Fir cones: medicinal properties and contraindications, recipes

General information

Young pine cones are a remedy that has long been used for treatment. They were used as an effective remedy for scurvy , bronchitis , tuberculosis , colds, and joint pain.
It has always been very popular among the residents of Siberia. Cones were also considered a valuable remedy by folk healers, who prepared infusions, jams, balms and other remedies from them. Conifer cones are modified shoots that ripen in the second year. It is then that, under the influence of dry wind, they gradually begin to open. But those who are interested in when to collect cones for the purpose of treatment should take into account that only young cones are used for treatment. They contain resin, which has a unique healing effect. Therefore, tinctures from cones are widely used for blood pressure, to treat diseases of the joints, bones, gastrointestinal tract diseases, respiratory organs, etc.

Medicines based on this component are also a fairly effective cure for stroke . This quality has been scientifically proven, because experts have devoted separate large-scale studies to the study of such properties of cones. Currently, work is underway to create special tablet forms that are easy to use and produce a pronounced effect in the treatment and prevention of strokes.

The current situation with the incidence of stroke

Currently, the prevention of stroke and other vascular and heart diseases is a very important link in the fight for the health of the nation. After all, diseases of the cardiovascular system are widespread among people of all ages. According to statistics, strokes are recorded in 450 thousand Russian residents of different ages every year. About a third of patients die a month after a stroke. A third of people who survive this dangerous disease require extensive additional care and remain dependent on others. Another 9% experience another stroke within a year. If we evaluate the overall picture of the rehabilitation process after a stroke, the severity of this disease is clearly demonstrated by the fact that only 8% of patients after a stroke do not need additional help.

How to treat a stroke with pine cones?

Pine is a phytoncidal plant recognized by experts. Phytoncides are substances that produce a very powerful antimicrobial effect. They destroy pathogenic microbes and at the same time have pronounced tonic properties. Phytoncides also have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the immune system. During the summer months, a lot of substances beneficial to the body gradually accumulate in the cones. In addition to phytoncides, they contain many vitamins , essential oils , and tannins . It is precisely because of the presence of tannins in the cones, which have unique properties, that they are used as a cure for stroke and as an effective preventive measure. Researchers have confirmed that they contain new varieties of tannins that stop the death of brain cells in people who have suffered a stroke.

Immediately during and after a stroke, due to an acute disruption of cerebral blood flow, brain cells die very rapidly. Moreover, while the rehabilitation period passes, the process of cell death continues and even intensifies.

Tincture of fir cones with vodka - application

Cones collected immediately after ovary are easy to process, so they do not need to be prepared. It is enough to rinse with running water and lightly dry after that. More mature fruits should be carefully inspected for possible damage, and then soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, and then rinsed well.

Preparation of tincture based on green cones

It is necessary to prepare fresh fruits, no more than 3-6 cm long. After washing with water, they should be cut into small pieces and then placed in a container made of colored glass.

Next, the raw materials are filled with high-quality vodka in a ratio of 1 to 10 parts and the container is sealed.

The infusion process takes place in a dark place at room temperature for two weeks. You can enrich the composition and taste by adding two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of propolis.

Recipe for tincture based on ripe cones

Mature spruce cones collected during the period from August to September are used as a base. The production of tincture takes place in two stages:

Spruce fruits (10 pieces) are placed in an enamel container and filled with a liter of hot water. You need to cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Next, the broth is decanted into an opaque glass container and cooled to 40 °C.
Vodka in the amount of 0.3 liters is added to the resulting broth. The container is hermetically sealed and put away in a cool place for a day, after which the finished product is ready for use.

The shelf life of tincture from young cones, without loss of medicinal properties, is six months. The tincture based on the decoction can be stored for no more than a month.

Rules for taking this drug orally:

in the morning - after eating, at lunch and in the evening - before eating;
During the day, for medicinal purposes, three doses of 25 drops are taken;
the treatment course is 1-3 months;
duration of the preventive course – two weeks once a year;
For prevention purposes, you should take one teaspoon of the tincture once a day.

Internal use of the healing tincture strengthens the body as a whole, increasing resistance to adverse environmental factors, and helps speed up the treatment and recovery period for various pathologies.

