Rosehip is a very rich source of vitamin C. It is believed that vitamin C is between one to two percent by weight of the hips - is more than citrus fruit. During the Second World War, when the import of citrus fruits in the UK has been limited, the country collected tons of wild rose, to cook from it syrups and teas that are being taken to prevent vitamin C. In Russia, where citrus fruits for many decades of the 20th century were a rarity, Rose hips are actively used as a source of vitamin C and other nutrients.

Use in cooking

In cooking, as a rule, are used rose hips. They are usually red or orange, and some types of berries are dark purple, and even almost black. It is best to collect them after the first frost - exposed to low temperatures, they become bright red and soft.

Rose hips can be used to make apple sauce, soups and stews, syrups, puddings, jellies, cakes, jams and jellies; they are added to various cakes. As a rule, before use of rosehip extract seeds.

Medicinal properties

Rosehip has long been known for its healing properties. In 77 AD, the Roman writer Pliny have thirty-two disorders that effectively treat drug from the hips. Doctors of the Middle Ages was widely used rose hips in their practice.

Proponents of alternative medicine used anti-inflammatory properties of wild rose in the treatment of patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee or hip joints.

Scientists in Denmark have noticed that patients who drank daily rosehip powder, to a much lesser degree of pain and deterioration of joint mobility; improvement in general condition was observed after three to four months of treatment - faster than in patients who were subject only to the traditional methods of treatment. Moreover, the use of powder, significantly reduce the need for patients to painkillers. This effect can be explained by a high content in flavonoids hips - these compounds possess strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Additional properties

Rose hips contain carotenoid pigments, plant sterols, tocotrienols, and a lot of anthocyanins, catechins and other polyphenols, phytochemicals known. They believe that the phytochemicals protect the body against cancer and cardiovascular disease.

In addition, five percent of the weight of rosehip pectin, soluble fiber, which is also useful for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. During clinical trials it was established that rosehips reduces C-reactive protein, thereby reducing the likelihood of heart disease Heart disease and heart attacks: that every woman should know .

In folk medicine, wild rose has long been used as a diuretic and laxative. It is also useful in the treatment of flu Influenza - expect the unexpected but always   and many infections, diarrhea and various disorders of the urinary tract. When used in the correct dose rosehips no side effects.

To make tea from the hips, fill it with dried berries with boiling water (about one tablespoon of berries in a cup of water) and let infuse for at least ten minutes. If you wish, you can brew rose hip with mint leaves Mint and its useful properties: aromatic freshness , Sage Sage - cvyaschennaya grass   or other herbs.

  In the northern forests on the trunks of old birches can sometimes see an amazing fungus that is widely used in folk medicine. He is a parasite on the trunks of many deciduous trees, but the curative effect of the fungus that grows on birch. In people, this fungus is often brewed tea instead and where common is a tradition almost no cancer is found.

What is Chaga and where it grows

Black birch mushroom Chaga - a mushroom from family trutikovyh growing on the trunks of birch, at least - on the trunks of other deciduous trees.

Chaga contains organic acids (vinyl, acetic, formic, oxalic, etc.)., A polysaccharide lignin, phenol resins, sterols, pterins, fiber, minerals (including manganese, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and others).

Externally, it is a shapeless black growths that grow out of the broken tree bark covered with cracks that reach large size and weight to a few kilograms. The inside of the mushroom woody, yellowish-brown, with a lot of light streaks.

Propagated Chaga spores that germinate only in the event of contact with the damaged sections of tree bark. Fungal strands penetrate into the wood, slowly destroying it. The growth sometimes can last for many years and leads to the death of the tree. When a tree dies, under the bark in the body of the fungus spores mature.

Chaga is found in birch forests of our country, often, in more northern areas. It is also in the Eastern Europe, Korea, the United States and Canada.

Medications

Medical raw material is the only shelf fungus that grows on birch trees. Collect mushrooms all year round, but the best time for harvesting is considered to be spring and autumn. Do not collect chaga with dead trees and a bottom of the barrel, as the active ingredients of mushrooms little. Recent growths cut down with an ax, cut into small pieces and dried in a ventilated room or oven at moderate temperatures. Store in a tightly closed glass containers or in plastic bags.

Tea and infusion of fungus

• tea prepared as follows: fungus tablespoons minced, pour a glass of boiling water for 30 minutes and drink as tea;
• infusion: dried mushrooms poured cold boiled water for four hours, after which it is passed through a meat grinder or pound on a grater; One part of minced mushroom was added five parts boiling water temperature of about 50 ° C and infused for two days, then the liquid decanted and the residue was drained and the resulting liquid is added to the water in which soaked fungus; The prepared infusion can be stored for four days, take it to ½ - 1 cup 3 - 4 times a day for half an hour before meals.

Pharmacies Chaga is sold as a drug based on the extract Befungin (drawing) of the fungus.

Indications and contraindications for use

Chaga has antispasmodic (relaxes the smooth muscles of blood vessels and internal organs, thus removing the pain), a diuretic, analgesic, antimicrobial, laxative, slows the growth of tumors of different origin (if the tumor is in its initial stage, the Chaga may suspend its development), normalize the activity gastrointestinal tract and enhances the protective properties of the body (immune system). Its constituent substances are natural biostimulants, improves metabolic processes in the body.

Apply infusions fungus in gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastritis Gastritis - several stomach disorders   with reduced secretion, polyps on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, malignant tumors of any localization (not excluding medication and other treatments). Infusion can be used also in the form of enemas for tumors of the gastrointestinal tract.

The course of treatment with the fungus - a few months, turning where you can make small breaks.

When drug treatment on the basis of the fungus is better to observe the patient milk-vegetable diet, limit the intake of meat, animal fats, canned foods, sausages and smoked meats.

Contraindications drugs based on the fungus is idiosyncrasy of this plant. In continuous and prolonged use of drugs fungus in some patients there is increased excitability of the autonomic nervous system in the form of mood swings Mood swings in women - bad character or a disease?   and blood pressure Blood pressure - dangerous if his swing? , Heart attacks, etc., which disappears when you remove the drug.

Chaga-wonderful folk remedy uses including the treatment of tumors. But do not think that the tumor can be cured only chagoy, its reception should be combined with medication prescribed by the doctor.

Galina Romanenko