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Chamomile decoction: beneficial properties. Chamomile decoction for the face. Medicinal properties of chamomile. How and why to take and use chamomile? Chamomile - benefits and harm

The medicinal properties of chamomile are directly related to the side effects that it causes, and therefore to its contraindications. In many cases, the very actions for which chamomile is used to treat various diseases cause undesirable consequences in some patients, and in such cases the use of chamomile preparations may be contraindicated.

You should always remember that in addition to therapeutic effect Chamomile can be harmful.

Before you list yourself beneficial features and contraindications for the use of chamomile, let us clarify important point: now we will talk about all types of chamomile that are used in folk medicine at all. First of all, chamomile flowers are considered as a medicine (it is also called peeled, forest and field chamomile), but sometimes Roman chamomile, lingulate chamomile (fragrant) and yellow chamomile are also used. In many ways, their beneficial properties are similar, but there are also differences. Accordingly, contraindications for these plants may also vary.

It often happens that when harvesting independently, instead of pharmaceutical chamomile, they collect fragrant chamomile, and sometimes even popovnik, which looks similar to chamomile. However, the healing properties of these plants differ, and the same popovnik practically does not possess them at all.

For example, in the photo below - chamomile:

And here is the popovnik, also known as the common cornflower:

In a separate article, we examined the beneficial properties and contraindications of chamomile. Now we will talk about all types of chamomile used in medicine - first we will look at general properties, and separately indicate specific features each type, if any.

Medicinal properties of chamomile

The most famous and found wide application In medicine, the following beneficial properties of chamomile:

  1. Anti-inflammatory - studies have shown that chamomile extract has a stronger anti-inflammatory effect than a 0.25% hydrocortisone solution. Due to this, chamomile is used to treat skin inflammations, for washing eyes with barley or conjunctivitis, for drinking with various inflammatory diseases digestive tract - gastritis, enteritis, pancreatitis, as well as for rinsing the mouth and throat. Chamomile is also believed to have systemic anti-inflammatory effects. For example, when taken orally, it can affect those inflamed tissues and organs with which the drug does not directly contact. With this in mind, it is used for cystitis, kidney and liver diseases, for men - for prostatitis, for women - for inflammation of the ovaries. However, its effectiveness in these cases has not been confirmed;
  2. Soothing, soft sedative effect, due to which chamomile tea has a beneficial effect on the condition of patients with depression or stress;
  3. Antibacterial properties - Chamomile extract has been shown to inhibit reproduction upon direct contact Staphylococcus aureus, some types of streptococci, the causative agent of leptospirosis and caries. It is not known whether this property manifests itself directly in the tissues of the body, but chamomile is used very widely as a local antiseptic. In particular, its infusion is added to baby baths for newborns to prevent the child from coming into contact with various infectious agents;
  4. Antispasmodic activity - chamomile normalizes the smooth muscles of the intestines, uterus and some others internal organs, eliminates spasms and tones excessively relaxed muscles. Due to this property, it is used for colic, abdominal pain, delayed menstruation, but with the same therapeutic effect it is contraindicated for pregnant women - due to the tone of the uterus, a miscarriage or premature onset of labor may occur;
  5. Weak choleretic effect;
  6. Carminative effect, allowing to weaken unpleasant symptoms for flatulence and constipation;
  7. Antiallergic activity, due to which chamomile is used to treat the skin for various allergic rashes. At the same time, chamomile itself can cause allergies, sometimes very strong and life-threatening, up to the development of anaphylactic shock, and therefore it should be used in this form with great caution. There have been deaths reported when parents tried to treat with chamomile. allergic rhinitis the child, and precisely because of the use of chamomile, developed anaphylactic shock fatal;
  8. Antioxidant activity and mitigating properties free radicals due to the content of flavonoids and vitamin C.

Others are also mentioned in some sources medicinal properties chamomile, for example, diaphoretic activity, analgesic effect, gastroprotective and antiviral effects.

It is due to the well-known beneficial properties of chamomile that they have gained great popularity. various teas based on it.

There are also claims that chamomile helps reduce the effects of diabetes mellitus, influencing general tone body and blood sugar levels.

However, there is no actual evidence of such properties of chamomile.

These medicinal properties are characteristic of chamomile and Roman chamomile.

