How to make a fragrant and pleasant smell in a bath: essential oils, herbal infusions and flavorings. Wormwood: beneficial properties and harm Wormwood broom its properties

Since ancient times, wormwood has been especially valued for its unique healing properties. After all, even the name itself is literally translated from ancient Greek as “health.”

This plant, releasing its characteristic aromas in the room, disinfects the air, so our ancestors used wormwood smoke to fumigate houses, especially in those days when a deadly epidemic was raging. Several varieties of wormwood are found in nature. One type is prescribed for nervousness and irritability, another for relieving headaches, a third for cleansing the body, and so on.

Bathing procedures with a wormwood broom will undoubtedly benefit the body. But even in this moment there are several nuances that must be taken into account:

Wormwood has a unique aroma that may not be to everyone's taste. If a person cannot tolerate the smell of vermouth or martinis, which contain wormwood, then it is best to avoid using the analyzed herb in the bathhouse.
During pregnancy, bathing procedures are most often contraindicated for women, and they will have to refuse to use wormwood brooms altogether.
Taking into account the advice of experienced bath attendants, you should not make a bath broom only from wormwood. The fact is that the stem of this grass is not particularly strong, so under the influence of heat and hot water it immediately becomes soft. To extend the life of a healing bath broom, you should simply add a couple of wormwood stems to a birch or linden base. The result will be a broom with unique healing properties, and the cloying aroma of wormwood can be “diluted” a little.

It is imperative not to forget that any type of vegetation that is considered medicinal can benefit the human body only if you know how to use it correctly. And, of course, the wormwood broom is no exception to this rule. Bath procedures with wormwood should be started carefully, using no more than 2 branches, while controlling the reaction of your own body.

Many gynecological diseases are treated with medications based on wormwood. The composition is also used to heal affected areas that may occur due to insect bites.

Wormwood received such unique properties due to the presence of essential oils, which include ketones and aldehydes, which have excellent disinfecting properties.

Taking into account the advice of experienced herbalists, wormwood tincture should be taken (with the approval of a doctor, of course) by those who will need to take exams in the near future. The fact is that a properly designed course of taking wormwood helps improve both a person’s mental abilities and his memory.

Composition, types, features

Aromatic plants and bath brooms can create a favorable atmosphere and aromas for a bath.

Plants

To create aromatic and pleasant steam during the construction of baths, special tree species with a high content of aromatic substances are used. Thus, pine needles are used for the frame, linden and aspen are used for interior decoration, and cedar or oak are used for decorative elements.

To create a cozy and healthy microclimate in the finished room, fresh or dried herbs and plants can be used, scattered on the floor, laid out on floor beams or hung on the walls. The best choice for a bath is herbs harvested with your own hands in ecologically clean regions.

For example, birch and pine branches, linden leaves and wormwood for a bath can saturate the steam with a soft and unique aroma, improve well-being and lift your mood.

Walls and ceiling surfaces can be sprinkled with pine tincture for disinfection and relaxation. Plants placed on the floor help heal microcracks in the heels, improve blood circulation and relieve fatigue in the legs.

Bath brooms

It’s hard to imagine a Russian steam room without a traditional attribute – a bath broom made from aromatic herbs. A natural bath broom provides an intense massage, warming up the muscle corset, improving blood circulation and a pleasant aroma.

Bath brooms are made from birch and oak branches, and in rare cases, spruce branches. Since ancient times, brooms made from birch branches have been used in steam rooms. They are distinguished by a high content of tanning components, vitamins and persistent aromatic substances, which can remain on human skin for up to 8 hours.

No less popular is a broom made from oak leaves containing tannins, which have a powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. Oak broom has found its use in the prevention of diseases of the skin, joints and hypertension.

To get the maximum effect from the bath procedure, you need to steam the brooms correctly. Before use, brooms are immersed in cold water for 10–15 minutes, then immersed in hot water for 3 minutes. This will help soften hard leaves and saturate the air with tannins.

Preparing a coniferous broom is slightly different from previous options. To soften the needles, the product is immersed in hot water for 12 minutes. This attribute is not recommended for use by people with sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions.

Some bath attendants welcome the use of eucalyptus and nettle brooms for baths. How to use such brooms correctly without harm to health? The whole secret lies in pre-steaming them.

Before starting the procedures, brooms are dipped in boiling water for 2 minutes, then in cold water for 4 minutes. For a broom made of eucalyptus, one procedure is enough, for a product made from nettle – up to 4 operations. They are recommended for people who have joint diseases, lumbar pain, and salt deposits.

Infusions after steaming brooms can be used to obtain aromatic steam, for example, by watering stones or the walls of the steam room. In addition, they are useful as rinses - they quickly eliminate dandruff and itching, strengthen hair follicles and prevent hair loss.

The plant is distributed on all continents of the northern hemisphere. The Latin name Artemisia is associated with the name of the goddess Artemis, who, according to legend, patronized women and used medicinal herbs to assist in childbirth. The benefits of wormwood for the body were also known in Ancient Rus', where brooms were knitted from branches for baths, decoctions were prepared to help with heat and fever, and infusions were used to treat drunkenness.

In Russia, bitter (or white) and common wormwood, also known as Chernobyl, are found everywhere. Decorative varieties have been bred and used in landscape design. Broad-leaved wormwood is a rare species and is listed in the Red Book. In homeopathy, lemon or medicinal wormwood is used, popularly called “God’s tree”. Tarragon, or tarragon (Artemísia dracunculus), is cultivated for the production of spices and the carbonated drink of the same name.

The healing effect of the herb is due to its composition, which includes biologically active components:

terpenoid compounds, amino acids;
resinous, tannic, mucous substances;
micro- and macroelements, which include iron, potassium, zinc, copper, sulfur, magnesium, nickel, calcium;
essential oil containing thujol, phellanderene, thujone;
resins, bitterness, glycosides, tannins;
saponins, phytoncides, chamazulene;
vitamins of groups A, C, B, PP.

The plant is included in choleretic and gastric herbal preparations; essential oil and alcohol tincture are also sold in pharmacies. Wormwood extract is present in a number of pharmacological preparations.

The medicinal raw materials are the upper parts of flowering stems and roots. Products based on perennials have a complex effect on the body systems:

stimulate the secretion of gastric juice, stimulate appetite, fight flatulence;
clean the gallbladder ducts, help remove sand and small stones;
in combination with soda or hydrogen peroxide, they destroy helminths;
normalize intestinal motility;
have a positive effect on hematopoietic function, accelerate the restoration of damaged tissues;
relieve pain from arthrosis, rheumatism, relieve heaviness and swelling from varicose veins;
stop the proliferation of pathogenic microflora and fungi;
improve skin condition, reduce sweating;
due to the antioxidant effect, they renew cells and stop their mutations;
normalize night sleep, relieve symptoms of stress, reduce anxiety, and prevent seizures in epilepsy.

Douching with wormwood is used in gynecology for inflammatory processes, genital tract infections, and thrush. The oral use of medicinal products is beneficial: pain and discomfort during menstruation are reduced, the cycle is normalized, and hormonal levels are adjusted. For irritability during menopause, wormwood has a mild sedative effect. Taking infusions is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

For men

Wormwood infusions are used as part of complex therapy for prostatitis, impotence, and genitourinary system infections. Oral consumption relieves withdrawal symptoms after drinking alcohol. Wormwood is used for alcoholism in herbal preparations. The perennial increases male strength and prevents heart disease due to its magnesium and potassium content.

The herb has the ability to disinfect the air, restore strength, and increase tone. Ordinary, lemon, bitter, paniculate wormwood are suitable for the sauna. To prepare raw materials, cut off the upper fragments of stems with flowers. Without washing, the plants are tightly tied into bunches and hung to dry in a well-ventilated place, protected from direct sunlight.

Brooms do not have high strength; under the influence of water and steam, the grass softens, so it is more practical to add tree branches - oak, birch. It is useful to hang aromatic bundles in a steam room, where essential oils are released under the influence of moisture and high temperature. Such procedures relieve headaches, fatigue, help you relax, and improve your well-being.

Wormwood is also used in the bath for making steaming teas. Dried leaves and inflorescences are crushed, placed in a cotton bag, and immersed in boiling water for 15–20 minutes. After brewing the infusion, the liquid is poured onto the hot stones. When evaporated, the air is filled with a bitter, spicy odor. To enhance the healing effect, use mixtures of herbs: thyme, chamomile, mint, eucalyptus, sage.

The plant repels insects. Gardeners prepare decoctions from it to get rid of pests. At home, the grass is used as a repellent against mosquitoes, flies, and midges. The tart smell has an irritating effect on cockroaches, fleas, and bedbugs, forcing them to hide or move to another room. However, wormwood is only a temporary measure: chemical insecticides will be required to destroy insects and their larvae.

When used carefully, the herb will help maintain health and beauty. Before using herbal remedies, it is useful to make sure that there is no allergy to wormwood or other contraindications to its use.

It is not at all difficult to prepare wormwood stems, which can later be used as an addition to the base of a linden, oak or birch broom, on your own, following the advice and recommendations of experts:

The best time for collecting is considered to be the last stage of wormwood flowering.
Different varieties of medicinal herbs bloom at different times, so you should control this process yourself.
For use in a bath, you should choose the following varieties of wormwood:

medicinal or ordinary;
bitter or lemon;
paniculate variety.