Successful results are achieved when used for the following purposes:

for the treatment and prevention of acute respiratory infections;
to normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system (including recovery after stroke and heart attack, improving cerebral circulation);
to improve blood composition, in particular, increase hemoglobin;
in the fight against early stage tuberculosis;
to alleviate the condition of chronic respiratory diseases;
for infectious diseases of the genitourinary system;
to replenish the body's need for vitamins and minerals.

In addition, tincture of fir cones has the following effects: expectorant, choleretic, diuretic, diaphoretic, decongestant and antifungal.

Among the contraindications, it should be noted: pancreatitis, exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, children under 12 years of age, pregnancy and feeding.

Externally, the tincture is used as compresses for joint diseases, as well as for rinsing for diseases of the oral cavity.

Pine cones: medicinal properties and contraindications

The beneficial properties are due to the components contained in the modified pine shoots:

essential oil, which includes borneol, limonene, pinene, bornyl acetate, cadinene and other substances;
resinous acids;
bitterness;
phytoncides;
tannins;
a number of vitamins (group B, A, K, P, C);
starch;
resins;
mineral salts.

There is a wide range of pharmacological effects, so treatment with pine cones is carried out for various diseases and conditions. The following effects of products based on them have been proven:

anti-inflammatory;
antimicrobial;
expectorant;
diuretic;
choleretic;
blood purifying;
calming;
antiseptic;
insecticidal;
antiscorbutic;
distracting.

From a stroke

Treatment of stroke with pine cones is due to the presence of tannin in them, which stops the breakdown of neurons after a stroke. This allows you to prevent or stop the development of paralysis . An alcohol tincture made from pine cones is most often used for stroke. Using tincture of pine cones with vodka or alcohol is advisable, since alcohol can “reveal” the beneficial properties of tannins. Tincture of pine cones with vodka is also used as a means to strengthen blood vessels and the heart, for blood pressure, to strengthen memory, etc.

Photo of pine cones

Traditional recipes for stroke also include the use of other remedies based on cones.

Against cough

In folk medicine there are also many cough recipes that are effective for lung diseases. It is advisable to use them for tracheitis , bronchitis , and pneumonia . Sometimes such folk medicines are prescribed as part of complex treatment for patients with tuberculosis . The attending physician will tell you which recipes to use in this case.

For high blood pressure

Since products based on this component produce a hypotensive effect, it is used to normalize blood pressure. It can also be used for prophylactic purposes. To prepare the products, you can buy pine cones in the pharmacy chain. You can buy a ready-made infusion based on this component at the pharmacy.

For diseases of the digestive system

This remedy has a positive effect on the condition of the stomach and pancreas. The tincture is sometimes recommended for use for gastritis and peptic ulcers . But it is important to take into account that with such treatment an exacerbation is possible. Therefore, before use, you should definitely consult a doctor.

For varicose veins

When veins are affected, nodes form, the walls of blood vessels become thinner, it is advisable to use tinctures internally, and also use this remedy for preparing medicinal baths.

Local treatment

This remedy is also used externally as an irritant, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, and analgesic. The decoction is used to treat the skin for eczema , lichen , and allergic reactions . Tinctures are used for rubbing for inflammation of muscles and joints, radiculitis , myositis , rheumatism . Decoctions and infusions are useful for gargling in inflammatory diseases.

For children

As a rule, infusions and inhalations are prescribed to children for coughs. Children can be given jam from pine cones, the benefits and contraindications of which are the same as those of other products based on this component. There are different recipes for jam from pine cones, but a doctor should still give recommendations on how to take the jam.

Almost every recipe for pine cone jam is based on mixing pine cones and syrup. However, despite the fact that the beneficial properties of pine cone jam are undeniable, it is necessary to adhere to a strict dosage so as not to provoke allergic reactions. Since this product is quite tasty, children eat it with pleasure. But for those who take pine cone jam, the benefits and harms of this product must be taken into account.

To strengthen the body

You can also take such remedies as general tonics. They are able to restore the body's defenses after infections, prevent the development of vitamin deficiency , and strengthen the immune system . Pine essential oil is useful to use as a deodorizing agent, because it perfectly disinfects the air.

How to make jam from pine cones

By the way! If you have small children, then try to buy pine cone jam and you will never have a problem taking cough medicine. On the contrary, children will ask for more and more. And the recovery process will be quick and effective.

