What does bay leaf do? Bay leaf medicinal properties and contraindications, use for hair and weight loss. Pharmacological properties of laurel, how the plant is used in modern medicine
The familiar spice “Bay leaf” is the permanently green leaves of a tree called “Noble laurel”. The origin of this leaf is entangled in legends, it is the most common plant of myths Ancient Greece. As you know, branches with these leaves crowned the heads of Roman emperors.
IN given time this tree grows in almost all countries with warm climate. Bay leaves are widely used in cooking because they have a pleasant rich taste that goes well with meat dishes.
Laurel contains a lot of microelements, macroelements, vitamins, as well as other substances with medicinal properties:
- Natural antibiotics that can also act as preservatives: acetic and formic acids;
- Tannins;
- Lauric acid, which helps fight viruses;
- Butyric acid – improves metabolism;
- Cholesterol-reducing phytosterol;
- Essential for brain function and nervous system Omega-3 as well as Omega-6;
- As well as camphor, melissil alcohol, starch, and other substances.
Vitamins:
- Retinol, riboflavin, pyridoxine, thiamine, folic acid and others. As you know, all these vitamins bring great benefits to the body.
This plant contains almost all the necessary and useful macro- and microelements:
- Selenium,
- Sodium,
- Iron,
- Calcium,
- Manganese,
- Phosphorus,
- Magnesium,
- Copper,
- Potassium,
- Zinc.
Nowadays, just like in ancient times, bay leaves are a healing agent in the treatment of various diseases.
An infusion of this seasoning is used to reduce swelling, improve appetite, lower blood pressure, normalize digestion, increase immunity, and also for other diseases. Bay leaves have diuretic, astringent and antifungal properties. Its antibacterial effect is also known.
Bay leaf - benefits and harm: video
Benefits of bay leaves for various diseases
Spectrum of medicinal properties of this plant is very diverse, it is used in the form of a decoction, in the form of oil, tincture for diseases of the stomach, joints, intestines, sore throat and others.
Joint pain is often caused by salt deposits.
- A decoction of laurel can help remove excess salt. To prepare it, you need to pour 5 g of bay leaves into 300 ml of boiling water. The resulting liquid should be drunk in small sips throughout the day, in a course of 1-3 days, which can be repeated after a week and so on every 3 months for a year. It is important to take into account that you need to drink a lot of fluid, and you should not have any contraindications.
- You can apply bay leaf ointment to your joints. To prepare it, you need to chop 30 leaves, mix with butter, stir and keep in a water bath for 25-30 minutes.
Bay leaf - how to properly clean joints: video
Fungal skin diseases
To get rid of foot fungus, it is useful to take a bath with bay leaves.
To do this, pour half a liter of boiling water over 10 sheets, cool and keep your feet in this mixture for about 20 minutes. The fungus should disappear after 20 uses.
Diabetes - serious illness, the patient must be under regular medical supervision, take prescribed medications in a timely manner, and also monitor sugar levels.
A decoction of bay leaves can help reduce sugar at the initial stage of this disease, but while taking it, you should not cancel medications and take into account contraindications.
The decoction can be prepared as follows: pour 10 large leaves with boiling water into a 250 ml thermos and leave for about three hours.
You should take this drink in the mornings and evenings half an hour before meals for 4-5 days, so you can a short time reduce sugar.
Bay leaves contain magnesium, calcium, and potassium; these trace elements, along with the diuretic effect of this plant, help reduce blood pressure.
To reduce low blood pressure, you can use bay tea.. It can be brewed in a thermos at the rate of 4 leaves per glass of water. You need to drink this drink half an hour before breakfast and dinner for 5 days.
In this case, you need to take into account the properties of the medications you are taking.
Bay leaves can relieve the following diseases:
- Sore throat and colds. Due to its diuretic properties, a decoction of these leaves removes liquid along with viruses. But only if you drink plenty of fluids.
- To strengthen your immune system, you can drink an infusion of this plant.
- When treating bronchitis, it is useful to inhale with laurel, but be sure to take medications prescribed by your doctor and take into account their compatibility with such treatment.
- A decoction of this leaf will also help improve metabolic processes.
- If you rinse your hair with laurel infusion, you can get rid of dandruff and make your hair stronger and more beautiful.
- If you have bad breath, chew a bay leaf.
In case of sudden anxiety, it helps well, including with bay leaf. To carry out this therapy, you need to take several leaves, put them in a container suitable for burning and set them on fire. At this time, it is better to sit on a comfortable surface and inhale the aroma, which promotes relaxation and calm.
In addition, you can use a tincture of bay leaves with the addition of: add a teaspoon of cinnamon to a few leaves and pour a liter of boiling water, hold this liquid for 20 minutes in a water bath, let it brew for half an hour and strain. If you have anxiety, you should drink a few sips of this infusion before meals.
If nervous tension does not go away for a long time, then you need to see a doctor.
One of the keys to proper and effective weight loss is: proper nutrition and use large quantity water (30 ml per 1 kg of weight).
A decoction from the body helps remove excess fluid from the body. bay leaf. If the above conditions are met and the decoction is taken, weight will begin to decrease, first due to the removal of water, but this is the basis for losing weight. Then other processes will start turning on, and overweight will gradually decrease.
To prepare a decoction, you need to take 25-30 leaves, boil them in a liter of water, and let it brew for 10-12 hours. Consume in small portions 3 times a day before meals for 3 days.
The positive effects of laurel leaves in cosmetology can hardly be overestimated. Thanks to its composition, it can have the following effects on the skin: brightens, tightens pores, reduces inflammation, cleanses, reduces wrinkles and other effects.
The leaves can be used as an infusion, decoction, lotion, or mask.
Making lotion:
Chop 2 leaves and pour a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain. Add 2 tbsp to the resulting liquid. spoons of vodka and the same amount of juice. You can wipe oily skin with this lotion 2 times a day.
To do anti acne lotion you need 3 tbsp. Pour a tablespoon of crushed leaf into a glass of vodka or alcohol. Leave the resulting liquid in a dark place for 5 days, then strain. You need to wipe your skin with this product 2 times a day.
