Once I went to visit a friend to drink tea, and on her table there was a sugar bowl, which didn’t contain sugar, but something I didn’t understand. To the question: “What is this?”, a friend replied that the doctor advised her husband to take milk thistle for the liver. Just before each meal, take a tablespoon of Milk Thistle seed powder and swallow with water! That's all! No Heptrals, Essentiale and Karsila! Cheap and cheerful! I was surprised. Is milk thistle effective for liver diseases? What medicinal properties does it have? How to take it correctly? Are there any contraindications? Let's figure it out together.
How does milk thistle affect the liver?
Silymarin is an active element of milk thistle, which has the ability not only to have a cleansing effect during oxidative processes, but also treats hepatitis categories C and B. The hepatoprotective substance has a stimulating effect on the growth of new liver cells, but has no effect on the course of fatty disease, cirrhosis.
Milk thistle prevents inflammatory processes that lead to the formation of fibrosis. The cause may be the consumption of alcoholic beverages in large quantities, viral hepatitis C and B chronic forms.
Milk thistle oil contains a high content of antioxidants, which help strengthen liver cells, create protection against the effects of toxins and affect the restoration of hepatocytes.
Important: If you use milk thistle oil regularly to treat the liver, then inflammatory processes will be removed, the pancreas will be helped (the performance of enzymes that are necessary for normal digestion is improved), and cirrhosis of the organ will be prevented. The oil contains vitamins B, E, D, K.
Meal is the name given to the powder that remains after the oil has been squeezed out of milk thistle seeds. It has a large number of medicinal qualities, contains a high level of beneficial fiber, and is effective in cleansing the liver and gastrointestinal tract.
It is recommended to cleanse the liver with milk thistle not only for diseases, but also for preventive purposes for people who:
- Eat large portions of fatty, smoked, fried foods;
- They smoke;
- Drink drinks containing alcohol;
- Suffer from excess weight;
- Work with harmful chemicals;
- They use pesticides when caring for plants;
- Taking over-the-counter medications;
- Have diseases related to digestion.
Contraindications
Milk thistle is an extremely useful plant. It has no contraindications at all and does not provoke side effects. But regarding cleansing activities, there are still some restrictions. Regular procedures are recommended for people over 25 years of age. According to doctors, it is at this age that the body already has time to accumulate a lot of harmful particles.
In addition, people who have any digestive problems will only benefit from using milk thistle. After all, it activates restoration processes, which is extremely important for ulcerative defects, and also helps eliminate spasms and inflammation.
It is necessary to use milk thistle tinctures and decoctions for the liver with special caution for those who have epilepsy or have heart problems. This restriction also applies to people suffering from pathologies of the respiratory system and psychological disorders.
Milk thistle seed decoction
You can take milk thistle to treat the liver by preparing a decoction of the seeds. To prepare, you will need to take 30 grams of crushed milk thistle seeds (you can use meal) and pour half a liter of boiling water. Then you need to heat it with steam until half of the broth has evaporated. Strain the resulting drink, cool and take 1 tablespoon every hour.
Decoction for weight loss
Milk thistle will bring considerable benefits to those who are overweight. Taking a home remedy allows you to quickly get rid of fat accumulation on the stomach, thighs, buttocks, and sides.
The only condition is to adjust the diet; if you simply consume the decoction, abuse sweets, and foods rich in fat, you will have to wait a long time for results. Preparation:
- Place the plant seed (20 g) in a glass.
- Pour in cold water (fill the container to the top) and leave for two hours.
- Pour into a saucepan, put on maximum heat, and bring to a boil.
- Remove immediately, wrap in a woolen scarf, and leave until morning.
Take weight loss liquid only in the morning, before breakfast. It is recommended to use the home remedy only once a day - abuse of the decoction will lead to undesirable manifestations, so it is better to listen to the requirements of alternative medicine.
Drink the product in courses - use for a month (daily, do not take breaks). Rest for three to four weeks and continue losing weight. In one course, subject to correction of the daily menu, you will be able to get rid of 10-12 kg of excess weight.
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Seed-based potion
Take 30 grams of crushed seeds and roots and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water in a sealed container. It is advisable to start preparing in the evening so that the mixture can infuse overnight. Directions for use: cooled and strained mixture, take 0.5 cups 3 times a day.
Milk thistle seeds are used not only to cleanse the liver and treat diseases, but also for prevention, only the dose must be reduced by half.
How to take milk thistle oil to cleanse the liver?
