Sea buckthorn is a shrub or small tree with branches covered with oblong leaves and small spines. Reaches a height of 3-4 meters. Its berries are used to make effective and useful medicines for cardiovascular and skin diseases. The plant also takes pride of place in cosmetology. Sea buckthorn is used to produce ointments and creams that effectively combat dermatological problems.

The fruit has beneficial effect on the human body, equipping it with all essential vitamins and microelements. Read more about the beneficial properties and uses of sea buckthorn in the article.

Chemical composition

Sea buckthorn has a rich chemical composition. Berries contain high concentration potassium, iron and vitamin C. In addition, the fruits are rich dietary fiber, carbohydrates and organic acids.

Chemical composition of sea buckthorn:

• Ascorbic acid - 300 mg per 100 g of plant;
• B vitamins;
• Provitamin A;
• Folic acid;
• Tocopherol;
• Iron;
• Magnesium;
• Sulfur;
• Silicon.

Ascorbic acid(aka vitamin C) has antioxidant properties. The substance is used if the patient has diseases such as hypovitaminosis C, radiation sickness, burns, wounds, etc. It is important to know that ascorbic acid is contraindicated for persons :

• Hypersensitive;
• Prone to thrombosis;
• Having diabetes mellitus;
• WITH urolithiasis and oscalosis.

Vitamin B- plays important role in the human body, improving cellular metabolism.

Provitamin A(aka beta-carotene) is an essential vitamin for the functioning of the human body, as it supports the proper functioning of the heart vascular system. Beta-carotene combined with vitamin C effectively fights cervical cancer.

Folic acid especially necessary for pregnant women. This substance is responsible for cell growth in the human body and maintains DNA integrity. Folic acid is also used for:

• preventing the appearance of tumors;
• proper operation human immune system;
• amino acid synthesis;
• functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Tocopherol together with tocotrienol it is called vitamin E. The main beneficial property of the substance is to stop the development of pathologies and diseases in the human body. Other positive effects include:

• Strengthening immunity;
• Fighting diabetes and Alzheimer's disease;
• Strengthening capillary walls and improving blood clotting;
• Reducing cramps and strengthening endurance;
• Effective aid in the treatment of eczema, ulcers, lichen and other diseases.

Iron plays a major role in the creation of hemoglobin, as well as in the processes of hematopoiesis. Magnesium increases bone strength and supports the functioning of the central nervous system. Sulfur struggling with harmful bacteria, entering the human body and helps to increase the concentration of bile secreted by the body for normal digestion of food. Bor takes part in the formation of bone tissue in the human body, and silicon plays an important role in bone healing during fractures.

Useful properties

Having studied beneficial properties Each of the elements that make up the plant can summarize its effective effect on the human body.

• Reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack;
• Strengthening the cardiovascular system;
• Supplying the body with essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements;
• Increasing the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels;
• Reducing the appearance of blood clots and blockage of blood vessels;
• Normalization of cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

In addition to the fact that sea buckthorn saturates the body with missing vitamins, it has an anti-inflammatory effect and regenerates skin cells.

What does sea buckthorn treat?

The fruits of the plant are the main healing element. However, in the treatment of certain diseases, bark or leaves collected in the spring can be used. Sea buckthorn berries, from which sea buckthorn oil is made, are widely used in treatment of various types of diseases, among which:

• and twelve duodenum;
• Ophthalmic diseases(, eye burns);
• Pathologies associated with the cardiovascular system;
• Diseases related to gynecology and oncology;
• Respiratory tract diseases;
• Anemia;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas;
• Proctological diseases;
• Gout and rheumatism.

Application of sea buckthorn in pharmaceuticals

Sea buckthorn berries are widely used in the pharmaceutical field. They are used to make:

• Sea buckthorn oil;
• Candles;
• A drop in the nose and cough syrups.

Oil is produced from sea buckthorn berries, which is widely used in gynecology, for the treatment of gastrointestinal tract and stomatitis. It is also used to relieve inflammation in colds and proctological diseases.

Sea buckthorn suppositories are used rectally. They are an excellent assistant in the fight against hemorrhoids and cervical erosion. This product can be purchased at a pharmacy. The peculiarity of candles made from sea buckthorn fruits is that there are no contraindications for use.

Crushed sea buckthorn berries are added to cough syrups, as they have an anti-inflammatory effect and are an excellent anti-cold medicine. The syrup can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared yourself.

The use of sea buckthorn in folk medicine

In addition to the use of sea buckthorn in pharmaceuticals, it has gained wide popularity in folk medicine.

Sea buckthorn is used in the following form:

• In the raw. People consume freshly picked berries to boost immunity or to add flavor to a cooked dish.
• In the form of decoction or juice. To prepare the juice, you need to collect sea buckthorn fruits and rinse them with water. For 1 kg of berries, use 2 glasses of water (if desired, the drink can not be diluted with water, but then you will get a highly concentrated juice). Cook the resulting mixture for one hour (do not bring to boiling point). Then pour it into jars and roll up.
• Frozen. The berries are washed and dried well, and then put into bags and placed in the freezer. The method is famous for the fact that most of the beneficial properties of berries are preserved when frozen.
• In the form of jelly. Fresh berries are collected and rubbed through a fine sieve. Using a juicer, juice is obtained, which is heated to 70 degrees. Sugar is added to the resulting consistency (in the proportion of 850 grams per 1 liter fresh juice). The resulting broth is brought to a boil over low heat. As a result, jelly is formed, which is poured into jars. Glass containers are covered with gauze until completely cooled.
• As a material for making oil. The juice is squeezed out of the fruit, and the pulp is dried, after which it is crushed and filled with vegetable oil. Proportion for production: 1.5 liters of oil per 1 kg of pulp from sea buckthorn berries. The solution is left to infuse for three weeks, stirring it occasionally (every two to three days). After the expiration date, the liquid part is drained and stored in the refrigerator until needed.
• For making jam. Prepare a sugar solution - 1.5 kg of sugar per 1 glass of water. Bring it to a boil. During this time, rinse the sea buckthorn fruits from contamination, place them in a container and pour boiling solution over them. The resulting decoction should steep for three hours. Then the berries need to be strained and the syrup put back on the stove. 15-20 minutes after boiling, add the berries again and boil for another 15 minutes. The resulting jam is poured into jars and covered with lids.

For a cold

As mentioned above, sea buckthorn berries have an anti-inflammatory effect, so they cope well with colds. To treat inflammatory processes, the berries are used raw or as oil. Teas or alcohol tinctures are made from the fruits.

To prepare an infusion of alcohol for colds, use the following recipe:

1. Pour 20 grams of sea buckthorn berries into 0.5 liters of vodka.
2. Infuse the product for a day, then consume one teaspoon after meals 3 times a day.

Sea buckthorn berries can be alternated with other plant fruits (at your discretion), which also have medicinal properties.

For the throat

If you have a sore throat, a recipe from oat milk And sea ​​buckthorn juice. Cooking method:

1. Unpeeled oat grains are poured with milk in a ratio of 1 to 5. The broth is boiled for an hour over low heat.
2. Strain the resulting consistency and add 1/2 of the sea buckthorn juice.

The drink is drunk 20 minutes before meals and before bedtime. The course of treatment is from 3 to 5 days. For treatment to be effective, it must be taken daily (until recovery occurs).

For constipation

People who are negligent about their health suffer more often from constipation: poor nutrition(lack of dairy products and fiber in the diet), sedentary lifestyle and the presence bad habits. Sea buckthorn will help cope with this disease. In this case, it is used in the form of: oil, tincture, decoction, candles, tea and juice.

Recipes with sea buckthorn for constipation:

1. Sea buckthorn berries must be crushed and poured with boiling water. The decoction has a laxative effect and is pleasant to the taste. If desired, honey is added to it.
2. 3 tablespoons of seeds are poured into 0.5 liters. water and cook for 10 minutes. The decoction is filtered and consumed as tea - 2-3 times a day.