Bay leaf decoction for oily skin faces:
For this composition, 4 leaves need to be poured with a liter of boiling water, placed in an enamel bowl and boiled for about 3 minutes, then you can inhale in your usual way. This procedure can be done a couple of times a week. You can wipe your face with the cooled mixture or freeze it.
Face masks:
Such care products can be easily prepared by mixing a decoction of bay leaves with any component: blue or white clay, gelatin diluted with water, egg white, as well as yeast. You can use such products once a week, alternating with other cosmetic procedures and masks.
Bay leaf decoction: video
Bay leaf during pregnancy:
All women expecting the birth of a baby should remember that ingesting decoctions and other preparations containing bay leaves is prohibited!
All pregnant women usually know how undesirable and sometimes dangerous contractions of the uterus can be in their position. The leaves of this spice can promote such peristalsis, which can lead to disastrous consequences.
While breastfeeding it is better to limit the use of this leaf as a spice in moderate amount or apply externally for cosmetic and other procedures.
Apply any medicinal herbs Children should use plants and plants with extreme caution, especially for infants. If you decide to use bay leaves on babies, consult your doctor.
If there are no contraindications, then you can wipe the child’s skin covered with diathesis with a decoction of these leaves or take a bath with it.
If your pediatrician does not object, then if allergic reactions occur, starting from 3 months, the baby can be given 2 drops of a decoction of laurel leaves up to three times a day. From six months, the dose can be increased to 6 drops twice a day, and you can add them to the child’s drinks. From three years - a tablespoon.
If your child sleeps poorly and restlessly, you can sew several bay leaves into his pillow.
When a child uses a decoction of this plant internally, it is necessary to monitor for side effects or worsening of the condition. If there is any suspicion of negative effects of bay leaf on the child’s condition, you should immediately stop taking it and consult a doctor.
Contraindications to its use are:
- disturbances in the functioning of the excretory system;
- individual intolerance;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- kidney disease;
- tendency to bleed;
- stomach ulcer;
- stones in bladder, or in the kidneys;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- with severe diabetes mellitus;
- swelling of unknown origin;
- frequent constipation;
- and other conditions.
Any, even the best medicine, if taken incorrectly, can become poisonous to the body and cause harm to it.
If medicinal drinks from bay leaves are not prepared correctly, or the storage period has been exceeded, or when taken despite contraindications, problems may occur. side effects:
- skin rashes;
- dehydration of the body;
- itching;
- indigestion;
- improper use can cause poisoning of the body;
- in some diseases there is a risk of internal bleeding;
- etc.
Before using traditional medicine and medicinal plants, you must carefully study possible contraindications, methods of preparation and use, and also consult a doctor.
If any unpleasant or painful symptoms occur, you should immediately stop taking such medications. In case of pain, bleeding, suspicion of bleeding or other reactions, you should urgently call a doctor.
The fact is that if bay leaf is used incorrectly, you can spoil the taste of the dish and get harmful substances from food. But let’s not get scared ahead of time, but let’s begin a more careful study of this product and features of its use in cooking.
Laurel. This proud word associated with Apollo, the ancient God, symbolizing masculinity and strength.
Eat beautiful legend about how he fell in love with Daphne, the most beautiful nymph.
But the young god of love Eros played a prank and shot two arrows at them.
One pierced Apollo's heart and filled him with incredible love.
But another arrow hit Daphne’s heart, which, on the contrary, pushed her away from the handsome god.
In the end, she was tired of the constant persecution of her lover and she asked the Gods to save her from her suffering. Hearing her pleas, they turned her into a laurel bush. Daphne translated from Greek sounds like “laurel,” so where the name came from is no question.
From then on, Apollo always wore a wreath woven from laurel branches on his head.
Lavrushka has always been popular. It was used to aromatize homes and disinfect premises. They washed their hands with the solution before eating, and rinsed babies in it to protect them from evil spirits.
In general, there are many beliefs associated with the seasoning. Many people still believe that it is laurel leaves that save their homes from fires and lightning strikes, and that if you put them under your pillow, you will definitely dream about prophetic dream. The leaves sewn into the mattress help couples find happiness, and if you hang them around the house, not a single person with evil thoughts will get inside.
Where it grows.
Today, laurel bushes are found not only in Greece. The plant is quite common in Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Russia and many other countries. Why, you can even find it on window sills in apartments.
Surprisingly The fragrant leaves became a food seasoning relatively recently. But in folk medicine and cosmetology they have been used with great success since time immemorial.
Here are just some ways to use bay leaf:
- infants are bathed in the broth to relieve inflammation and skin irritation;
- the tincture is used as a tonic;
- the infusion is used to cleanse the body, remove toxins, and normalize blood sugar levels;
- essential oil helps in disinfecting the room and also has an excellent calming effect;
- You can normalize children's and adult sleep by laying out leaves around the bedroom;
- if you regularly make a foot bath with laurel leaves, you will be able to get rid of fungus, relieve sweating, and remove unpleasant odors;
- Using the seasoning, remedies are prepared to treat throat, runny nose, ear and toothache, and aching joints;
- By rubbing the skin with decoctions and tonics prepared from bay leaves, you can get rid of oily shine, pigmentation, inflammation, narrow pores, and restore natural regeneration processes;
- Rinsing hair with decoctions is considered a long-standing secret of the voluminous hairstyles of Georgian beauties.
The popularity and demand of the plant is explained by its unique abilities.
About spices - composition, taste, aroma
The laurel bush is unique in itself.
In terms of lifespan, it can even compete with oak.
It also contains a lot of essential oils and essential oils. to the human body for the normal functioning of fatty acids.
The calorie content of the leaf is 313 kcal per 100 g., but this figure will not scare anyone, because it is not consumed in such quantities.
Laurel cannot boast of a large number of vitamins, but it contains more than enough representatives of groups B, A, C and PP. It should also be noted calcium, manganese, iron, potassium, etc.
Lavrushka has long been recognized as an antiseptic even by representatives of traditional medicine. These are explained unique abilities high content of resins and phytoncides.
