Chamomile tea: benefits and harms. benefits of chamomile tea benefits of chamomile tea
Tea today is the drink without which almost no day can do. Someone likes strong, someone loves the taste of green tea, and for some this drink is a whole ceremony, so they buy only the best varieties in specialized stores. But there are also people who care about their health and understand the medicinal properties of herbs. They prefer, for example, chamomile or linden tea. As you know, chamomile is very useful, the drink from it turns out to be tasty, invigorating and healing. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Chamomile tea: benefits and harms
Green tea with chamomile
Ingredients: two spoons of green tea, one spoon of chamomile, five hundred grams of water, two slices of lemon.
Cooking
This chamomile tea during pregnancy is very useful, as it contains many useful substances, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, and relaxes. But it is recommended to use it no more than twice a day.
So, the teapot for brewing is poured with boiling water, green tea and chamomile flowers are poured into it, poured with boiling water and insisted for fifteen minutes. The finished drink is filtered and poured into cups, in each of which they put one slice of lemon and honey to taste. This drink turns out to be light yellow in color, mild in taste with a slight bitterness.
Lithuanian chamomile tea
Ingredients: one spoonful of chamomile flowers, one spoonful of cumin, two tablespoons of mint, five hundred grams of water. Or take the following ingredients: one spoonful of chamomile flowers, two tablespoons of cumin, two tablespoons of calendula, five hundred milliliters of water.
Such chamomile tea, the benefits of which we already know, helps to restore immunity, which has been weakened due to stress, hypothermia or a cold.
Cooking
Put all the ingredients in a container and pour boiling water over them, cover with a lid and leave for twenty minutes. After that, the drink is filtered and poured into cups, honey or sugar is added to taste.
If you drink it at night, it helps with insomnia, causing a sound restful sleep. In addition, it can replace aspirin.
Chamomile tea with mint
Ingredients: one spoonful of chamomile inflorescences, one spoonful of mint, half a liter of water.
Cooking
Herbs are poured into the container and poured with boiling water, covered with a lid and allowed to brew for ten or fifteen minutes. The finished drink is filtered and poured into cups, adding sugar or honey to taste.
If chamomile tea is infused for twenty-five minutes, then such a drink can be drunk with overwork, oversaturation of the body with nicotine or alcohol, or as a general tonic. Tea should be drunk warm.
A few words about chamomile tea
The drink is usually consumed twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. A morning portion of the drink invigorates the body, prepares the nervous system for work, and improves immunity. Its taste freshens the breath, and the remains are used as a face refresher. For this, a cotton swab is dipped in brewed chamomile and wiped over the face.
Chamomile tea, the benefits of which are known to almost everyone, has a specific, slightly bitter taste, so some people brew it together with other plants, adding honey. This, in turn, enhances the beneficial properties of this plant.
Chamomile tea with oregano
This drink allows you to reduce the formation of gases, remove them from the body, preventing bloating.
Ingredients: one spoonful of chamomile inflorescences, one spoonful of oregano, five hundred grams of water.
Cooking
Herbs are put in a teapot and poured with boiling water, then they are insisted for fifteen minutes, filtered, honey is added and drunk. It is recommended to drink chamomile tea twice a day.
Tea for colds
Ingredients: one part chamomile flowers, one part yarrow flowers, half a liter of water, honey to taste.
Cooking
Tea is prepared in the same way as we discussed above. The flowers are poured with boiling water and infused for ten to twenty minutes, then the drink is filtered and poured into cups. This tea is very useful for colds, as it has a double effect on the body.
Chamomile tea for weight loss
Due to its positive effect on the digestive system, as well as the removal of toxins from the body, chamomile tea has gained immense popularity among women who seek to lose weight. Thanks to this drink, you can easily control your appetite, improve metabolism, stabilize blood glucose levels, remove excess fluid from the body.
Ingredients: two spoons of chamomile flowers, five hundred grams of water.
Cooking
The flowers are placed in a bowl, poured with boiling water and infused for twenty minutes, then filtered and consumed three times a day half an hour before meals.
Chamomile is also often used in combination with other herbs to enhance its effect. Consider another drink recipe for weight loss.