Sea buckthorn juice is useful for chronic constipation.

For hypertension

Sea buckthorn has an antioxidant effect and, when correct use berries, the vessels become more flexible and are less exposed to negative effects on them. Hypertensive patients use berries, tinctures or jams not to lower blood pressure, but to strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Recipe for preparing sea buckthorn medicine for hypertension:

1. Small branches and leaves of sea buckthorn are collected for the decoction.
2. The collected ingredients are crushed and dried.
3. Take 2 large spoons of the prepared raw material and pour 2 cups of boiling water.
4. The resulting broth is placed on fire and cooked for 1.5 hours.

The medicine is taken twice a day, half a glass.

Sea buckthorn berries do not contribute to an increase or decrease in blood pressure, they only strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

For diabetes

The calorie content of sea buckthorn berries is 50 kcal per 100 g, which is an advantage when eating with a diagnosis such as diabetes. Low calorie content allows the natural product to be classified in the dietary group.

The positive effect of sea buckthorn on diabetes mellitus It is possible when it is consumed raw, in the form of jam and marmalade, as well as in the form of juice or puree from berries. For type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it is recommended to consume processed sea buckthorn berries without added sugar. It can be replaced with fructose or other substitutes allowed for diabetes.

Sea buckthorn oil used to treat eczema and other wounds caused by diabetes. Healthy recipe remedy:

1. Prepare sea buckthorn oil and birch tar.
2. Mix 100 grams of birch tar with 50 grams of oil.

The resulting mixture is applied to the affected area of ​​the skin. The duration of the course is until the skin is completely restored. Sea buckthorn is beneficial for diabetes mellitus due to great content vitamins A and B.

For liver diseases

Sea buckthorn berries are beneficial for people suffering from liver diseases. It is especially recommended to take a decoction of sea buckthorn once a month for people who have had hepatitis.

Berry decoction recipe:

1. Prepare: 1 carrot, dried sea buckthorn berries, half a glass of milk and a couple of drops of sea buckthorn oil.
2. Prepare a decoction of berries according to the standard recipe described in the article.
3. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater and squeeze out the juice.
4. Pour carrot juice, milk and a couple of drops of sea buckthorn oil into the broth.
5. Mix the added ingredients thoroughly.

The medicine is taken orally 3 times a day, 2 tablespoons.

To strengthen blood vessels

Regular consumption of sea buckthorn berries helps improve and strengthen blood vessels. In this case, the fruits of the plant are consumed in any form: raw, in the form of juice, jam and tea.

A recipe for making tea from sea buckthorn berries is good for blood vessels. To prepare it, sea buckthorn fruits are washed and placed on fire for 5 minutes. Lightly crush the boiled berries and add orange, lime, sugar, cinnamon, fresh mint and cloves. Fruits are cut into slices. Leave the finished broth to steep for 5 minutes and then drink hot.

When treating joints

Sea buckthorn decoction is also an excellent assistant in the treatment of joints and bone tissue, as well as concomitant diseases:

• Rheumatism;
• Gout;
• Arthritis;
• Osteoporosis.

The recipe for sea buckthorn decoction for treating joints is simple. To prepare it you will need leaves, berries and water. . A tablespoon of leaves is crushed and poured into 1 cup hot water. The resulting mixture is boiled over low heat for 10 minutes. The medicine must be filtered.

Take half a glass a day, twice a day. The resulting decoction is rubbed onto sore joints.

Application in gynecology

Sea buckthorn oil is widely used in gynecology. It effectively fights cervical erosion. Used as candles, drops and solution. Treatment of cervical erosion disease with sea buckthorn suppositories can be carried out at home. The result is visible within 3-4 days. At correct use patients cure erosion within two weeks.

For thrush, treatment proceeds according to the following scheme:

1. Discharge is removed from the cervix and vagina. This can be done by douching with a herbal decoction or simple boiled water.
2. After douching, the tampon is soaked in sea buckthorn oil and inserted into the vagina.
3. The sea buckthorn tampon remains in the diseased area from 16 hours to a day, and then is pulled out.

The procedure is carried out daily in within two weeks. The period may be reduced depending on the effectiveness of the procedure.

Sea buckthorn in cosmetology

Sea buckthorn oil - an indispensable tool in the fight against dry skin, therefore it is widely used in cosmetology:

• For massage;
• In the composition of creams and balms for hands, feet and nails;
• Included in anti-aging creams and hair shampoos;
• As a yellow dye and flavoring agent;
• As a remedy that helps with slow healing of wounds, eczema and other skin diseases.

A sea buckthorn mask is considered popular in cosmetology. To cook it , it is necessary to collect the berries from which the pulp is made. Then one tablespoon is mixed with sour cream in a ratio of 1 to 1. The resulting mixture is applied to the face and left for 15 minutes. Then rinse off with warm water. The procedure is carried out 3 times a week for two months.

Use of sea buckthorn during pregnancy

The use of sea buckthorn oil during pregnancy is not contraindicated. It does not harm either the child or the mother.

Benefits of using sea buckthorn during pregnancy:

• Strengthens the immune system, which is extremely important during pregnancy;
• It has an antibacterial effect for colds and at a time when a pregnant woman should not take antibiotics, as they can harm the baby;
• Copes with stomach ulcers and duodenal disease;
• Treats vitamin deficiency and reduces cholesterol levels;
• Positively affects hair growth.

Despite the above beneficial properties of sea buckthorn fruits, pregnant women should consult a doctor before consuming sea buckthorn berries and oil.

Sea ​​buckthorn- a plant that has wide range useful properties. In folk medicine, all the benefits of the plant are used.

Grow sea buckthorn on personal plot Just. It is easy to care for and can withstand heat and temperatures down to -40 degrees. In summer it attracts pollinators, and when planted on a slope, the roots strengthen the soil. There are bush varieties that are excellent for creating hedges.

Let's consider preparing recipes, beneficial properties and contraindications of sea buckthorn.

Jams, jams, additives for sweets, marmalade, and marmalade are prepared from sea buckthorn fruits. Squeezed berries produce a tasty and healthy juice with a pineapple flavor. Tinctures and various drinks with the addition of berries from other plants are prepared from sea buckthorn.

The squeezed cake produces excellent sea buckthorn oil, which is sold in any pharmacy. Fresh leaves are used in cosmetology to make masks.

Proper Use sea ​​buckthorn promotes hair restoration, rejuvenates the skin, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of internal organs, liver, pancreas, bronchi, and improves metabolism in the body.

Medicines for stomach ulcers, arthritis, arthrosis, gout, and skin rashes are prepared from sea buckthorn leaves.

Juice from squeezed fruits is added to tea to fill the body with vitamins and nutrients.

Regular consumption of tea reduces and normalizes blood pressure and blood sugar levels, strengthens the immune system. It is recommended to take medicine based on sea buckthorn for people with heart disease and cardiovascular system.

Chemical composition of sea buckthorn

Daily intake of sea buckthorn is allowed during the diet, due to the small amount of kcal, only 82 kcal per 100 grams.

• First of all, sea buckthorn is valued high content B vitamins and potency treatment.
• The fruits contain a large amount of carotene. Human body receives A-provitamins by converting carotenes.
• The vitamin A content improves vision, genital function, and resists the appearance of bacteria1 and fungal diseases.
• Vitamin B1 is responsible for the growth and development of cells in the body. Its use improves the functioning of the heart and cardiovascular system as a whole, restores central nervous system, the work of the stomach and intestines.
• Vitamin B2 is responsible for the production of antibodies and red blood cells in the body. It is necessary for functioning thyroid gland. B2 improves the appearance of skin, hair and nails.
• B3 ( nicotinic acid). Mandatory in the body, oxidizes cells, promotes the occurrence of reactions. Nicotinic acid also absorbs vitamin C.
• Vitamin B9, or folic acid. A very important component especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Affects circulatory system and immunity.