This wonderful remedy is used in the prevention and treatment of the following diseases:

pulmonary tuberculosis
avitaminosis
polyarthritis
scurvy
heart diseases
pleurisy
bronchial asthma
influenza, ARVI, colds, bronchitis, other diseases of the throat and upper respiratory tract
diseases of the gums and oral cavity, stomatitis
pneumonia
low hemoglobin
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
bile stagnation
osteochondrosis
weak gastric secretion
weakened immune system

Attention! Before introducing this jam into your diet, you need to consult a specialist and make sure that you do not have an individual intolerance to it.

Useful qualities of pine cones:

Cones have a phytoncidal effect, so they are effective during the treatment of viral and bactericidal diseases. They will help in the fight against viruses and bacteria, as well as fungal diseases.
Jam is useful for colds and is also used for their prevention. During periods of increased flu incidence, eat one tablespoon of the treat per day and you will strengthen your immunity. But for children, half of this dosage will be enough.
This dessert has an immunostimulating effect. If you eat it regularly, you can strengthen the protective function of your body.
Pine jam contains many vitamin complexes. Vitamin C will increase the overall tone of the body and performance.
B-vitamins are the best healer for heart disease, as well as a means for preventing diseases of the vascular system.
Tannin, which the pine delicacy is rich in, will protect against stroke.
Pine cone jam will help raise hemoglobin levels.
Thanks to its expectorant effect, the dessert is effective in treating respiratory tract ailments. To do this, dilute the pine jam syrup in filtered warm water and drink it several times a day. The same solution will help reduce fever and cope with chills.
For pleurisy, tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia, you should eat one tablespoon of pine jam.
This jam also has analgesic properties. Make a lotion out of it and place it on the sore area. After a short period of time, the pain will subside. In the same way, you can treat inflamed gums in the oral cavity.
Pine jam is used for gastrointestinal ailments. It normalizes the activity of the pancreas and other organs.
The product has an antioxidant effect and, accordingly, can act as a preventive agent for the formation of tumors of various etiologies.
Pine cone jam tones and invigorates. Dissolve two teaspoons of the treat in a glass of filtered water, drink the solution, and fatigue and apathy will immediately go away.

DETAILS: Dill seeds: benefits or harm to health

The benefits of jam are due to the tree from whose fruits it is made. The jam will collect all the solar energy that the tree draws from its crown, stretching its branches into the sky. With proper collection and the correct preparation technology, jam will certainly be useful for overwork and sleep disorders. And this is what phytoncides will do.

Each housewife makes jam according to her own recipe. Therefore, well-known recipes differ in cooking time, infusion time and the amount of sugar and water. Pine cones remain an invariable ingredient. Let's look at one of the simple recipes.

Pour clean water over the washed cones so that they are completely covered with liquid.
Place the container with the cones on the fire, boil for an hour and leave to infuse overnight.
The infused broth should be poured into another container and the same amount of sugar should be added according to the volume of liquid.
Cook the resulting mixture over low heat for one and a half to two hours, until the syrup becomes dark in color.
Next, you need to put pine cones in the syrup and cook for twenty minutes.
Then put 8-10 pieces into half-liter jars, fill with syrup and seal.

How to make vodka tinctures?

Before cooking, you need to carefully sort out the raw materials, wash them and fill them with vodka or alcohol from trusted manufacturers. The proportions in this case are as follows: for 5 pre-cut cones, take 1 glass of vodka or 70% alcohol. The solution should be infused in a dark place for two weeks. The jar needs to be shaken periodically. The more often you shake the container, the more rich and healthy the tincture will be. After two weeks, the product should be filtered and taken during treatment 3 times a day, 1 tsp. For prevention, drink the tincture once a day, 1 tsp. The course of treatment lasts up to six months.

You can also prepare an alcohol tincture with apple cider vinegar. To do this, you need to add 250 ml of alcohol to 5 cones. Leave at room temperature for 10 days. After straining, add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar. Use homemade vinegar whenever possible. This tincture should be drunk for six months, adding a teaspoon to tea.

Other traditional medicine recipes

The shoots have a positive effect on the entire human body , therefore they help cope with bronchitis and also have an antimicrobial and antiseptic effect.

For bronchitis

For bronchitis, a decoction of pine fruits and inhalations based on pine fruits will be effective

Decoction - add 5 pine fruits to a liter of water and boil after boiling for 15 minutes over low heat. Cool, take 2 tbsp. l. children, adults, one third of a glass no more than 4 times a day. Drink no more than eight days.
Inhalation – take 8 pine fruits, cut and pour 1.5 liters. water . Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes . Then pour it into the inhaler and breathe at a distance of no more than 30 cm. If you don’t have an inhaler , use a bowl and a towel.