Fragrant chamomile has a weak effect on digestive tract and is characterized by a mild systemic effect on the body. Simply put, there is practically no sedative effect from its use. Consequently, medicinal use it is limited only to external procedures - skin treatment, rinsing the throat or mouth.

Chamomile is fragrant if used for cooking medicines, then most often by mistake, when during collection it is confused with chamomile.

The main contraindications of chamomile are associated precisely with its beneficial properties, which in some patients can manifest themselves too violently and provoke dangerous conditions.

Contraindications to the use of chamomile preparations

The main and most strict contraindication for the use of chamomile is an allergy to it. With such a reaction, no chamomile preparations should be taken in any form.

Here you can see a rash that appeared after inhalation with chamomile.

Even if the patient develops a rash after drinking chamomile tea, and external use of the product is not accompanied by side effects, even external procedures - facial treatment, lubrication of abrasions and acne, bathing in a bath with chamomile is prohibited. If allergies do not manifest themselves during such procedures, it is only a matter of time. The more often the patient comes into contact with this herb in any form, the sooner allergies will begin to occur, including during local procedures.

The important thing here is that some people may develop allergies to those components of chamomile that actually have a therapeutic effect. This is proof of the fact that contraindications are closely related specifically to healing properties plants.

This contraindication is relevant for all types of chamomile and for any method of its use.

An allergy can equally likely develop to a drug prepared from loose raw materials and to a product from a sachet.

Further, chamomile preparations should not be taken orally for diarrhea, as well as for a general tendency of the patient to diarrhea. Due to the ability of chamomile to tone the intestinal muscles, it can have a laxative effect.

On a note

Diarrhea is often indicated among the indications for taking chamomile preparations; there is information and positive reviews when taken specifically for diarrhea. This should be treated with caution: often all the benefits of chamomile remedies for diarrhea are limited to easing abdominal pain, although it does not provide a clear reduction in diarrhea. Be that as it may, if you have diarrhea, it is better not to take it.

For diarrhea, chamomile remedies can be used topically so that they do not enter the gastrointestinal tract. You can take baths with chamomile, gargle with it (if you then spit out the gargle solution), and treat the skin.

Chamomile is also contraindicated for children under 3 years of age for oral administration. In them it especially often causes and allergic reactions, and diarrhea, despite the fact that a child in the first years of life can easily do without its use.

Again, the child can bathe in water with the addition of chamomile decoction, and the skin can be treated. Provided, of course, that he is not allergic to chamomile.

Chamomile, along with chamomile, is one of the most popular ingredients for preparing baths for infants.

These contraindications are relevant for pharmaceutical and Roman chamomile. Fragrant chamomile is contraindicated for oral administration, since its flowers do not contain azulene, which provides anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects. Wherein side effects from taking it can be the same as from using chamomile. As a result, it is not recommended to take it internally, while treating the skin, eyes, and mouth rinses are allowed.

Chamomile contraindications for women

For women, chamomile is contraindicated in several cases:

  1. During pregnancy, due to its ability to increase the activity of the muscles of the uterus, chamomile can cause a miscarriage. early stages, or premature birth on last weeks pregnancy;
  2. At various pains in the lower abdomen, with discharge, the nature and causes of which are not clear. To treat such diseases, chamomile can be taken orally only as directed by a doctor;
  3. For douching - today it has been shown that the harm from these procedures, regardless of what solution they are used with, significantly exceeds the benefit that a medicine, including chamomile, can provide. Despite the fact that in folk medicine, douching is considered one of the most significant procedures for treatment women's diseases, an unambiguous connection has been established between the frequency of their implementation and various pathologies- endometriosis, cervical inflammation, cancer.

It is also not recommended to use chamomile internally during lactation, since even without affecting the mother’s condition, chamomile can affect the child, causing him diarrhea or allergies. This is due to the fact that its active components can penetrate into breast milk, and with it - into the child’s digestive tract.

Sprinkles at infant in response to maternal ingestion of chamomile is a common occurrence.

It is also undesirable to use chamomile when too heavy discharge during menstruation. Stimulating the activity of the uterus in this case will lead to an increase in the discharge itself.

The last two warnings are not clear contraindications, but they must be taken into account when planning to take chamomile preparations.

