Thyme - medicinal benefits and contraindications

Thyme, also known as thyme, is a short, highly branched shrub with an intense, pleasant aroma. People call it “Bogorodskaya grass”, “lemon darling” and “incense”, and from ancient times they have been used in cooking or in herbal medicine. It is also useful for a modern person to know about the methods of using thyme, medicinal properties and contraindications for the use of this herb.

Thyme - useful properties

The benefits of thyme are due to its chemical composition, in which up to 0.6% of essential oil is present, as well as mineral elements and vitamins:

As a part of thyme, tannins with antioxidant properties and bitterness useful for the human digestive system were found.

Benefits for women

Thyme is traditionally considered a "male" herb, but this plant brings many benefits to the female body.

In particular, thyme tea can help a woman cope with the following conditions:

• fatigue and irritability during the period of premenstrual syndrome and
• menopause;
• insomnia;
• headache;
• painful menstruation;
• cystitis;
• metabolic disease.

Inhaling thyme essential oil stimulates brain activity, reducing the effects of depression and apathy. That is why it was often part of the smelling salts, with which they used to provide first aid to ladies with fainting.

For men's health

The unconditional benefit of thyme for the male body is noted in many ancient herbalists.

This plant has a positive effect on the reproductive system of men:

• relieves edema and congestion, which is accompanied by prostatitis;
• neutralizes the effects of stress and overwork, improves the emotional background, normalizing sexual function;
• helps to cope with urinary tract infection;
• stimulates spermatogenesis, improves sperm quality.

In addition, thyme acts restorative on the body. This helps active working men better resist respiratory infections and relieve the effects of malnutrition.

The healing properties of the plant

The therapeutic activity of thyme is scientifically confirmed and is widely used in pharmaceuticals. By rectification, a special organic compound, thymol, is isolated from thyme oil. It is used in modern medicine as an antiseptic, preservative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anthelmintic.

With cough and bronchitis

Bogorodskaya grass thyme has a good effect on the human respiratory system, which allows it to be used to treat respiratory diseases accompanied by cough.

For adults, you can prepare alcohol drops from thyme:

• fill a liter glass container with dry thyme by one third;
• pour grass 0.5 liters of vodka;
• plug the container and leave it in a dark place for 2 weeks;
• strain the tincture and take with cough and bronchitis 30 drops 1 time per day.

In children, inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract are treated with water infusion of thyme:

• 1 tablespoon of dry thyme pour 1 cup boiling water;
• cover and stand under the lid for 15 minutes;
• strain the infusion, if desired, add a little honey and give the child half a glass in a warm form 30 minutes before eating.

Water infusion can also be used for inhalation. You should not cool it down strongly - just wait until the steam stops burning the airways.

With gynecological diseases

In gynecology, the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of thyme are actively used. In this case, its effectiveness can be improved by mixing in equal proportions with the dry flowers of a pharmacy chamomile and calendula.

Next, an infusion is prepared from the herbal harvest:

• 6 tablespoons of the collection pour 0.6 liters of boiling water;
• cover and insist under the lid for 15 minutes;
• strain and cool to a comfortable temperature.

Ready infusion can be used for douching and baths with vaginitis, colpitis, vulvovaginitis. With bartholinitis, a gauze napkin is moistened in the infusion and used as a lotion.

From pressure

Before trying to be treated with thyme for high blood pressure, you need to understand that this herb will help little to chronic hypertension. Thyme, indeed, exhibits the properties of a mild antispasmodic, dilates blood vessels and can have an effect in episodic pressure surges - for example, in a stressful situation. But the pathogenesis of hypertension is very complex and requires medical correction.

To normalize the pressure after a strong psycho-emotional stress, you can drink an infusion prepared according to the following recipe:

• Mix 3 tablespoons of dry thyme with 2 tablespoons of mint and 2 tablespoons of oregano;
• brew a mixture of 0.5 liters of boiling water and insist 30 minutes under the lid;
• drink with vasospasm 50 milliliters 3 times a day.

Curiously, thyme also helps with low pressure. To do this, several branches of thyme are brewed with black tea.

In the fight against alcoholism

The property to cause an aversion to alcohol is possessed not by leaves, but by thyme flowers.

Therefore, to combat alcoholism, thyme must be harvested during flowering and prepare a decoction:

• 15 grams of dried flowers pour 0.5 liters of boiling water;
• stand in a water bath for 15 minutes;
• cool, strain the broth and restore the volume of boiling water to the original.

