Birch bud tincture has been used as a healing agent for a very long time. As usual, its beneficial properties are given by the original ingredient, which was used in decoctions and infusions by our distant ancestors back in Ancient Rus'.
The swollen buds of the Russian beauty birch contain many substances that help the human body cope with various diseases. It grows everywhere, so it is not difficult to stock up on raw materials for preparing traditional medicine.
Benefits of birch bud tincture
Birch bud tincture is prepared at home and used as a medicine, because it really brings health benefits. The composition of birch buds includes:
- vitamin PP;
- saponins;
- flavonoids;
- essential oils;
- resinous substances;
- alkaloids;
- carotene;
- tannins.
Thanks to these components, birch buds and tinctures made from them have diuretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and bactericidal properties. The tincture has an analgesic and regenerating effect, therefore it is used externally to treat wounds and ulcers. Birch buds in infusions and decoctions have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract and help eliminate parasites. Birch bud tincture helps get rid of toothache, relieves gout, removes toxins from the body, and improves metabolism.
Interesting. Birch buds serve as a source for bees to obtain propolis.
Medicinal properties of birch buds
Birch buds provide a lot of useful medicinal properties in decoctions and tinctures. They benefit children and adults and have not many contraindications.
The healing properties of this tree are recognized by official medicine. The most valuable things you can get from birch are leaves, juice, which remarkably cleanses the blood, and its buds - they are included in a large number of recipes for healing from various ailments. Birch buds will help get rid of many diseases.
- The content of a large amount of phytoncides and flavonoids, resinous substances and vitamins has a strong anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent.
- Removes toxins.
- Compresses made from birch buds are excellent for wound healing.
- They have a strong diaphoretic property. Helps to quickly cope with a cold.
- Diuretic action.
- Anthelmintic effect.
- Blood purifier.
- Effective for oral problems.
- Relieves joint pain.
- They help get rid of skin itching due to dermatitis and have a positive effect on eczema.
- Used for therapeutic and cosmetic baths.
- They have expectorant properties. For bronchitis and laryngitis, alcohol tincture helps to quickly get rid of problems.
- Improves hair condition.
- Get rid of wrinkles, improve skin condition with acne.
Chemical composition
As for the chemical composition of the kidneys, there is a complete storehouse of healing substances:
- Iron
- Carotene
- Magnesium
- Vitamin C
- Resinous substances
- Tannins
- Healing essential oil
They relieve inflammation very well and have an antibacterial effect, and are also used as an anthelmintic. The parasites are killed at the root, and the body gets rid of toxins and the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract is normalized.
Contraindications
Birch buds also have some contraindications, like any natural substances.
- It is not recommended to take them in case of renal failure and exacerbations of diseases of the urinary system.
- It is better not to use them for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You should not use them if you are hypersensitive.
- Children under 14 years of age only as prescribed by a doctor.
The best option would be to consult a doctor before using medicines using birch buds, in order to avoid any problems.
Procurement of raw materials - important points
Many people confuse birch catkins and buds. All parts of the tree, down to the sap and bark, have medicinal properties. But now we are talking about a tincture from birch buds, which are collected in early spring at the beginning of sap flow from the trees. As soon as the buds have swollen enough, but the leaves have not yet blossomed, they need to be carefully cut off. Depending on the region and meteorological conditions, this should be done in April or early May. Observing the condition of birch buds will help here so that you can collect them before they burst.
Do not cut buds from trees growing on busy city streets, along the sides of highways, near landfills and manufacturing plants. It is better to do this outside the city, in a birch grove or mixed forest. Such raw materials will make the tincture truly useful, without the admixture of harmful chemical compounds.
The collected birch buds must be dried in air and stored in a paper bag or canvas bag, used as needed. If you can’t collect them yourself, then buy birch buds at the pharmacy. But in this case the tincture will not be as rich and aromatic.
Other drugs
Although we are talking about tincture here, one cannot fail to note the effectiveness of other drugs - decoction, infusion, ointment. Decoction and infusion are used to treat the same diseases, but they are used in a different dosage and only fresh.
Infusion: pour 1 tablespoon of buds with a glass of boiling water and leave in a thermos for 3 hours.