Sea buckthorn contains others no less important microelements and vitamins.

• Vitamin C is one of the important components of the human body. Serves as a protective barrier during an epidemic, antioxidant, forms bone tissue. The dose in sea buckthorn is much higher than any citrus fruit.
• Vitamin P contains flavonoids, which together with vitamin C make blood vessels elastic and less brittle. The rutin component prevents varicose veins and reduces blood clotting.
• Vitamin K is responsible for the condition of the kidneys, promotes metabolism, and serves for the process of protein synthesis.
• Vitamin E is an immunomodulator. Sea buckthorn contains a large amount, even compared to sprouted wheat.
• Potassium is needed by the heart muscles, capillaries, kidneys and brain cells.
• Magnesium is responsible for muscle contraction and transmission of impulses to the central nervous system.
• Calcium is needed for the production of certain hormones and the formation of bone tissue. The plant contains phosphorus and iron.

The fruits contain fructose, glucose, sucrose, fatty acids, malic, citric, caffeic, linoleic, acetylsalicylic and tartaric acids, tannins.

The root contains serotonin, an amino acid substitute that prevents and slows growth cancer cells.

Medicinal properties of sea buckthorn

Treatment with sea buckthorn is accepted by both folk and traditional medicine. In addition to vitamin teas, decoctions and oils, sea buckthorn is included in medicines.

In ancient times, sea buckthorn leaves were added to animal feed for lush and shiny wool and accelerating its growth.

Medicines from the fruits relieve inflammation of internal organs, restore the outer covering (hair, skin), stimulate regeneration processes, restore the liver, remove toxins from the body after alcohol and other types of poisoning.

Eating fruits prevents atherosclerosis, enriches the body with vitamins, strengthens the immune system, and reduces cholesterol levels in the blood.

Juice, decoction and oil are taken when the acidity of the stomach is low, to treat stomach and duodenal ulcers.

An excellent wound-healing medicine, treats burns and corneal defects.

Based on the oil, inhalations are prepared for sinusitis and other diseases.

The leaves are used in tea, and medicines are made for colds and acute respiratory infections.

For diseases and inflammation of the joints, drink a decoction of the leaves.

In cosmetology, various anti-aging masks are made from oil.

Medicinal properties of sea buckthorn oil

The healing properties of the oil have been proven modern medicine. The oil promotes wound healing, frostbite and burns, and bedsores.

The area is first treated with an antiseptic, then dried and applied. thin layer oil, apply a bandage on top sterile bandage. After 12 hours, the bandage is changed.

For very sensitive skin, or the likelihood of allergies, the concentration is reduced by diluting with vegetable oil.

The oil is used to treat mucous membranes. Use a cotton swab to treat the wall of the pharynx, tonsils, and nasopharynx.

Lubricating the gums relieves inflammation, reduces and heals cracks in the gums. anus, heals the intestinal walls.

For stomach and duodenal ulcers, the oil is mixed with baking soda, after consulting a doctor. A 2% soda solution neutralizes the acids contained in sea buckthorn. Take 1 tsp orally. morning and evening 20 minutes before meals.

Useful properties of sea buckthorn - recipes

At home, you can easily prepare an infusion, oil, or cosmetic mask.

• Decoction of leaves for joint diseases

1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of crushed leaves into a glass of boiling water, put on water bath for 10 minutes, then let cool, strain and drink throughout the day in several approaches.

• Stomach disease

4 tbsp. spoons of berries, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, put on fire for 5 minutes, let it brew for 10-15 minutes, cover with a lid, strain and drink a glass of tea in the morning and evening.
For internal use Helps with stomach and intestinal diseases.

Applying the decoction superficially in the form of a compress treats eczema, atrophic ulcers, dermatitis.

• Treatment of liver, hepatitis

Drink 2 tablespoons of squeezed juice from sea buckthorn fruits. from the morning before meals for 2 weeks. If necessary, take a break for 1 week and repeat the course. Restores the liver.

• Bronchitis, acute respiratory infections, etc.

Grind fresh sea buckthorn berries and mix with the same amount of honey. Mix everything thoroughly and use 1 tsp. 3 times a day before meals. The course has no restrictions until complete recovery.

• Sea buckthorn for prevention

To strengthen the immune system and prevent cancer, it is recommended to take a 2-week prophylaxis course in the fall.

Squeezed out their juice fresh berries 1 part, mixed with apple juice 3 parts and drink a glass on an empty stomach. During this period, limit your intake of meat dishes.

Making sea buckthorn oil at home

There are several methods, but with any of them, the oil should not be heated to high temperatures.

Recipes for preparing cosmetic masks

The oil is perfectly absorbed into the layers of the skin, stimulates blood circulation through the capillaries, and prevents peeling and wrinkling of the surface. The skin gains elasticity and firmness. The oil is used by almost every massage therapist.

Noticed results in the whitening of freckles and the disappearance of pigmentation.
Strengthens hair root follicles, adds shine, and prevents hair loss.

Recipe: Crushed sea buckthorn leaves 10 tbsp. l. pour 1 liter. boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes in a water bath, then cool, strain and rinse after washing your hair.

• Acne removal

Whole leaves are dipped in boiling water for a few seconds to steam, cool slightly and applied to the surface of the face, covered with a towel on top. After 10-15 minutes, remove the mask and wipe the skin with an ice cube.

• Oil and egg mask

Mix 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp. oil and 1 tsp. freshly squeezed sea buckthorn juice.
Mix well and apply on face. After 15 minutes, rinse under warm water. The mask perfectly moisturizes the skin, smoothes it out and gives it a uniform color.

• Sea buckthorn peeling

Mix the crushed fruits with sour cream in equal proportions, apply to the surface and rub over your face with your palm for several minutes, then rinse with running warm water.

• Steam treatments

Add crushed leaves and branches of sea buckthorn to water, let it boil and boil for 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and lean over the steam, throwing a towel on top. Carry out the procedure until the broth cools down. Then apply moisturizer to the skin.
A great way to cleanse your skin.

• Fruit mask

1 tbsp. l. chopped berries, 1 tablespoon. oatmeal, and the same amount linseed oil. Mix everything thoroughly. Apply the mask to your face in a thin layer for 15 minutes. After completing the procedure, rinse with warm water and apply moisturizer. The mask will make the skin elastic, firm and beautiful.

Collection, preparation and storage of raw materials

Depending on climatic conditions, the fruits ripen from mid-August to the end of September. The appearance of the berries becomes deep orange, elastic to the touch, slightly soft.

As a rule, the tree is covered with berries on all branches.

The raw materials are not washed after collection, but are immediately placed in the freezer, this way a large amount will be preserved useful substances.

On next year, harvesting a new harvest. Nutrients in large quantities will last no more than 1 year.

To collect for jam, sea buckthorn is collected a little earlier.

After collection, the leaves are dried in an open area without direct sunlight and placed in a tightly closed container. Grind if necessary immediately before cooking.

Freshly squeezed juice is also stored in the refrigerator in tightly closed containers, but it is first sterilized.

Methods for collecting sea buckthorn

It is known that the tree has quite a lot of needles and collecting small fruits sometimes brings discomfort and difficulty, especially if we are talking about a large harvest. There are several ways that can simplify your painful work.