Contraindications for various chamomile preparations

It is also important to remember that different properties chamomile - both medicinal and harmful - manifest themselves differently when in various ways her preparations.

Chamomile infusion is considered the most beneficial, but also the one that most often causes side effects.

For example, the safest is considered to be the one in which the most large quantity potential allergens, and the flowers themselves are effectively disinfected. Largest quantity Infusions and tinctures have contraindications.

For example:

  • Chamomile decoction and tea are contraindicated in the same cases when chamomile is contraindicated for use in general. They have no specific contraindications;
  • Chamomile infusion is contraindicated for oral administration. This is due to the fact that it may contain various contaminants that are not neutralized when infused in cold water and can have an adverse effect. dangerous action not the body upon entry into the digestive tract;
  • Alcohol tincture of chamomile is contraindicated for oral administration to children under 12 years of age, as well as for treating any mucous membranes - rinsing the mouth and throat, washing the eyes, and washing. Upon contact with mucous membranes, alcohol can cause burns.

The healing properties and contraindications of chamomile tea do not depend on whether bulk raw materials are used for its preparation, or flowers in bags. Granulated tea that claims to contain chamomile (for example, Hipp tea with chamomile) usually has no contraindications, since the content active ingredients There is very little chamomile in it. Of course, such tea has practically no medicinal properties.

Granulated children's teas are much safer than those prepared from natural raw materials. But their benefits are much less.

Contraindications complex means, in which chamomile is included only as one of the components, consist of restrictions on the intake of each of the components.

For example, Tibetan balm with immortelle, chamomile, honey, birch buds and St. John's wort is contraindicated in all cases in which chamomile, St. John's wort, immortelle herb, honey and Birch buds separately. This brew should not be drunk if you are allergic to any of the components, during pregnancy, for children under 12 years of age (contraindicated for immortelle), with bipolar depression or taking antidepressants (contraindicated for St. John's wort).

Likewise, if the recipe contains, in addition to chamomile, calendula, mint leaves, sage, oak bark and any other components, it is necessary to take into account the contraindications of each of them. Sometimes this is difficult, and therefore, in the absence of appropriate knowledge, it is safer to use ready-made, proven preparations, for which consumption restrictions have already been tested and established.

Pharmaceutical chamomile has a lot of useful properties, and therefore is often used not only in folklore, but also in traditional medicine. You can take it in the form of a decoction, infusion and tea, and also rinse and medicinal baths.

Pharmaceutical chamomile: beneficial properties

Beneficial properties of chamomile

Pharmaceutical chamomile has a huge number of beneficial properties, and therefore can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. It has a pleasant taste and aroma, is well tolerated by the body and almost never affects side effects. The only contraindication to its use is individual intolerance, but this is so rare that even allergy sufferers in most cases can not be afraid and can safely use chamomile to combat all sorts of ailments.

An allergy to chamomile may result in redness or mild itching of the skin, as well as a runny nose and watery eyes. Really serious complication- swelling of the respiratory tract - occurs in isolated cases and requires the help of a doctor

Chamomile is most often used as an anti-inflammatory agent, but in reality its spectrum of action is much wider.

For example, chamomile tea helps well in the following cases:

  • at high temperature
  • for a cold
  • with decreased immunity
  • with vitamin deficiency
  • for mild headache and muscle pain
  • with increased nervous excitability
  • for insomnia
  • in case of problems at work gastrointestinal tract
  • for cardiovascular diseases
  • for allergies
  • for muscle weakness
  • for neuroses and many other neuropsychic disorders

Chamomile can also be used during pregnancy. At regular use she renders positive influence on uteroplacental blood flow, prevents the occurrence of fetal hypoxia, facilitates the course early toxicosis and helps get rid of heartburn later pregnancy.

A decoction of chamomile helps to recover faster when peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum, disorders of the liver, gall bladder and pancreas

In addition, it can be used for bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea caused by both infection and dietary errors.

Pharmaceutical chamomile has also found its use in dermatology. As local remedy it is often used for skin rash, allergies, cuts, burns and other wounds. Chamomile baths have a softening effect, and therefore are good for dry skin, eczema, gout and even ulcers.

Pharmaceutical chamomile in cosmetology

Pharmaceutical chamomile is often used in cosmetology as a skin and hair care product. It is effective in treating dandruff, as well as brittleness, dryness and hair loss. Decoctions from it can be used to prepare all kinds of masks, as well as rinse your hair with them after washing.

