The healing composition of red elm bark
Slippery elm is a tree native mostly to North America. Also known as slippery or red elm. It can reach up to twenty meters in height, its branches grow widely in different directions, and the bark is covered with deep cracks - this is precisely what is used for medicinal purposes.
The plant owes its numerous beneficial properties to its bark, which produces a special mucus that contains polyuronides. This substance was used in ancient times to make various potions, lotions and masks to stabilize the condition of patients with colds, as well as speed up the healing process of wounds.
Polyuronides form the structure of pectin, which is, in fact, natural fiber. Thanks to this composition, mucus is used both for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and for removing toxins from the body and even for the prevention of cancer pathologies.
When mucus is exposed to the acidic environment of the stomach, it transforms into a gel consistency. The resulting substance coats the mucous membranes and dulls pain, and also helps relieve inflammation. This is why slippery elm mucus is such an effective medicine for gastrointestinal lesions. Moreover, the same algorithm also works for inflammation of the respiratory tract.
The chemical composition of the plant also includes:
- Vitamins A, C, K and B.
- Tannins help remove toxins and waste from the intestines and improve the absorption of beneficial components.
- Kakhetins, the presence of which allows you to activate the action of enzymes,
- Antioxidants prevent the destruction and aging of the body and strengthen the immune system.
- A number of minerals such as magnesium, calcium and phosphorus.
Decoction
A decoction based on raw materials prepared from elm is widely used. For any use, please consult a specialist first.
- For cancer
Pour a glass of water into an enamel saucepan. Add 1.5 tbsp. l. pieces of elm bark. Bring to a boil, and then cook on low heat for another 10 minutes. After removing the dishes from the stove, cover them with a towel folded in half. Leave for two hours.
After straining, cooled boiling water is poured into the broth to obtain the original volume of liquid. It is recommended to take 2 tbsp 30-35 minutes before breakfast, lunch, dinner. l.
- For peptic ulcers, gastritis
Spread 1 tbsp. l. small fragments of dried elm bark into an enamel bowl. Add boiled water - 0.5 l. Using a water bath, heat the mixture under the lid for a quarter of an hour. Place the container on the table and wrap it in a towel.
After 45 minutes, the broth is filtered. Add boiled water, replenishing the volume to 500 ml. Drink 100 ml before breakfast, lunch, dinner (keeping an interval of 20 minutes). When inflammatory processes develop, the product is used to rinse the mouth. They make lotions to speed up the healing of wounds.
- For digestive disorders, diarrhea
It is required to boil 25 g of bark in 0.5 liters of water over low heat for 10 minutes. Leave covered for one hour. The filtered decoction should be drunk throughout the day in small portions.
- For the treatment of wounds
The dried elm bark raw material is crushed. Measure out 20 g and pour into 500 ml of boiled water. Cook at minimum temperature for 30 minutes. The cooled broth is used in strained form for lotions, kept on wounds for an average of 30 minutes.
- For skin lesions
Lay out small pieces of dried elm bark - 2 tbsp. l. into a stainless steel pan. Brew with boiling water, which will take 2 cups. Simmer slowly until the original volume of liquid is reduced by half. After filtration, apply the cooled decoction in the form of lotions, keeping them for 30-35 minutes on areas of the skin with rashes from scabies, eczema plaques, and scrofula. Heals inflamed wounds well. Sessions are repeated up to five times a day.
- For hemorrhoids
Article for you:
Wild strawberries: medicinal properties and contraindications, berries, roots, leaves
You will need 100 g of elm bark plates, which are crushed and placed in a saucepan. Pour the raw material with hot water - 0.5 liters. Allow the mixture to simmer without much bubbling for 10 minutes. Cool slightly and filter. The warm broth is poured into a basin for a sitz bath. The session lasts 15 minutes. Repeat until pain and inflammation disappear every evening.
Health Benefits of Slippery Elm
In some countries, red elm is included in the state pharmacopoeia and, in accordance with this, is recognized as a certified medicinal product, which once again proves its invaluable effect on the human body.
The plant is used to relieve stress and anxiety, for weight loss and even as a remedy for heartburn. Let's take a closer look at exactly how slippery elm mucus acts on the human body.
Slippery Elm for the Bowels
Whatever the reasons for the inflammation, the unique mucus in the bark has a softening effect on it, removes irritation and relieves pain. This applies not only to the gastrointestinal tract, but to the entire body.
- Using the drug to treat pathology of the urethra, you can quickly get rid of discomfort and achieve improvement.
- The dietary supplement is effective in the treatment of skin diseases such as psoriasis or eczema. All this is achieved due to the ability of the substance to gently envelop damaged tissue.
Anti-inflammatory effect
The same enveloping properties help elm bark mucus have an anti-inflammatory effect. Mucus envelops the lesion and relieves tissue irritation. That is why burns, skin ulcers and small wounds are often treated with elm mucus.