Everyone who uses seasoning in their life needs to know beneficial features and contraindications of bay leaf. The first list can include the ability:
- provide the body with the majority essential vitamins and microelements;
- awaken appetite;
- improve absorption useful substances, coming from other products;
- increase immunity;
- remove toxins and waste;
- support kidney function;
- reduce blood sugar levels;
- regulate the content of bad cholesterol.
Attention!
Scientists have proven that bay leaves contain substances that prevent the development of cancer cells.
Bay leaf has no contraindications, but caution will not hurt people who have problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, as well as pregnant women. There may also be individual intolerance to the product. Also, harm to the body can be caused by consuming low-quality leaves that were either collected incorrectly or were not stored in accordance with existing rules. Take responsibility for your health and nutrition.
Many works are devoted to the use of laurel in medicine and cosmetology, but still, most often this seasoning is used in cooking, so this issue should be discussed in more detail.
It is quite difficult to imagine cooking without laurel. It is added to soup, used to enhance the aroma of main courses and appetizers, and used for canning, but is it done correctly?
What do most of us do? Just at a certain moment, so to speak, “by eye,” he adds a couple of bay leaves to the food being prepared and that’s it. And the recipes always say to add salt, bay leaf and other spices to taste. What are the subtleties here? But they exist, and it is very important to know them, and first of all, everything depends on what dish they are used for.
For convenience, the information is presented in tabular form.
First meal
| Cooking option | When to add |
| Thick soups | The leaves are placed 10 minutes before readiness, left after turning off for a couple of minutes and removed. |
| Liquid soups | Added 5 minutes before the end of cooking, then be sure to remove |
| chicken broth | Doesn't fit. May spoil the taste. |
| Vegetable broth | If you use it, then in a minimal quantity, but in general it is better to use fresh or dried herbs. |
| Fish broth | In fish broth, laurel is used depending on the type of fish. If it is already bitter, then it is better to discard it, and if not, then at the very end of cooking, perhaps even when the pan is already turned off, put it in for a couple of minutes and immediately remove it. |
| Meat broth | It should be added to the meat 15-20 minutes before it is ready, then removed. |
Second courses
Meat
Fish
Vegetables
Preparations for the winter
If you carefully studied the table, you will notice that the recommendations are often repeated. We will answer the most common questions:
- Why should the whole bay leaf be removed from ready-made dish? Because if this is not done, saturated substances will begin to be released from it. essential oils, which will sharpen the taste of the finished dish. It is worth noting that some people love such a rich taste in thick meat soups and gravies. Also, these substances are harmful to the body. But here we're talking about about small quantities. which can be neglected.
- Is ground bay leaf harmful in prepared foods? No. When milled under industrial conditions, the leaf undergoes additional processing and retains only its aromatic properties.
Bay leaf belongs to evergreens, and this fact confuses many. Remember, under no circumstances should you pick off the leaves whenever you want and use them for food. Their lifespan is 4 years, and only those collected from a one and a half or two year old bush are safe for use.
They are not picked individually, but with a branch. Dry for 7-10 days in the shade. According to the rules, you need moderate humidity and a sufficient amount fresh air. The laurel goes on sale in the form of twigs. Normally, the shape should remain unchanged. The smoother the sheet, the smoother its matte surface, the better quality it is.
You should not purchase bay leaf that is broken, has stains, or has an unnatural shine. Also, when choosing, you should pay attention to the size of the sheet. It is believed that the most optimal length is 5-6 and width 2-3 cm.
Attention!
If you use bay leaf that you grew yourself on the windowsill, also use only leaves that are 1.5-2 years old.
How to store at home
After purchasing the package with bay leaf (most often it is plastic packaging), you need to open it. Carefully pour out the contents, sort it out and put it in a glass, hermetically sealed jar for storage.
The seasoning can be stored for no more than a year in a dry, dark place, so carefully monitor the expiration date of the product.
In accordance with GOST, not only olive-matte, but also pale and yellow laurel leaves are allowed for consumption. However, it is worth remembering that they are no longer so useful and have lost most such important essential oils.
Many housewives, before adding laurel to a prepared dish, break the leaf, believing that this way they can get more flavor. Indeed, there is more aroma. But getting such particles out of the finished dish in time is problematic.
Using bay leaves in cooking helps make the finished dish tastier, more aromatic and much healthier. But only if you follow all the rules and recommendations for its use.
Video
How does a bay tree grow:
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Bay leaves have long been used for treatment. It is rich in biologically active substances, increases overall immunity and body resistance. Bay oil is included in anti-inflammatory ointments for joints and.
Benefits of bay leaf
In folk medicine, laurel decoction, infusion, tinctures, and oil are used to treat high blood pressure, used as a diuretic and diaphoretic, for diseases of the oral cavity, and nervous disorders.
Avicenna believed that the plant was good for hearing and relieved noise and pain in the ears. He treated headaches with laurel oil and recommended using it with fragrant wine for pain in the liver.
Raw materials are harvested from December to June, when the content of nutrients is maximum. Store in a dry place with relative humidity air 70–75% at a temperature of +10…+15C.
At the market, it is important not to confuse Laurel with Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus).
Bay leaf infusion for diabetes
In case of dysfunction of the pancreas, blood glucose levels, brew, apply beneficial and medicinal properties infusion of bay leaf.
- Brew 10 bay leaves with 3 cups of boiling water, leave in a closed glass or enamel container for 3 hours, strain.
Take 1/2 cup 3 times a day for one to two weeks to reduce sugar levels. After two weeks, repeat the treatment.
- Brew 10 bay leaves in a thermos with 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 24 hours, strain.
Angina. Decoction for rinsing with:
- Brew 10 pre-crushed bay leaves with a liter of boiling water.
- Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.
- Let cool, strain, add 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar.
Rinse several times a day.
Oral diseases.
- In case of irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane, chew the soaked plant mass.
- Rinse your mouth with a decoction of bay leaves if your gums are sensitive or bleeding.
Ear pain. Apply the medicinal properties of bay leaf infusion:
- Brew a glass of boiling water for 5-6 pieces.