For joint pain

Cooking time - overnight . It is necessary to pour two large old shoots and cover with a lid, wrap the pan well and leave until the morning . In the morning , half an hour before meals, take the decoction. It is recommended to repeat the procedure for no more than two months .

When treating goiter

Grind the required amount of pine fruits and add alcohol. Leave for 3 months , shaking occasionally. Then filter.

Drink 1 drop for the first three days and 5 drops for the next two weeks three times a day after meals.

It will be useful to view:

For thyroid nodules

It is necessary to infuse 15 small pine fruits in 50 ml. vodka for 10 days . Take 5 drops before meals three times a day.

For gastritis

You will need 100 gr. pour 500 ml of pine fruits. alcohol and leave for 2 weeks . Drink 1 tbsp. l. three times a day.

For frequent headaches

Cut the shoots into pieces, soak them in sugar . Place the slices in 1.5 cm .

Cover the jar with a napkin and place it in the sun twice a day to thoroughly shake the jam.

It will be ready when the sugar has completely dissolved.

What are the benefits of fir cones?

The use of fir cones in folk medicine is practiced for various diseases. Remedies based on them are indicated for bronchitis , pharyngitis , tonsillitis , etc. Like pine, they produce an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effect. They contain vitamins, essential oils, and a number of biologically active substances.

Fir cones, photo

They are used to treat almost the same ailments that are treated with modified pine shoots. It is also known that you can make restorative decoctions and infusions from fir cones. They also make jam from pine cones, the benefits and harms of which are the same as jam from pine cones.

The recipe for jam from fir cones is simple. The cones need to be crushed, then placed in layers in an enamel container, each layer sprinkled with sugar. After a week, when the shoots produce juice, boil over low heat for 40 minutes. No need to stir. The jam can be consumed immediately or rolled into jars. In this case, the resin that remains at the bottom of the container must be left and discarded. Jam is used to treat colds, for vitamin deficiency, and to strengthen the immune system. However, this remedy is not recommended for children under 12 years of age.

Recipes for using fir cones to treat coughs

It is difficult to name the most effective cough remedy made at home using spruce cones. Infusions, decoctions, tinctures, syrups concentrate the maximum of useful compounds inherent in this type of medicinal raw material.

When practicing traditional treatment methods, you must first obtain medical advice. This will allow you to choose the optimal dosage.

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Decoction

Popular recipes for making medicinal decoctions will require cones of milky ripeness.

Cut fresh raw materials into pieces. Place in a pan with hot water, maintaining a volume ratio of 1:5. Cook the mixture on low heat for 40 minutes. After a quarter of an hour, the healing liquid is drained through a sieve. Use a decoction warmed to 36 degrees for coughs caused by respiratory tract catarrh, tonsillitis, and for gargling. Sessions are practiced two to four times a day.
Place 30 g of green spruce cones in an enamel container with a liter of milk. After boiling, cook the mixture over low heat for an hour. In order to eliminate cough attacks provoked by pharyngolaryngitis or bronchial asthma, the filtered healing drink is divided into three equal portions, drinking them per day.
Washed young fir cones - 6 pieces are placed in an enamel ladle with 500 ml of milk warmed to a boil. Reducing the temperature to a minimum, simmer the product with constant stirring for 20 minutes. Used for bronchitis accompanied by a debilitating cough, 100 ml with the addition of honey 4-5 times a day.
Place 2 tbsp. l. chopped raw materials into a small saucepan with 400 ml of hot water. Place the container on the fire, continuing to boil for three minutes. When warm, the medicinal decoction must be squeezed out through two layers of gauze. Use 3 tbsp to eliminate cough attacks. l. every eight hours.

Infusion

Among the folk recipes for making infusions used at home for coughs, you can choose effective options that include unripe fir cones as the base component.

For a cold cough you will need 20 grams of chopped raw materials. Steam it in a faience container with 500 ml of actively boiling water. Leave the container under a terry towel for 30 minutes.

The medicinal infusion is poured through a sieve. It is recommended to use it when warm to gargle a sore throat every four hours.