Herbal chamomile baths have a beneficial effect on the skin of the hands and nails

To prepare them, you need a tablespoon of chopped herbs and two glasses of boiling water. When the infusion turns golden (about 10-15 minutes after brewing the herb), it will need to be strained and cooled to 40°C. For brittle nails, hangnails and dry skin, your hands will need to be immersed in the infusion for 15-20 minutes. The procedure can be repeated daily until the desired result is achieved.

How to use chamomile

Despite the fact that collecting and preparing chamomile is not particularly difficult, it is better to use the herb purchased at the pharmacy. It is grown in ecologically clean areas, and also undergoes special processing before hitting the counter. You can buy it both in the form of crushed herbs and in filter bags, which are convenient to use for making tea, baths and rinsing infusions.

Brew the filter bag with chamomile in a glass of boiling water. After just 5-7 minutes, the resulting liquid can be used for both internal and external treatment. It can be used to rinse your mouth for stomatitis, gingivitis, gumboil and sore throat. In the presence of gynecological diseases The resulting infusion can be used for douching. In addition, a glass of this drink helps you quickly recover from stress and fall asleep if you have mild insomnia.

Chamomile decoction is one of the forms of preparing chamomile raw materials, in which dried flowers are poured with water, and then the solution is brought to a boil and boiled for some time (usually a very short time, literally a few minutes).

Chamomile decoction, when infused, acquires a characteristic yellow color.

A decoction differs from tea in that the prepared solution is boiled for some time, and to prepare tea, the flowers are simply poured with boiling water. A decoction differs from an infusion in the same way: it is prepared simply by infusion cold water on chamomile flowers, without boiling or even scalding.

On a note

The allergenic properties of the decoction are less pronounced than those of tea or infusion, due to the fact that it neutralizes various contaminants and third-party allergens - insects found on flowers during collection, dust, and other plants. For this reason, a decoction is more preferable for children.

Further, chamomile infusion can cause excessive contraction of the uterine muscles. This ability is used to enhance menstruation or stimulate it if it is late, but it can also cause miscarriage or premature birth.

Finally, chamomile weakens. Due to this, it is often used for constipation, but with a general tendency to diarrhea, and even more so on acute stage It can be dangerous to use chamomile infusion: the manifestations of the disorder will intensify.

Concentrated chamomile tea is also known to stimulate vomiting. This can be useful for various poisonings to empty the stomach, but for other diseases it is a typical side effect.

All these effects appear precisely when taken chamomile infusion inside. When the product is applied externally, only an allergy can develop, which is usually milder than when the drug is taken orally.

The purity of the drug and the absence of large particles in it do not affect the likelihood and severity of allergies.

It is these side effects that determine a set of contraindications to the use of chamomile decoction.

Contraindications for internal and external use

There are four official contraindications to taking chamomile infusion:

  1. Known allergy to chamomile, or allergic manifestations when taking it;
  2. Pregnancy, in which the decoction can provoke miscarriage and premature onset of labor;
  3. Children under 3 years of age - for taking the decoction orally, since its safety for children in the first three years of life has not been proven;
  4. Tendency to diarrhea, or diarrhea in the acute stage.

It is not known whether the components of chamomile pass into breast milk, and therefore, for safety reasons, taking chamomile during lactation is not recommended.

You definitely cannot give chamomile decoction prepared from natural raw materials to a newborn or infant at the age of 2-4 months. This medicine may cause diarrhea, allergies or other undesirable effects in him. An exception is the treatment of a child under the supervision of a doctor, when it is the doctor who prescribes the decoction for the child and indicates the rules for its preparation and dilution.

In all cases when chamomile decoction is planned to be given to a child, this remedy can be replaced with other pharmaceuticals that are more effective, safe and intended specifically for children.

On a note

In particular, giving a baby chamomile decoction in the first one or two months of life to combat colic is a typical parental mistake. Not only is colic not always caused by stomach pain, but there is also no evidence that such treatment can help the child at all. At the same time, side effects from using chamomile may well develop.