Decoction: pour boiling water over the kidneys, heat in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave at room temperature until cool.
Strain the finished infusion (decoction), squeeze out the raw materials and drink 1-2 tablespoons three times a day, half an hour before meals. According to some reviews, the decoction lowers blood sugar levels. They also drink it as a tonic.
The ointment is prepared from powdered buds and an ointment base - Vaseline, lanolin, vegetable or animal fat. The buds are mixed with the base 1:1 or 1:2 and heated for some time. The vegetable oil base can be heated to a boil. These ointments last longer than others. They are used for rubbing for radiculitis, lumbago, rheumatism, and joint diseases.
How to prepare birch bud tincture
The most common is a tincture of birch buds with vodka. But they also infuse them with alcohol, initially making a concentrate, and then using it to prepare various products or drinks. To treat wounds and other external uses, simply infuse birch buds with medical alcohol. The tincture can be prepared from fresh or dried buds.
On vodka
Birch buds are infused with only high-quality vodka in order to obtain an effective medicine and not a dubious surrogate. Many people use high-quality homemade moonshine of 40-450 strength for this purpose. It must undergo double or triple distillation and be high-quality filtered, purified from fusel oils and harmful protein compounds.
Ingredients
- Vodka – 0.5 l
- Birch buds – 100 g (dried)
How to cook
- Grind the kidneys into powder.
- Pour the plant material into a glass jar and fill with vodka.
- Close the jar and shake well.
- Leave for 20 days in a dark place.
- At the end of the infusion, strain the tincture well.
Tincture of birch buds with vodka is taken orally in a teaspoon 20 minutes before meals, unless a different dosage is prescribed. For example, for peptic ulcers, the recommended single dose is 15-20 drops of tincture, which must be diluted with water. Sometimes a little honey is added to the tincture. This gives it a pleasant taste and makes it healthier.
Advice. To enhance the medicinal properties, in addition to birch buds, medicinal herbs and infusions, spices and herbs are added to the tincture. For example, you can add ginger root and a little lemon juice to a cold remedy.
On alcohol
Tincture of birch buds in alcohol is used externally to alleviate the condition of joint diseases, gout, papillomas, acne, boils, for the speedy healing of wounds, suppuration.
Ingredients
- Medical alcohol 70 or 96% - 500 ml
- Birch buds – 100 g
How to cook
- Fill fresh birch buds with alcohol in a glass container.
- Leave in a dark place for about a week.
- Strain. Apply externally in the form of compresses, lotions, add to sitz baths to treat hemorrhoids and prostatitis.
Advice. The tincture of birch buds for external use does not need to be filtered, but after infusion it is advisable to store it in a cool place. Before use, the required amount can be slightly warmed up.
Tincture recipes
Usually the kidneys are infused with alcohol. There are quite a few such recipes:
1. For indoor use
The use of tincture on birch buds is recommended for diseases such as:
- Laryngitis;
- Colds;
- Bronchitis;
- Indigestion;
- Malignant formations;
- Dysentery;
- Pinworms and roundworms;
- Headache;
- Bladder problems;
- Paralysis;
- Joint damage;
- Major blood loss.
It’s easy to prepare this tincture. You will need 20 grams of birch buds, 100 ml of alcohol (70%). Dry buds are poured with alcohol and infused in a dark place for 3 weeks. After this time, the tincture is shaken and filtered, ridding it of any remaining buds.
Using this recipe is very useful. You need to drink about 30 drops of the product, combining them with a spoon of water about a quarter of an hour before meals, 3 times a day.
2. For outdoor use
The use of this recipe is advisable as:
- anti-inflammatory agent;
- compresses for the treatment of joint pain, gout, skin erosions, rheumatism, wounds, purulent discharge, eczema;
- remedy for toothache.
To prepare, you need to thoroughly grind 1 part of birch buds in a mortar (necessarily in dry form). Then they are infused with high-quality vodka. You will need 5 parts alcohol. Only after a week the tincture will be ready for use.
3. Tincture for stomach problems
Preparation of this product will take no more than 7 days. Exactly 20 grams of birch buds are poured into 0.5 liters of vodka (60% alcohol can also be used). The infused medicine is filtered and squeezed.