Chamomile drink for weight loss
Ingredients: one spoonful of chamomile, one spoonful of dill, one spoonful of motherwort and one spoonful of senna, as well as one and a half tablespoons of lingonberries and one and a half tablespoons of wild rose, you will need two more tablespoons of mint, two tablespoons of oregano, half a spoonful of yarrow, half a spoonful of string, half spoons of dandelion and kelp.
Cooking
All of the above herbs and flowers are mixed, the resulting mixture is taken only one spoon, pour it with one glass of water and leave for eight hours. Drink a ready-made drink half an hour before a meal, one hundred grams.
Tea with chamomile and lemon
Ingredients: five hundred grams of water, one spoon of chamomile, juice of one lemon.
Cooking
Chamomile is placed in water and placed in a water bath. After twenty-five minutes, the broth is filtered and lemon juice is added to it.
This drink helps to cleanse the body, but it is not recommended for those who have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys.
A few words about the benefits of chamomile tea
The properties of chamomile tea are known to many. One cup of this drink can relieve anxiety, calm the nervous system. Chamomile tea is known as a disinfectant and antiseptic. Its regular use helps to remove negative substances and excess fluid from the body. Thus, chamomile is a plant with many positive qualities.
Chamomile officinalis (also known as chamomile) is a proven universal remedy. It contains flavonoids (food antioxidants), free organic acids, coumarins, tannins, phytosterols, vitamins A and C, as well as carotene - and this one is far from complete. Coumarins have an antispasmodic effect, and phytosterols reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.But the most valuable component is the essential oil, which has a very wide range of useful properties. The fact is that azulene is present in chamomile oil, a substance known for its anti-inflammatory and bacteriostatic activity. This allows the use of teas and decoctions from chamomile inflorescences for the prevention and treatment of a huge number of various diseases.
Benefits of chamomile tea
First of all, chamomile tea is recommended for restoring the nervous system, and eliminating migraines. The glycoside apigenin contained in chamomile contributes to the achievement of a state of complete rest and relaxation, so the decoctions of this plant are extremely excitable.It is best to drink chamomile tea right before bed.
Tea made from dried crushed chamomile flowers is ideal for the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and is often used as an adjuvant in their treatment. The use of chamomile tea helps to reduce, cleanse the intestines and restore its microflora. In addition, this is one of the few drinks shown to people with high acidity of gastric juice. This tea is best drunk before meals, as it stimulates the appetite and prevents cramps.
Indirectly, chamomile tea helps to improve the condition of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases due to its sedative properties.
Chamomile also has a choleretic and anti-inflammatory effect, so it is well suited for preventing the formation of stones in the gallbladder and kidneys. It is useful for women to drink chamomile decoction during menstruation, to reduce pain in the lower abdomen and lower back.
Finally, chamomile tea has long been drunk for colds. It is excellent and diaphoretic and effectively helps the body fight viruses. Herbal tea from chamomile boosts immunity and helps to stay in good shape.
Chamomile is one of the most popular medicinal plants actively used in folk medicine. Even in ancient Russia, this odorous herb served as an indispensable ingredient in decoctions, infusions, and creams. The rich composition of the inflorescences has a therapeutic effect in many diseases, however, there are contraindications to the use of a drink from the plant. Consider the benefits and harms of chamomile tea for beauty and human health.
Composition and useful properties
Medicinal raw materials are chamomile inflorescences, which are collected at the beginning of the flowering of the plant. Dried "baskets" used for brewing tea collections contain in large quantities:
An important role for the human body is played by the high content of flavonoids in chamomile, which strengthen the walls of blood vessels and have a pronounced antioxidant effect. Glycosides also have a diaphoretic effect, and also act as an antispasmodic.
Such a rich composition allows you to use chamomile tea for medicinal purposes in the following cases:
The presence of any disease is not the only reason to start drinking chamomile tea. This healing drink also improves the condition of the skin and hair and lose extra pounds.
Video: How does chamomile tea help?
Ways to brew and use chamomile tea for health and beauty
The use of chamomile tea is so wide that the list of ways is endless. But let's focus on the most effective and interesting methods.
Medicinal use
To make chamomile tea, you can use both dry and fresh flowers, if available. Drinking a healthy drink is recommended at least 30-60 minutes after eating and 2 hours before it. Since tea helps to cope with flatulence and improves intestinal motility, it is better to wait a bit after eating before drinking the cherished mug.