You need to collect wormwood branches for preparing bath brooms before the grass stems dry out. If the collection period is missed, the dried herb will not be able to “survive” until the bath procedures. Wormwood brooms, like other analogues, should be dried in a well-ventilated place that is not exposed to direct sunlight.

Wormwood is one of the oldest and medicinal plants on the planet; the following components can be found in its composition:

Natural amino acids;
Organic acids;
Potassium salts;
Vitamins (A, B, C);
Tannins;
Minerals;
Proteins;
Resins;
Bitter glycosides;
Flavonoids;
Alkaloids;
Phytoncides;
Saponins.

Thanks to such a rich composition, the use of wormwood for a bath can provide such beneficial properties as:

Toning the body;
Normalization of the activity of the central nervous system;
Elimination of pain and spasms;
Diuretic effect;
Antifungal action;
Anti-inflammatory effect.

Each bath broom has its own characteristics, for example, one made from wormwood has a strong odor, which ensures air disinfection. But this aroma may not be to everyone’s taste; those who react sharply to various strong odors should avoid using it.

Insecticidal properties

A bath broom with the addition of wormwood is widely used by many bath lovers

Wormwood belongs to the herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae family. Capable of reaching a height of two meters. In addition to its usual name, it is also known as nephroshch, bitterness, vermouth and glisten.

Even in ancient times, the healing potential of wormwood was known as a cardiac stimulant and cleanser for the body, as a remedy for seasickness, etc. The main medicinal raw materials are the leaves and stems of wormwood.

The chemical composition of wormwood (not to be confused with common wormwood) is quite rich. Wormwood herb contains organic acids, tannins, ascorbic acid, bitter sesquiterpene lactones, essential oil containing thujone, thujol, azulene, as well as calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium, molybdenum, nickel , cobalt, etc.

It is necessary to harvest wormwood only in dry weather.

The presence of the above chemicals in the plant provides its pharmacological properties. Wormwood and its preparations have fungicidal (antifungal), bactericidal, cardiac stimulating, anti-inflammatory and choleretic effects on the human body. It has been noted that wormwood preparations (juice, infusions, extracts, tinctures) perfectly stimulate the function of the digestive glands (reflex secretion of additional digestive juice by the glands of the intestines and stomach), which has a beneficial effect on the quality of food digestion.

Artemisia cigars

The plant contains oils that, when burned, create infrared radiation, which has found application in Eastern medicine. Chinese doctors use moxotherapy - heating and cauterization with twisted wormwood wicks or cigarettes. For their production, raw materials are collected in ecologically clean areas and dried under canopies, which helps preserve maximum beneficial properties. The grass is carefully crushed by hand and stuffed into paper cylinders.

Contact and non-contact heating of human biologically active points is used. This method of reflexology does not cause burns. In addition to the thermal effect, during the smoldering process cigars release substances that inhibit pathogenic microflora. Chinese medicine methods can be used for both therapeutic and preventive purposes.

Cauterization is also allowed in children and the elderly. The procedures help strengthen the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria, restore blood circulation, speed up metabolic processes, get rid of cough, runny nose, sinusitis, and relieve pain in diseases of blood vessels, joints, and spine. The use of moxotherapy is recommended for sleep disorders, nervous disorders, and depression.

Preparation of brooms from wormwood stems

No less popular is the herbal bath - the use of aromatic herbs for the preparation of medicinal infusions and steaming.

Bath infusions have a pleasant aroma, which is enough to quickly saturate the air in the steam room. During the process of herbal inhalation, beneficial compounds penetrate through the upper respiratory tract and are carried along with the blood to all systems of the body.

What plants can be used to prepare medicinal infusions and teas? Since bath herbs have the same powerful effect on the body as medications, they are therefore widely used for preventive and therapeutic purposes during bath procedures.

In order for bath infusions to be beneficial and provide a high therapeutic effect, you need to know in what cases each type of plant can be used.

Antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects - chamomile, eucalyptus, calendula, oak bark, sage, linden.
Sedative and calming effect - mint, lemon balm, chamomile, linden, lemongrass.
Normalization of blood pressure - hawthorn and motherwort.
Tonic effect - wormwood, juniper and rose.
Relieving nervous tension and fatigue - pine, fir, juniper, eucalyptus, thyme.
Anti-cold and expectorant - eucalyptus, lavender, linden, thyme, sweet clover.
Accelerate metabolism, strengthen the immune system, detoxify the body - lavender, chamomile, mint.

To get the maximum effect from bath procedures, it is recommended to use fresh herbal infusions and bath steams. Steaming for a bath based on medicinal plants is sold ready-made at the pharmacy - small canvas bags containing the required set of herbs. If desired, you can make this decoction yourself.

To prepare a decoction for a bath with your own hands, you should first buy medicinal herbs at your discretion. We brew the decoction according to the recipe strictly in compliance with the proportions proposed by the manufacturer.

Bath brooms

The benefits of wormwood in the bath are also possible when using steaming and decoctions from it. Parking is very easy to do:

The collected herbs are poured with boiling water and left for about two hours before going to the bathhouse.
Next, the broth is filtered and poured onto the heater. You should ensure that the steaming does not contain any impurities from the leaves, which will burn after drying.

To achieve greater effect, experts advise steaming fresh herbs.

Unlike the sauna, Russian baths are always used not only for washing, but also for healing the body. For this, in addition to a broom, steaming and decoctions from extracts of many plants, including medicinal ones, are used. Healing substances with steam instantly enter the lungs and then into the blood. In addition, the aroma released by herbs creates a unique bouquet of odors in the steam room.

Many plants used for steaming and decoction can be collected near the summer cottage, or directly on it. It is better to go out to collect in the first half of the day, so that the herbs are completely dry from the dew, but have not yet given up their essential odorous substances to the sun. All harvested herbs must be clean and absolutely untouched by insects. Herbs are collected before the peak of plant flowering, when they contain a maximum of active components.

Steamer for the bath

Steaming for a bath is a mixture of dried medicinal herbs and plants, ground to a size of 5-10 mm. Drying herbs should be done in a dry, dark room with good air ventilation. After the drying process is completed, the herbs are packaged in glass jars, covered with tight lids and placed in a cool, dark place.

Mixing collections or storing them strictly according to the type of plant is an individual matter. There is one thing in common: be sure to stick labels on the jars indicating the time of collection, because... The shelf life of herbs varies. A collection of herbs, flowers, and leaves lasts no more than 1 - 2 years. A collection of fruits and berries is stored for 3 - 4 years.

Before steaming in a bathhouse, the mixture of dried herbs is placed in a bag made of natural canvas, not dyed. The bag is placed in a tub of hot water and steamed for 15 minutes. After which, this water is thrown onto the stones of the sauna stove.

Decoction for the bath

It is best to prepare a decoction of medicinal herbs for a bath, using several components. Typically, the decoction is prepared in the following proportion: for 3–4 liters of water you need to take 70–100 grams of a mixture of various medicinal plants. The mixture of dry herbs is poured into an enamel bowl, then poured with boiling water and put on fire.

After the water boils, you need to reduce the burner heat to a minimum. And leave to infuse for 5 - 7 minutes. Next, you need to cool the broth without opening the lid of the pan. And then it must be strained through a double layer of gauze. The resulting decoction should be stored in a cool, dark place for no longer than two days.

The resulting broth is thrown onto the hot stones of the sauna stove.

Herbs for steaming and decoction for baths

Field mint is considered one of the most useful plants for a bath. It is an excellent stimulator of brain activity and also expands the airways, which makes it indispensable for colds. Mint perfectly relieves swelling, headaches and promotes digestion. In addition, mint has a pleasant, incomparable smell.

If you want to relieve irritation and refresh your skin, then take mint with you. Also, this herb will help you eliminate all incipient colds. Mint has a good effect on the respiratory tract.

St. John's wort

By itself, a decoction of St. John's wort, when applied to stones in a bathhouse, does not give a strong odorous odor, but together with other herbs it creates a kind of “bouquet”. But most importantly, St. John's wort adds many physiologically active substances to the bath steam.

Chamomile is irreplaceable in the bath. Its flowers are rich in essential oil, vitamin C and carotene. Chamomile strengthens the immune system and helps fight infection. It can be used to calm the body after a hard day at work. Chamomile is a wonderful antiseptic and also has a calming effect.

Wormwood relieves fatigue, drowsiness and helps get rid of fine wrinkles. Using wormwood for a bath, with the help of essential oils contained in the plant, you can improve memory, relieve headaches, increase efficiency, and get rid of nervous and muscle tension.

And if after the bath you want to go somewhere, then use hops during the bath procedure. He will give you strength.

And if you are worried about insomnia, then linden will help you. Linden can be used as aromatherapy. After this smell, you will have a good dream. Linden will speed up the process of sweating and help those who want to lose weight.

Yarrow

The aroma of yarrow will help with problem skin. Cracks and small wounds will heal quickly and the skin will become soft and tender.

Horseradish steam will help you fight colds. Pour the horseradish tincture into the oven. A pleasant smell of forest, nature, horseradish will immediately appear. Inhale these pleasant smells, and then you won’t care about any cold.