- Leave in a closed thermos for 2-3 hours, strain.
Instill 5-8 drops into a sore, suppurating ear for children at night. At the same time during the day, take 2-3 tbsp. infusion. Treat for 3 days.
Bay infusion also helps with ear pain associated with diseases of the teeth or larynx.
High blood pressure. Prepare the infusion:
- Brew 1 liter of boiling water 2 tbsp. , 12 bay leaves, leave for half an hour in a sealed container, strain.
Every 15 minutes drink 2-3 tbsp. After 2-2.5 hours, the pressure will decrease without harm to health due to its diuretic properties.
Low pressure:
- Break the bay leaf into small pieces and place it under your tongue.
- Sit or lie down for a while.
After 30 minutes, the pressure will increase and return to normal.
Medicinal properties of bay leaf oil
Homemade recipes.
- Grind 30g leaves.
- Pour in 200 ml of warm vegetable oil.
- Leave for 6 days, strain.
- Simmer the mixture of leaves and vegetable oil in a water bath for 1 hour, let cool, and strain.
Chronic cholecystitis. Bay oil has beneficial choleretic properties and normalizes the functioning of the gallbladder:
- Add to or milk, take shortly before bedtime.
Sinusitis. The healing properties of bay leaves are used for sinusitis:
- Lubricate the nose with oil.
Convulsions, paralysis:
- Rub the oil into problem parts of the body daily.
Treatment of joints with bay leaf decoction
Cleansing joints, treating arthritis. In folk medicine, a decoction is used:
- Brew 300 ml of boiling water for 5-6 leaves.
- Simmer over low heat for 3-5 minutes to allow the essential oils to evaporate.
- Pour into a thermos, keep open for three hours, close.
- Strain in the morning.
Drink a decoction of bay leaves during the day in small portions outside of meals, drink more clean water. Prepare in the evening and take the decoction for another two days.
After a week's break, repeat this three-day course.
After a month's break, take the decoction again for three days - a week's break - take the decoction for three days. After six months, repeat joint cleaning.
During the first cleansing, there is a headache, pain in the joints, frequent palpitations, and urination. After 1-2 days the symptoms disappear.
Eat more vegetables while on a cleanse.
Traditional healers claim the benefits of cleansing - the medicinal properties of a decoction of bay leaves reduce pain and increase joint mobility after 2-3 weeks.
Bay infusions and decoctions dissolve fecal stones, harmful substances penetrate into the blood, causing urticaria and other forms. Therefore, traditional healers advise cleaning the joints after cleansing the intestines and liver of harmful substances.
Treatment of joints with bay leaves creates a load on the kidneys, which remove the mass. The load is reduced by taking the decoction for only one day, while completely abstaining from food and drinking distilled water.
Rheumatism, arthritis, radiculitis, neuralgia:
- Rub bay oil into sore spots, bedsores, and apply compresses.
Rheumatic pains:
- Grind the leaves (6 parts) and juniper needles (1 part) into powder, mix, grind the mixture with fresh vegetable oil (12 parts).
Use the ointment as a pain reliever and sedative.
Bay leaf for weight loss
The diuretic properties of the plant remove moisture from the body. Benefit bay decoction– in normalizing the balance of water-salt metabolism, the violation of which is the cause of excess weight.
- Brew 300 ml of boiling water for 3 leaves, boil for five minutes, let cool, strain.
Take 1 tbsp half an hour before meals.
Weight is reduced by combining the decoction with diet and physical activity.
Application for hair and skin
The benefits of laurel are to stimulate hair growth, prevent hair loss, and get rid of hair loss.
Lotion:
- Brew 500 ml of boiling water for 20 leaves, boil for 5 minutes, let cool, strain.
Wipe skin morning and evening.
Rinse aid:
- Brew 30g of leaves with a liter of boiling water, leave for two hours, carefully drain or strain.
Use to rinse clean hair.
Harm and contraindications
Treatment with bay leaves can be harmful, therefore it is contraindicated for gastric ulcers and duodenum, with exacerbation of cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, glomerulonephritis, liver diseases, bleeding tendency, protein metabolism disorders (amyloidosis).
Products based on laurel are strong, which can be harmful if you are prone to constipation.
Treatment with laurel infusions and decoctions is harmful because it stimulates uterine contractions and creates a threat of miscarriage.
Modified: 06/26/2019Every kitchen is sure to have a bag of dry bay leaves.
The well-known seasoning actually has a very wide range of applications.
Bay leaves have valuable medicinal properties and can help cope with diseases and cosmetic problems, but with this use, contraindications must be taken into account.
Chemical composition and nutritional value of bay leaf
Leaves of the bay laurel from the Laurel family are used as a spice. All parts of this plant contain resins, tannins, essential oils, and bitterness.
The chemical composition of bay leaf is quite extensive:
- Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B6, B9, C, PP.
- Macroelements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus.
- Microelements: iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc.
- Acids: fatty acid(Omega-3 and Omega-6), saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Did you know? The academic degree “bachelor” is literally translated from Latin as “crowned with laurel”.
Pharmacological properties of laurel, how the plant is used in modern medicine
Bay leaf has a whole list of medicinal properties: antiseptic, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, hypoglycemic, diuretic; laurel is capable of increasing protective functions body and strengthen the immune system, improves appetite and digestion, reduces high temperature and blood pressure, reduces nausea.
Modern official medicine practically does not use laurel. Laurel laurel is not a pharmacopoeial plant, and its essential oil is used for research in experimental pharmacology.
According to the State Register medicines In Ukraine, bay leaf allergen is used in injection preparations to diagnose allergies.
Some herbal medicine manufacturers use bay laurel essential oil to make anti-inflammatory ointments for muscles and joints, as well as veterinary ointments. 
Did you know? Another plant is of great value for medicine - camphor laurel (camphor cinnamon), from which camphor oil (camphor) is extracted - an effective medicinal substance. In cooking, camphor laurel is used only in Indian cuisine as a spice for sweets and milk puddings.