If for some reason the taste of a chamomile drink is embarrassing with its astringency and bitterness, you can brighten up tea drinking by adding your favorite ingredients - milk, cream, honey, lemon, sugar. The beneficial properties of the remedy from the flowers of the plant will not be lost from this.
By adding warm milk to chamomile tea, you can enhance the sedative effect of the drink, which will be especially useful for those suffering from insomnia.
Classic drink (with a calming effect)
Pour 1 teaspoon of raw materials into a container and pour a glass of boiling water, cover with a lid and a towel on top. A rich infusion will be ready in 15 minutes, after which it can be filtered and drunk like regular tea, adding honey and lemon.
This classic brewing method is suitable for:
Strong tea (for colds, diarrhea and other ailments)
2 teaspoons of inflorescences are poured into a saucepan, 200 ml of boiling water is poured, the container is placed in a water bath and aged for 20 minutes. Then the pan is removed and left for 40 minutes. After straining the liquid, the tea can be consumed as usual.
Such a drink is stronger than that prepared according to the first recipe, and it is better to take it for colds, diarrhea, joint pain, and also use it for applying lotions for conjunctivitis and washing the sinuses for rhinitis. Reception of strong chamomile tea has a dosage limit - no more than 4 cups (400-600 ml) per day.
For lovers of a classic drink, a combination of black and green teas with chamomile is suitable. You can mix your favorite variety or several of them with dried inflorescences in a 1: 1 ratio and brew in the usual way (1 teaspoon per 1 cup of boiling water) for 3-4 minutes. So the drink will become even more useful and invigorating: the caffeine contained in classic tea will increase the tone of the body.
Chamomile and lemon balm for gastritis, heartburn and other diseases of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract
The combination of chamomile and lemon balm will help with gastritis, and will also have an additional anti-cold effect.For stomach pains and unpleasant symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases, it is useful to take 1 teaspoon of chamomile and lemon balm, pour 1 glass of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. You need to take ready-made tea in a warm form, 2-3 cups a day. Such a drink will also help with colds, especially if they drink 1 tablespoon of honey. The daily dose of the remedy is 3-4 cups per day.
Drink for gallstones
To prevent the development of stones in the gallbladder and ducts, chamomile and mint tea, made from herbs, taken 1 teaspoon per glass of boiling water, will help. Infusion time - 15-20 minutes, daily dose - 3 cups. An additional soothing effect of chamomile drink will give a pinch of cumin seeds.
Microclysters from inflammation of the bladder and appendages with yarrow and hops
With cystitis, you should take 1 tablespoon of chamomile flowers and yarrow inflorescences, as well as 1 teaspoon of hop cones, pour all 300 ml of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Then strain the broth and cool to a comfortable temperature. A small syringe (50 ml) is filled with the finished product, with the help of which the procedure is carried out 2 times a day for several days (until you feel better).
Douching is also carried out with this infusion, they need to be alternated with microclysters - the therapeutic effect will become more noticeable.
Chamomile and thistle root tea for splenomegaly
With inflammation of the spleen, this remedy will help: mix 1 tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers and chopped thistle root, pour 200 ml of boiling water and insist in a thermos for 1 hour. A decoction is taken 1 glass 2-3 times a day after meals (2 hours before the next meal).
Baths with iodine for hands and feet
Warm strong infusion of chamomile with the addition of a few drops of iodine (2-3 per 100 ml) can be used to fill baths for hands and feet. They will help in the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases of the nail plates (including onychomycosis), as well as strengthen the structure of the nails, heal microcracks and calluses on the soles of the feet and steam out the skin.
Baths with chamomile tea for feet relieve fungus and improve the condition of nails and skin Lotions for conjunctivitis and swelling under the eyes
To achieve an antibacterial and antimicrobial effect in conjunctivitis, the application of cotton pads soaked in strong chamomile tea to the eyelids for 15–20 minutes is shown. Such procedures also help with swelling and tired eyes. When used regularly, compresses with chamomile tea even lighten dark circles under the eyes.
Washing the sinuses with hay fever (allergy) and rhinitis
An exacerbation of a seasonal allergy to flowering or a cold can be cured by washing the nose with strong chamomile tea. To do this, draw 5 ml of the product into an empty syringe without a needle, tilt your head slightly to one side over the sink and inject a slightly warm liquid into the upper nostril. It should pour out from the bottom, without getting into the throat. The procedure should be carried out 3-4 times a day until the symptoms are relieved.