Valerian helps strengthen the cardiovascular system and also has a calming effect on the nervous system. The use of valerian should be considered carefully, since not every person has a positive attitude towards this plant.

Black currant

Black currant leaves also help with colds and restore strength after a serious illness with the flu.

Spruce and pine needles

Inhaling air filled with aromatic pine vapors calms the nerves, increases the overall tone of the body and has a beneficial effect on the human respiratory organs. Being an excellent inhaler, essential oils of coniferous plants have an antimicrobial and disinfectant effect on the body.

Conventionally, lovers of bath procedures are divided into three groups - the first cannot imagine bath procedures without wormwood, the second are indifferent whether it is there or not, and the third cannot stand the smell of wormwood in the bath. This is worth taking into account.

Our olfactory organs play a big role and can have both healing and aggravating effects during bath procedures. In addition to wormwood broom, there are other healing herbs that can be successfully added to mixed bath brooms. You can try to pick one of them.

The use of wormwood infusions during bath procedures has a strong healing effect on the body for diseases such as epilepsy, fainting, insomnia, neurasthenia, anemia, paralysis, migraine, fever, pulmonary tuberculosis, obesity, hypertension, rheumatism, bronchial asthma, gastritis, heartburn, flatulence, peptic ulcer of the duodenum and stomach, liver and gallbladder diseases, enterocolitis, pancreatic diseases, gout, cholera, hemorrhoids, helminthiases, edema.

Wormwood infusions are known for their healing potential

By the way, for people suffering from alcohol addiction, taking an infusion of bitter wormwood also has a beneficial effect.

Harvesting wormwood, as a rule, begins during its flowering period (this is approximately June-August). The harvested plant should be dried and stored, like all bath herbs and brooms - in a shaded, well-ventilated place - attic, under a canopy, sheds, etc. Wormwood grass is tied in small bunches and hung on a stretched cord. Or it is laid out (in a layer no thicker than 5 cm) on pre-spread dry hay.

It is best to store already dried wormwood brooms for a bath in cardboard boxes - the dried wormwood stems break easily. Dried twigs of wormwood retain their healing potential for up to two years. Nevertheless, it is always better to use freshly harvested wormwood broom in a bathhouse - fortunately, this plant can be easily found in almost every region of Russia.

At the moment of flowering, wormwood looks like a mimosa - it’s time to harvest it

This is where we will stop. Don’t forget that if a wormwood broom for a bath is not suitable for you, then I assure you in the following articles we will definitely choose something worthwhile and useful for ourselves.

Wormwood for a bath – a natural way to improve the body’s health

The bathhouse has long been a place where people came not only to wash themselves, but also to improve their health, improve their overall well-being, and get rid of stress. The main procedures in the bathhouse are warming up the body and aromatherapy with various medicinal herbs. In ancient times and today, bath brooms are made from herbs; their healing effect is enhanced with essential oils.

Various types of herbs and essential oils are used for procedures, depending on the purpose being pursued. Today, the bathhouse is not only a place for healing the body, but also, if desired, a spa salon.

Weight loss

A properly prepared infusion from the plant improves the functioning of the digestive system and helps cleanse the body of harmful substances and toxins. Since not all varieties of wormwood can be used for treatment, you need to prepare raw materials with caution: plants may look similar, but differ in composition and properties. Taking a decoction of them can easily lead to poisoning. For those who are familiar with the perennial only by description, it is safer to buy wormwood in a pharmacy.

In recipes for products that help you lose weight, both a combination of medicinal plants and an infusion of wormwood in its pure form are used. To make it, brew two teaspoons of raw material with 300 ml of boiling water, close tightly, and leave for half an hour. After filtering the solution, drink 15 ml three times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Powder

A mixture of pureed flaxseeds, cloves, and wormwood leaves helps to get rid of excess weight and destroy helminths. The ingredients are taken in equal proportions, the collection is taken dry, one teaspoon at a time, washed down with liquid. Cleansing the body stimulates metabolism and accelerates the process of losing weight.

Prepared in the summer from fresh root leaves of the plant, cut before flowering. For this you will need bitter wormwood. The collected raw materials are placed in a jar without crushing or pressing. Pour unrefined olive oil, close it, and place it in a dark, cool place for 10 days. After filtering, drink 15 ml half an hour before meals.

Before brewing wormwood, boil water and let it cool to 80–90 degrees. A tablespoon of raw material is steamed with 250 ml of liquid, left for 5–10 minutes, and filtered. To enhance the antioxidant and cleansing effect, add lemon. The resulting brew is drunk without adding sugar.

Herbs for baths

Wormwood is most often used in the bath, as the herb has antiseptic properties.

It is capable of destroying many types of bacteria and harmful microorganisms when inhaling its vapors, and also helps to relax and calm the nervous system.

This plant is successfully used for the following diseases:

Rheumatism;
Diseases of the cardiovascular system;
Colds.

Regular use of it in the bath will be an excellent prevention against viral and bacterial infections during the cold season. Aromatherapy in a bath with this type of herbs will improve performance and strengthen the immune system.

Another herb that is actively used in bath procedures is mint, which has a disinfectant effect, improves the functioning of the digestive tract, relieves nausea, and normalizes the functioning of the heart and lungs.

Melissa is also often used in the bath, which calms the nervous system and irritated skin, relieves tension, relaxes muscles, and has a beneficial effect on sleep.

Steamer for the bath

Decoction for the bath

St. John's wort

Yarrow

Valerian

Black currant

Spruce and pine needles

Alcoholism

To treat drunkenness at home, medicinal herbs are used. The patient’s attitude is important - if he is aware of the problem and strives to get rid of alcohol addiction, the likelihood of success increases. To develop an aversion to alcohol, prepare an infusion of wormwood and thyme, taken in a ratio of 1 to 4.

An infusion is also made from wormwood, juniper berries, angelica roots, centaury, mixed 1 to 1. Three tbsp. l. The raw materials are placed in a thermos and 750 ml of boiling water is poured in for brewing. Leave overnight, filter, consume 200 ml three times a day an hour before meals. According to reviews, the combination of centaury herb with wormwood effectively helps alcoholics cope with cravings for alcohol.

Cosmetology

The bactericidal and regenerating properties of the plant are used for acne and pimples. Rubbing with a herbal solution cleanses the skin and speeds up the healing of damage. For dermatitis and eczema, the infusion reduces itching, relieves irritation and redness on the body. Essential oil regulates the functioning of the sebaceous glands, stimulates cell renewal, giving the skin a fresh, radiant appearance.

Cooking

Tarragon wormwood is widely used in canning, preparing soft drinks, and as a seasoning for meat, poultry, rice, and eggs. Gives food a spicy taste and is used to flavor liqueurs, wines, and vodka. In France, tarragon vinegar is popular for dressing salads and salted fish.

Chernobyl with a low degree of bitterness has also found application in cooking: the herb is added to sauces, marinades, and seasoned with game to add spiciness and flavor. Fragrant lemon wormwood is used as a spice when frying meat, and together with juniper fruits it is added to the dough for homemade bread. Indigenous peoples of the North use young wormwood to cook their national dish - fish soup.

Contraindications

The medicinal plant is used for the following types of ailments:

For stomach diseases

A herbal decoction successfully fights pain and cramps in the stomach if taken three times a day. The plant also helps cure digestive disorders, flatulence, and inflammation of the rectum. You can take it in the form of wormwood tea or alcohol tincture.

For fever

For this type of disease, wormwood is used as an antipyretic.

For neurasthenia

Wormwood infusion is good for neuroses, insomnia and migraines. Baths and saunas with wormwood are also used for these purposes.

Also, a tincture of this herb in alcohol helps fight depression and improves body tone.

For tuberculosis

As an adjuvant therapy, wormwood decoction is often prescribed in the treatment of tuberculosis and other lung diseases.

The benefits and harms of wormwood in the bath have long been one of the most discussed issues. Taking a steam bath using this plant is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, those people who suffer from asthma, stomach ulcers, anemia, or who are allergic to this herb.

They should also refrain from taking medications with this plant. Wormwood is a fairly useful whole plant and can help cure many diseases, but it also has a specific smell and some restrictions on taking medicines from it and bathing procedures using it.

In order for therapy with this herb to be successful and not cause side effects, proportions and dosages must be observed when preparing various potions from it.

For fever

For neurasthenia

The beneficial properties of well-known wormwood have long been noted by both traditional healers and in the medical field. In medicine, drugs based on wormwood are prescribed to treat many diseases:

Many gynecological diseases are treated with medications based on wormwood. The composition is also used to heal affected areas that may occur due to insect bites.

We have presented a far from complete list of diseases for which it is recommended to use wormwood or tinctures based on it. Therefore, we can confidently say that this plant is beneficial for the human body. But not everything is as simple as it sometimes seems at first glance. The fact is that some of the substances that this herb is rich in can cause harm to humans, especially if you take wormwood for a long period of time and without the approval of your doctor. In order not to harm your health, you should not self-medicate. It is necessary to find out whether wormwood is beneficial or harmful in the bath, which is often added as an additional component to the base that makes up one of the most important bath attributes - a broom.

What are the benefits of wormwood?