At the same time, a child of any age can be bathed in water with the addition of chamomile decoction, just as it is allowed to use the decoction externally to treat the skin or eyes (for example, for conjunctivitis). Of course, all this is allowed if the child is not allergic to chamomile - in this case, its external use will not lead to any undesirable consequences.

For these reasons, it is not recommended to constantly drink chamomile infusion instead of tea. It can be considered as narrowly focused remedy, the use of which is justified only in the presence of certain diseases or syndromes. The need to take it from healthy person no, but in the absence of diseases even minimal risk the development of side effects makes its use undesirable.

Preparation of chamomile decoction

The traditional recipe for making chamomile infusion looks like this:

  • Dried chamomile flowers are poured into a saucepan or cauldron, and their portion should be measured in teaspoons;
  • Flowers are filled with water based on the proportion of 1 glass to 2 teaspoons of flowers;
  • Place the pan on low heat, bring the solution to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes;
  • Remove from heat, cool;
  • After cooling, the broth is filtered through cheesecloth, and the flowers are squeezed out in the gauze.

If necessary, other herbs are added to the raw materials - calendula, onion juice, sage, oak bark, centaury, if such additives are provided for in the recipe for the treatment of a specific disease. For example, under stress and neurological disorders The decoction is made with the addition of mint and St. John's wort; celandine is added to cleanse the skin. It is only important to remember that such supplements have both their own medicinal properties and contraindications and can cause side effects - all this must be taken into account.

It is advisable to squeeze out the remaining flowers after straining.

If you plan to give the decoction to a child, it is advisable to add honey or sugar to it to soften the bitter taste. This will also prevent your child from vomiting.

There is also a known recipe for preparing a decoction in a water bath. We talked in detail about it and about other methods of preparing a decoction (for example, not from loose raw materials, but from bags of crushed chamomile) in a separate...

In cosmetology, chamomile decoction is used to prepare homemade cosmetics. In particular, it is added to soap as a antibacterial agent, they make masks based on Vaseline and egg yolk, hair shampoos and face lotions.

Chamomile cream to reduce skin irritations.

Small children (usually the first months of life, sometimes up to a year old) are bathed in baths with the addition of chamomile decoction. The decoction itself is prepared in this case according to a standard recipe, and then simply added to the baby’s bath in arbitrary proportions (there is no urgent need for it, it is mainly used for the peace of mind of the mother herself).

How to use the decoction correctly, how long and how often can you drink it?

It is recommended to take chamomile decoction orally for digestive disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, 1 glass 3 times a day, half an hour before meals. After a meal, it is less effective because less of it is absorbed when the stomach is full.

When treating diseases of other internal organs, including when using a decoction not only of chamomile, but also of complex mixtures with it, the frequency and order of administration depend on the specific disease. Here the doctor must give instructions.

In a separate article, we discussed in detail how long, how often and in what quantities you should take chamomile decoction for certain...

As a rule, you need to drink the decoction for as many days as the patient shows symptoms of the disease itself. At chronic diseases(for example, when chronic gastritis) the drug is taken in courses with breaks of a certain duration.

When used externally, the duration of treatment and the frequency of treatment of the skin or mucous membranes are practically unlimited. However, fanaticism should be avoided. For example, when you have a sore throat, you should gargle with chamomile infusion no more than 5 times a day, since with more frequent procedures, constant vibrations inhibit the process of tissue restoration at the site of ulcers. And, for example, you can wash your face with chamomile as often as you like - there will be no harm from it.

Chamomile, or in other words, medicinal chamomile, has been used since ancient times in alternative therapy as excellent remedy from many diseases. Our grandmothers often prepared decoctions from it or simply added flowers to tea.

Chamomile infusions were used as a preventive measure various ailments, as well as their treatment, since this plant has a very powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

pharmaceutical camomile

Chamomile is simple annual plant with a strongly branched stem about 35-50 cm high. It has a pleasant, rather specific smell. It can be found in almost all European countries, as well as in various regions of Asia and North America.

It grows in steppes and meadows, as well as along roadsides. Many countries specifically cultivate chamomile as a medicine. Breeders have developed several varieties with an increased content of essential oils.

Medicinal properties of chamomile

Chamomile contains many unique substances. Among them are:

  • many organic acids;
  • glycosides;
  • choline;
  • gum and others.

The healing properties of chamomile have been proven by various scientists. It has a persistent sedative effect.