Steam bath for cystitis
Having brewed strong tea, you should pour the hot (but not boiling) liquid into a large saucepan or a tall plastic basin. Then you need to carefully sit naked on top of the dishes so that the water does not touch the skin, but only the sore spot is above the steam. If it weakens, you will need to add boiling water (for this you can immediately take a kettle with you). It is necessary to continue the procedure for 20 minutes, it can be carried out daily for a week until the pain is completely eliminated.
Inhalations for coughs, tracheitis and colds
A saucepan with a volume of 3–5 liters is taken, raw materials are poured into it at the rate of 10 teaspoons of dry or fresh chamomile inflorescences per 1 liter of water, and the corresponding volume of boiling water is poured. Next, you need to gently breathe hot steam over the container, covering yourself with a towel on top.
You need to inhale steam slowly through your mouth (so as not to burn yourself), hold your breath for 5-6 seconds and exhale through your nose.
Pain-relieving salt baths for the body with chamomile
Chamomile tea can be added to a bath with salt and essential oils Such bathing is suitable for intense physical exertion - to relieve pain, inflammation and muscle tension. You should take a hot bath, add 1 kg of sea salt (with additives or natural), as well as 2 liters of chamomile tea prepared according to the classic recipe. It is recommended to carry out the procedure for 20-30 minutes. In combination with comprehensive programs to eliminate the "orange peel", such baths also have an anti-cellulite effect.
To enhance the relaxing effect, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the water.
Use during pregnancy and during breastfeeding
For pregnant and lactating women, there are certain restrictions regarding the intake of the drink. This is due to the action of active components that can contribute to the release of estrogen, which is undesirable for the fetus. It is also possible that the child may have an allergy, so it is better to consult a doctor first.
During pregnancy, you should limit yourself to 1 cup of chamomile tea per day, brewed in the proportion of 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of boiling water. During lactation, it is necessary to drink a drink, carefully observing the condition of the baby.
Chamomile tea for children
Newborn babies are not recommended to take chamomile teas inside, it is better to add the product to bathing water or apply lotions for eczema and dermatitis. It is better to start giving a drink to children after 1 year (in agreement with the pediatrician). If the newborn is restless and cannot fall asleep, it is allowed to drink 50–100 ml of chamomile tea heavily diluted with water (so that only a slight taste of the usual infusion is preserved).
Children over 1 year old can be given tea prepared according to the classic recipe, especially during teething (to reduce soreness) and colds (to speed up recovery). The daily dose should be no more than 100 ml. Starting from the age of 5, if there are no contraindications, it can be increased to 200. A drink will be especially useful for a child with indigestion, as well as for normalizing sleep. In the absence of an allergy to honey, you can add 1 teaspoon of a sweet product and warm milk to tea.
Video: How to brew and insist chamomile?
Use as a means of home cosmetology
Ice for the face
To achieve a pronounced tonic effect, you can freeze the infusion prepared according to the classic recipe into cubes and wipe your face and neck with them in the morning and evening. This will improve the complexion, have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, and also prevent the appearance of acne, blackheads and blackheads. For one procedure, 1 ice cube is enough.
Having brewed a strong infusion, you can moisten a cotton pad in it and wipe the skin of the face and neck like a regular lotion.
Rinsing hair for shine and strengthening
After washing your hair with shampoo and without drying it, apply a strong flower decoction at a comfortable temperature along the entire length. This is easy to do with a spray bottle, or simply by lowering the strands into a container of tea. Rinse off is not required.
Blond hair can become a little more saturated in color after such a procedure. The decoction will also help get rid of the increased oiliness of the scalp.
Chamomile tea with stevia for weight loss
Take 0.5 tablespoon of each plant in dry form, pour 1 cup of boiling water and insist for 20 minutes. Drinking such a drink 1 hour before meals 2-3 times a day, 1 cup, you can fight increased appetite, especially during the diet.
To prepare a drink for weight loss, it is useful to combine chamomile with stevia. Contraindications and possible harm
The main warnings include the following:
- allergy or individual intolerance;
- low blood pressure (hypotension);
- mental illness;
- concurrent use of sedatives;
- combination with anticoagulants (chamomile thins the blood).