• The first method is simple, but has a number of disadvantages. Do not pick during the ripening period, but wait until the first frost, shaking the branches, the fruits will easily fall off. First, a plastic film is spread underneath. Among the disadvantages: in some parts of the country, especially the south, the first frosts come late, and you will have to wait a long time. It happens that the birds that arrive for the winter will be the first to harvest for you.
• Second way. An umbrella is hung on a branch with the handle up, and the fruits that fall into the umbrella are cut off with a knife or scissors. All that remains is to collect it in a container. But the method still requires effort and time.
• There are special devices (tarpaulin mittens) with a bag; putting them on your hand, the berries are pulled from the branch into the bag. But soft and overripe berries are quite difficult to pick.
• First, an umbrella is attached vertically to a branch (similar to method 2); at the end of the cane, a ring is installed from thin steel wire, broken on one side (incomplete ring). This ring is used to cling to a branch and pull (cut) the berries down the branch, which fall directly into the umbrella.

Contraindications

Sea buckthorn has virtually no contraindications and even children are allowed to drink tea, but the acid content in the fruit has some restrictions.

• It is not recommended for people with high acidity. If you have gastritis or stomach ulcers, be sure to consult your doctor.
• For diseases of the gallbladder and pancreas.
• Overdose may cause side effects in the form of a rash and exacerbation of internal organs.
• It is not recommended to take it orally if you have liver disease.
• It is also advisable for people with carotene intolerance to refuse.
• Sea buckthorn - strong choleretic agent. It is prohibited for use by patients with cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.

This plant can be found in many parts of Russia. But the main area of ​​its distribution is Southern Siberia. It also grows abundantly in Asian countries. It is especially abundant in Mongolia and China, where, as in Russia, sea buckthorn is grown on an industrial scale.

Description

Sea buckthorn prefers sunny places and usually grows along the banks of reservoirs. But it avoids swampy and overly humid places. The plant can also be found high in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 3000 m. It is extremely frost-resistant and can withstand frosts down to – 45 ºС.

In total, three species of plants are found in Eurasia. But only one is the most famous - sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoídes). Sea buckthorn belongs to the Lokhov family and is usually a small shrub 1-2 meters high, rarely up to 6 m, with a pyramidal or spreading crown. Can be used as ornamental plant and like a hedge. Powerful root system plants, located at a depth of about half a meter, allows it to be used to strengthen steep slopes, roadsides, embankments, and prevent landslides.

But the plant became famous not because of these qualities. The main value of the plant is its leaves and berries. Sea buckthorn leaves are small and quite narrow. Sea buckthorn berries are usually bright yellow and reddish in color with a black seed inside. They tightly adhere (hence the name of the plant) to branches equipped with thorns. The diameter of the berries is usually no more than 1 cm in diameter. The fruits always ripen in the fall - in August-September. Newly ripe berries taste bitter and sour. However, closer to winter they become sweeter.

What are the benefits of sea buckthorn?

The healing properties of sea buckthorn have been known since time immemorial. This is also evidenced by the plant’s Latin name, which translates as “glossy horse.” Even the ancient Greeks noticed that if you feed sea buckthorn leaves to horses, the animals' fur becomes shiny and silky, and wounds heal faster. Then the plant began to be used to treat people.

Modern scientists have established that sea buckthorn berries have complex composition and contain almost all the vitamins known to science. Sea buckthorn is especially rich in vitamin C; in terms of its relative content, the plant is second only to rose hips and red pepper.

Of the B vitamins, sea buckthorn contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9. Vitamin K present in the berry is beneficial for metabolism. Vitamin P prevents blood clotting. Beta-carotene has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the reproductive, sweat and lacrimal glands. The plant contains a lot of provitamin A, vitamin E, as well as other useful substances - flavonoids, serotonin, organic acids (malic, oxalic and tartaric), microelements (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron), oil (9% in pulp, 12% in seeds), tannins, pectins, plant antibiotics, simple sugars (glucose and fructose, 3-6%).

At the same time, the calorie content of the berries is relatively low - approximately 82 kcal per 100 g. Fatty acids are represented mainly by monounsaturated ones (palmitoleic, oleic). This complex of compounds provides the unique beneficial effects of sea buckthorn on the body.

Sea buckthorn has many medicinal uses. But, first of all, it is worth paying attention to the strong wound-healing properties of the plant, as well as its beneficial effect on the skin. Substances contained in sea buckthorn significantly accelerate metabolic and immune processes in skin tissues. It is this property that explains the effect of “glossy horse hair”, noticed by the ancients.

Other beneficial properties of the plant:

• reducing the level of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins),
• strengthening the immune system,
• lowering sugar levels,
• prevention of vitamin deficiency,
• improvement of potency (caused by a lack of B vitamins),
• increasing the elasticity of blood vessels,
• prevention of thrombosis.

What else does the plant help with? Sea buckthorn products are also used in the treatment of the following diseases:

• stomach and duodenal ulcers;
• diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract;
• oncological diseases;
• gynecological diseases;
• diseases of the oral cavity (stomatitis, gum inflammation);
• hemorrhoids, proctitis, anal fissures;
• anemia;
• pancreatic diseases;
• rheumatism and;
• ophthalmological diseases (cataracts, burns).

Sea buckthorn berries

Berries are most useful in their raw form - this is how they contain the greatest amount of biologically active substances. Unfortunately, fresh berries spoil quickly. In addition, they are inconvenient for topical use. Therefore, in medicine, products obtained from the plant such as juice, oil and ointments are more often used. Many sea buckthorn preparations can be found in pharmacies. Fresh mashed berries, however, can be used in the treatment of burns and frostbite, purulent skin rashes.

To treat constipation, you can use a decoction of fresh berries. To prepare it, pour one teaspoon of berries into 200 ml of boiled water and add one teaspoon of honey. This remedy should be taken warm several times a day. This laxative can also be taken during pregnancy, during which use synthetic drugs may be contraindicated.

Sea buckthorn oil

Sea buckthorn oil is added to many preparations. Quite popular rectal suppositories with sea buckthorn, used in the treatment of hemorrhoids. Oil in pure form You can buy it at the pharmacy, but you can try and get sea buckthorn oil from fresh berries yourself. The properties of this oil will be no worse than those purchased.

The easiest way to obtain oil is to squeeze the juice from fresh berries. If you let it sit for several days, an oily film will soon appear on the surface of the juice. This will be sea buckthorn oil. It must be assembled carefully. You can also squeeze a little oil out of the remaining berry pulp. It's done like this. The cake is filled with refined sunflower oil and mixes with it. The mixture is then placed in a warm place for a week, after which the oil is filtered from it. It is best to store oil in the refrigerator, preferably in a dark glass container.

Application of sea buckthorn oil

Sea buckthorn oil is widely used in cosmetology. It is often used by professional massage therapists to apply to the skin before a massage.

The following beneficial properties of the oil are used:

• excellent ability to absorb into the skin,
• the ability to remove dead layers of the epidermis,
• ability to hold water.

The oil can also be used at home for cosmetic purposes. For example, applying oil twice a week to the skin of the face has a tonic effect on the skin, allows you to remove wrinkles and.

Sea buckthorn oil is also used to strengthen hair and nails. To improve hair nutrition, just apply it to your head once a week for 2-3 hours, and then rinse with shampoo. Nails are strengthened by rubbing oil into the nail plates.

Treatment of dermatological diseases

The effectiveness of sea buckthorn in the treatment of skin diseases has long been recognized not only by traditional healers, but also in traditional medicine. Sea buckthorn oil is used in the treatment of:

• eczema,
• non-healing wounds,
• dermatitis,
• cracks, cracks
• bedsores,
• burns,
• frostbite.

At the same time, the oil has an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, immunostimulating and wound-healing effect on skin tissue.

Treatment of gynecological diseases with sea buckthorn oil

Sea buckthorn oil is widely used in the treatment gynecological diseases– cervical erosion, endocervitis, vaginal inflammation. This effect is due to the ability of the active substances of the plant to promote the restoration of damaged tissues and have an inhibitory effect on pathological microflora. In the treatment of gynecological diseases, tampons moistened with sea buckthorn oil (10 ml) are most often used. When treating erosions, the course of treatment is 12 daily procedures; for endocervitis and inflammation of the vagina, the duration of treatment may be longer - 16 procedures.