Since ancient times, wormwood has been especially valued for its unique healing properties. After all, even the name itself is literally translated from ancient Greek as “health.”

Wormwood received such unique properties due to the presence of essential oils, which include ketones and aldehydes, which have excellent disinfecting properties.

Taking into account the advice of experienced herbalists, wormwood tincture should be taken (with the approval of a doctor, of course) by those who will need to take exams in the near future. The fact is that a properly designed course of taking wormwood helps improve both a person’s mental abilities and his memory.

Bathing procedures with a wormwood broom will undoubtedly benefit the body. But even in this moment there are several nuances that must be taken into account:

Wormwood has a unique aroma that may not be to everyone's taste. If a person cannot tolerate the smell of vermouth or martinis, which contain wormwood, then it is best to avoid using the analyzed herb in the bathhouse.
During pregnancy, bathing procedures are most often contraindicated for women, and they will have to refuse to use wormwood brooms altogether.
Taking into account the advice of experienced bath attendants, you should not make a bath broom only from wormwood. The fact is that the stem of this grass is not particularly strong, so under the influence of heat and hot water it immediately becomes soft. To extend the life of a healing bath broom, you should simply add a couple of wormwood stems to a birch or linden base. The result will be a broom with unique healing properties, and the cloying aroma of wormwood can be “diluted” a little.

Prepare wormwood stems, which can later be used as an addition to the base of a linden, oak or birch broom,
It’s not at all difficult to do on your own, following the advice and recommendations of experts:

The best time for collecting is considered to be the last stage of wormwood flowering.
Different varieties of medicinal herbs bloom at different times, so you should control this process yourself.
For use in a bath, you should choose the following varieties of wormwood:

medicinal or ordinary;
bitter or lemon;
paniculate variety.

Wormwood is considered the most bitter medicinal plant. But it is precisely this bitterness that makes it useful not only in medicine, but also in cooking.

Properties of wormwood and its composition

Wormwood is rich in essential oil, which contains thujol alcohol, as well as thujone, cadinene, pinene, fellendrop, bisabolone, anabsintin, absinthine, artabsin.
Wormwood contains tannins, inulin, carotene, vitamins: C, B6, K, and phytoncides. The herb wormwood contains protein, starch, and organic acids.
The bitter-spicy taste of wormwood stimulates the appetite, improves the functioning of the pancreas, and enhances digestive activity.
Wormwood herb has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, so drugs based on it are used in the treatment of insomnia, asthenia, and epilepsy.
Wormwood has antipyretic and expectorant effects.
Wormwood is used for gastritis, stomach ulcers, colitis, and hemorrhoids.
Wormwood is recommended for the treatment of cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, hepatitis, and gall bladder.
Wormwood is used in cooking to flavor meat dishes, as well as drinks and vodka.

Where does wormwood grow?

There is probably not a single place where wormwood does not grow. This perennial plant, sometimes reaching a height of up to one and a half meters, is found along roads, rivers, streams, in meadows, pastures, in landfills, in mountainous areas, near housing.

New Year's video recipe:

How and when to collect wormwood

Wormwood blooms in July–August. It is harvested at the beginning of flowering, since it is during this period that it contains the most essential oils.

To collect wormwood, they choose places remote from highways, garbage dumps and industrial enterprises.

Wormwood is not washed before drying, since then it will lose most of its beneficial substances, and it will also be difficult to dry it properly. Therefore, it is recommended to harvest wormwood in ecologically clean areas.

Choose dry, sunny weather when the dew has dried on the plants.

During collection, the flowering tops of the plant, no more than 25 cm long, without thickened and rough stems, are cut off with sickles. You can also pick off some leaves without petioles, but then it is better to harvest them before flowering begins.

How to dry wormwood

Dry wormwood in the shade, under sheds or in attics, not forgetting to take care of good air ventilation.

The raw materials are laid out in a thin layer on paper or fabric.

The dried raw material consists of thin stems with flowers and leaves of gray-green color. The smell is spicy, wormwood. The taste is bitter.

Store wormwood in a hermetically sealed container separately from other herbs. Shelf life 1-2 years.

When to collect wormwood for absinthe

Absinthe is a strong wormwood vodka that contains from 40 to 72% alcohol, up to 10% wormwood essence, as well as other herbal essences.

Wormwood prepared for absinthe must be free of impurities and free from damage by insects and diseases.

Only leaves and flowers are prepared for absinthe, since the stems do not contain the amount of essential oils that is so important in preparing the tincture. Most essential oil is formed in the tops of plants during mass flowering or immediately before it.

For absinthe, it is best to use wormwood, which contains about 60% thujone. But in wormwood there is only 1% of this substance.

For absinthe, dried wormwood herb is stored in a hermetically sealed container so that the essential oils do not erode. This condition must also be met when storing other herbs that are added to absinthe. These are anise seeds, hyssop, fennel, lemon balm, angelica, juniper, nutmeg.

Harvesting wormwood for a bath

Wormwood for baths is harvested during the flowering period, because the plant accumulates the most useful substances at this time.

To do this, cut off the flowering leafy tips of shoots up to 25 cm long.

Wormwood is dried in bunches, hanging with the tops down. And during bath procedures, these bunches are hung in different places in the room, and then they begin to release phytoncides and essential oils in the hot and humid air.

The smell of wormwood raises vitality, restores strength, and improves mood.

Wormwood in cooking

In cooking, they use common wormwood - Chernobyl, which differs from wormwood in having reddish flowers (bitter wormwood has yellow flowers).

For this purpose, wormwood leaves are air-dried, then crushed in a mortar and sifted.

This powder is added to salads and meat dishes, such as roasts.

Well, what would a bathhouse be without a sharp and fragrant broom! It’s not for nothing that they say: “In a bathhouse, a broom is the boss of everyone.” In order for a broom massage to only benefit your health, it should be prepared correctly.

It is best to cut branches for a broom in the thicket of the forest or on lawns. Under no circumstances cut branches from trees growing along the roadsides, as they absorb dust, dirt, harmful resins and heavy metals, which you will also get in the steam room.

Brooms should be prepared at the beginning of summer, because the leaves have already become stronger, which will help the broom serve you as long as possible. The most suitable are biennial branches growing closer to the ground.

After cutting the branches, lay them out on the balcony for two days, having first spread burlap or matting under them. Only after the branches have withered can you knit a broom.

First, decide on the size of the broom. Usually its length is 40–80 cm. Try to choose the same branches. Clear the ends of the broom a third of the length from the leaves (the so-called handle), tie tightly in two places - at the beginning and at the end of the handle, and then tie the broom handle with a rope turn to turn and be sure to wrap it with a soft cloth to avoid the formation of calluses. The handle should not be too thin or thick.

So, the broom is ready. How to properly dry and store it?

There are several methods, but a prerequisite is to dry it in the shade, because in the sun the leaves curl into tubes and burn out, lose their aroma and quickly fly off. You only have to steam this broom once, and all the leaves will float in the basin.

The best option: dry and store brooms in a cool (but not drafty), dark, dry room, hanging or folded. A dressing room or attic of a bathhouse, as well as a balcony, garage, and closet are ideal for these purposes. However, a broom suspended on a clothesline takes on the shape of a broom, and the leaves quickly fall off.

We can offer another option for storing brooms - in a haystack (this is acceptable only for residents of rural areas). To do this, the brooms are placed with the leaves inside the stack and the handles outside. In this case, the broom takes on a fan-shaped shape.

City residents can be advised to store bath brooms in the freezer, having previously packed them in a plastic bag. A frozen broom retains its properties, so when thawed, the quality is similar to a fresh one. There is no need to steam such a broom.

After use, it should be repacked in a plastic bag and put back in the freezer.

If it turns out that you have dried out the broom, do not be upset. Steam it for a short time in hot water and then place it on the heater. The steam emanating from it will steam a damaged broom.

After this, do not forget to remove the loose leaves from the hot stones, otherwise you will have to inhale not the aroma of a fragrant broom, but the fumes.

You can use the water in which the broom was steamed to wash your body and head.

There is another way to steam a dry broom. 10–15 hours before visiting the steam room, hold the broom in cold water and wrap it in a wet rag. It will become soft and the leaves will not fly off.

If a visit to the bathhouse was not planned, then you can steam the broom directly in the steam room.

To do this, lower it into a basin, fill it with boiling water and cover it so that steam does not escape from under the lid. In 10 minutes the broom will be ready.

Which broom should you choose? After all, the leaves of a particular tree have their own special healing effect. Let's consider the properties of each, and you will choose the one that is most suitable for you.

The healing properties of birch leaves, buds, and sap have been known for a long time, so using a broom made from the branches of this tree in a steam room will have a beneficial effect on the entire body.

Birch leaves contain tannins, essential oil, vitamin C, carotene, and resins. It is best to knit brooms from curly birch, because its branches are flexible and lush.

You cannot do without a birch broom if you have pain and aching joints and respiratory diseases. Well, if you have skin problems - irritation, acne, boils, wounds, abrasions, etc., be sure to pick up a birch broom and go to the steam room. After such a bath procedure, your mood will rise and your strength will increase.

In addition to massage with a broom, compresses from birch bud tincture, which should be done after visiting the steam room, are very helpful for inflammation of the joints. It’s easy to prepare the tincture: pour 1 part of birch buds with 5 parts of 90% alcohol.

