Modern housewives are familiar with the lavrushka. This ingredient is used in cooking to improve the taste and aroma of various dishes. But few people know that the plant is actively used in traditional medicine and cosmetology. The healing properties and contraindications of bay leaf are described below.
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Bay leaf - healing properties
Bay leaves boast an impressive list of healing properties. First of all, they are appreciated by the essential oils contained in the composition. It was this component that made the plant an important part of the treatment of some ailments.
Camphor and cineole are also extracted from bay leaves. And numerous trace elements and vitamins from its composition can improve the patient's condition with various problems. For example, in the acute stage of rheumatological ailments or with tuberculosis. These same components improve appetite and quickly strengthen immunity, weakened for various reasons. Therefore, decoctions of laurel leaves are often recommended for patients with acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and other diseases to speed up the healing process.
Proper intake of infusions and other home-made medicine options of the plant in question can improve digestion, relieve pain and inflammation in the throat, and speed up the treatment of food poisoning.
It has bay leaf and the following properties:
- Wound healing and hemostatic (with topical application).
- Diuretic.
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic (eliminates pain in convulsions, etc.).
- Antitumor.
- Relaxing.
- Bactericidal.
What diseases does it help?
Due to the numerous healing properties of the plant under discussion, it is actively used in the treatment and prevention of the following diseases:
- neuroses of a different nature;
- ARVI;
- oncology;
- stomatitis;
- diabetes mellitus;
- insomnia
- poisoning;
- arthrosis and arthritis.
The bay leaf is used by women to regulate the menstrual cycle, as well as by patients of both sexes with damaged ligaments and serious bruises. Effectively fights a plant with parasites in the human body.
Application in traditional medicine
The bay leaf is very actively used in folk medicine. It can be used in different forms, for example, to prepare decoctions, infusions, oil from a plant, or add it to the bath.
Bay leaf decoctions
Ready broth from lavrushki is used orally, and is also used for compresses and lotions. It is prepared from 15-16 dry leaves. Raw materials need to pour 1.5 tbsp. water, then cook on the stove for 7-8 minutes.
Next, the herbal medicine is poured into a thermos and insisted in it for 3-4 hours. It remains to strain the liquid and use. For example, with diabetes, a glass of the finished product is drunk in small sips throughout the day. This allows you to naturally lower the concentration of sugar. The duration of therapy is determined by the doctor.
With otitis media, a decoction is instilled 3-4 drops in the problem ear up to 4 times a day. With psoriasis, the patient needs to regularly take baths with such a decoction. To get rid of dandruff, after washing the hair, it is enough to rinse the scalp and curls with an aromatic agent.
The benefits of infusions
Infusion of bay leaves is also taken both inside and out. For its preparation, 5-7 fresh leaves of the plant are poured with a glass of alcohol. The mixture is infused for 15 days in a dark, cool place under the lid.
The resulting infusion can wipe problem areas on the skin (covered with blackheads). The procedure is repeated 2 times a day after hygiene procedures.
Interestingly, in folk medicine, even alcohol dependence is treated with such an alcohol infusion. The finished product is given to the patient if he wants to take the next portion of the "green serpent". Enough standard glass. Healers note that such procedures quickly cause a persistent aversion in the addicted person to any alcoholic beverages.
Bay oil - application
To prepare this product, laurel leaves are finely cut or turned into dust using a coffee grinder. Next, the raw material (30 g) is poured with a glass of high-quality hot (but not boiled!) vegetable oil. The mixed components in a dark glass bottle are infused for 15 days in a warm, darkened place. Shake the container gently daily.
Ready-made oil can be added to store or homemade hair masks, as well as just apply it in its pure form on the scalp to eliminate its dryness and fight dandruff.
If the patient has trouble sleeping, then a couple of drops of the remedy in question are left in a glass bowl by the bed. Such an “aroma lamp” will also save a person from nervousness and irritability.
To use the remedy for the treatment of fungal diseases, 3-5 drops are diluted with fresh olive oil. The resulting liquid is applied to the problem area with a thin layer 1-2 times a day.
Bay baths
To prepare a bath with bay leaves, you just need to add 2 full glasses of decoction prepared in the recipe above to the water. This procedure will improve the condition of the skin - rejuvenate it, eliminate peeling and dryness. Separately, you can prepare baths for hands and feet.
More materials:bay leaf: medicinal properties and contraindications
How to use bay leaf for weight loss?
Bay leaf for weight loss has been actively used for more than a decade. Most often, a special drink from bay leaves is used to get rid of extra pounds. It has a very pleasant aroma, reduces hunger and generally accelerates the process of losing weight.
To prepare a drink, 3 fresh leaflets are poured into a glass of boiling water and left in a thermos for 4-5 hours. Next, the drug is taken in half a glass 2 times a day until the main meal.
As noted above, bay leaf also has a diuretic. Therefore, the use of the above drink during a diet will help to easily remove excess water from the body.
Useful properties of bay leaves in cosmetology
A variety of useful properties of bay leaves help to apply it also to cosmetology. This plant is ideal for the care of problem skin and weak hair with dandruff. The tool quickly strengthens curls and cleanses the skin on the head, and, in addition, improves the condition of the epidermis on the face.
Firming hair mask
If you use a bay leaf for hair, you can easily and quickly cope with any form of seborrhea, accelerate the growth of curls, cleanse the hair shaft from impurities, and make the hair more shiny.
In addition to rinsing with a decoction of lavrushka and adding oil with this plant to the mask, you can prepare a strengthening mask. For this, the following will be applied: 2 tbsp. tablespoons of crushed leaves of laurel, a glass of water, 60 g of liquid bee honey.
Leaves are poured into a glass bowl and poured with boiling water. The mixture will be infused for an hour. Next, honey is added to it. After thorough mixing, the mask is applied to the curls along the entire length. Only the tips should be left intact so as not to overdry them with a procedure.
Face benefits
To get rid of acne, the skin on the face and body can simply be cleaned regularly with alcohol-based lotion based on parsley. The positive effect of such a procedure can be noticed already on the third day. Lotion relieves inflammation, dries pimples, smoothes the surface of the skin.
Also, cosmetics with the addition of bay leaves help prevent age-related changes on the skin and make existing ones less noticeable. The owners of any skin type can safely use the discussed remedy against wrinkles.
Can I use bay leaf during pregnancy?
Women in an “interesting position” should use any means based on bay leaves with extreme caution after a mandatory preliminary consultation with a specialist. The thing is that lavrushka is able to stimulate uterine muscle contraction. This can even lead to a miscarriage. Of course, we are talking about folk healing recipes. Add a couple of bay leaves in various dishes is not prohibited at all.
It is allowed to wipe problem skin with non-concentrated laurel infusions twice a day. Indeed, at the beginning of pregnancy, with the active restructuring of the body, mothers often encounter the appearance of acne on the face. It is allowed to cook and foot baths from such a plant to get rid of excessive sweating. You need to keep the legs in it for 15-20 minutes a day. Preparing a bath of 30 dry leaves and 2 full glasses of water. The mixture boils for 5-6 minutes, after which it is poured into a basin with clean water.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that in most cases, laurel leaves have a beneficial effect on the human body and help, in combination with other medical means, cope with various ailments, the plant also has a list of contraindications.
It is strictly forbidden to use lavrushka for oral administration in the following diseases:
- chronic liver diseases and extensive lesions of this organ;
- pathologies of the heart and / or blood vessels;
- tendency to bleeding (component plants can thin the blood);
- chronic constipation.
We must not forget that the leaves of laurel are powerful allergens. Therefore, in the list of contraindications to their use, hypersensitivity to plant components also falls.