Sea buckthorn oil in the treatment of acute respiratory diseases

The strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of sea buckthorn oil have long been used in the treatment of acute respiratory infections and colds. You can lubricate the nasal mucosa with oil when you have a runny nose. Or put a few drops into your nose 3-4 times a day. Oil diluted in a glass of water (1 teaspoon) can be drunk to strengthen the immune system and relieve pain.

Sea buckthorn oil during pregnancy

Many women are interested in the question: can sea buckthorn oil be used during pregnancy? It should be noted that many funds plant origin It is not recommended to use during this period. However, this rule does not apply to sea buckthorn, since it has a very mild effect on the body.

It is good to use the oil as a preventative against skin stretch marks that can occur during pregnancy. Applying sea buckthorn oil to the surface of the abdomen, back, hips, and sides will make the skin in these places elastic and elastic and prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

Sea buckthorn oil in pediatrics

Sea buckthorn oil helps well with diaper rash in young children. It is also recommended to lubricate the gums with sea buckthorn oil when teething. This method helps reduce inflammation and painful sensations in children during this process.

Photo: Daria Proskuryakova/Shutterstock.com

Other sea buckthorn products

The berries are also used to make jam, compotes, syrups, mousses and purees. Sea buckthorn juice is added to various drinks. True, when heat treatment the berries lose most of their nutrients.

Fresh berries are most often stored frozen. In this form they can be stored for a long time and not lose their beneficial properties. Berries can also be dried and sprinkled with sugar. Frozen and dried berries can be purchased in many stores and pharmacies. But you can prepare them yourself in the summer from fresh berries.

Jam

The fruits (1 cup) are ground, and 1.5 cups of sugar are added to them. After mixing, the mixture is simmered over low heat until the sugar dissolves. However, there is no need to boil the jam to avoid the destruction of nutrients and vitamins. The jam can be stored in the refrigerator. This delicacy is best consumed in winter, when the body lacks vitamins.

Berries in sugar

When preparing candied berries, you should take berries and sugar in a ratio of 1 to 2. For this recipe Only freshly picked berries are suitable. Sugar and berries should be mixed and the mixture should be stored in a cool place.

Juice

You can either squeeze the juice using a juicer or do it without it. This is done like this: the berries are placed in hot water for a couple of minutes, then squeezed out through several layers of gauze. The juice is filled with syrup (170 ml of water per kg of sugar) and infused in a cool place for several hours, subject to periodic stirring. After cooling, the juice is boiled for a quarter of an hour and poured into jars. Stored in a cool place.

Frozen berries

Only freshly picked berries are suitable for freezing. Also, before freezing, you need to thoroughly clean the berries and dry them slightly (so that there are no traces of water left on them). Frozen berries can be stored in the freezer for a long time(up to 6 months) and not lose its beneficial qualities.

Dried berries

If there are a lot of berries, then it makes sense to dry some of them. First, fresh berries are cleared of debris and washed. Berries must be dried in the shade, not in the sun. When the fruits become dried, they are placed in the oven at a temperature of +40-50ºС. It is important to ensure that the berries do not burn.

Sea buckthorn leaves

The leaves of this plant are also quite useful and contain a large amount of biologically active substances. In particular, they contain the alkaloid hyporamine, known for its antiviral activity. You can brew tea from them. Regular consumption of sea buckthorn tea has a tonic effect, improves intestinal motility, relieves depression and insomnia, calms the nervous system and relieves emotional stress.

Another way to use the leaves is to make a decoction. For this purpose, take 1 tbsp. l. crushed leaves and pour a glass of boiling water. This mixture should be kept in a water bath for 15 minutes. The decoction improves immunity; it is useful to drink it once a week. The leaves of the plant can also be found in some biologically active supplements sold in pharmacies, intended to strengthen the immune system, and in means to combat acute respiratory diseases.

You can also prepare a decoction of leaves and berries. 3 tablespoons of a mixture of leaves and berries must be poured with 300 ml of boiled water. After settling for several hours, the broth should be filtered. This decoction can be used as a means to strengthen hair in men. For this purpose, you should take half a glass of the decoction in the morning and evening before meals. Also, the leaves of the plant can be used for rheumatism, gout, and diabetes.

Growing sea buckthorn in the garden

Currently, breeders have developed several dozen varieties suitable for cultivation by amateur gardeners. This is a fairly unpretentious plant, and for many gardeners it has long taken root on the site. The plant produces a harvest only three to four years after planting, but up to 14 kg of berries can be collected from each bush.

When planting bushes, it should be taken into account that some bushes have only male flowers and do not produce fruit. For a good harvest, at least one male bush is needed for every five female bushes. The plant is wind-pollinated, which means its productivity does not depend on the presence of insects. The plant blooms in April-May. However, many people face difficulties when it comes to how to pick berries. Harvesting, at first glance, is quite problematic, because sea buckthorn berries grow on branches studded with thorns and hug them tightly. In addition, the berry is easily wrinkled and can be crushed during assembly.

One of the most common ways to pick berries is to wait for frost. After this, the berries can be shaken off the branches. By the way, the berries can hang all winter, but this increases the risk that they will be pecked by nimble birds. In addition, berries do not tolerate thaws well.

Fruits can also be collected using special devices or by cutting each berry with scissors. At the same time, you can hang an open umbrella on a branch so as not to pick berries from the ground later.

Contraindications for use

Like any plant, sea buckthorn can bring not only benefits, but also harm to health. It has certain contraindications. First of all, this applies to taking drugs orally. For example, it is prohibited for those who suffer from urolithiasis. This is due to the fact that sea buckthorn increases the acidity of urine.

Juice, oil and fruit drink from berries are contraindicated for stomach and duodenal ulcers due to high content acids in these products. Therefore, to treat these diseases it is better to use decoctions or herbal teas.

Also, sea buckthorn and products made from it are contraindicated if you are prone to diarrhea, with some types of gastritis, liver inflammation, acute pancreatitis, and with gallbladder diseases. However, in some cases, sea buckthorn can be used, but after consulting a doctor.

Berry jams, which contain a significant amount of sugar, are contraindicated for people suffering from obesity and diabetes. Individual intolerance components of the plant are an absolute contraindication for both internal and external use.

Sea buckthorn can be found along roadsides, along river banks and in ravines, in vacant lots, in courtyards and in summer cottages. Since the end of August, sea buckthorn thickets have been decorating the surrounding area with their bright orange berries. The birthplace of this plant is Tibet and Tibetan lamas consider sea buckthorn to be the most unique medicine, and residents of Siberian regions call it Siberian pineapple.

Description and chemical composition of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is a shrub or tree with thorns from the sucker family. The leaves of sea buckthorn are narrow and long, arranged alternately, green on top small points, below are grayish-white or silvery, covered with scales.

The flowers are small, inconspicuous, of two types - male and female, clustered on short spike-shaped inflorescences and appear before the leaves. Sea buckthorn blooms in April-May; the flowers are mainly pollinated by wind and insects.

The fruit has a round or oblong shape, with juicy bright orange or yellow. The berries are densely located on the branch, in literally stick to a twig, hence the name sea buckthorn.

There is a flat bone inside the fruit brown. The fruits of sea buckthorn are edible, sour-bitter with a slight pineapple aroma, hence the other name Siberian pineapple. The fruits ripen in August - September.

Wild sea buckthorn grows well, as the root system produces a lot of shoots. This plant is frost-resistant and can withstand even fifty-degree Siberian frosts. Sea buckthorn grows everywhere, along river banks, on slopes, in vacant lots, preferring sandy soil.

Medicinal raw materials are all parts of the plant - fruits, seeds and leaves, young twigs, bark and roots. Sea buckthorn oil and juice are made from the berries, and roots, leaves, and bark are used to prepare decoctions, infusions, and tinctures.