The treatment regimen is as follows: the patient is given 50 milliliters of decoction, and after 20 minutes - 20 milliliters of vodka. There is an emetic reaction. It should be provoked 2 times a day for 7 days. During this time, a negative conditioned reflex to alcohol manages to develop.

Such conditioned reflex therapy can be carried out only with the consent of the patient himself and only in the early stages of alcoholism. Severe forms of thyme disease are not treated.

Ways to use thyme

Thyme is used both externally and internally. This plant shows useful properties not only in infusions or decoctions. They are preserved even when used fresh or in the form of spices in cooking.

As a dietary supplement, thyme has an action that stimulates digestion:

• increases the amount of secreted gastric juice;
• activates the secretion of bile;
• reduces the volume of intestinal gases, eliminating bloating;
• promotes the regeneration of digestive tract cells.

Fresh young thyme sprigs can be served as a spice for meat, chicken and fish broths, laid in homemade sandwiches or cut into salads. Dry thyme is suitable for marinades, pickles and sauces, goes well with legume dishes.

Tea, syrup, essential oil

Thyme tea is a drink that has a calming and tonic effect. It is prepared with either black or green tea.

Several brewing options:

• Warming tea. For 2 cups, take 2 teaspoons of any tea, a pinch or half a stick of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Put in a dry heated teapot, pour 0.4 liters of boiling water and insist. Drink freshly prepared, adding honey to taste.
• Soothing tea. For 2 cups, take 2 teaspoons of any tea, 1 sprig of fresh mint or 1 teaspoon of dry and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Fold in a heated teapot, brew 0.4 liters of boiling water and insist. Drink with honey, adding to taste.
• Tonic tea. For 2 cups, take 2 teaspoons of any tea, a small piece of ginger root and 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves. Put in a teapot, pour 0.4 liters of boiling water and insist. Drink with honey, freshly prepared.

Thyme syrup is also useful. In pharmacies, ready-made is sold, but you can cook it yourself.

This will require fresh grass:

• Place 0.5 cups of chopped thyme in an enameled bowl;
• add 1 cup of cold water;
• boil over low heat to half the volume;
• strain, cool, add a third glass of lemon juice and 1 glass of honey.

Homemade syrup can be stored in tightly closed containers in the refrigerator. You can use it if necessary.

Another application of thyme is in the form of an essential oil. It is very useful to inhale it with irritability, loss of strength and insomnia, dropping 2-3 drops on an aroma lamp. To relieve muscle tension and spasms, 1 drop of thyme oil is added to the massage cream. You can also mix 2 drops in a shampoo to treat alopecia (baldness) or to restore split ends.

Can thyme be used during pregnancy

During pregnancy, thyme should be treated with caution: in the old days, labor was stimulated with it. However, pregnant women can use this weed to gargle, lotions for skin diseases. To reduce the manifestations of early toxicosis, you can drink tea with thyme in the morning.

Given the ability of thyme to provoke uterine hypertonicity, it is better to refrain from using it in the II and III trimesters of pregnancy.

Folk recipes with thyme for beauty

Thyme is actively used in home cosmetology, eliminating many skin problems. It perfectly tones up, increases turgor, eliminates swelling, inflammation and rash.

Compresses with thyme give a good effect:

• Brew 1 tablespoon of dry thyme with 1 cup of boiling water and leave to cool;
• strain the infusion and moisten a tissue napkin in it;
• apply a compress to cleansed skin, hold for 20 minutes, periodically wetting a napkin in a decoction.

This procedure narrows the pores and blood vessels, eliminates sagging and rashes, refreshes the face well.

Thyme infusion can replace hair rinse. It is prepared in the same way as for compresses, at the rate of 4 tablespoons of raw materials per 1 liter of boiling water. If the infusion is well filtered, it does not need to be washed off. Especially useful for rinsing hair with a perm or after dyeing

Contraindications and side effects

There are a number of absolute contraindications for using thyme inside:

• thyroid dysfunction;
• renal or hepatic dysfunction;
• breast-feeding;
• diabetes;
• severe forms of hypertension.

Thyme is used very carefully during pregnancy and in childhood, not forgetting the possible development of allergic reactions.

Thyme is a plant with strongly expressed medicinal properties. Therefore, its use requires moderation. If there is even the slightest doubt, it is better not to use this herb without first consulting a doctor.