Syrup

Before making an aromatic syrup that relieves severe coughs, young spruce cones must be washed, dried with a textile napkin and cut into thin circles.

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In home medical practice, different variations of recipes for coniferous remedies are used, used after consultation with the doctor. It should be borne in mind that the finished product is kept in the refrigerator for no longer than a month.

The raw materials are mixed with sugar, maintaining a 2:1 ratio, and then transferred to a sterile glass jar. Under a tight lid, infuse in a cool place without light for two weeks. Take a teaspoon of syrup expressed through a sieve three times a day.
The prepared spruce raw materials are poured into a pan with cold water in a ratio of 1:3. Keep covered for three hours. Then the dishes are moved to the stove. After boiling, simmer the mixture over low heat for 20 minutes. Leave for half an hour, after which the broth is expressed through a triple gauze filter. Add 0.6 kg of sugar for each liter of aromatic liquid. Boil the syrup at medium temperature for 45-50 minutes. Should be taken 20 minutes before breakfast, lunch, dinner, a dessert spoon.

Elixir with honey

Tender fir cones that have reached milky maturity must be cut into small pieces after washing. Measure out 2 tbsp. l. raw materials and placed in a thermos, into which the same volume of honey and 400 ml of boiling water are poured.

Insist for 10 hours. When warm, the filtered elixir, which effectively softens a dry, painful cough, is recommended to be taken before meals every six hours.

Tincture

Coniferous tincture, which has a strong antimicrobial and disinfectant effect, allows you to quickly cope with bronchitis accompanied by a debilitating cough, further strengthening the immune system.

Use 5 green spruce cones, which must be finely chopped and poured into a glass bottle with 500 ml of vodka. After sealing, keep the container for half a day in a dark place, shaking the contents every four hours.

The tincture, filtered through a gauze filter, is taken 25-30 minutes before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, one tablespoon at a time. You can enhance the therapeutic effect if you drink the drug with hot tea.

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Jam

Aromatic jam, for which fresh young spruce cones are used successfully for medicinal purposes in relieving coughs - 1 kg is washed under running water, wiped with a textile napkin and placed in a pan with 500 ml of water. The raw materials are boiled over medium heat for 1.5 hours.

Then the container under the lid is moved to a cool place for 12 hours. After this time, add a kilogram of sugar, mix thoroughly and continue cooking at minimum temperature for an hour.

The cooled jam is poured into jars and sealed tightly. Store without lighting at a temperature not exceeding 20 degrees for about a year. It is recommended to take 2 tbsp of the treat. spoons every eight hours.

Use of pine buds

Other recipes are no less popular, in particular those using pine buds. Their medicinal properties are due to the beneficial components they contain. In most cases, the use of pine buds in folk medicine is associated with the treatment of cough. Pine buds are included in breast teas and various teas, as they produce a noticeable expectorant and anti-inflammatory effect. They are also used to treat other diseases. Kidneys are also used for the treatment and prevention of stroke, because they contain a large amount of tannins. But still, cones are more often used for this purpose.

However, it is important to consider that they contain a large amount of turpentine. Therefore, when treated with kidney-based products, digestive disorders, allergic manifestations and headaches are possible. Decoctions of water and milk and tinctures of alcohol are prepared from pine buds. Decoctions are also used to prepare baths.

The healing properties of pine resin are widely known in folk medicine. This resin is mainly processed into turpentine and rosin. These components are included in painkillers, warmers and other products. Resin has anti-inflammatory, healing, antiseptic properties. Therefore, its local use is widespread.

In its pure form, cedar resin is most often used. Also, many sources describe the benefits of cedar vodka tincture, which is made from pine nuts. It has a positive effect on the functions of the reproductive and digestive systems, and also effectively affects the immune system.

Composition and medicinal properties

Young pine cones have powerful healing powers. This is due to the fact that they contain the following nutrients:

lipids;
iron;
mineral salts;
linolenic and oleic acids;
monoterpene hydrocarbons;
pinicrin;
tannin;
vitamins of group B, C, K, P;
carotene;
essential oils.

According to alternative medicine specialists, treatment with pine cones allows you to get rid of:

bronchitis;
cough;
joint diseases;
pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
gastritis, etc.

In addition, they help cleanse the body of waste and toxins.

The medicinal properties of pine cones are due to their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, expectorant, immunomodulatory, blood purifying and choleretic effects.