The use of laurel in folk medicine
Deprived of attention from official practice, bay leaf, due to its properties and availability, has found wide use in folk medicine. There are many different recipes using it.
However, you should use such means carefully and remember that they are often just auxiliary and sometimes unsafe. In case of overdose, bay leaf poisoning is possible.
Treatment of musculoskeletal diseases
To relieve pain and reduce inflammatory processes in joints, it is recommended to rub into the skin laurel essential oil.
For arthritis and joint pain prepare infusion: 5 g of leaves are poured with boiling water (1.5 cups), lightly boiled and infused in a thermos for 3 hours. Take in small portions throughout the day. This infusion helps the body cope with salt deposits.
You can also purchase gels and ointments with laurel extract for treatment or prepare them at home. Ointment do it this way: mix ground bay leaves and butter, melt the mixture in a water bath, strain and cool.
How are colds and flu treated?
Bay leaf can be an assistant in the fight against colds, which helps decoction from a spoon of crushed leaf and half a liter of boiling water. It should be boiled for 20 minutes over low heat, strained and drunk half a glass before meals. This decoction helps boost immunity.
For preventive purposes, a few drops of essential oil can be applied to the wings of the nose, temples and the middle of the forehead and breathe in its vapor well.
A saucer with laurel infusion or an aroma lamp with essential oil can be placed in the room to disinfect it.
The use of laurel in the treatment of diseases of the throat and nose
Warm compresses with laurel infusion and inhalation with a decoction or essential oil of laurel are used as an adjuvant in the treatment of sinusitis. 
Chewing bay leaves will help relieve pain from sore throat and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the throat.
A decoction of bay leaves is used to gargle for sore throat.
How can laurel help with heartburn?
You can reduce discomfort during heartburn attacks with the help of infusions.
- A teaspoon of chopped bay leaf, a teaspoon of oregano herb, 400 ml of boiling water. Leave for 15 minutes and strain. Take 2 tablespoons three times a day before meals.
- A teaspoon of chopped bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of chamomile, 2 teaspoons of St. John's wort, a liter of boiling water. Leave for 3 hours. Take 1 tablespoon.
- 1-2 fresh bay leaves, 150 ml boiling water. Leave for 15 minutes, strain, mix a tablespoon of broth with 100 ml of mineral water.
Important! The use of bay leaf infusion is contraindicated for people with stomach ulcers.
The use of laurel in gynecology
Women have long used bay leaf to normalize the menstrual cycle. 
Due to stress, illness, weight loss, climate change or time zones, periods are sometimes delayed. Or vice versa: for greater convenience before a business trip, vacation or important event women want to call their periods earlier. In such situations, it will be an assistant infusion or decoction of laurel leaves. There are several recipes for this medicine.
- Pour 40-60 sheets with two glasses of water, boil and cook for half an hour over low heat. When the broth has cooled, it needs to be strained. Take the remedy before meals, drink one glass of decoction per day.
- For half a liter of water you need to take a pack of bay leaves (10 g). The broth is boiled over low heat for an hour. Next, you need to strain and drink 1 glass.
Important! The use of bay leaf decoction for women has a very important contraindication: delayed menstruation should not be caused by pregnancy! Bay leaf is an ancient folk abortifacient.
How is laurel used in dentistry?
The medicinal properties of bay leaves are used in the treatment of periodontal disease and stomatitis. 
Its taste is unpleasant, but it can destroy germs and reduce pain.
Used for dental problems rinsing the mouth with a decoction of bay leaves, for which you should take a liter of water and a tablespoon of bay leaf, boil for 10 minutes, cool and rinse your mouth several times a day.
For stomatitis, you can also simply chew a bay leaf.
For pulpitis you can use infusion of bay leaf. You need to chop several leaves, pour boiling water, leave and strain. If pulpitis worsens, rinse your mouth with warm (but not hot) liquid.
Important!Homemade tooth whitener can be made from orange peel and bay leaves. Rub pieces of orange peel into the tooth enamel, then apply bay leaf powder to the teeth, and after 5 minutes rinse your mouth.
Bay leaf and cosmetology
Today you can find on sale alcohol-glycerin extract of bay leaves for preparing homemade cosmetic products, but more often just a dry leaf or essential oil is used for this purpose. Bay leaf cosmetics have contraindications if you are allergic to bay leaves.
Aromatic baths using laurel
Children and adults take baths with bay leaves. A decoction of laurel helps infants with skin rashes, relieves inflammation, and soothes. For a baby bath, prepare a decoction of 7-10 sheets and add it to the bathing water.
For adults, aromatic baths help strengthen the immune system, cope with skin problems (cuts, wounds, psoriasis, excessive sweating), nervous system problems (insomnia, stress, depression). A decoction of 20-30 leaves, infused for an hour, is added to not too hot bath water. It is recommended to take such a bath for 20-30 minutes.
Laurel and facial skin
Application cosmetics with laurel for the face allows you to solve many problems: tighten pores, cleanse, lighten freckles and age spots, tone the skin, improve metabolism, reduce oiliness and cure inflammation.
Tonics, lotions and masks for oily and problem skin:
- Problematic facial skin wipe with a regular decoction of bay leaves and water (in a 1:1 ratio). For an additional tonic effect, you can freeze the liquid and wipe your face with ice cubes. If your skin is oily, add a spoonful of alcohol to the toner.
- Place bay leaves in a jar and pour hot water, leave for several hours and strain. Add rosemary and tea tree essential oil. If you wipe your face with this tonic every day, it will help tighten pores, eliminate inflammation and oily shine.
- To prepare lotion make an infusion from a glass of water and several bay leaves, to which lemon juice and alcohol (two tablespoons each) are added.
- Mask for tightening pores and tightening skin: mix one tablespoon of decoction with one teaspoon of honey, egg white, olive oil and lemon juice (10 drops each). Apply for half an hour.
- Mask: two tablespoons cosmetic clay mix with infusion of laurel leaves.
Masks and creams for moisturizing dry skin:
- Mask with gelatin: pour a tablespoon of gelatin with a decoction of bay leaves, after a while add a teaspoon of glycerin and stir. Apply to face for 20 minutes.