It is often prescribed as an additional antidepressant for certain neurological diseases. Also, ordinary pharmaceutical chamomile has vasodilating, antispasmodic, disinfectant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

The essential oil contained in the composition helps to significantly reduce gas formation and eliminate the symptoms of flatulence. It helps stabilize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in case of various deviations in its functioning, and also has positive impact on the gastric mucosa.

Beneficial properties of chamomile:

Use for the treatment of ENT diseases

Pharmaceutical chamomile is considered the best means for infectious, mucous oral cavity and throat. decoctions will help get rid of laryngitis and other infectious diseases the upper part of the respiratory tract.

Chamomile infusion can be used to wash the eyes for conjunctivitis. In the form of tea, it is taken orally for problems with the bronchi and asthma, as it has good vasodilating properties.

The photo shows the release form of chamomile:

How to use

Chamomile in alternative medicine can be used different ways. At colds Steam and decoction rinses are useful. To eliminate problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it is used in the form regular tea. For many, rinsing and lotions from the infusion will help.

How to prepare infusion and decoction: recipes

The rules for preparing chamomile infusions are quite simple. This doesn't require many ingredients.

1 tablespoon of prepared dried flowers is poured cold water(1 glass), then bring to a boil on a candle (low heat).

It is impossible to boil the mixture for a long time; it is best to immediately remove it from the heat to prevent the destruction of some useful elements. After this, the broth is removed, left to infuse for about a quarter of an hour, and filtered through sterile gauze.

The finished drug quickly loses its positive properties. It is recommended to store the broth at room temperature for no more than 10 hours, and in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

There are two ways to prepare chamomile infusion: cold, hot. The first one is the simplest. 10 tablespoons of flowers are poured into two glasses of cooled boiled or bottled water and left for 8-10 hours. The resulting liquid is filtered.

This infusion - effective remedy for rinsing and lotions. With the hot method, a tablespoon of dried raw material is poured with boiling water.

The benefits of chamomile tea and how to prepare it, see our video:

Contraindications, side effects

Chamomile is strictly contraindicated for people with individual intolerance to any of the components included in its composition. It is forbidden to use decoctions when chronic diarrhea, other gastrointestinal diseases in the acute stage.

At long-term use Chamomile teas may cause side effects. They are mainly expressed, nervous disorders, and decreased muscle tone.

How to prepare

The plant is collected during the flowering period, when the white petals have not yet dropped and are located horizontally. It blooms from May to August, but most of the beneficial properties are preserved in the spring harvest.

Medicinal chamomile has long been used in folk medicine as an effective remedy for various ailments.

Chamomile flower teas and decoctions have powerful healing properties.

Beneficial properties of chamomile

It is no coincidence that scientists call chamomile, whose beneficial properties are also used in traditional medicine, unique plant. The fact is that the fragrant yellow-white baskets contain a special essential oil, having wide range healing properties.

In addition, chamomile contains many flavonoids and fatty acids, there is choline (choleretic substance), coumarins (anticoagulant substances), salicylic acid, minerals. The calming properties of chamomile tea are known. However, the beneficial properties of chamomile are not limited to the sedative effect:

Chamomile relieves colds, reduces fever, and heals sore throat;

Helps the body fight against viral infections;

Heals stomach and duodenal ulcers, stops fermentation and gas formation, stops stomach cramps And inflammatory processes;

Restores the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract

Used as a powerful choleretic agent;

Helps with headaches and stomach pains;

Reduces blood sugar levels.

Chamomile is used as a natural, safe antiseptic. Chamomile has practically no contraindications, although you should not abuse the aromatic drink.

Beneficial properties of chamomile for women and children

The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile decoctions are widely used in gynecology. For acute and chronic inflammation appendages and other organs of the female genital area, douching and baths with chamomile decoction are used. Good effect give vaginal tampons soaked in healing liquid.

Tea with chamomile will help alleviate the condition on menstrual cleansing days. It relieves abdominal pain, irritability, discomfort, and insomnia. In addition, chamomile complex therapy helps restore or normalize hormonal imbalances menstrual cycle.

IN menopause Chamomile tea helps to cope with hot flashes, loss of strength, and decreased performance. Helps get rid of depression, normalizes hormonal background. The absence of contraindications for chamomile makes it almost irreplaceable universal remedy For quick help family members.