It is no coincidence that the ancient Slavs worshiped oak. This tree was considered a symbol of longevity, and also protected against various diseases and troubles. Oak bark and leaves are rich in tannins, so steaming with an oak broom is useful for those with oily skin. Regular bath procedures will help cure various skin diseases, get rid of sweaty feet, and normalize blood pressure (for hypertension). It is best to harvest oak broom in August or September: it is durable and has fairly wide leaves, which makes it easier to generate steam.

Remember how many essential oils and bactericidal substances are contained in linden leaves.

For colds, you just need to steam with a linden broom.

The aroma of linden will not only help you get rid of headaches, but will also have a soothing, relaxing, bronchodilator, and antipyretic effect.

Who doesn't know about the healing properties of eucalyptus? By putting eucalyptus infusion on a heater and inhaling the vapors, you will get an inhalation effect on the larynx, trachea, and bronchi.

In addition, its infusion is used as an antiseptic, and is also used as a compress for various joint pains, bruises, sprains, etc.

Visiting a steam room with a eucalyptus broom has the same healing effect as using its oils or tinctures.

Do not rush to steam with a broom consisting only of eucalyptus branches, because they have a pungent odor.

For the first time, we can recommend mixing several eucalyptus branches with birch, linden or oak. This should also be done because the eucalyptus branches are too thin and when swinging, a lot of effort is spent on generating steam.

The broom is harvested in August.

Nettle broom

Nowadays, it is quite rare to steam with a nettle broom. However, previously, rheumatism, radiculitis, gout, and lower back pain could not be avoided without its burning effect. It was also used to improve blood circulation.

A nettle broom requires careful preparation: to achieve healing properties, dip it in hot water for 1–2 seconds, and to avoid getting burned, place the broom in cold water for 2–3 minutes.

When steaming with such a broom, you will feel a pleasant, barely noticeable tingling sensation.

You can find nettles everywhere. But the most suitable broom is made from stinging nettle, which is cut in early summer.

Juniper has unique medicinal properties. Even the ancient Slavs used the smoke of this plant to exorcise evil spirits, and its branches and cones to treat various ailments.

Juniper contains essential oils, malic and formic acids, sugar, etc.

It is used to treat skin diseases, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, and internal organs.

Juniper decoction helps get rid of dandruff, and its regular use promotes hair growth.

While paying tribute to the beneficial properties of juniper, do not forget that it is listed in the Red Book.

Therefore, if you really want to take a steam bath with such a broom, you will have to grow a tree in your garden plot.

Willow broom is used very rarely due to the thinness and flexibility of the branches. But in vain. Massage with such a broom helps well with rheumatism. Lotions made from willow juice promote rapid healing of wounds.

Maple and viburnum brooms

Have you been suffering from cough, allergies, or skin rashes for a long time? Take a maple or viburnum broom and go to the bathhouse.

Wormwood broom

Sagebrush. This word is associated primarily with weed. However, in Rus' one of its species was called “God’s tree.” For what? It turns out that a wormwood broom in a steam room will help banish colds and get rid of diseases of the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and rheumatism. Rinsing your mouth with wormwood infusion will give freshness to your breath.

If you have sensitive skin, it is better not to use a pine broom.

To make it soft, first pour boiling water over it for 15–20 minutes. You need to prepare not only the broom, but also your body by sitting in the steam room for 5–7 minutes.

Elderberry broom

When steaming with an elderberry broom, try to heat the bath not hot, otherwise the healing effect will disappear. This broom will help you get rid of migraines, eczema, abscesses, rheumatism, and colds forever.

What to do if you didn’t stock up on a broom in advance? Don’t be upset, you can cut a fresh fragrant broom from currant or cherry branches.

However, remember that such brooms are never brewed, because there is a high probability of getting burned - the leaves will instantly boil, become sticky and heavy.

If there are no green spaces nearby and there is nowhere to cut the broom, use a terry towel: take it in the middle and perform the same movements with it as with a broom.

It's time to talk about the most important thing - the broom massage technique and its effect on the body.

A massage with a broom, like the entire bath procedure, tones blood circulation, increases sweating, which leads to improved skin respiration and cleanses the body of toxins. The basis of a broom massage is the following techniques: stroking, whipping, whipping, which must be performed by a partner. The massage is performed with the person being massaged lying down or sitting on a bench, using two brooms. Try to relax as much as possible.

Any massage begins with stroking. To perform this technique, lie on your stomach. Having placed the brooms on the feet, the partner slowly moves them along the calf muscles, thighs, buttocks, then along the arms, starting with the hands, sliding to the neck, while the hands of the person being massaged should lie freely along the body. Then stroking is performed in the opposite direction: from the head to the feet.

The brooms should move along the sides of the body. The technique is repeated 2-3 times.

Lift the brooms up and try to capture hot air with them. Then lower the brooms onto the lower back of the person being massaged, pressing them with your hands for 2-3 seconds, no more. Do a similar technique in the area of the shoulder blades and knee joints. Repeat 3-4 times.

Many people do not tolerate the high temperature of the steam room, so sliding with brooms should be done very slowly, without capturing too much hot air. If, nevertheless, the skin is severely burned, the heat can be removed by applying a hand or a broom to the body, previously cooled in cold water.

To thoroughly warm up certain areas of the body, use a broom to turn up the heat. To do this, you need to quickly move the brooms from one area of the body to another, lifting them at the feet and head. Let's move on to the next technique - quilting. It is done on the back with light strokes in all directions. Next, it is performed on the lower back, buttocks, thighs, calf muscles and feet. Quilting is carried out within 1 minute. The technique is completed with stroking, which should be done more vigorously than at the beginning of the procedure.

The next stage of the massage takes place with the massaged person lying on his back. The techniques of stroking and quilting are repeated, and then the person being massaged turns over onto his stomach. After repeating the above techniques again for 2 minutes, proceed to whipping. Reception begins with the largest area of the body - the back. Lifting the brooms up and capturing hot air, make 2-3 whips in the area of the latissimus muscles. They raise the brooms again and immediately lower them, pressing them with their hands. This technique is performed in the same way on the lower back, buttocks, thighs, legs, and feet.

It is often necessary to warm up the knee joint to increase its elasticity. In this case, placing a broom on the knee joint, holding it with one hand, and holding the leg by the shin with the other, bend it with springy movements. Such a compress is simply necessary for muscle pain, inflammation, radiculitis, gout.

Having made a compress on the feet, we proceed to the next technique - stretching. To perform it, brooms are lowered onto the lower back and at the same time moved in different directions: one broom should slide towards the head, the other towards the feet. Stretching will bring relief to those suffering from pain in the lumbosacral region. It should be done 5-6 times. Finally - stroking.

The second time you enter the steam room and continue the massage, the techniques are performed in the same sequence, but at a faster pace, and finally, rubbing. Taking a broom in your left hand, use the palm of your right hand to press on the leaves of the broom and rub it in all directions. The technique begins from the back, then moves to the buttocks and thighs.

Massaging the limbs is carried out in the longitudinal direction. When performing rubbing, streak and circular movements are performed.

The duration of the second session should be reduced. After the massage, get up gradually: first sit down, then slowly stand up. Don't make sudden movements.

Bath broom

Broom for a wormwood bath. Well, what would a bath be without a sharp and fragrant broom! It’s not for nothing that they say: “In a bathhouse, a broom is the boss of everyone.” In order for a broom massage to only benefit your health,

Wormwood for a bath: all the beneficial properties

Wormwood is a well-known plant that grows everywhere. Many people openly consider it a weed, and if it grows on their plots, they begin to fight it with all their might. They pull it out, pollinate the ground and in every possible way prevent its growth in the future. Although in fact you need to treat it a little differently, since it has a huge number of healing properties. So, for example, if you use wormwood for a bath, you can restore strength, improve tone and lift your mood, no matter how paradoxical it may sound.

Useful properties of wormwood

Wormwood is famous for having a large number of healing properties; it has been very popular since ancient times, and the ancient Slavs sometimes even used it as a medicine.

The following parts of this unsightly-looking herb have special healing powers:

stem;
leaves;
roots.

Wormwood has one of the rarest properties inherent in plants - it can perfectly disinfect the air. A long time ago, when epidemics of plague or cholera were rampant on the planet, bunches of it were set on fire and the houses were fumigated with this smoke, and the plant was also laid on the floor.

Types of wormwood

Wormwood prepared for the bath comes in different types, each of them can have a different effect on the body. It can be:

Lemon wormwood

A plant of this species has an expectorant and analgesic effect, and it also has a positive effect on the blood supply to the heart muscles. For women, it is useful in that it can normalize the menstrual cycle and relieve severe headaches and fever.

Medicinal wormwood

This wormwood can stabilize the digestive system, positively influencing the production of gastric juice and pancreatic enzymes. It also has an excellent choleretic effect.

paniculata

Paniculata has a diuretic property, and the essential oil prepared from it has a laxative property. This plant is also effective in the treatment of radiculitis, and women can use it to normalize the menstrual cycle and make it less painful.

Wormwood

When to collect wormwood and how to dry it

The plant should be harvested during its flowering period, since it is at this time that its stems and leaves contain the most essential oil.