Sea buckthorn is harvested when the fruits are ripe and have accumulated the greatest amount of oil. The fruits are collected in dry weather, peeled from twigs and leaves and frozen (frozen berries perfectly retain all their beneficial properties), or oil and juice are prepared from the fruits. Leaves and twigs are harvested in June, as well as during berry picking, they are dried and then brewed as tea.

In nature, you cannot find another berry like this, rich in compounds valuable for our body. The berries contain vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, E, F, P, K, folic acid, essential amino acids, tannins, flavonoids, carotene, minerals and many other useful elements. Sea buckthorn contains a lot of oil, which is used to treat burns.

Useful properties and applications

Sea buckthorn is medicinal plant and has been used by man since ancient times to eliminate various ailments, for the treatment of many diseases.

The healing and beneficial properties of sea buckthorn have found application in official and folk medicine, homeopathy, cosmetology, and cooking.

Juice, sea buckthorn oil, syrups are made from sea buckthorn fruits, biologically active additives, tinctures, medications, suppositories for the treatment of proctological and gynecological diseases.

For treatment, traditional healers use not only the fruits, but also the leaves and branches, roots, bark, and seeds of the plant, from which they prepare tinctures, decoctions, infusions, oil, and juice.

Sea buckthorn has anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, antiseptic, analgesic, anti-atherosclerotic, multivitamin, and laxative effects on the human body.

Eating fresh berries rich in ascorbic acid (vitamins C) reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, helps strengthen the heart muscle, and gives the walls blood vessels elasticity, prevents subcutaneous and internal hemorrhages, has therapeutic effect on the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands.

The beneficial substances contained in the berries lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, prevent the formation of cancer cells, delay the growth of cancer tumors and enhance the effectiveness of radiation treatment, and thus reduce the risk of blood clots and blockage of blood vessels by blood clots.

Beta-carotene, which is part of the fruit, has a beneficial effect on the functions of the reproductive, sweat and lacrimal glands, helps in the treatment of pancreatic diseases and increased function thyroid gland, as it reduces insulin activity and promotes the formation of glucose.

With the help of sea buckthorn, gynecological diseases, gastrointestinal diseases are treated. intestinal tract, cardiovascular system, anemia, vitamin deficiency.

The berries contain a large amount of vitamin E, which has a beneficial effect on the formation of sex hormones and promotes fertilization of the egg, better development of the embryo and fetus, and also delays old age, prolongs life, prevents the accumulation of toxins, and the deposition of plaques on the inner walls of blood vessels.

Sea buckthorn normalizes metabolic processes, cleanses the liver and kidneys, improves immunity and carbohydrate metabolism, helps restore tissue and heal wounds.

The fruits and leaves are widely used to treat articular rheumatism and gout, as they remove excess uric and oxalic acid from the body.

Sea buckthorn oil is used to treat eye diseases, cataracts, and eye burns. Also used for healing purulent wounds, at trophic ulcers, for skin burns, for frostbite, for , erosions.

The oil is also widely used for the treatment of gynecological diseases, inflammatory processes, cervical erosion, colpitis and cervicitis.

Oil treats stomach and duodenal ulcers, proctitis, anal fissures, internal .

Used to treat sinusitis, tonsillitis, pulpitis, periodontitis. Lubricate the nasal mucosa for a runny nose.

Decoctions from the leaves help relieve suffering from oncological diseases, for atherosclerosis, for hypertension, for diarrhea. It is drunk for diabetes, gastric ulcers, bacteriosis, anemia, and poisoning.

The decoction is used to rinse the mouth for stomatitis and periodontitis, the throat for sore throat, and lotions from the leaves are used for skin rashes.

A decoction of the leaves helps get rid of insomnia, depression, calms the nervous system and reduces nervous tension.

An infusion of leaves, twigs and bark helps eliminate dandruff and is an excellent remedy for hair growth.

The beneficial properties of sea buckthorn are used in cosmetology; juice and oil are added to face and hand skin care products, lotions, shampoos, rinses, and hair masks.
Wide Application got sea buckthorn in food industry, drinks, juices, jelly, preserves, jams and marmalade are prepared from the berries, and added to baked goods and candies.

Contraindications for use

Sea buckthorn is a medicinal plant and helps get rid of various diseases, but like any medicine, this amazing plant also has contraindications for use. Before treatment, consultation with your attending physician is necessary.

Sea buckthorn is contraindicated in acute diseases of the liver, gall bladder, and stomach disorders.

It is not recommended to consume juice and berries for people suffering from urolithiasis (sea buckthorn increases the acidity of urine), with cholecystitis, with stomach and duodenal ulcers, with hyperacid gastritis, since the juice and berries contain many organic acids that increase the secretion of gastric juice.

Sea buckthorn oil is contraindicated for use in a number of pancreatic diseases - acute pancreatitis.

Sea buckthorn contains many biologically active substances, which can cause allergic reactions Therefore, people prone to allergies should eat berries with caution and use sea buckthorn preparations for treatment; individual intolerance is also a contraindication.

Traditional methods of treating sea buckthorn

Traditional healers use sea buckthorn to treat various diseases. This article contains recipes for infusions, decoctions, juice, and sea buckthorn oil that help relieve pain and improve the condition.

Sea buckthorn oil

Sea buckthorn oil is of particular value and is used in the treatment of burns, wounds, stomach ulcers, gynecological diseases and many other ailments. It can be purchased at a pharmacy, or you can prepare it at home.

Sea buckthorn oil recipe

Fresh berries need to be sorted, rinsed well with running water, dried by spreading the sea buckthorn on a towel, preferably in the sun, so that the berries warm up, but not on the street, but on a windowsill or table where the rays of the sun fall. Then you need to squeeze the juice out of the berries, carefully squeeze the cake. Pour the juice into a clean container, close the lid and place in a dark, cool place for a day. Sea buckthorn berries contain a lot of oil and soon it will begin to rise on top of the juice. The oil must be carefully removed and poured into a dark glass bottle and stored in the refrigerator.

Sea buckthorn oil cake recipe

You can also make oil from the pulp remaining after squeezing the juice. The cake needs to be crushed and filled with vegetable oil (for 100 grams of cake you need to take 500 ml of vegetable oil). Insist from one to three weeks in a dark place. Then the oil must be strained through cheesecloth, squeezed out the cake well, poured into a dark glass container and stored in the refrigerator.

Recipe for sea buckthorn oil from dry fruits

Dry berries need to be ground into a fine mass and transferred to a glass container. Heat the vegetable oil to 50 degrees and pour it into a container with ground sea buckthorn, mix well, the oil should cover the mass by about one or two centimeters. Cover tightly with a lid and leave in a cool place for a week. Twice a day you need to stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Then the oil must be filtered, carefully squeezing through cheesecloth. This homemade oil contains approximately 15% sea buckthorn oil. This oil can be enriched by adding this oil again to the dry mixture and infusing it for another week.

For stomach and duodenal ulcers

Take the oil orally, 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day, half an hour before meals. The course of treatment is one month.

For esophageal cancer

Take half a teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil 3 times a day during radiation therapy and three weeks after the end of radiation therapy.

For poor vision

Take the oil orally seven times a day, one teaspoon. The course of treatment is two to three weeks.

For cervical erosion, for colpitis, for endocervicitis

Soak a cotton swab well in sea buckthorn oil and insert it into the vagina for 12 hours (before inserting a cotton swab into the vagina, you must douche with warm boiled water or infusions of bergenia root or boron uterus). You need to change your tampon daily. The course of treatment is two months. Then you should take a two-month break and repeat the treatment again.

Sea buckthorn oil masks

Rejuvenating face mask

Add half a teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil to one raw yolk of a chicken egg, mix, apply the mask to the skin of the face and wash off after 20 minutes. warm water, then cool. You need to make this mask twice a week. The mask tightens the facial skin well, making it firmer and more elastic.