- Oatmeal mask: first you need to prepare a base from an infusion of crushed bay leaves (two tablespoons) in heated olive oil (100 g). The mixture should be kept for a day and stored in the refrigerator. For the mask you need to take a little oil mixture and add some ground oatmeal. Apply on face for 20 minutes.
- Sea buckthorn mask: mix bay infusion with sour cream and sea buckthorn oil.
Bay leaf for hair
In hair care, bay leaf exhibits many properties: strengthening, restorative, stimulating, antiseborrheic, regulates the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
The simplest hair care product - aroma oil, infused with bay leaf. You can prepare it or buy ready-made essential oil. To prepare it, you need to chop 20 bay leaves and pour in a glass of vegetable oil (olive, burdock, flaxseed) and leave for several days (or better yet, a week).
A few drops of this oil can be added to shampoos and balms for a strengthening effect or made into masks. For this purpose, the oil needs to be rubbed into the roots of the hair and placed on the head. plastic bag and wrap with a towel or warm scarf. After a few hours, you need to wash your hair. This mask helps dry and weakened hair.
Important! Homemade laurel oil is not as concentrated as essential oil, and can be used in larger quantities.
For rinsing hair against dandruff or itchy skin An infusion of laurel leaves is suitable. For 1 liter of boiling water you need to take 30 sheets. Cool the infusion, strain and rinse your hair in it.Prepare a mask to strengthen hair: Add two tablespoons of honey to an infusion of two tablespoons of bay leaf. The mixture is applied to the entire length of the hair and washed off with shampoo after an hour.
Greasy hair It is useful to rinse after washing with a weak decoction of laurel from a tablespoon of crushed leaves and a liter of water. Boil the broth over low heat for 5 minutes, cool and strain.
Bay leaf in cooking
Thanks to its pleasant spicy smell and bitter taste, bay leaf is a well-known and very common seasoning. The most popular spice in cooking is the dry leaf, sometimes used fresh leaves, dry fruits and ground dry leaves.
Bay leaves are used to flavor soups, borscht, broth, vegetable dishes, meat, fish, seafood, and sauces. 
The essential oils of bay leaves quickly evaporate, so when preparing first courses, bay leaves should be added 5-10 minutes before cooking; in stews, they can be added in the middle of the process. Usually a few leaves are added. It is advisable to remove the leaf from the finished dish.
Bay laurel is often used in pickling and preserving vegetables, meat and fish, and salting lard. It not only enriches the preservation with a spicy aroma, but also helps it to be stored longer due to its antiseptic properties.
IN Food Industry bay leaf is an ingredient in mustard, sauces, canned fish, stews, sausages, pates. Ground leaf is usually used here.
Did you know? Crushed bay leaf is part of the classic Georgian spice “khmeli-suneli”. It also includes parsley, dill, cilantro, red pepper, basil, celery, mint, marjoram, hyssop, garden savory, blue fenugreek, and marigolds.
Laurel: procurement of medicinal raw materials
The greatest amount of essential oils in laurel leaves is contained from November to December. Leaves are collected from plants that are 4-5 years old. Healthy leaves- dark green, without inclusions, with a strong odor. 
Within 5 - 10 days of drying under natural conditions, the leaves dry completely. When artificially drying, the temperature should not exceed 40 °C. It is recommended to store dry leaves in a glass jar with a lid in a cool, dark place.
If a bay leaf has a brownish tint, this means that it has already lost its aroma and its beneficial properties are minimal.
Laurel essential oil is obtained after hydrodistillation of fresh leaves and flowers.
Did you know? In nature, laurel grows in the Mediterranean, in the Crimea, in the western part of Transcaucasia, in the southwest of the Krasnodar Territory.
Contraindications and side effects of bay leaf
Substances contained in laurel provoke uterine contractions, which can be very dangerous for pregnant women: A rich decoction of bay leaves can cause severe bleeding and miscarriage. It is not recommended to use laurel during lactation. 
Unpleasant side effects from consuming bay leaves occur in people prone to allergies: abdominal pain, indigestion, itching in the throat and skin, rashes similar to hives.
Bay leaf treatment has contraindications for liver diseases and digestive system(peptic ulcer, intestinal obstruction, constipation), renal failure, severe form of diabetes mellitus. You can recommend this article to your friends!
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Everyone has been familiar with this spice, which is added when cooking as a flavoring seasoning, since childhood. The leaves are removed from prepared dishes, since their presence for a long time causes some bitterness.
But sometimes, due to the forgetfulness of cooks and cooks, they still remain in the food. Maybe that's why it appeared folk sign, telling that if a bay leaf is in your bowl of soup, then some new news awaits you.
What kind of spice is this and what plant does this leaf come from? Leaves grow on an evergreen subtropical tree - Laurel nobilis ( Laurus nobilis), belonging to the Laurel family, reaching a height of up to 15 meters, which, by the way, is called a shrub by many. It is a long-liver; in favorable conditions it can live up to 400 years.
Laurel once grew only in the Mediterranean; it was considered a sacred tree and in Ancient Greece the heads of winners were decorated with wreaths of its leaves. In our country it grows only in the Krasnodar region.
Bay leaf medicinal properties
Knowing about the spice, which is used as a common component of first and second courses, as well as canning, pickling and pickling, few people are familiar with its extraordinary medicinal properties. Healing properties plants are determined by its chemical composition.
What is included in the chemical composition
All parts of the plant contain aromatic resins and essential oils, giving the plant a pleasant spicy aroma. The amount of oil in leaves reaches 5%, in fruits its content is much lower - up to 1%.
Tannins and bitterness add a pleasant bitterness. Tannins are natural phenolic compounds, have a strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect, help cleanse the body. Bitters are terpinoids in nature, enhance the secretory function of the stomach, and cause appetite.
The plant contains fatty oils up to 40%, starch and sugars, lauranium and phytosterol, mucus. Fatty oil consists of palmitic, lauric and glycerol acids.
The composition of the essential oil includes biologically active substances: limonene and myrcene, cineole and linene, linalool and camphor, and other organic acids.