Important: the flowering period is July-August.

It is advisable to collect wormwood away from human habitats, if possible avoiding large industrial enterprises, highways, huge garbage dumps, and so on. After collecting it, it is not recommended to wash it, since this will wash out most of the useful minerals and substances from it, and after that it will be quite difficult to dry it.

When harvesting wormwood for a bath, the collection should be carried out in sunny weather, and make sure that there is no dew on the plants (again, for the same reason for difficulties with drying). Plants should be cut so that the maximum stem length is no more than 25 cm, and care should be taken to avoid any rough or thick stems.

You need to dry wormwood in the shade, taking care of the proper level of air ventilation. You need to lay the stems on fabric or paper in a thin layer so that each of them is completely dry. On average, this takes 5-7 days. After this, the dried wormwood will be tough and have a spicy smell.

How to make a broom from wormwood for a bath

Making a wormwood broom for a bathhouse is very simple: to do this, you need to take several stems and tie them together in the place where the leaves begin to grow. You need to tie it stronger, since wormwood quickly begins to get wet from moisture and loses its strength properties. The fact is that wormwood is a grass, and any grass tends to go limp in water.

They should be used not in the same way as ordinary brooms, but hung in different corners of the bathhouse - this will help distribute the released essential oils, as a result of which the body will gradually become saturated with them. After such a steam room you will feel more fresh, rested and full of energy.

Although, if you collect a lot of stems and make an impressive-sized broom, you can traditionally whip yourself.

You also need to take into account that when preparing brooms, you need to dry the wormwood differently than described above. It must be tied in bunches in advance and hung in a dry and shady place with the tops down.

If a person is prone to allergies, then using such a broom is not recommended, since when exposed to hot steam, wormwood will begin to release esters, which are quite strong allergens. Inhaling them can cause dizziness, and in combination with steam this will lead to more severe allergic reactions. If you don’t know exactly what the effect might be, then for the first time you can try this: just take a couple of stems and weave them into a regular broom. In this case, the smell will not be so strong, and you will understand whether this plant is suitable or not.

Important: baths using wormwood brooms are strictly contraindicated for pregnant women and breastfeeding women!

Other uses of wormwood

Steaming is a mixture of well-dried and crushed stems and leaves, which is placed in a small bag made of natural fabric, after which it must be placed in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Then this water simply splashes onto the hot stones in the oven. When evaporated, it immediately begins to release essential oils into the air and contribute to the appearance of a spicy, specific aroma.

When preparing a teapot, it makes no difference whether you add only wormwood or make a mixture of several medicinal plants. You can store the herb for 3-4 years, after which its healing effect will dry up.

In this case, it is better to use several herbs - the effect will be better. On average, the proportions are as follows: 70-100 grams of medicinal plants should be added to 3-4 liters of water. Next, put everything on the fire, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it brew for 5-7 minutes. The shelf life in this case is very short - only 1-2 days, so it is advisable to prepare the decoction immediately before going to the bathhouse.

Wormwood for a bath - how to make a broom

Wormwood for a bath is a unique remedy with which you can bring a lot of benefits to the body, however, provided that this plant has been in

Wormwood. Properties of wormwood

Wormwood is a well-known plant that can often be seen on the street, but few people know about the amazing properties of this herb. Find out how to use it for the benefit of yourself and your loved ones.

Useful properties of wormwood

The well-known herb is a real storehouse of medicinal properties. It was popular among the Slavs and was a real medicine.

Using this plant in folk medicine, you will always be in good shape, and your physical and spiritual state will become favorable. That is why wormwood is included in many effective herbal remedies for health.

Wormwood has strong magical properties; amulets and amulets made from this herb can ward off damage and the evil eye. A branch of wormwood in the house will attract positive energy and strengthen the family. People resorted to the help of wormwood when cleansing the home from evil spirits and evil.

Wormwood tinctures

If you follow the recipe and prepare the tincture correctly, it will normalize metabolism and remove everything negative from the body. It can be used to prevent diseases and improve immunity.

Cognac tincture of wormwood: 3 tablespoons of ground wormwood root, mix with a liter of cognac or tincture and heat over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Pour the resulting broth into a container and leave for two days in a dark and cool place. Use the strained tincture 1-2 times a day.

To improve blood circulation and get rid of kidney stones, you can use another decoction. Wormwood decoction: add two tablespoons of finely ground wormwood root to half a liter of water and cook for 15 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid so that the beneficial substances do not evaporate. Add honey to taste. The decoction should be drunk every time before meals, 2 teaspoons.

Wormwood tea

Wormwood brewed in tea will help you stay toned. You will get rid of stress and solve problems with pressure changes. The tea is recommended for weather-sensitive people who have difficulty with changing weather conditions and suffer from magnetic storms.

Tea recipe: Brew a pot of tea the way you are used to doing it. Add one teaspoon of crushed dry wormwood leaves to the tea leaves. Leave to brew for 10 minutes. You should drink this tea 1-3 times a day. Despite the bitter taste, tea has multiple beneficial properties.

Remember that wormwood, despite its medicinal properties, like any product, can cause harm if used incorrectly. Long-term and frequent use of this herb can cause nervous breakdown and kidney failure. Before use, consult a specialist.

WORMWORM BROOM FOR BATH

Each of the herbal brooms is special. Without danger, you can probably only use a nettle broom. But the wormwood broom needs to be used carefully. There are special reasons for this.

Let's go back to ancient times. What did you know about wormwood before? Of course, healing properties! The name of the herb itself means “health”, and it comes from an ancient Greek word.

BENEFITS OF WORMWORM

This herb has rare properties. It disinfects the air. During terrible epidemics of cholera and plague, it was spread on the floor and fumigated at home.

There are different types of wormwood, each in its own way helps in healing the body. For example, there are types of wormwood that relieve irritability, nervousness, and physical stress. And some improve sleep, relieve headaches and body fatigue.

Wormwood owes these benefits to essential oils. They, in turn, contain aldehydes and carbonyl compounds, which are famous for their disinfecting abilities.

The advantages of wormwood broom include the ability to significantly improve memory and mental abilities. This will be useful for those who master a large amount of information. For example, who is preparing for exams or taking additional courses.

WHEN TO PREPARATE WORMWOOD FOR BROOMS

This time comes when the wormwood fades. Different varieties of wormwood bloom at different times, so there is no single harvest time. The following types of wormwood are suitable for brooms:

Wormwood officinalis
Wormwood
Artemisia paniculata
Lemon wormwood

Have time to collect the grass before the wormwood stems dry out. Dry grass will break before the bath ceremony. Like all medicinal herbs, wormwood is dried away from sunlight - in cool shade.

FEATURES OF WORMWORM BROOM

If you have never steamed with such a broom, be careful. Wormwood smells very strongly, not everyone likes this smell. Wormwood is added to martinis and vermouth, so these drinks have a unique smell, and if you don’t like it, you shouldn’t expect that everything will be different in the steam room.

A bath with wormwood broom, like all wormwood tinctures, is contraindicated for pregnant women.

This bitter herb belongs to the group of allergens, so I do not recommend using wormwood broom for people prone to allergies.

Like any herbal broom, wormwood is not very durable. Under the influence of bath steam and heat, it quickly becomes limp and turns into porridge - malasha. Thus, the wormwood broom is disposable. Therefore, I recommend adding a few sprigs of wormwood to any other durable broom. This is how prefabricated medicinal brooms are made. And the aroma of wormwood will not be so rich and cloying.

Any medicinal plant will be beneficial only if used correctly. A wormwood broom is no exception; you need to be careful when starting to use such a bath tool.

For the first time, it is enough to weave one or two branches of wormwood into a birch or oak broom, you will definitely get a healing effect!

Wormwood

Wormwood. Properties of wormwood. Useful properties of wormwood. Wormwood in Magic. Wormwood is a well-known plant that can often be seen on the street, but few people know about the amazing properties of this herb. Find out how to use it for the benefit of yourself and your loved ones.

Bath brooms - properties and effects on the body.

In addition, steaming with such a broom has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, is good for hypertensive patients (prevents increased blood pressure), heart problems, and calms the nervous system.

An oak broom is much stronger than a birch broom. Its leaves are dense, wide, and are convenient for injecting steam into the body. For lovers of intense heat, this broom is the best.

The ancient Slavs considered the oak a sacred tree and settled next to an oak grove. I must say that the healing properties of this tree are really great. People have long used the bark of young branches as a strong astringent and strengthens blood vessels; oak bark baths were considered a sure remedy for sweaty feet, for women's diseases, and for bedsores. For this reason, the oak broom is not inferior in popularity to the birch broom. In addition, it creates a special, unique “bath” aroma in the steam room.

It is best to harvest oak broom in August-September. The most durable broom comes from a “winter” oak (it does not shed its leaves for the winter) and from an oak tree near which large broad-leaved burdocks grow. A broom made from branches of such an oak tree almost never crumbles in the steam room.

A birch broom is very convenient for massage. It is durable, flexible, in addition, the birch leaf sticks firmly to the body, like an adhesive plaster, absorbs sweat well and draws out toxins.

In Rus', the healing properties of birch have been known for a long time. Birch leaves were used to clean wounds and treat rheumatism, gout, and arthritis. Birch leaves and buds contain a valuable vitamin complex, essential oils, and tannins. It has been established that the air in a birch forest is as clean as the air in a modern surgical operating room.

