Dandelion for bronchitis coughs

Dandelion (kulbaba) is a plant familiar to us from childhood for its "parachutes" and charming yellow wreaths. But has any of us ever thought that the plant, the full name of which sounds like "medicinal dandelion", has another purpose? After all, all parts of the plant have a great healing effect on the body, for which it was nicknamed the "elixir of life" in ancient times.

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Pharmacodynamics

Dandelion is commonly used for a variety of illnesses, including heart and kidney disease, cholecystitis, diabetes, etc. However, it has not gained much popularity in the treatment of bronchitis, although the plant has good mucolytic and expectorant properties. Based on it, you can make a couple of useful and quite tasty recipes that will certainly help with a difficult cough.

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Dosing and administration

The easiest way to make a decoction of finely chopped dandelion roots. For 1 tbsp. of plant material, take 2 tbsp. of boiling water. Place the mixture in a water bath for half an hour. Remove from heat and let sit for another 15 minutes. After that, the decoction can be strained and taken 1 tbsp. up to five times a day.

Now let's move from healthy recipes to tasty and healing ones.

Dandelion marmalade for cough: At the height of dandelion blooming, collect more flowers with stems, chop them and put them in a saucepan. Dandelion raw materials should take up 2/3 of the container, add water to the rest. Boil the mixture on low heat for half an hour, then leave it in a warm place for another 2 hours. When the mixture has cooled a little, strain it and mix it in equal proportions with sugar. Boil until thick.

Dandelion jam: To prepare a healing dessert, take only yellow petals of flowers, sprinkle them with sugar and cook over low heat until a drop of jam does not spread on the surface of the plate. When coughing, add jam to tea or eat 1 teaspoon several times a day.

Dandelion honey: Take 300g of yellow petals. Pour a glass of water over the washed raw material, bring to a boil and boil for no more than 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and add lemon cut into pieces, having previously removed the peel. Leave the mixture to infuse for about 7 hours.

Mix a kilogram of sugar with a glass of water and cook a thin syrup, then add the dandelion petal mixture and simmer for another 30-35 minutes. Pour the mixture into a clean container and use neat or as an additive to tea or milk for coughs or to prevent colds. The treatment is carried out three times a day. Single dose - 1 teaspoon.

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Use dandelion during pregnancy

The use of dandelion during pregnancy and childhood should be discussed with a specialist doctor. During lactation, dandelion medicines can change the taste of milk.

Contraindications

Absolute contraindications to the use of dandelion-based recipes are hypersensitivity to the plant and obstruction of the bile ducts. In case of ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice, caution should be exercised when using such treatment, but with low secretion, dandelion simultaneously stabilizes the acidity level.

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Side effects dandelion

Side effects occur extremely rarely, and again against the background of an overdose. We are talking about such symptoms as nausea, vomiting, loose stools, etc., which pass after a short break in treatment. Heartburn may occur with gastritis. Allergic reactions are also very rare and proceed in a mild degree (skin rash).

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Storage conditions

This popular plant should be harvested when it begins to delight the eye with its fluffy yellow flowers, reminding everyone that spring is in full swing and summer is just around the corner. Dandelion actively blooms in May-June. This is the best time to collect the youngest and most useful flowers, trying not to shake them too much so that they retain their healing pollen. Before drying, we sort out the flowers to remove insects, parts of other plants and other debris.

Dandelion roots should be collected in April before the first leaves appear, although it is easier to do this in September-October, when the plant is still visible.

Dry the roots first in the sun until they stop releasing juice, and then in the shade. It is better to dry the flowers immediately in the shade in a draft. If you use a dryer, the temperature in it should not rise above 50 degrees.

Leaves and flowers of dandelion are stored in glass, paper, cardboard or fabric containers for no more than 1 year. Roots can be stored in glass or wooden boxes for 5 years.

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