Moreover, in case of damage to the respiratory tract, the substance can reduce the duration, dryness and severity of cough. Elm mucus prevents pathogenic bacteria from attaching to the walls of mucous membranes and multiplying with impunity.
Infusion
Infusions using leaves or chopped elm bark as raw materials are effective. It is necessary to adhere to the proportions and recommendations for intake, which are reflected in the recipes.
- For constipation and skin diseases
Place dried elm leaf in a small saucepan - 1 tbsp. l. Brew with boiling water, which you will need 250 ml. Simmer over low heat for three minutes and keep under a terry towel for an hour.
For constipation, drink 50 ml of the filtered product every 6 hours. Used externally in the form of lotions for scrofula. The decoction is good for scabies and eczema. You can apply compresses.
- For complicated, difficult-to-heal wounds
Article for you:
Medicinal properties of ash bark and its use in folk medicine
Fresh elm bark is washed and then finely chopped. You can take shavings of dried raw materials. Measure out 1 tbsp. l. Transfer to a bowl, brew with boiling water - 0.5 liters. When cooled, the filtered infusion is used to heal wounds and make lotions.
Forms of release in pharmacies and rules of administration
Most often, slippery elm can be found in the pharmacy in two forms:
- Capsules . They are the most convenient for use, as they allow you not to think about the size of the dose, but simply take the required portion several times a day. In addition to the active substance, such drugs have a thin shell of cellulose and magnesium stearate, which quickly dissolves when ingested. For people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, manufacturers recommend taking 2-3 capsules per day between main meals, washing down the supplement with water.
- Powder . The dosage of elm bark powder per glass of lukewarm water is usually 1 teaspoon. You need to drink the resulting contents in small sips after it has cooled.
Slippery Elm Bark Tea
Despite the safety of the product and the lack of an exact daily dose, a person may develop personal intolerance. In addition, you should not take elm supplements at the same time as other medications, or at least wait at least 2 hours between the two doses!
Collection (procurement) of raw materials
The optimal period for harvesting elm bark, removed from young branches, is the last ten days of March and the beginning of April.
If necessary, cut the raw materials into small fragments and scatter them on racks in a well-ventilated barn or under a canopy. You can dry the dried pieces in the oven at 50 degrees. It is more convenient to use special dryers.
Dry weather is selected for cutting leaves in May-June. It is advisable to harvest in the afternoon, when droplets of morning moisture completely disappear on the leaves, and the sun bakes less intensely.
For drying, select a place in the shade, where the leaves are poured onto thick white paper in a thin layer. Raw materials should be stirred periodically.
Article for you:
Medicinal properties of black currant leaves, contraindications, benefits and harm to the body
Dried leaves and bark are poured into linen bags or wooden boxes with holes. They are stored for about two years.
Best slippery elm on iHerb
Finding a nutritional supplement of acceptable quality and a suitable price is difficult even in our usual pharmacy, not to mention an online store. To protect you from unnecessary expenses, we have prepared a selection of the best drugs that include slippery elm from the popular and time-tested site iHerb.
Red elm Now Foods capsules
A package of Red Elm from Now Foods contains 100 capsules with a dosage of 400 mg each. The manufacturer advises taking 2 capsules at once up to three times a day.
Thanks to a rating of 4.6 stars on IHerb and many positive reviews, this drug takes an honorable first place. Buyers note a wonderful feeling in the stomach after taking the supplement, as well as an affordable price.
Red elm Now Foods capsules on iHerb
Slippery Elm Nature's Answer
This medicine contains 90 vegetable capsules. As a dietary supplement, take three (3) capsules three (3) times daily with food or water. Be sure to consult your doctor! Buyers on iHerb note in their reviews the beneficial effect on the stomach during heartburn, as well as the benefits in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.
Nature's Answer slippery elm capsules
What do the doctor's say
Today, the properties of elm bark have been studied so much that Great Britain, for example, officially recognizes it as a medicine, and not just a dietary supplement. But in other countries this is not yet the case. Experts prescribe the drug, but only as an addition to the main treatment regimen. You should not draw up a treatment plan on your own: only a doctor can correctly combine a herbal preparation with medications, so do not neglect consulting with him.
Important! You cannot treat anything within two hours after taking the elm supplement. Doctors warn that due to the coating of the walls of the stomach and intestines, other drugs will be less absorbed by the body.
Contraindications for use
Red elm is an almost entirely safe and harmless remedy, but its uncontrolled use can have a negative effect.
Pregnant women or those who are just planning to conceive should take the drug with extreme caution. Moreover, breastfeeding mothers should definitely consult a doctor. This is due to the low, but still existing threat of miscarriage.
The enveloping properties of elm mucus result in poor absorption of many substances, so you should not take it at the same time as other medications. Failure to follow the rules of use can lead to disruption of the functioning of the digestive organs.
Otherwise, this dietary supplement is absolutely harmless. This is its next advantage, along with its effectiveness in treating gastrointestinal diseases and strengthening the immune system.
Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments, and share your experiences with slippery elm, if any!