Young flexible branches (thin and without knots) of weeping birch and curly birch are best suited for making a broom. They are better preserved, thicker, softer. In addition, curly birch leaves are porous, rough, and do not become slippery when exposed to steam. In general, the surface of the leaf should be soft, delicate, velvety, the leaf itself should be small or medium; With these qualities, downy birch also differs from other birch trees: not only its leaves, but also its young branches have velvety hairs. In addition, downy birch most often grows on the banks of water bodies, in damp, damp places. Namely, this kind of birch is the best for the bath procedure.

To avoid getting burned by the nettle broom, it is transferred from hot water to cold water several times. Both this and the other hold for 3 minutes.

If it is necessary for the nettle to “bite” for medicinal purposes (and rheumatic patients especially need this), the broom is dipped in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. You can steam with such a broom only after your skin has warmed up well in the steam room. Stinging nettle twigs can be tied to birch twigs, then the broom will acquire

additional bite and healing effect. However, you should remember that you need to steam with a nettle broom very easily, you don’t need to whip yourself - the effect will be much higher. The skin of full-blooded people from such a broom very quickly acquires a crimson color, thin people easily blush.

Stinging nettle hairs contain formic acid. It improves blood circulation, is an excellent antiseptic, wound healing agent, in addition, it has tonic, stimulating, and general strengthening properties. Massage with a nettle broom is extremely useful for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis, helps with kidney and liver diseases. In this case, it is useful to apply a steamed nettle broom to the sore spots. Nettle is also useful for skin diseases, acne, and boils. To treat them, take young nettles and immerse them in warm water for a short time. When steaming with a broom, a slight pleasant tingling sensation is felt, the skin becomes ruddy and elastic.

Nettle broom is harvested in May-July and dried in the shade. At the same time, it is advisable not to confuse stinging nettle with dead nettle. The second one does not burn at all, although the plants are similar in appearance. But stinging nettle, although it differs from stinging nettle in its shorter stature, is suitable for a broom, since there is even more formic acid in its hairs, which is why it got its name.

Maple broom

For a broom you need to select young flexible branches, but with fairly large leaves. This broom combines the properties of birch and oak: on the one hand, it is flexible and biting, and on the other, it generates heat well. In addition to broadleaf maple, you can use sugar maple branches. Its leaf is somewhat smaller, but its early-healing properties are stronger.

You need to harvest wormwood for a broom immediately after flowering (different types of wormwood bloom at different times), without waiting for its strong stems to dry. Dry in the shade and store in a cool place. A broom made from wormwood alone (like nettle) is very fragile, “disposable”. Therefore, many people prefer to include wormwood in another, more durable, broom. It should be remembered that there are many types of wormwood, almost all of them are used in folk medicine, but have different properties. Some types of wormwood need to be handled very carefully. Wormwood, wormwood, paniculata, and lemon wormwood are suitable for brooms. But Tauride wormwood should not be harvested for these purposes. It is used to disinfect air in very low concentrations. But if you overdose in a steam room, undesirable consequences are possible.

Bird cherry broom is one of the best for a preventive anti-flu bath. Phytoncides secreted by bird cherry have a general beneficial effect on the body. By the way, they are destructive not only for microbes, but also for small insects.

A broom made from bird cherry branches is soft and fragrant. It creates a subtle aroma of ground almonds in the steam room (this is the characteristic smell of biologically active volatile substances released by bird cherry).

When steaming with bird cherry broom, you must not forget that this is an extremely powerful remedy. You shouldn't abuse it. Some people may experience headaches under the influence of bird cherry phytoncides. In this case, bird cherry twigs can be included in another broom, for example a birch one. This warning should not be neglected: experiments have shown that under a glass cover with chopped bird cherry leaves, not only flies, but also small rodents die (its phytoncides even kill rats). Do not overdose on this powerful medicine!

Preparation of brooms, drying and storage

But first you need to get a broom. The easiest way, of course, is to buy a broom. But, firstly, your choice in this case will be limited to one type. Most likely it will be an oak or birch broom. Well, they are rightfully considered the best. But when you buy a ready-made broom, you are, in a sense, purchasing a “pig in a poke”: you don’t know where the branches were harvested, whether they were dried correctly, or what time you chose to collect them. And if the second and third will only affect the durability of the broom, then the collection location is of paramount importance. It is no secret that plant leaves have the ability to absorb not only useful, but also harmful substances from the atmosphere. Poplar, for example, is capable of absorbing and accumulating even benzene! So, if the twigs for your broom were collected near a busy highway, there is no doubt that some of the exhaust gases and other harmful substances will migrate to your steam room. Therefore, it is best to prepare the brooms yourself. You just need to know a few simple rules:

1. Branches should only be cut in dry weather. Branches should not be harvested early in the morning when there is dew. If this rule is violated, leaves wetted by rain or dew will darken or curl during drying. In addition, moistened leaves quickly deteriorate, the fermentation process may begin in them, and the leaves from such a broom will fall off after the first entry into the steam room.

2. Leaves or branches harvested from a forest or park cannot be washed before drying (for the reason stated in point one).

3. To harvest branches, you need to choose places far from highways, industrial enterprises, hospitals, city landfills (wise healers warned against harvesting branches also near cemeteries).

4. Branches for a broom must be cut from 40 to 60 centimeters long, otherwise they will be inconvenient to use.

5. Before drying, the branches need to be tied into brooms, having previously cleared the branches of leaves by a third of their length, then wrapped in a soft cloth (then the broom is enough for 2-3 baths).

6. Dry the brooms in the shade, in a well-ventilated place (in a barn, attic, etc.), turning them over daily until the leaves dry. After this, the brooms are placed tightly to each other - they are flattened, taking on the shape of a fan.

7. Ready-made brooms should only be stored in the shade, otherwise they will partially lose their strength. In addition, it is very easy to dry out a broom in the sun, and then it will not last long.

8. In urban environments, it is best to store brooms packed in a bag on the balcony or in the refrigerator.

In conclusion, here are a few bathing tricks. If you want the broom to be comfortable, when knitting, you need to place thicker branches inside, and thinner ones at the edges, but always bend inward. The broom should be light, otherwise you may get calluses. In order for the broom handle to be comfortable, its length must be at least 15 cm, the end of the broom must not be tied up, but left free, then the handle acquires a very comfortable bend. In addition, it is necessary to trim the edges of the handle with pruning shears or garden shears so as not to get scratched. And the last thing: when knitting combined brooms, you need to place all the burning and prickly branches inside. The exception is cases when burning poultices are necessary (for example, for articular rheumatism). Sometimes it is useful to steam yourself until you get blisters: during heavy exertion, a very hard massage with a nettle broom has an extremely beneficial effect, but this procedure is only indicated for very healthy people with elastic skin.

Methods for steaming a broom

A fresh broom and a dried one are steamed differently. It is enough to rinse a fresh broom several times in warm water. If you also want to get healing water to apply to the stones, hold the broom in the water for a few minutes. But not for long, otherwise the beneficial substances will pass into the water, and the broom will lose its aroma.

The dried broom must also first be rinsed several times in warm, or even cool, water, then immersed in a basin of warm water for 10-15 minutes. Usually it is covered with a second basin to “steam” it better.

If you steam a broom not in warm, but in hot water, it will quickly crumble. If you keep the broom in water for more than half an hour, the result will be the same - the broom will quickly become limp, the leaves will become heavy and will fly away after 2-3 visits to the steam room.

But there are times when the broom is too dry. Such a broom will not “come to life” without very hot water. The best thing to do is to dip the broom in hot water for half a minute, then briefly place it on the hot stones, then steam will rise from the wet leaves, which will steam the entire broom. If after this the broom is not soft enough, the procedure can be repeated. Just make sure that there are no leaves left on the stones, otherwise a burning smell will spread in the steam room. This method of steaming a dry broom is also good because the steam rising from the wet leaves permeates the entire steam room with a healing aroma. However, if you have an extra 12-15 hours before going to the bathhouse, you can steam the broom in another way: half a day before the steam room, dip the broom in cold water, take it out before use, and wrap it in a damp rag. Such a broom will be fragrant, soft, durable. Be sure to save the water you steam the broom in and use it to wet the broom and apply it to the stones. After all, most of the biologically active substances transferred into the water during soaking.

There is another - contrasting - way of steaming a broom: half a day before the bath, the broom is doused in the shower, first with cold, then hot water, then warm and again hot. The broom is shaken and hidden in a waterproof bag. In the steam room they splash hot water on him and cover him with a basin for a short time.

Finally, if you followed the advice to store the broom in the refrigerator, you don’t have to worry about anything - such a broom does not need steaming at all. It is thawed before use, moistened with cool water and kept for some time over hot stones in the steam room, constantly turning. This will make the leaves brighter and the rods more flexible.

People often ask: is it possible to use a broom in a sauna? Generally undesirable. But for broom lovers, you can offer this recipe: before the last use, splash a little infusion on the stones, and place a broom soaked in cool water on the shelf. The aroma will be wonderful, but you can truly steam with a broom only in a Russian steam room.