Milk thistle oil is used for the liver for a month, 1 teaspoon before meals. Milk thistle oil for liver treatment is prescribed in combination with other medications. It is an effective remedy for the treatment of cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia (biliary dyskinesia), cholangitis, toxic organ damage, fatty degeneration of the organ. Contraindicated for people with mental disorders and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Duration of treatment
The duration of the course of treatment is determined by the chosen form of administration of the plant, as well as the purpose of administration (prevention or treatment). Basically it consists of:
- 1-2 months when taking milk thistle oil.
- 1-2 months for seed decoctions.
- 40 days when taking powder, meal or flour.
- Pharmacy medications, such as tablets and capsules, should be taken in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of the attending physician.
Milk thistle is a unique natural remedy that normalizes the functioning of both the liver and the entire body. It has minimal contraindications, moreover, it is affordable and very effective. But it is important to understand that if you have serious liver problems, milk thistle alone will probably not be enough.
Milk thistle oil: uses for the liver
The oil of this plant is enriched with beneficial elements, and also has anti-sclerotic and choleretic functions. For prevention, the oil should be taken 1 teaspoon on average 45 days after meals, and for treatment - 1 teaspoon 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals for at least 1 month.
How to treat the liver with milk thistle tea?
In order to prepare tea, you will need to take the stems (chopped in advance) or milk thistle powder - 1 teaspoon and steam in 1 cup of boiling water. Leave for about 15 minutes, then strain. Directions for use: It is recommended to drink milk thistle tea hot, 1 glass 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals. Tea has a healing effect not only on the liver, but also on the pancreas.
Medicinal properties of meal
After squeezing the oil out of milk thistle seeds, what remains is a powder - meal, which has a gentle effect on the body due to its high content of B vitamins. The powder can be made at home or purchased ready-made at a pharmacy. Meal improves lipid metabolism, strengthens the health of the pancreas and liver, and is used to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract.
It’s easy to prepare meal yourself. You will need to take milk thistle seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder or blender. The resulting hepatoprotector should be consumed in 1 tsp. 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 45 days, then you need to take a break for 14 days and repeat the process until the organ is cured. Treatment of children with meal is indicated from three years of age after consultation with a specialist.
Milk decoction for the treatment of liver diseases in children
It is recommended to use milk thistle even in the treatment of children, although this should only be done with the permission of a doctor. It is better to replace water with milk when preparing homemade medicine.
It is advisable to use a fatty homemade product that has numerous beneficial qualities. Be sure to prepare the product in an enamel bowl. Step by step recipe:
- Place the plant seeds (25-27 g) in a cooking container.
- Heat (do not bring to a boil) a glass of milk.
- Pour hot liquid over the plant material.
- Stir the mixture, put it on the stove, bring to a boil, and immediately remove.
- Leave covered overnight (necessarily in a cool place).
- In the morning, repeat the process - boil, remove immediately.
After cooling, begin treating the child. Give prepared homemade medicine three times a day at regular intervals. The dosage for children is only 50 ml.
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Taking milk thistle for the liver and effects on other organs
Using milk thistle is absolutely not harmful to the body, even if the dosage is exceeded or the use lasts longer than prescribed; only in rare cases, the initial intake of milk thistle medications may be accompanied by loose stools.
The instructions for use indicate that people who do not have heart disease or epilepsy can cleanse the liver with milk thistle. It is necessary to undergo a consultation before cleansing the liver with a plant for people with nervous disorders or respiratory diseases.
Interesting: In most cases, milk thistle cleansing has a positive effect on all organs.
Conclusion
Any liver disease can cause disease in other organs, so it is necessary to undergo a regular medical examination, and if signs appear that indicate a dysfunction of the organ, you should immediately consult a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
In order to prevent the development of diseases you should:
- Reduce the consumption of drinks containing alcohol to a minimum.
- Refuse to take medications that were not prescribed by a doctor.
- Do not come into contact with substances containing chemical elements.
Simple precautions and periodic intake of milk thistle can help prevent liver disease. It should be remembered that how to take milk thistle, the method and dosage must be checked with a specialist.
Milk thistle in tablet and capsule form
Medicines containing the seeds of this plant are positioned as effective drugs that effectively fight severe stages of hepatosis, hepatitis and cirrhosis. Often such medications are prescribed as maintenance therapy. The most common liver remedies with milk thistle are:
- "Karsil";
- "Gepabene";
- "Silimar".
These products differ among themselves in cost, country of production, and auxiliary components. But the pharmacological properties of all of them are similar.
How to take milk thistle tablets correctly? The optimal dosage is 400-420 mg of silybin per day. This amount should be divided into several daily doses.