You need to take 15 drops before meals. In this case, it is advisable to mix the tincture with half a small spoon of water.
The same drug is used for external treatment of:
- bedsores;
- wounds;
- acne;
- ulcers
In this case, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and used as lotions, rubs and compresses.
4. Old Russian tincture
This recipe has been used in Rus' for a long time. Half a bottle of birch buds was crushed and filled with vodka. The product was infused for a month, shaking occasionally. With this drug:
- treated cholera;
- got rid of vomiting (taking 50 drops 4 times a day);
- treated pain in the liver (1 spoon of the drug 20 minutes before meals three times a day);
- drank for acute rheumatism;
- used as a choleretic and diuretic (a tablespoon 3 times a day);
- lubricated bedsores in bedridden patients;
- used for gout (40 drops 4 times a day orally, as well as rubbing on sore spots).
5. Tincture for varicose veins
Tired of tired legs? Have spider veins appeared? Or are varicose veins already in a more serious stage? Then an alcohol tincture of birch buds will help. To do this, buds and alcohol are mixed in proportions of 1:2. After a week of infusing the product in a dark place, it can be used to lubricate any wounds on the body, including purulent ones, as well as diseased veins.
6. Alcohol tincture of birch buds for ear problems
Inflammation of the middle ear, mesotympanitis or other ear problems can be cured with an alcohol tincture of birch buds. To prepare you will need:
- 70% alcohol;
- Birch buds.
The ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 10:1. Exactly 2 months you need to infuse the product, shaking it often.
It is advisable to use the infusion warm (heat it to 37 degrees). After cleaning the ears, alcohol is instilled into them. You need to repeat it three times a day. The course of treatment is at least 2 weeks.
7. Elixir of youth. Tibetan recipe
In 1971, a unique recipe for a tincture was found in the monasteries of Tibet, which helped preserve youth. It was written back in the 5th century BC. on ancient clay tablets. And the recipe turned out to be very simple using just a few herbal ingredients:
- 100 gr. birch buds;
- 100 gr. St. John's wort;
- 100 gr. chamomile;
- 100 gr. immortelle.
All this must be mixed, poured with alcohol and left for a month. Next, you need to take the folk remedy as follows:
- In the evening, pour 1 spoon of the product into half a liter of boiling water, strain after 20 minutes. Add a small spoon of honey to a glass of the product and drink it after dinner. Afterwards, you can no longer eat or drink.
- In the morning, the mixture remaining from the evening is heated over the fire, mixed with a spoonful of honey and drunk again.
The duration of the course is until the alcohol infusion ends. Tibetan aging prevention should be repeated after 5 years.
How is this remedy useful? It restores metabolism, cleanses it of harmful toxins and fat deposits. The vessels acquire the greatest elasticity. Accordingly, this course of treatment becomes an ideal means of preventing stroke, sclerosis, heart attack, hypertension, and angina. Over time, headaches disappear and vision begins to improve. The most important thing is that the body begins to renew and rejuvenate.
How to use birch bud tincture
The use of birch bud tincture is very diverse. People say “from a hundred diseases.” But you should always remember that such folk remedies can only serve as auxiliaries, as part of complex therapy prescribed by a doctor. The same postulate applies to the use of tincture of birch catkins in vodka, which is often confused with tincture of buds, and they are considered the same remedy. Use birch bud tincture as a preventive measure. But periodically take breaks from taking it for at least 14 days.
Against cough
Not only an alcohol-containing tincture of birch buds, but also tea or decoction are excellent for coughs and colds. These drugs have an expectorant and antipyretic effect, alleviate the condition, and strengthen the body's defenses.
Take a tablespoon of vodka tincture on birch buds three times a day for a week. The mucus will come out easier, and the cough will stop tormenting you.
For bronchitis
In addition to the expectorant, tincture of birch buds has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects. It will help cure bronchitis faster, ease breathing, and relieve cough. Dosage - a tablespoon of the product, diluted with water, 20 minutes before meals, three times a day. Please consult your doctor first to ensure that the product is combined with other medications.