Mask for dry and aging skin

Mix one teaspoon of oil with one teaspoon of sea buckthorn juice, then add one raw yolk, mix everything well. Apply the mask to clean skin of the face and neck for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water. You need to make this mask twice a week. The mask softens and moisturizes the skin, relieves flaking, nourishes, prevents the appearance of fine wrinkles, and delays the aging process of the skin.

Dissolve one teaspoon of honey in three tablespoons warm milk, add one tablespoon of fat cottage cheese and one teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil, mix everything thoroughly. The mixture must be applied to clean face for 20 minutes. Then use a damp cotton swab or your hands to remove the mixture from your face. The remains of the mask should be washed off with warm water. You need to make a mask twice a week. The mask will help improve skin tone, rejuvenate the face, and smooth out fine wrinkles.

Product for fine dry hair

Pour 3 tablespoons of crushed burdock roots into 1.5 cups of water, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Strain the broth, add 5 tablespoons of sea buckthorn oil to it, and beat well. Rub the product into the hair roots before washing your hair. Regular use of this product will help strengthen your hair, it will acquire a healthy shine and become stronger and stronger.

Sea buckthorn oil for strengthening hair

Mix 1-2 tablespoons of oil with one raw yolk, stir well. Rub this mixture into the roots of your hair. After an hour, wash your hair with shampoo. Sea buckthorn oil strengthens hair, restores its natural shine, adds volume, and eliminates split ends.

Sea buckthorn juice

Sea buckthorn juice is rich in vitamins and is used to treat many diseases; it has a beneficial effect on the body, increases resistance to viruses and microbes, relieves fatigue, removes radionuclides, toxins and waste, increases hemoglobin levels and the secretion of gastric juice.

Sea buckthorn juice for rheumatism, ulcers

Mix half a glass of sea buckthorn juice with half a glass of milk, add one tablespoon of honey, mix everything well. Drink three times a day before meals.

With loss of strength and severe fatigue

Mix three glasses of juice with half a glass of mint decoction, add 50 grams of honey, dilute with one glass boiled water. Leave in the refrigerator for two hours. Take a quarter glass of the drink half an hour before meals.

Decoctions and infusions

Decoctions and infusions are prepared from fresh or dry leaves, twigs and bark, fresh or frozen fruits and are used internally to treat many diseases, used externally as poultices, for compresses for joint pain, for douching for female diseases, for rinsing the mouth and throat , for washing purulent wounds.

Decoction of leaves for gout and rheumatism

Pour 1 tablespoon of dry leaves into a glass of hot water, boil for 10 minutes, strain. Take half a glass of the decoction twice a day.

A decoction of twigs for flu or colds

Pour one tablespoon of chopped branches (you can use fresh or dry branches) with 1.5 cups of boiling water, cook, covered for 20 minutes. Wrap the broth and leave for two hours. Then strain and drink at night.

Infusion of leaves for anemia

Pour 1 tablespoon of leaves into one glass of boiling water. Leave for 30 minutes, strain and drink as tea.

Sea buckthorn leaf compress for rheumatism and joint pain

Pour 10 grams of crushed dry leaves into 200 ml of water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain, moisten gauze and apply to sore spots.

Sea buckthorn is a branched, thorny shrub, growing from 2 to 3 meters in height, although sometimes it grows into a tree up to 6 meters. Wood with dark, reddish bark, which when young is a gray branch. Sea buckthorn leaves are opposite, narrow and linear, 5 to 8 centimeters long and up to 0.5 centimeters wide, grayish-green above and oily and silvery-gray below.

The plant is bicameral and blooms in early spring before the leaves develop. The flowers are small and hazy, greenish-yellow. Fruits with orange berries, irregular round shape, similar to an egg. The fruits are 7 to 8 millimeters long and ripen on female plants from mid-August to late September. The berries remain on the bush (tree) for a very long time, until the beginning of winter.

This article will describe in detail the buckthorn sea ​​buckthorn, beneficial properties and contraindications this berry. What is its main composition, what does it treat and in what form - all this can be found out by continuing reading.

Sea buckthorn - what is useful and how is it used

Sea buckthorn is real, tiny orange berries contain a huge amount of vitamins and microelements. The healing properties of berries have long been known and have been successfully exploited in medical purposes, cosmetology, in folk medicine.

Sea buckthorn fruits retain their beneficial properties well when frozen. Therefore, housewives often put berries in the freezer to use them in the winter. fresh or prepare tinctures. Vitamin berries cope with a large number ailments. Favors hair growth and condition, brings it back to normal skin person.

The fruits contain a large amount, about 2% fatty oil, mannitol and quercetin - substances belonging to the group of vitamins P. Quercetin, also known as rutin, helps improve kidney function, is responsible for healthy heart muscle, warns cancer, frailty, increases endurance, cures osteoporosis of bone tissue.

A glass of fresh berry juice contains:

• 200-400 mg of ascorbic acid;
• about 0.02 mg% vitamin B1, 0.05 mg% vitamin B2, 0.8 mg% vitamin B6, 8 mg% vitamin E;
• up to 10 mg% carotene and very small amounts of vitamin F.

The seeds contain even more vitamins:

• up to 0.3 mg% vitamin B1,
• not less than 0.4 mg% vitamin B2
• and up to 14 mg% vitamin E.

Can sea buckthorn be used to treat diseases?

Nowadays, when pharmacies have a huge number of the most different medications from dozens and hundreds of diseases, but many people still strive to treat themselves and their loved ones with natural remedies. Not everyone knows for certain what ailments sea buckthorn can save from, what medicinal properties it has, and exactly how it can be used to treat a particular disease.

By the way, a plant such as sea buckthorn was previously used not only as medicinal plant. But it also helped care for the skin, which made it no less popular not only in medicine, but also in cosmetology.

What is sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is a tall thorny shrub belonging to the Lokhov family. It can reach a height of at least four meters. Its leaves have an elongated shape and can be not only green, but also grayish-white.

This shrub grows in the Caucasus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. Its flowering begins around May. The most remarkable thing is that this plant is pollinated exclusively by the wind.

The berries of this shrub taste a little like pineapple. And in themselves, with their bright color, they resemble tiny orange fruits. There is also a seed inside the berries.

People have long been able to cultivate this plant and often plant sea buckthorn on their own plots. Sea buckthorn is a real storehouse of vitamins.

Internal composition of bright berries

Sea buckthorn berries contain neither more nor less, but practically all the vitamins known to science today. In particular, they have a lot of vitamin C inside. It is also ascorbic acid. Well, definitely little oranges!

The main composition of sea buckthorn berries:

• Ascorbic acid;
• Fatty acids;
• Carotenes;
• Oleanolic acid;
• Organic acids;
• Pectins;
• Saccharides;
• Tocopherols;
• Triterpenic acids;
• Ursulic acid;
• Philoquinone.

Among other things, sea buckthorn bark contains serotonin, which is very valuable for the body. Why valuable? So this is the hormone of happiness! A truly invaluable component for the human body.

There is also B-sitosterol. This is a special substance that has an effect on the body, preventing the development of sclerosis. This is especially important for older people. And sea buckthorn contains an order of magnitude more of this substance than any other plant.

Sea buckthorn fruits have a sour and slightly aromatic taste with an unpleasant odor. In their fresh and unprocessed state, they are rarely used in the diet. In the processed state they can be used as a natural watering agent mine complex.

The resulting berry withok because of small quantity oxidative enzyme and strong acidity is stable, can be stored for a long time without losing the vitamins and beneficial properties of sea buckthorn. Juices, marmalades and sweet jellies are made from the berries.

Sea buckthorn: the benefits and harm it can cause to health

Sea buckthorn, beneficial properties and contraindications - this is the first thing a person who decides to try to be treated with this wonderful berry needs to know.