The leaves contain a lot of proteins, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. They also differ in their rich vitamin and mineral composition. Vitamins include C, A, PP, group B. Micro- and macroelements: phosphorus and manganese, selenium and iron, potassium and copper, zinc, sodium and magnesium.
Recent research by Japanese scientists has supplemented the composition with new discoveries; they isolated the alkaloids launobine and actinodarphin.
Its main medicinal properties
Experts assure that the ingredients included in the leaf have a very rapid effect on the body. It is recommended to use it in the form of decoctions and infusions, alcohol tinctures. In addition, cosmetic preparations are made at home. And all thanks to a wide range of effects, which is expressed in the following properties:
Antitumor effect, reduces to some extent the development of cancer cells, therefore it is used as an additional therapy.
Anti-pain effect, relieving joint pain, convulsive pain, pain arising from trembling limbs. Read more: Tremor of the limbs.
Bactericidal effect, which is widely used to restore the functioning of the digestive organs, with pronounced signs dyspepsia, treatment of food poisoning.
Anti-inflammatory and expectorant effect, which is used to relieve inflammation when various diseases, including sore throat, cough treatment.
Immunomodulatory effect, which is expressed in strengthening the body's defenses against the effects of microorganisms.
Calming and relaxing effect, balances emotional instability, helps treat insomnia.
It has a cleansing and diuretic effect, well removes intoxication products from the body, cleansing the blood of waste, toxins and other harmful substances.
Hemostatic and wound healing effect, used for local treatment.
An effect that stabilizes pressure, which frees the body from sudden surges and changes.
A slight astringent effect and the ability to lower blood sugar, which is used by healers for diabetes.
How to choose laurel for medicinal purposes
Nowadays, dried laurel leaves can be bought in bulk, packaged in bags and jars, and even on a branch. If you buy in bulk, carefully inspect the leaves; they should be dark green and clean. The presence of spots on the leaves indicates a violation of the raw material drying technology or a plant disease.
Fresh raw materials have a bright, pleasant aroma. Old leaves that have expired have almost no smell. If you feel bitterness when brewing the leaves, such raw materials are not suitable for treatment.
How long can dry raw materials be stored?
Dried laurel leaves are stored in glass jars with tight closed lids or in packages from thick paper. It is important that they are well dried.
Contraindications and possible harm when taking the drug
The daily use of laurel for cooking sometimes misleads people into the impossibility of causing harm to their health. In fact, we must remember that this seasoning is intended only for flavoring dishes, but not for internal use.
It would seem that a completely harmless leaf, having strong properties, can lead to poisoning, so it is necessary to strictly follow the recommended dosages when treating ailments. An overdose causes persistent constipation.
The plant has contraindications for use; it is not advisable to use laurel leaves if you have:
- increased sensitivity and predisposition to allergic reactions;
- with disorders of blood clotting and protein metabolism;
- tendency to frequent constipation;
- pancreatitis and cholelithiasis, acute cholecystitis, cardiovascular diseases;
- duodenal ulcer;
- inflammatory processes in the acute stage;
- not recommended during pregnancy, lactation and children.
Bay leaf in folk medicine
Traditional medicine has accumulated considerable experience in using the leaves of the long-lived plant. Their properties are used for treatment both fresh and dried. In this video, Elena Malysheva talks about the benefits and harms of laurel leaves:
What drugs are prepared for treatment?
Infusions, which have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, strengthen the immune system, cleanse and soothe the body. For classic recipe To prepare the infusion, take 10 dry bay leaves, pour 500 ml of boiling water and leave for about three hours. Take 100 milliliters three times a day.
Decoctions They cook different ones. Their concentration and oral dosage depend on the nature of the disease; recipes will be given below. When preparing decoctions, the container is not covered with a lid so that the essential oils evaporate and create less stress on the kidneys.
Oil or oil extract obtained by infusing the leaves in corn or olive oil, you can also use sunflower oil. Crushed leaves in an amount of 30 g are poured into 200 ml of hot oil. Afterwards it must be kept in a dark and warm place for up to 2 weeks.
If necessary, there is quick way preparation, after pouring hot oil over the leaves, keep it in a water bath for about one hour. The oil is intended for external use as a rub for arthritis, myositis, joint and neuralgic pain, and for massage in case of paralysis of the limbs.
Bean ointment , is the name of the essential oil, which is obtained by steam distilling the leaves. This remedy is difficult to prepare at home. It is also used for external purposes, for convulsions, respiratory diseases, and treats scabies.
Tincture prepared from a tablespoon of crushed raw materials in half a liter of vodka, infused for up to 2 weeks. They are used externally.
Bay leaf treatment
Preparations for both external and internal use are prepared from laurel leaves, and the leaves can be taken both dry and fresh.
For treatment skin diseases(urticaria, irritation, dandruff, eczema) use wiping, applying napkins with a concentrated solution of decoctions and infusions.
For oral administration, weak concentrations of infusions are used, and for each disease drugs are prepared according to different recipes. Laurel leaf oil helps relieve pain. Drugs are used to treat:
Digestive problems prepare a decoction of 4 g of bay leaf, poured with 100 ml of boiling water and kept on fire for 10 minutes. Take all day, a few sips, no more than 2 glasses per day.
Application for joints. Leaf preparations relieve joints of salt deposits. To do this, you need to brew 5 g of crushed leaves and 300 ml of boiling water. First, the solution is kept in a water bath for about five minutes, and then infused in a thermos for about five hours.
Take small portions all day, start on an empty stomach, drink until late in the evening. The course is three days. Afterwards, rest for a week and the treatment is repeated. That is, you need to carry out 2 courses of treatment for 3 days, with a week break. Treatment continues for a whole year: every quarter, 2 courses described.
After this, switch to preventive treatment - once a year you need to drink the infusion twice for 3 days with a week break. During treatment, it is better to use a vegetarian diet, without salt.
2nd recipe for salt deposits uric acid. Brew a decoction of 30 bay leaves in 2 glasses of water, which is boiled for 5 minutes. This volume is calculated for a day of treatment, the decoction is taken 100 ml five times a day, it increases diuresis and salts are excreted in the urine.