An overdose of the drink can lead to nausea, vomiting, and kidney problems. Too strong tea can cause headaches, nausea, weakening of muscle tone and lowering blood pressure. The active choleretic effect of the drug in excess of dosages can increase the severity of the course of kidney and liver diseases.
If, when using chamomile infusion as a cosmetic product, a small rash and itching appear on the skin, it is better to stop the procedure.
When self-collecting chamomile inflorescences, you should choose plants that grow away from highways and industrial enterprises. Harvesting takes place in the summer, during the flowering phase of the bush, when the petals of the buds are not yet down. The stem and leaves do not need to be collected. Several days are enough to dry the raw materials - it is enough to evenly spread the flowers on a newspaper, cover with a paper towel on top and leave in a well-ventilated area, placing it on a table, balcony or closet. It is better to store harvested chamomile in a paper bag in a dry place for no more than 1 year.
Chamomile tea is a special drink that can replace the black and green varieties we are used to. Delicious, fragrant, and most importantly, it is obtained from the most useful medicinal plant, which gives it healing properties. Despite the fact that this drink is brewed not at all from the leaves of tea bushes, but only from ordinary wild flowers, its taste is very rich and pleasant. It can be safely attributed to the number of herbal teas. So today we will talk about the benefits of chamomile tea for women and men. Perhaps you, too, will get into the good habit of having a tea break at lunchtime or before bed.
Valuable composition of chamomile tea
In order to understand well what benefits the use of such an infusion can bring to the body, let's pay attention to its composition. Chamomile flowers contain a huge amount of flavonoids and polyphenols of plant origin, as well as polysaccharides, amino acids, essential oils and tannins. In addition, they are valued for their high content of vitamins and trace elements - calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, potassium and copper. Tea contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and salicylic acid.
It is noteworthy that when brewing, useful substances are preserved, vitamins are not destroyed. But it is important to prepare tea correctly and not to overdo it in its use, since any, even the most medicinal herbs, are useful in moderation.
Beneficial effect on the body
It is not surprising that with such a huge number of useful components, chamomile tea has a healing effect on the body. First of all, it is an excellent natural sedative. Its mild sedative effect is harmless and appears very quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to use it at night, with strong emotional stress, with insomnia. It is especially good to drink a drink after severe stress, it will help restore the functioning of the nervous system, restore a cheerful mood.
Do you have problems with digestion, stomach function, digestion of food? Then you just need to accustom yourself to drinking chamomile tea. It is able to quickly soothe the mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines, relieve the inflammatory process, remove pain and discomfort. With prolonged use of drugs, chamomile tea eliminates their negative effects. Chamomile relieves gas, eliminates bloating and neutralizes excess stomach acid.
Benefits of chamomile tea for women
For those who want to keep their skin fresh and healthy for a long time, it is useful to drink chamomile tea on an empty stomach in the morning. Such a decoction is useful not only to take inside, but also to use for cosmetic purposes. Use tea to rinse your hair. By the way, it is chamomile that is ideal for blond hair: it gives the hair a golden hue, shine and strength.
Problematic female skin is also “afraid” of chamomile preparations. Warm tea is used for lotions and compresses, for washing and rinsing, as a result of which inflammation disappears, dryness and flaking of the skin are eliminated. Your heels will always be soft and well-groomed if you take baths with the addition of chamomile decoction. It has a softening and at the same time nourishing effect.
Chamomile tea brings particular benefits to the female body during painful periods. It eliminates spasms, eliminates lumbar pulling pain and alleviates the condition of a woman on critical days. With regular use of the drink, the menstrual cycle becomes regular.
Chamomile prevents a number of cancers:
breast cancer in women;
- bowel cancer;
- lungs' cancer;
- leukemia;
- ovarian cancer;
- skin cancer.
What are the benefits of chamomile tea for men?
Some of the above diseases can also affect the male body. Therefore, chamomile will be useful regardless of the gender of the person.
Drinking a decoction is good for men's health, as it is an effective prevention of prostate tumors. Tea contains the substance apigenin, which does not allow malignant cells to actively grow. It blocks the blood flow to these cells, due to which the vessels through which the tumors feed are reduced.
An infusion of chamomile flowers is useful for those who have a lack of potassium in the body, which can manifest itself in the form of periodic cramps in the calf muscles or other parts of the body. In diabetes mellitus, chamomile normalizes the sugar level to optimal levels, lowering it within a few minutes after it enters the body.
