnamon. The result is a sweet pasta that can be spread on bread or eaten as jam.

In conclusion, we offer you to get acquainted with a selection of fascinating facts about the amazing plant:

Mother and Stepmother is the emblem of pharmacies in Paris.
For medicinal purposes, the root of the plant was also used, but now only the ground parts are used.
The flowering time is almost 40 days, which is a real record for the first spring flowers.
The coltsfoot plant is a honey plant, at the same time very useful, it is it that helps hardworking inhabitants of the hive wake up. The honey productivity of the flower is low, but the problem can be solved due to the large number: often bright yellow baskets adorn meadows and fields, giving bees the opportunity to collect the required amount of nectar.
This representative of the flora is also a natural barometer that makes it possible to predict the weather.
The plant grows very well on fireplaces, uses ash as fertilizer.
In the old days, the flower even had its own day - April 10. It was believed that potions made from raw materials plucked that day have magical properties.

We examined the features of the appearance of an amazing inhabitant of meadows and ravines, learned the history of the origin of the mother-and-stepmother plant, its medicinal properties.