"Home doctor" on your windowsill: healing properties of geranium

Plants of the Geraniev family have long attracted the attention of people. Even in ancient Greece, many types of geraniums were famous for their healing qualities. Decoctions and tinctures were prepared from them, oil was made. Bunches of fragrant green geraniums were collected to combat parasites and blood-sucking insects.

Experts say that our geranium will help to defeat any disease, from colds to tumor diseases.

Below we will consider what are the beneficial qualities of pelargonium and what is its use in the treatment of various ailments.

What plant indoor pelargonium is and what are its beneficial qualities?

Geranium is a perennial herbaceous plant of a warm climatic zone. Has branched stems, rounded leaves on long stalks. Many types of geraniums are popular indoor flowers. In folk medicine, geranium is valued for its bactericidal, antiseptic, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Family: Geraniums.

Indoor geranium, or pelargonium, is not only a beautiful and unpretentious flower, but also a "home healer". Healing properties of geraniums:

• bactericidal;
• wound healing;
• antispasmodic;
• painkillers;
• soothing;
• relaxing;
• absorbable;
• hemostatic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• decongestants;
• constricting;
• emollients;
• anti-aging;
• antivirus;
• antibacterial;
• insecticidal;
• diuretics;
• immunostimulatory.

The healing properties of pelargonium are found in leaves, flowers, roots, stems. In folk medicine, leaves are most often used. Decoctions, infusions, alcohol tinctures, an oil extract are prepared from them. Essential oil is used as a component of ointments, creams and lotions.

Read more about the beneficial properties of the plant for home and human health in our material.

Healing properties of leaves

The healing properties of geranium leaves are determined by their composition. They contain:

• essential oil;
• volatile;
• flavonoids;
• pectins;
• resin;
• gum;
• glycosides;
• tannins;
• organic acids;
• minerals (especially a lot of calcium);
• carbohydrates;
• saponins;
• coumarins;
• starch.

The composition contains geraniol. This is a fragrant substance that has an antimicrobial effect. Geraniol is widely used in cosmetology and perfumery.

Is odor good or bad for humans?

Pelargonium volatile products have an antimicrobial effect. This plant saturates the air with essential oils that balance the processes of excitation and inhibition. The smell helps to relieve headaches, relieve fatigue, normalize sleep, and get rid of nightmares. It is used as a perfume in cosmetics and perfumes: soap, creams, sprays, lotions, perfumes.

Geranium has found its place in aromatherapy. Its smell helps to recover after small losses or unpleasant communication. It has a beneficial effect on well-being, increases motivation. Helps to combat insecurity and inferiority complex.

Returns the brightness of sensations, gives sensuality. To be treated with the smell of pelargonium can be as follows. Put the plant on the table, sit at a distance of 60 cm from it and breathe through the nose. First take three deep breaths, then inhale the smell evenly and calmly for 10 minutes. It will take 15 to 30 procedures. It all depends on the circumstances and characteristics of the body. A large number of species of geranium are known. All of them have useful properties.

Cultural and wild plant species, their use in the treatment of various ailments

In addition to home-made room geraniums, the following types are often used in folk medicine:

• Marsh. Grows in Central, European and Southern Europe. Prefers moist places near swamps, as well as in willows. It has astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Forest. It occurs in the temperate climatic zone of Russia, in Siberia and the North Caucasus. Used to stop bleeding and rheumatic pains. Helps with diarrhea, digestive disorders.
• Lemon. Its other name is pink pelargonium. Lemon geranium is grown at home. It has a pleasant lemon aroma. It is used as a deodorizing, antiseptic, hemostatic and wound healing agent. It is able to alleviate the symptoms of otitis media, acute respiratory infections, headaches, inflammation of the nasopharynx. Aromatic teas are made from lemon geranium.
• Non-blooming - fragrant geranium. This geranium does not bloom. It has carved leaves, which when watering or touching a person begin to smell like lemon balm. Scented geranium purifies the air. It has antidepressant properties. Its smell increases mental and physical activity, evens out the psycho-emotional background, eliminates the feeling of fear, and restores the nervous system during exhaustion.

  Helps restore faith in one's own strength and eliminate inferiority complex. Also used as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory. Non-flowering geranium is used for otitis media that begins with a runny nose and acute respiratory infections.

The chemical composition of all types of geranium contains valuable substances of the flavonoid group with an antioxidant effect - catechins and tannins.

From geranium, you can make oil, infusions, decoctions and alcohol tinctures for external and internal use.

Photo

Below you can see photos of different types of geraniums used in folk medicine.

What helps geranium oil and how to use it?

Geranium essential oil is obtained by steam distillation from leaves, stems and flowers of young plants of the geranium genus. It contains valuable aromatic alcohol geraniol. Geranium oil is light, flowing, greenish-olive in color. It has a sweet floral aroma.

Geranium essential oil has many medicinal properties:

• normalizes blood circulation;
• relaxes the nervous system;
• relieves puffiness;
• heals wounds, contributing to the regeneration of the skin;
• relieves skin irritation;
• stimulates the immune system;
• relieves inflammation of the ENT organs and respiratory tract;
• stimulates hair growth;
• prevents the appearance of dandruff;
• helps with psoriasis;
• normalizes fat metabolism and sebaceous glands;
• improves lymph flow;
• has an antiviral effect;
• helps with herpes;
• eliminates cellulite.