How to steam with a broom

Let's start with the fact that in a Russian steam room it is best to steam together, taking turns, otherwise you will not be able to truly relax. Moreover, some broom massage techniques, such as patting and poultices, are more convenient to perform with two brooms at once.

When steaming with a broom, you need to know when to stop. There is no need to whip the broom with all your might - on the contrary, all movements should be soft, flexible, the broom should barely touch the body, except for the cases specified below. You need to swing the broom carefully, trying to bring as much heat to the body as possible. The lower the temperature in the steam room, the wider the broom movements can be. But at high temperatures they take special care: too hot a wave of steam can burn the skin. Needless to say, you need to be most careful in the head area so as not to burn the sensitive skin of your face and neck. By the way, ears are an excellent indicator of bath heat. Experienced bathhouse attendants have the expression “your ears turn up.” This is exactly the feeling that occurs if you have overdone the heat in the steam room.

Another rule: the broom must be wet all the time while steaming; for this, it is moistened from time to time with warm or cool water.

The best position for hovering with a broom is lying on a shelf. They begin to soar from the back. First, perform a movement from the legs to the head, working with a broom like a fan. This is preparing the body for broom massage. Now is the time to familiarize yourself with his techniques.

Broom massage techniques

Let’s make a reservation right away: you can perform a massage with a broom not only in the steam room. Some bath lovers prefer to thoroughly treat their body with a broom in the soap section before a massage in the steam room. For convenience, we will first describe the techniques of broom massage in a steam room, and only then we will talk about soap massage with a broom.

Broom massage in the steam room

STROKING. When performing this technique, the brooms are placed on the heels, then easily and leisurely slide them along the calves, thighs, buttocks and then along the arms (starting from the hands) to the neck. Traditionally, broom massage begins with this technique. The same actions are performed in the opposite direction, with brooms sliding along the side surfaces of the body. Then the brooms are lifted up, capturing a new portion of hot air, and pressed tightly to the lower back for 2-3 seconds. In this way, the next technique of broom massage is performed - a compress. Stroking with a broom is performed 3-4 times, alternating them with compresses in the area of the shoulder blades and popliteal cavities; it is very useful to press the broom forcefully against the heels several times. As already mentioned, the broom needs to be dipped in cold water from time to time. This will not only avoid unpleasant sensations and relieve excessive burning, but also deeply warm the muscles, joints, and bone tissue. The latter is very important, as it includes powerful regenerative processes in the human body.

If you perform stroking movements with a broom without touching the body, the heat is injected into the body. You can build up the heat by very quickly performing a series of compresses on different parts of the body or by moving a broom from one part of the body to another. In this case, you need to lift the broom higher from time to time, either at the lower back, then at the neck, or at the knees. Those suffering from osteochondrosis should pay special attention to the area of the neck and shoulder blades. After this, the next step is performed.

QUITTING. Carry it out with light “dashing” movements in all directions. They start from the back, then move to the lower back, pelvis, thighs, calf muscles, and finally, lightly lashing the feet, perform light stroking, after which the steamer is turned over onto his back. Both the quilting and the quick stroking that follows it are performed for no more than a minute each (both on the back and on the stomach). Then they turn over onto their stomach again, perform all the techniques described above, but now for two minutes,

Move on to the main technique, WHIPING. To perform it, the broom is lifted up, hot steam is captured and several whipping movements are made. They start from the back. Then press the broom to the body for 3 seconds (a technique already familiar to us - a broom compress). In the same way, whippings are alternated with compresses on the lower back, then on the buttocks (pay attention to the sacrum area), and on the outer surface of the thighs. Only compresses or poultices are used on the popliteal cavity, since the skin in these places is too sensitive. Fans of the heat of the bath complete this part of the massage with whippings on the calves and heels.

The next technique is very similar to whipping - CLAPPING. Sometimes (for example, with very sensitive skin) it is performed instead of whipping. One technique differs from another in that when whipped, the broom easily slides over the body after a blow, and when patted, it is firmly fixed. Patting begins simultaneously with two brooms on both sides of the body, touching them very gently. Then the brooms are quickly raised up, capturing the dry hot steam and slapping it on the back. Move first to the legs, then in the opposite direction, all together - no more than two minutes.

Another massage technique with a broom is RUBBING. It is usually carried out either at the very end of the massage, or after the first two techniques. To perform rubbing, you need to hold the broom by the handle and with the palm of your other hand press firmly on the leafy part, while simultaneously rubbing the body in all directions either in a circular motion or in short strokes.

In conclusion, we will dwell on two more techniques of broom massage, which are extremely useful for arthritis, rheumatism, gout, radiculitis, muscle inflammation, as well as for various pains in the sacrum area. These are poultices and stretching.

POULTICES are essentially the same compresses, only longer. They can only be made after steaming at the highest possible temperature (be careful, do not exceed your capabilities, beware of burns). One broom grabs the steam and lowers it onto the body; with another broom, the first broom is pressed even harder to the skin. Keep the brooms pressed to the body for 10 to 20 seconds. The poultices begin from the back (in the area of the shoulder blades), then gradually move to the lower back, pelvis, calves, and finish on the feet. You need to move along the body constantly alternating brooms. You can stay longer in sore spots. Then they turn over onto their back and perform the technique starting from the chest and moving to the legs. To prevent heart palpitations, both brooms are moistened in cold water and one is applied to the heart, the other to the face.

STRETCHING is another highly effective broom massage technique. Performed immediately after the compress. The brooms are placed on the lower back and spread apart: one broom to the head, the other to the feet. In this case, the body is, as it were, stretched with brooms in different directions. It is useful for radiculitis and is recommended for any pain in the sacrolumbar region. Repeat the stretch 5-6 times, ending with light stroking of the body. After combining compresses and poultices with stretch marks, a person feels literally reborn.

Broom massage is best performed during the second entry into the steam room. For the first time, they steam without a broom, without giving in to the heat, opening and cleansing all the pores of the body. Having sweated well, wash off the sweat with warm water. Now is the time to take a steam bath with a broom. During your second visit to the steam room, you need to perform the entire complex of broom massage. If in the third session you do not want to part with the broom, keep in mind that the massage time in the steam room in this case should be reduced by almost half compared to the first session. Broom massage is a powerful procedure. Therefore, never stand up abruptly at the end of the massage - otherwise you may experience dizziness and fainting. You need to very slowly roll over onto your stomach, then onto your side, sit down after half a minute, and then, if you feel good, you can carefully get up.

Bath brooms - properties and effects on the body

A broom for a Russian bath... It’s hard to imagine a Russian bath without a fragrant, whipping broom. The tradition of using a broom in a steam room has deep roots. It has long been noticed that using a broom doubles the benefits of a steam room. It is no coincidence that healers...

Wormwood has been famous for its medicinal properties since ancient times. Translated from Greek, this word means health. Wormwood can perfectly disinfect the air in any room. This is why wormwood is often used in steam rooms. Today we will tell you about how to properly use wormwood brooms in a bathhouse.

Benefits and harms

The very rich composition of wormwood benefits the human body:

good diuretic;
has anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiseptic effects;
calms the central nervous system;
charges the body with energy;
eliminates pain and spasms.

But at the same time, if you do not consult a doctor before using wormwood, you can cause serious harm to your health. This is especially true for various tinctures and decoctions. In this case, it is extremely difficult to track how wormwood affects a person, so an overdose of wormwood may occur. Experts have long known that if you take decoctions in uncontrolled quantities, a person will develop a central nervous system disorder.

Brooms with the addition of this healing herb allow you to:

expand the pores, in which case toxins are effectively removed from the body;
improve blood circulation;
light massage has a beneficial effect on the skin;
speed up metabolism in the body;
increase sweating.

If you use brooms made from freshly picked wormwood in the bathhouse, the effect will be more noticeable. Since tension, fatigue will be relieved, headaches will go away. Also, essential oils and phytoncides improve human performance.

Preparing wormwood brooms

It is best to harvest grass for when the plant has already faded. The following types of wormwood are excellent for bathhouse brooms: bitter, paniculata, lemon, medicinal.

It is best to collect brooms together with birch branches. Then they will be strong, and the benefits of wormwood will remain. They must be dried in a cool, dark place. If sunlight hits the brooms, then they will dry out. Under these circumstances, you will not be able to test them because the brooms will crumble upon first use.

How to use it correctly?

How to steam a broom?

Break off 2 sprigs of wormwood from a broom, and then pour boiling water over them in a mug. This weak decoction should be strained through cheesecloth and then poured little by little onto the heater. In this case, you will breathe in beneficial essential oils.
The broom must be filled with warm water 2 hours before visiting the bathhouse. During this time it will be able to absorb moisture, and then it will keep its shape better.

One broom should be used per person, since in the process most of the wormwood leaves will remain on the person’s body. It is useful to move a broom over the body, because such a massage improves blood circulation.

The benefits of wormwood are invaluable to the human body, but if you are going to take decoctions from this herb internally, it is better to consult a doctor. This is due to the fact that not every organism will respond positively to new substances. This is especially true for expectant mothers, as well as people who have gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, ulcers, etc.).

If you are a true connoisseur of the Russian bath, then you should try adding wormwood sprigs to traditional brooms. There is no doubt about its benefits, and you will get unforgettable pleasure!