Herbal medicine - one of the oldest methods of treatment. Over time, it only grows in popularity as herbal medicines have a milder action less likely to cause complications always incorporate vitamins and other biologically active substances, and therefore have a positive effect on the whole organism.

Biological characteristics of chicory

Chicory - herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the family Asteraceae, and has a powerful high rough stalk (up to 1, 2 m) long and fleshy root. Basal leaves of chicory pinnate, lanceolate, alternate. Flowers bright blue with reed petals, collected in the axils of leaves in the inflorescence. It blooms from June to September. Before the start of flowering chicory few years consists only of basal leaves. The fruits - achenes ripen in July-September.

Chicory growing in central Russia, the North Caucasus, the Urals, western Siberia in dry sunny places. With the purpose of treatment using roots, flower baskets, the tops of plants, fruits and juice.

The chemical composition and medicinal properties

The chicory root contains glycosides (eg tsikorin, which has a calming, choleretic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect), the polysaccharide inulin (a natural stimulant of the normal intestinal microflora - prebiotic), pectin (gelled intercellular substance - they also belong to the polysaccharides and have antimicrobial and protivotoksicheskoe activity), a small amount of vegetable proteins, simple sugars (glucose, levulose), tannins (stopped diarrhea), B-vitamins (including choline). The aerial parts also contain a large amount of inulin.

Chicory normalizes metabolism Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting , Displays the body of toxins and metabolic products (including "harmful" cholesterol), improves appetite, stimulates the digestive glands, promotes removal of stagnation in the biliary tract and gall bladder, restores normal intestinal flora, soothes, normalizes heart rate (heart starts decline much more rarely), it has a diuretic, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, astringent (stops diarrhea), antitumor and antipyretic effect.

The use of chicory in medicine

Chicory has long been used to treat various diseases, as it has many therapeutic properties. Currently, it is used for:

• metabolic disorders, including obesity, atherosclerosis, gout Gout - the "disease of kings" , Tendency to form kidney stones and biliary tract, metabolic diseases of joints and spine;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and the pancreas Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know , Intestine (especially at dysbacteriosis), violation of appetite, diarrhea;
• for liver and biliary tract (violations of motor activity of the biliary tract, bile stasis, inflammation of the gallbladder);
• with nervousness, irritability, weakness post serious illness;
• in the complex therapy for patients with diabetes Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease   (slightly decreased blood sugar);
• as an adjuvant in various tumors;
• as an external agent in the treatment of various skin diseases, wounds, bites of animals and insects, conjunctivitis, stomatitis, inflammation of the joints (arthritis).

Contraindications for use of chicory are idiosyncrasy plants, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcers, compulsive coughing (it can be amplified).

How to prepare and cook the chicory from him medication at home

The aerial parts of chicory are harvested during the flowering and dried in the shade outdoors. The roots dug in autumn, washed thoroughly with cold water, cut into small pieces and dried in an oven at a low temperature.

Drugs of chicory can be prepared in the following ways:

• infusion reception inside: a tablespoon of crushed roots and herbs, pour a glass of boiling water chicory (get the daily dose for one person), insisting for two hours, strain and take 1 / 3- 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day for 30 minutes before meals;
• tincture for external use: four tablespoons of crushed roots and herbs chicory pour two cups of boiling water for two hours and apply for external treatment, making the lotion several times a day;
• fresh juice of chicory: the tops of plants with flowers, crushed in a meat grinder, squeeze the juice and take it on a teaspoon three times a day, adding it into milk;
• dried herbs steamed in boiling water, wrapped in a thick cloth and put to severe pain in the joints.

Chicory - a real natural pharmacy, but in order to correctly apply this wealth, it is better to consult a doctor first.

Galina Romanenko

In recent years, the market appeared a lot of different teas to nursing mothers. Usually, they contain more than one component, and more. Almost always one of these components is fennel. Even in ancient times it was observed that fennel is able to stimulate lactation.

What is so useful is contained in fennel

Fennel appreciated because seed spicy acute and at the same time a sweet flavor and same sweet, slightly spicy taste.

This plant with thin delicate leaves, more like twigs and yellow flowers. Once the plant fades, formed clusters of seeds. They are the main value of the plant. They are collected after they become solid. Fennel seeds are small, elongated, brownish-gray. Special, peculiar only to the smell of fennel is caused by the content of essential oil Essential oils and conception: can help the roses? . Furthermore fennel essential oil contained in fatty oils, vegetable proteins, sugars, vitamins (C, beta-carotene, E, group B).

Fennel essential oil contains large amounts of anethole and fenchone (they give the oil a characteristic taste and smell), anisic aldehyde, organic acid (e.g., anise), pinene and some other biologically active substances.

Why nursing mother taking fennel

Almost every woman in the first months after birth periodically decreases the amount of milk, and this often causes panic. In fact, nothing wrong with that, a woman could transfer mild stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis Do not sleep at last, she was just in a bad mood. All this is reflected in lactation. And it does not need to panic, you just need to take action:

• eat regularly and correctly;
• drink plenty of fluids - about two liters a day (including the first and third courses);
• sleep;
• feed your baby as often as he asks, including at night, the child - it is the main stimulant of lactation;
• use some food as a stimulant of lactation; These products include: soft cheeses (Adygei, cheese), carrots, sunflower seeds, nuts, spices (ginger, cumin, anise, fennel).

With proper nutrition Proper nutrition - the basic precepts of healthy food , Mode of the day and feeding every woman must have milk.

How does the body lactating women

Fennel stimulates the secretion of female hormone estrogen, which in turn have a direct stimulatory effect on the pituitary secretion of prolactin Prolactin - effect on the body is not fully known   - Hormone, under the action of which women develop breast milk. On the other hand fennel has a calming effect on the central nervous system, which also contributes to the normalization of lactation. The expansion of peripheral blood vessels causes the blood flow to the breast, and the removal of spasm with ductal breast promotes the free flow of milk. Together, this causes increased lactation.

But it's not all positive effects of fennel. Nursing mothers know very well how children suffer first months of life from bloating. And if something is wrong with the digestive my mother, the child just will not know peace. Fennel is able to gently regulate digestion, stimulating the secretion of digestive juices and slightly energizing the motor activity of the intestine. This allows the intestines nursing mother time to get rid of stool (constipation Promotes re absorption of toxic substances from the blood in stool) and from gas, which certainly has a positive effect on the quality of breast milk.

In what a nursing mother should eat fennel

Any medications that contain pure fennel hardly fit a nursing mother. The fact that many fennel essential oil, and it has both positive and negative characteristics. Such strong stimulants are not very useful to nursing mothers.

It is necessary to look at the special soluble teas for nursing mothers known companies that specialize in the production of baby food. The composition of almost all such Fennel tea is present, but not alone, but in combination with other herbal remedies. The combined effects of these combinations on the body of a nursing mother thoroughly tested in the laboratory and clinically tested, so they may well be used as a stimulant of lactation.

Fennel is a member of teas to nursing mothers, as "Tea for nursing mothers" (company Humana, Germany), "Tea for nursing mothers" (firm Babushkino Lukoshko, Russia), Tea "Natal for nursing mothers" (firm hippies, Austria ) and others.

Fennel - a wonderful herbal remedy but because of the presence of a large number of biologically active substances it has a dramatic effect, so nursing mothers should treat it with caution.

Galina Romanenko