For men, this composition is also useful for developing hemorrhoids. Tea relieves acute pain, strengthens blood vessels.
How to prepare tea?
For brewing, you will need pre-dried flowers of the plant. It is better to use medicinal chamomile, and not ordinary. The medicinal flower is much smaller, it can be seen in the fields. Pour a teaspoon of dry collection with a glass of boiling water. Infuse for 10-15 minutes, strain. Do you like sweeter tea? Add honey or sugar to taste in a cup. And if you want to diversify the taste of the drink, combine chamomile flowers with mint, lemon balm or valerian leaves. The effect that will be produced on your body depends on the added herbs.
The beneficial properties of chamomile were first described in the 17th century, but the use of the plant for medicinal purposes began long before that time. Previously, chamomile was used mainly for the treatment of female diseases (fibroids, mastopathy), so another name for the flower is “uterine grass”. Chamomile can be used in the form of infusions, decoctions, external compresses, but the most accessible and convenient method of therapy is the use of chamomile tea.
Benefit
Dried flowers of the plant are used to make chamomile tea. You can collect them yourself or buy ready-made collection at the pharmacy. Experts advise giving preference to pharmacy chamomile, since all raw materials sold in pharmacy chains go through several degrees of purification and are carefully checked for the presence of nitrates and other hazardous substances.
Chamomile is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, so most often the drink is used as an aid in the treatment of colds. A decoction of chamomile helps to reduce the severity of the inflammatory process, soothe irritated mucous membranes of the larynx and relieve pain.
The remedy can be taken orally, replacing morning and evening tea with a drink, or used for topical treatment as a solution for gargling. Chamomile flowers have a pronounced antiseptic and bactericidal effect, so the use of warm tea from this plant is indicated for the following infections:
- angina;
- influenza and respiratory diseases (ARVI and acute respiratory infections), accompanied by cough and sore throat;
- tonsillitis;
- laryngitis;
- pharyngitis;
- tracheitis.
Drinking a drink in inflammatory processes of the lower respiratory tract (bronchitis, pneumonia) helps to relieve a painful cough, moisten the mucous membranes of the larynx and esophagus and facilitate sputum discharge. To achieve a pronounced therapeutic effect, it is recommended to drink chamomile tea 3-4 times a day. You need to gargle more often - 5-6 times.
A large amount of vitamins in chamomile flowers positively affects the state of the immune system during an illness, alleviates the severity of symptoms and speeds up recovery.
Chamomile tea has a moderate diaphoretic effect and allows you to quickly remove toxins and waste products of bacteria through the skin. Due to this, the patient has a headache, the temperature drops and other signs of intoxication disappear.
For stress and insomnia
For people suffering from neuroses, depression or constantly in a state of emotional excitement, doctors recommend taking a decoction or infusion of chamomile inside. This is an excellent tool for dealing with stress, as the active components of chamomile gently act on the nervous system and have a slight calming effect.
Drinking chamomile tea before bed can help manage insomnia, improve sleep quality, and avoid anxiety-related wake-up calls at night. If you add a little honey, milk or a few sprigs of lemon balm to chamomile tea, you get an excellent natural medicine to restore your psycho-emotional state.
For pain
Chamomile is considered one of the most effective herbs to help fight various types of pain. An extract from chamomile flowers relieves spasm and helps muscles relax, so drinks based on this plant are recommended for colitis, muscle pain and other painful conditions caused by muscle spasms.
Of particular note is the benefit of the remedy for women with painful menstruation. Chamomile will help not only relieve pain, but also cope with emotional outbursts characteristic of this period, so the infusion or decoction of the plant must be included in the menu before the end of menstruation.
For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
- elimination of bloating and flatulence;
- neutralization of excess hydrochloric acid;
- normalization of bowel function.
After entering the intestine, chamomile disinfects its walls and the cavity of the organ, destroys the pathogenic flora, reduces slagging, removes toxins and prevents the processes of decay. Prophylactic intake of drinks based on chamomile helps to improve the functioning of the large and small intestines, strengthen the immune system and improve the body.
The use of chamomile tea is also shown for liver diseases, as the agent gently cleanses the organ and has a slight hepatoprotective effect, protecting liver cells from adverse factors.