Alternative medicine, regardless of geography, has been widely used since ancient times. healing properties of this plant. Because it is simply irreplaceable for the treatment and prevention of many ailments.

Perhaps its most valuable quality is the restoration of the patient’s strength, increasing the level of hemoglobin, as well as raising the tone of the body weakened by the disease.

It is useful to wash a variety of wounds with decoctions of sea buckthorn leaves. This way they will heal faster and the skin will recover faster. In addition, sea buckthorn is powerful antioxidant, can be a good disinfectant and also an anesthetic.

Sea buckthorn has the best effect on the liver, slows down the growth of any tumors and briefly stops the development of a particular disease. This is especially useful when every minute matters.

If you eat sea buckthorn every day, you can strengthen blood vessels and stimulate metabolic processes. It will also help to quickly cure stomach ulcers or any other disease. digestive system. In addition, it is useful to rinse your mouth with a tincture of sea buckthorn berries to get rid of oral diseases.

And if you drink a decoction from the bark of this plant, you can stop the development of depression and return your own mood to normal. And this is not surprising. After all, as we remember, sea buckthorn bark contains serotonin!

When is it undesirable to take sea buckthorn?

Despite the great benefits that the berry can bring to humans, sea buckthorn also has some limitations. That is, contraindications in which the use of the berries of this plant and its other components is undesirable:

• Diseases of the gallbladder, pancreas, liver;
• High level of sensitivity to carotene;
• Gastritis and other gastrointestinal disorders;
• Kidney stones;
• Low blood pressure;
• Acute cholecystitis.

In addition, people with weakened immune systems should use sea buckthorn with great caution, as allergies may occur.

What diseases can sea buckthorn cure?

Diseases that sea buckthorn helps in the fight against:

• Skin rashes, including acne and smallpox;
• Treats diseases of the urinary system, including gynecological diseases;
• Treats burns skin ulcers, poorly healing wounds, including injuries from radiation;
• Relieves asthma;
• Sea buckthorn berries, juice, decoctions - sea buckthorn in any form is an excellent preventive measure against seasonal viral diseases, including colds;
• Increases cellular activity;
• Increases the health of the mucous membrane covering digestive tract, cures many diseases associated with the stomach and intestines;
• Levels up brain activity, stabilizes cognitive processes;
• Gout;
• Heals the oral mucosa;
• Reduces the feeling of hunger;
• Reduces the risk of the occurrence and subsequent development of cancer cells, actively fights them;
• Slows down inflammatory processes in the body;
• Slows down the aging process, which may be of particular interest to older people;
• Problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• Vision problems;
• Various diseases of the nervous system;
• Sea buckthorn juice can help if the body is severely lacking in vitamins;
• Strengthens the immune system;
• Strengthens blood vessels and lowers cholesterol.

Main dosage forms of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn (berries and more) is used in folk medicine in several formats:

• oil;
• tincture;
• decoction;
• berry juice.
• sea ​​buckthorn jam

The most valuable form that can be created from sea buckthorn berries is sea buckthorn oil. Therefore it is worth considering in more detail.

Sea buckthorn oil: how it is used and its benefits

By processing sea buckthorn berries in a special way, you can obtain an oil rich in carotene and vitamins E and F. Sea buckthorn oil has a bactericidal effect. It is used to treat wounds from frostbite, various skin diseases and as accompanying drug in the treatment of certain forms of cancer.

Sea buckthorn oil is freely sold in pharmacies. It is produced in glass bottles, in dosages of 50, 100 or 200 milliliters. But, of course, you can prepare it at home. Here are a couple of simple and quite inexpensive methods for preparing sea buckthorn oil.

Method one

To make the oil you will need fresh berries. You will definitely need to sort them out, regardless of whether you bought these berries or picked them yourself. This is done so that the stalks or spoiled berries do not get into the oil. You need to wash the sea buckthorn until the water becomes completely clear.

Next you need to squeeze the juice from the berries using a press or a regular juicer. The juice should be poured into a glass or enamel container. It is better not to use metal for making oil. It can cause oxidation of the berry juice, and this may not have the best effect on both the taste and medicinal qualities of the future oil.

So, we have poured the juice, now we need to put it in the dark for the whole day. Over the course of a day, the juice can, so to speak, separate into several components.

The oil itself is very light and lighter than the rest of the liquid, so it will rise to the top. It must be carefully collected with a teaspoon. It is advisable to store the oil in a dark glass bottle. And it’s better to put it in a cool place. Alternatively, place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. There it can be stored for about six months.

Method two

This option is more economical for those who want to cook healing oil sea ​​buckthorn. But there will also be some additional ingredients.

So, the berries need to be sorted, washed and put in the oven to dry. This must be done exactly until the berries become denser and firmer. When the sea buckthorn has cooled, grind it in a coffee grinder. Or any other way if you don’t have a coffee grinder. The main thing is that the consistency of the berries should become similar to flour.

The oil (for example, olive) must be heated to sixty degrees. The quantity should be such as to completely cover the “flour” of sea buckthorn berries. The mass must be mixed well until it has a homogeneous consistency, and then placed in a warm and dark place for a week. During this time, the oil you choose will be maximally enriched with the beneficial properties of sea buckthorn.

The finished butter can be filtered from flour, or you can leave everything as is.

Sea buckthorn tincture

The second most popular and frequently used is sea buckthorn tincture. To prepare it, you can use not only berries, but also twigs and even leaves. But if you decide to take them, then it is advisable to collect the leaves in the summer. Then they will definitely need to be dried. The twigs can be dried along with the leaves, and then brewed into tea.

The tincture is good antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cold remedy. This tincture will save you from depression and even from tuberculosis.

For preparation you will need:

• Dry leaves or finely broken twigs - 1 tablespoon;
• Hot water – 1 glass.

Pour boiling water over the sea buckthorn, let it boil in a water bath and leave to simmer under a closed lid for about half an hour. After this, filter and dilute with water to a volume of one liter. It should be taken for about two weeks. Half a glass three times a day.

How will this tincture help:

• Cures diseases respiratory system, including tuberculosis;
• Relieves diarrhea and intestinal diseases;
• Treats colds or sleep problems;
• Improves mood;
• Will help with initial stage cancer;
• Stabilizes blood pressure;
• Eliminates inflammation of the oral cavity.

As you can see, sea buckthorn is a very useful plant. And it’s not just its berries that are beneficial. And yet, no matter how useful it is, before using sea buckthorn in treatment, it would be more correct to consult a doctor

Sea buckthorn jam

Raspberry or strawberry jam has not been surprising for a long time. If you really want something extraordinary, then towards the end of August, with the arrival of September, harvest amber berries. The unique sweet and sour taste, and the aroma of the fruit at this time is similar to pineapple.

Sea buckthorn jam is not a standard delicacy, it is interesting, but also tasty and extremely healthy. Orange fruits are easily combined with other berries and fruits, so there are simply countless jam recipes.

We offer you a version of the classic sea ​​buckthorn jam, and you can further diversify the dessert recipe at your own discretion. The jam can be sweeter or sour depending on the amount of sugar. You need to adjust this to your liking. In the standard classic, it is assumed to use 1.3 kg per kilo of berries.

How to make sea buckthorn jam?

1. We choose kilograms of fresh, unspoiled berries. Without leaves and twigs.
2. We wash the selected raw materials and place them in a colander to dry.
3. Pour the dry berries into an enamel bowl and cover with sugar. The berry should release juice; to do this, leave it for 5 hours. For now, you can start sterilizing the jars.
4. Place the syrup with candied sea buckthorn on low heat and simmer until the syrup thickens.
5. Place amber sea buckthorn jam into sterilized jars.

We are sure that on winter evenings, over a cup of tea, you will remember this beautiful shrub more than once!