The use of geranium oil:

• Massage. 3-5 drops are added to the cream or massage base oil.
• Therapeutic baths. You can add 7-8 drops. A good healing effect is given by a mixture of essential oil, sea salt and honey.
• Compresses and applications. May be warm and cold.
• Cold inhalation. 2-3 drops are dripped into aroma-pendants or on a napkin and inhale the vapors of essential oil. With insomnia, you can put the soaked napkin on the pillow.
• Warm inhalation. 3-5 drops are added to warm (not hot!) Water and breathe over the water with your nose or mouth. Also added to inhalers.
• Use in cosmetology. Apply in pure form. In addition, various cosmetics are enriched with geranium oil: masks, hair shampoos, face creams.
• Aromatherapy You can drip 2-3 drops into the aroma lamp.
• Internal use. 1 drop with honey after meals twice a day.

Geranium can be mixed with other essential oils - cedar, rosemary, burdock, almond. Geranium essential oil is available at the pharmacy. The cost of the product depends on the manufacturer, volume, type of plant. Egyptian geranium oil is highly regarded in cosmetology and is quite expensive.

How to cook yourself from leaves and flowers?

Geranium oil can be prepared at home according to the following recipe.:

1. Grind fresh leaves and flowers into gruel.
2. Place 1 cup of mashed gruel in a glass dish of clear glass.
3. Add half a glass of undiluted medical alcohol.
4. Close cover tightly.
5. The resulting infusion should occupy 1/2 the volume of the container.
6. Put the dishes in a sunny place for two weeks.
7. After 14 days, open the lid and pour corn or olive oil on top, filling the dishes to the brim.
8. Cover and expose to the sun for two weeks.
9. Then strain the oil, squeeze the raw material and discard.

Store the resulting geranium oil in tightly closed bottles.

Medicinal tincture

Pelargonium leaves and root are used to make alcohol tinctures.

Cooking:

1. Take 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh leaves. Pour ½ cup vodka (alcohol 40%).
2. Insist 7 days at room temperature.
3. Strain.

Application: ½ teaspoon 2 times a day, diluted in a tablespoon of water. It is useful to take at night with insomnia.

What does a plant do for women's health?

The healing properties of geraniums are used in gynecology:

• Decoctions and tinctures are recommended for resorption of functional ovarian cysts.
• Geranium helps to normalize the course of the menstrual cycle, helps with menstrual pain.
• Helps to eliminate the negative phenomena of the menopause.
• Essential oil helps with PMS. Relieves irritability and nervousness, normalizes sleep and mood. It is taken orally, they are breathed during aromatherapy sessions.

Why is pelargonium needed in the house?

Geranium actively spreads aromatic substances and volatile products around itself. They neutralize toxic impurities and odors, improving the air quality in the house. The smell of geraniums is poorly tolerated by mosquitoes and flies. The plant helps to cope with annoying insects in the house.

People in the room where geranium grows become calmer, sleep better and suffer less headaches.

Prescription Drugs

Decoction to relieve the condition with otitis media and headache

From dry and fresh leaves, as well as from the roots of the flower, You can cook a healthy broth.

Cooking:

1. Take 1 tablespoon of dry raw materials. Pour 1 cup boiling water.
2. Boil for one minute.
3. Insist 30 minutes.
4. Strain.

For a decoction intended for external use, 1 tablespoon of boiling water use two tablespoons of dry leaves.

You can find out whether geranium can be used for pain in the ear here.

Outdoor application

For the treatment of the common cold, it is recommended to instill 2-3 drops of the decoction into each nostril. The broth is good for the skin:

• relieves redness;
• evens out skin texture;
• stimulates cell regeneration processes;
• It has a tonic effect.

Cleansing toner for normal skin

Recipe:

1. Take 2-3 tablespoons of chopped geranium leaves.
2. Pour 1 cup boiling water.
3. Let it brew for 30 minutes.
4. Pour the resulting tonic into the container and tightly close the lid.

Internal use of the decoction

A decoction of geranium leaves is recommended to drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Indications

• gastritis, colitis, intestinal colic;
• neurosis, insomnia;
• as a diuretic for kidney stone disease;
• as an astringent in digestive disorders.

Medicinal are not only the leaves, but also the roots of this flower. A decoction from the root is taken in ¼ cup 4 times a day half an hour before meals. They recommend drinking with hypertension.

Contraindications

Despite the many useful properties of geranium, its internal use is not recommended in the following cases:

• gastritis with low acidity;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• childhood;
• stomach ulcer;
• tendency to constipation;
• varicose veins;
• thrombophlebitis.

Geranium has the property of thickening blood.

People with low blood pressure should also be careful when taking geranium, because it has an atonic effect on the body. In the presence of chronic diseases, you should first consult your doctor. Do not abuse the treatment of folk remedies based on geranium and its oil for the elderly.

Contraindications for external use:

• individual intolerance;
• tendency to allergies.

Geranium plants are versatile healing properties. The main ones are disinfectant, bactericidal, astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory. From ancient times, pelargonium leaves have been used in otolaryngology for the treatment of sinusitis and otitis.

The drug stops internal bleeding, relieves inflammation and pain in diseases of the joints and muscles, helps with neurosis and insomnia. It is included in the complex therapy in gynecology. The essential oil of this plant is widely used in dermatology and cosmetology.

Read about how geranium is used in sports nutrition, read here, and from this article you will learn what geranium extract is, as well as whether it is banned in Russia.

When deciding to be treated with geranium products for internal use, it is necessary to consider contraindications and consult a doctor.

Useful video

The video below talks about the beneficial properties of geranium.

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