About a widespread and available for harvesting plant - narrow-leaved ivan tea, its chemical composition, useful and medicinal properties, contraindications and use in folk medicine.
Ivan-tea is called both a perennial herb of the Fireweed family and a drink from this plant. In this article, we'll talk about the plant and its beneficial properties, since the drink deserves a separate story.
Narrow-leaved Ivan tea has many popular names: Koporsky tea, sandwich, willow herb, fireweed, fireman, wild flax, squeaky, downy and others. Each name has its own explanation. For example, "willow-grass" - because of the similarity of leaves with willow leaves, "fireman" - as one of the first to inhabit the places of former fires, etc.
This plant is widespread on the territory of Russia, it is not difficult to recognize it among other herbs. Ivan tea is a rather tall plant (up to 2 m) with usually pink medium-sized flowers, collected in carpal inflorescences. Blooms from June to August. It grows in clearings, forest edges, clearings, burnt-out areas, loves illuminated places.
People learned about the beneficial properties of ivan tea for a long time, but today, despite the availability and benefits, it is not brewed everywhere. Meanwhile, the composition of Ivan tea includes tannins and mucus (astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and enveloping effect), flavonoids (antioxidant properties, antispasmodic, diuretic and choleretic effect), pectins (improving digestion, removing harmful substances from the body), organic acids (possess P-vitamin activity), ascorbic acid, B vitamins, carotene, minerals: macronutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus) and trace elements (iron, manganese, boron, copper, nickel, titanium, molybdenum), as well as other components. The potassium contained in Ivan tea is necessary for the body to transmit nerve impulses, maintain the acid-base balance of the blood, normal carbohydrate metabolism and to ensure muscle contraction. Calcium is a part of the human skeleton, teeth and other tissues, helps in maintaining normal blood pressure, is important for normal muscle function, transmission of nerve impulses, and blood clotting processes. Magnesium is needed for the normal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and amino acids, for the functioning of the heart muscle and the regulation of blood circulation, the normal functioning of the nerves. Iron is involved in hematopoiesis, where it is used in the synthesis of hemoglobin and myoglobin, helps in the delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, increases the body's resistance to stress and disease, and reduces fatigue.
Thus, the presence of so many different useful elements in Ivan tea affects its useful properties in general. This is an improvement in the process of hematopoiesis; stimulating immunity; analgesic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antipyretic effect. It also has soothing, relaxing and sedative properties; improves the water balance of the body; helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; normalizes metabolism; eliminates diseases of the mucous membranes, including the mouth and throat. Ivan tea is indicated for hypertension, anemia, prevention of tumors, at the onset of colds, migraines. It relieves nervous disorders, makes sleep sound, slows down skin aging, strengthens hair roots, and has a good effect on oral health.
Ivan tea is served in the form of decoctions from leaves, compresses, used for rinsing the throat, washing wounds.
There is little information about the contraindications of this plant. People with a high risk of blood clots should be careful about its use. In any case, if you have doubts or serious illnesses, as well as during pregnancy and lactation, you should consult a doctor before using it so as not to harm the body.