For allergies An infusion is also prepared from 5 g of finely broken leaves per 300 ml of boiling water. Which must be kept in a thermos for up to three hours. The infusion is used externally, it is used to wipe the skin with rashes.
For elimination unpleasant odor from mouth For diseases such as bleeding gums, stomatitis, and gingivitis, healers advise simply chewing a piece of leaf. The essential oils it contains destroy all pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity. After chewing, spit out the contents. It should not be swallowed.
This folk method is powerless if bad breath is associated with a disease of the internal organs.
For the treatment of sinusitis and other respiratory diseases, steam inhalation is used. Why do you need to pour boiling water over 15 crushed leaves, wait 10 minutes and breathe over the steam. Essential oils are volatile; when they enter the respiratory tract with steam, they kill viruses and microbes, promote the dilution of mucus and its discharge (expectorant effect).
From alcoholism There is folk recipe using medicinal plant lovage Why infuse a teaspoon of lovage roots and two bay leaves in vodka (250 ml) for two weeks. The use of tincture causes a persistent aversion to alcoholic beverages.
For dysentery Prepare a decoction of 2 bay leaves and a teaspoon of green tea, poured with cold water. The drug is simmered over low heat until the volume is reduced by half. Take a tablespoon - five times a day.
For diabetes It is recommended to take the leaf powder on the tip of a knife in the morning. You just need to monitor the pressure. In severe forms of the disease, such treatment is contraindicated.
2 treatment recipefor diabetes. 8 leaves after brewing, leave in a thermos for up to 4 hours in 800 ml of boiling water. Drink 100 ml infusion before meals, three times a day. Treatment is provided in a course of two weeks, with the same break. Used as an adjuvant, you cannot cancel the treatment prescribed by your doctor on your own.
For rheumatism A tincture is prepared from one spoon of chopped bay leaf per half liter of vodka, and you also need to add the same amount of willow bark and lilac color. After 2 weeks of infusion, use for rubbing.
Bedsores, bruises, pain relief A recipe with vegetable oil will come in handy. Take 35 g of crushed raw materials per glass of vegetable oil and leave for two weeks. After filtering, use it to lubricate sore spots.
For excessive sweating of feet and odor removal prepare a decoction of 2 bags of leaves with 3 tablespoons of oak bark per four liters of water. Boil the medicine for about 7 minutes, do foot baths. This remedy helps in the fight against fungal diseases of the feet.
For the treatment of stye prepare an infusion of 3 crushed leaves poured with a glass of boiling water. You need to insist for 20 minutes and take the infusion warm, 100 ml every hour throughout the day. You need to drink 6 glasses a day, and brew fresh leaves for each glass. Healers claim that after a day's treatment, the stye disappears in the morning.
Treatment of flu, colds, acute respiratory infections carry out a decoction prepared on a spoon of crushed raw materials, poured with two glasses of boiling water, kept on the stove (over low heat) for 10 minutes. Take half a glass of the decoction, three times a day, before meals. Increases immunity.
The bactericidal properties of the decoction are used to disinfect a room in which there is a person suffering from the flu. To do this, the infusion or concentrated decoction is poured into a saucer so that it evaporates. Essential oils help destroy all viruses and microorganisms.
Bay leaf for weight loss
Thanks to the effective properties of essential oils and other biologically active substances, which are part of the plant, leaf preparations are successfully used for weight loss. This is mainly due to the diuretic effect, frequent urination It not only removes excess fluid from the body, but also frees the body from waste and toxins.
When using drugs for the purpose of losing weight, you will have to change your diet, which may contain plant foods, turkey and chicken meat, seafood and rabbit meat, and dried fruits. You will have to exclude smoked and canned food, red meat and flour products, sweets and alcohol from the menu.
Cleansing the body for weight loss is carried out once every six months.
Tea for removing toxins and impurities prepared from 30 leaves poured into a thermos with a liter of boiling water. It is kept overnight and taken for three days in small sips, repeatedly.
To regulate water-salt balance. When tea and the proposed diet do not bring the expected results, the cause may be an impaired water-salt balance.
The following infusion will help normalize it: Brew just 3 leaves with 300 ml of boiling water and leave for 4 hours. Take a tablespoon before meals.
A complicated recipe for removing fluid prepared from 200 g of raw materials, brewed with a liter of boiling water and kept for 20 minutes in a water bath. 2 tablespoons before each meal will allow the body to free itself from 3-4 liters of water in three days.
Recipe for laurel with cinnamon. Brew 5 bay leaves and a cinnamon stick with one and a half liters of boiling water and keep on low heat for 15 minutes. Drink 250 ml of the drug before each meal for three days.
Cinnamon helps burn fat, relaxes the intestines, and reduces appetite.
Application in home cosmetology
The bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties of the plant help cope with skin problems, essential oils, vitamins and minerals nourish and rejuvenate it. Do not forget that the composition contains tannins that dry the skin, so it is better to use medicinal preparations for oily facial skin.
For skin rejuvenation and acne treatment prepare an infusion of 25 crushed leaves poured with half a glass of boiling water. Which is first boiled for about 5 minutes, and then left for another four hours. Wipe the face with the prepared infusion.
Steaming the skin over decoctions helps open pores and cleanse them.
Anti-wrinkle mask prepared from 20 ml of decoction, raw protein, 10 g of yeast and a tablespoon of oil. Ready mixture Apply to the face and keep until completely dry. The mask is applied to the skin after three days.
Infusionfor hair prepared from 30 laurel leaves, poured with a liter of water, which must be put on fire and brought to a boil, and then poured into a thermos and kept for about three hours. Rinse your hair with this infusion after washing. The infusion helps eliminate dandruff, heals skin rashes, redness, and peeling.
At home treatment, it is necessary to remember that bay leaf has medicinal properties and has an astringent effect, causing constipation. Therefore, people prone to this problem during the treatment period need to switch to a vegetarian diet or more often include in their diet vegetables and fruits that have a laxative effect (beets, prunes, apples, figs...)
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