The beneficial properties of chamomile make it possible to use it to treat children. Chamomile tea is given to babies when they are teething. The decoction relieves pain, soothes, and makes it easier for babies to bear difficult days.

Chamomile tea helps with increased gas formation in infants, intestinal disorders. If you have difficulty bowel movements, you can do enemas of chamomile infusion, which are quite safe for child's body. However, first you should make sure that constipation is not a consequence of a serious illness that requires surgical intervention.

Infant conjunctivitis, which almost every young mother encounters, can be treated, among other things, with the help of a safe herbal decoction of chamomile.

How to brew and use chamomile for medicinal purposes

External use of pharmaceutical chamomile is possible in the form of infusions and decoctions. In fact, the difference between them is small, it's all about concentration. The infusion is the easiest to prepare: brew a tablespoon of dried raw material with a glass of boiling water and leave covered for about half an hour. The strained infusion can be used in any way you like.

Making a decoction of chamomile is also very simple. Dried flowers are poured with boiling water in the same proportion, doubling the amount of raw material (that is, half a liter of boiling water is needed for two tablespoons of dried herb). Place the bowl with chamomile on low heat and, after the water boils again, simmer under the lid for no more than five minutes. After half an hour, strain the thick infusion and use it too.

Chamomile tea- this is the same infusion that is usually drunk with honey. To bee treat has given all its benefits, you need to drink chamomile tea as a bite or add honey not to a hot drink, but to a warm one. When you have a cold, you need to drink 2-3 cups a day. It is important not to exceed the recommended dose of tea. Of all the contraindications of chamomile, overdose is most often meant.

Chamomile is especially popular as an anti-inflammatory agent for colds. To remove sharp pain in the throat, gargle with infusion of flowers. Even these can be treated serious illnesses, such as tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis. The procedure is repeated at least 4-5 times a day.

To make the effect stronger, you can add a third of a teaspoon to a glass of liquid. baking soda. In addition, for rinsing, you can prepare an infusion from a mixture of chamomile and sage, mixing the herbs in equal proportions.

Gives a good effect steam inhalations over hot chamomile decoction. For a runny nose, cough, or sore throat, the procedure will bring noticeable relief if done correctly and breathe for at least 15 minutes. To enhance the effect, you can add honey and soda to the broth (a tablespoon of each component). However, hot inhalations over steam are only possible if there is no fever. The duration of the procedure for a child is no more than five minutes.

The beneficial properties of chamomile can be used to relieve stomach pain and intestinal spasms, treat gastritis and peptic ulcers. For inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to prepare a mixture of chamomile and dried mint, taken in equal proportions. Brew a tablespoon of mint-chamomile tea in a bowl of boiling water, strain after half an hour. Drink half a glass three times a day 15-20 minutes before meals.

If you suffer from migraine-like pain, you can try to relieve it with chamomile tea. However, there is another option for using the beneficial properties of chamomile to relieve pain. You need to grind the dried flowers into powder and eat 1-2 grams an hour after eating.

Chamomile can be used externally as a compress. The decoction of the plant is soaked into the fabric and applied to the affected or painful area. This compress helps in the presence of rheumatic pain, swelling, and bruises. A good effect was noted in the treatment of burns and acne.

Chamomile: contraindications for using the plant

Chamomile tea (infusion, decoction) is so safe that it can be given to even the smallest children. There are actually very few contraindications for chamomile:

Individual intolerance;

Allergy.

Moreover, chamomile has the ability to reduce the manifestations of allergies, so it rarely causes atypical reactions. Meanwhile, gynecologists do not recommend drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy. The drink can increase the level of estrogen produced by the ovaries, which is undesirable during pregnancy. Any hormonal disorder can cause complications and even termination of pregnancy.

You should not ingest any herbal remedies, including chamomile decoctions, during the period breastfeeding. It is unknown how the newborn’s body will react. Contraindications for chamomile in terms of possible allergies nevertheless there is, and this also needs to be taken into account.

Overdose of any medicine may be dangerous. Chamomile is one of the potent herbal remedies, therefore moderation in use aromatic tea must be mandatory. Otherwise, the body will respond with nausea, headache, increased or decreased blood pressure, and disorders of the nervous system.