Harm and contraindications
Despite the large number of useful properties, chamomile tea can bring not only benefits to the body, but also harm. Most often, negative reactions when using the product are caused by improper use or non-compliance with the recommendations for preparation and intake.
When brewing tea, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions, since too strong a drink can produce the opposite effect and cause headache, apathy, and muscle weakness. Do not forget about the pronounced sedative effect of chamomile, so the plant is not advised to be used by patients with mental disorders and severe forms of depressive disorders.
A concentrated infusion of chamomile can significantly lower blood pressure, so it is important to make sure that the patient does not suffer from hypotension before taking it.
If earlier a person (or his blood relatives) had reactions of intolerance to chamomile, drinks from this plant should be consumed very carefully, starting with 1-2 teaspoons. In the absence of complications, you can continue taking it, gradually increasing the amount of drink you drink.
Can pregnant and lactating women
In some cases, chamomile can cause allergic reactions - for this reason, doctors used to recommend pregnant women to stop drinking chamomile drinks. Now experts do not object to the inclusion of chamomile decoctions in the diet of an expectant mother, especially since they can help cope with some pregnancy problems.
- Chamomile has a moderate diuretic effect, so it can be used to prevent edema and preeclampsia.
- To eliminate heaviness and fatigue in the legs, which appears already in the second trimester due to a shift in the center of gravity and an increase in the load on the joints, a woman can use foot baths with chamomile infusion.
- In the third trimester, chamomile tea with linden and honey will help to cope with the growing anxiety before the upcoming birth without the use of sedatives.
Nursing women can also include a decoction of chamomile in their diet, especially since it helps to increase lactation, but provided that the woman and baby are not allergic. If the crumbs have allergy symptoms (rash, lacrimation, redness of the eyes and skin), the use of tea will have to be abandoned.
Composition
Chamomile tea has almost zero calorie content - only 1 kcal per 100 ml of the finished product. At the same time, the drink is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins (per 100 ml):
Minerals:
Chamomile tea also contains essential oils, tannins, amino acids, polysaccharides, mucus and gum.
How to cook?
Tea. To make tea, you can use loose raw materials or buy ready-made filter bags for one-time brewing. The second method of preparation is preferable, since the dosed sachets eliminate the possibility of preparing a drink that is too strong and concentrated. In this case, you need to pour one sachet with a glass of boiling water, leave for 3-4 minutes.
If tea is prepared from loose raw materials, the steps will be similar, only you need to take into account that only chamomile inflorescences (dried or fresh) are suitable for a medicinal drink. To make tea, you need 1 teaspoon of chamomile.
You can drink tea cold or hot. If desired, you can add lemon, honey, lemon balm, linden and other ingredients that will help diversify the taste sensations. You can drink tea an hour after eating.
Decoction. To prepare a decoction, you need to take 4 tablespoons of chamomile and pour 400 ml of boiling water. Place on stove and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Let the composition brew for 3-4 hours, then strain through cheesecloth or a sieve.
Infusion. The proportions are the same as for the preparation of a decoction. The difference is that the mixture does not need to be boiled. It is enough to mix chamomile with water in a thermos and insist for 4 hours. It is best to drink the infusion strained.
Storage
You can store dry chamomile for 2 years, subject to storage conditions. It is best to place the dried raw material in a bag made of natural dense fabric and put it in a dark place (exclude high humidity).
Ready tea can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 20 hours. After this period, the drink loses half of its medicinal properties. Out of the refrigerator tea can be 2 hours.
How to choose?
If chamomile is purchased at a pharmacy, you just need to check the expiration date and the integrity of the original packaging. When buying fresh flowers, you should carefully inspect the petals and stem - they should not show signs of damage by pests, dust or chemicals. If there are black dots and specks on the stem, it is better to refuse the purchase.
What is combined with?
Chamomile tea can be drunk instead of regular tea. An excellent addition to such a drink would be jam, jam or natural honey. Fresh chamomile leaves can be added to black tea or other varieties when brewing. The combination with other medicinal herbs (calendula, thyme, St. John's wort) will help enhance the taste of the drink, but before drinking such tea, you will need to consult a specialist.
Chamomile infusion can be beneficial or harmful - it all depends on the correct use of it and compliance with the recommendations of specialists. In most cases, chamomile drinks are well tolerated, but cases of individual intolerance can rarely occur, so they should be used carefully, observing the measure (4 cups per day).