For sinusitis
In the treatment of sinusitis, the described tincture acts as a compress on the area of the maxillary sinuses. Such a compress warms up this area well, which helps remove mucus and pus and makes breathing easier. You can apply a compress only with the permission of a specialist, so as not to aggravate the condition.
Moisten a cloth or gauze folded in several layers with the tincture and apply it to the sinus area near the nose. Cover the gauze with a piece of polyethylene and a warm scarf or handkerchief. Leave the compress on for about half an hour. After the procedure, you should avoid going out into the cold for at least two hours.
From papillomas
To get rid of papillomas, use a tincture of birch buds in alcohol. Soak a cotton swab in it and treat the papillomas. If they are large, make a lotion by soaking a cotton pad in the tincture and applying it to the new growths for 15-20 minutes. If a local allergic reaction occurs - redness, itching, wash off the product with soap and water, take an antihistamine.
For joints
Compresses or rubbing from a tincture on birch buds will help relieve pain and inflammation of the joints due to arthritis and arthrosis. When used regularly, the product gradually improves the motor activity of the diseased joint. Rub the alcohol tincture well into the sore area twice a day, then tie the joint with a woolen scarf or a special belt. You can apply a compress and hold it for about an hour. If you feel a strong burning sensation, remove it sooner.
For female diseases
For gynecological diseases, douching with a 10% tincture solution is used as an additional treatment. For a general strengthening effect, simultaneously take vodka tincture orally, a teaspoon before meals.
For prostatitis and adenoma
You can add medicinal plants to the tincture of birch buds in vodka or alcohol to enhance the therapeutic effect. These can be: St. John's wort, bird cherry fruits, bearberry, black currant. It is recommended to take this tincture 20 drops before meals three times a day for a month. After a two-week break, the course is repeated. The drug has an anti-inflammatory, anesthetic effect, helps reduce tumor size, and serves to prevent adenoma.
For acne
The property of birch tincture to relieve inflammation, irritation, heal ulcers and wounds is used to treat acne and skin rashes of various types. To do this, pre-cleansed facial skin is spot-treated with alcohol tincture of birch buds, cauterizing pimples and pustules. It will take from 14 to 30 days of such procedures. Consider the skin's reaction to the tincture. In case of severe allergic manifestations, discard the product.
For hair
Birch buds have the ability to regenerate and strengthen hair follicles, prevent hair loss, and make hair lush and shiny. For this purpose, it is better to use a decoction or water infusion. Rinse your hair regularly after washing, lightly rubbing the broth into the roots. You will soon see the effect in the mirror. You can also use vodka tincture to rub into the scalp, but after 15 minutes it needs to be washed off.
Contraindications and possible harm
A popular traditional medicine - alcohol or vodka tincture of birch buds - can only serve as an adjuvant in the treatment of various diseases in combination with the main therapy. It should be taken after consultation and based on the recommendations of the attending physician.
The tincture is contraindicated:
- in case of an allergic reaction to the components;
- during pregnancy;
- when breastfeeding;
- in childhood;
- people suffering from alcoholism;
- for acute diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract;
- during exacerbation of any chronic disease.
Birch bud tincture can be harmful if the recommended dosage is violated or if it is abused like an alcoholic drink. Components may cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, carefully evaluate your condition when taking this drug for the first time.
Who should not drink birch alcohol tincture?
Despite the fact that birch buds are so beneficial for the human body, they also have their contraindications. So, doctors do not recommend using them if:
- a woman is pregnant or nursing a baby;
- contraindications apply to all patients who have problems with the urinary system;
- Taking tincture of birch buds can cause irritation of the renal parenchyma. Therefore, contraindications also apply to people with kidney disease;
- Patients with diseases in the acute stage should use the product with caution. Contraindications in this case should only be determined by a doctor!
Despite the fact that contraindications for birch buds are minimal, you should definitely consult a specialist before using them. And we must not forget that treatment with folk recipes based on birch buds is only an auxiliary remedy. If you have illnesses, you must first see a doctor for help. Only a professional will prescribe effective drug treatment that will relieve the patient of a particular problem.
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One of the plant components valued by herbalists for its unique healing properties is birch buds. Based on them, decoctions, ointments, rubs and other products are prepared. The most popular folk treatment is the use of birch bud tincture with vodka.
