Consumption of milk thistle fruit. Milk thistle: medicinal properties, benefits and harms

Among the variety of medicinal herbs, milk thistle stands out with its healing properties (popularly it is called milk thistle, marina thorns, etc.). A herbaceous plant is used not only in traditional medicine - pharmacology uses raw materials for the production of various drugs.

This grass is found everywhere, but most aggressively takes over landfills and wastelands. In addition, Maryina spines are also cultivated in specialized farms in order to have sufficient medicinal raw materials.

The plant lives up to its name - its large, pinnately lobed green leaves are covered with white spots. Along the edges of the elliptical shape, the shiny leaves are framed with denticles with yellowish spines.

The height of the erect thick stem reaches one and a half meters. It is ribbed, with felt pubescence. But the white, yellowish, pink, purple or purple flowers collected in apical baskets are very small. They are tubular, bisexual and also have a spiny wrap.

Milk thistle fruits are taken as medicinal raw materials. They contain achenes up to 7 mm long, black or dark brown. On the body of the achene, oblong lines are clearly distinguished, and it is crowned with a long hairy tuft.

The main component of milk thistle, for which the plant is valued, is flavonolignans, which affect liver function. They are present in the composition of about 4%. In addition, the seeds contain other vital substances.

The main composition of milk thistle seeds

Even in milk thistle there are mucus, resins, biogenic amines, a large composition of vitamins. The grass is also valued for the fact that it contains a substance rarely found in nature - silymarin and its derivative flavonoid silybin.

Due to the chemical composition, the plant has many useful properties, and is recommended not only for the treatment of diseases, but also for the prevention of their occurrence. Among the large list of effects of plant seeds on the body, the following can be distinguished:

• silymarin is a biologically active component with antioxidant properties; it not only protects membranes, but also promotes the formation of new cells, and is also a good stimulator of protein synthesis;
• silybin is able to protect the liver from various negative effects on the organ, so milk thistle is the strongest hepatoprotector;
• milk thistle is also good as a restorative agent after taking drugs that negatively affect the liver;
• with the help of herbs, dysbacteriosis is effectively treated and headaches are relieved;
• it is an excellent antihistamine, so the plant is also used to treat allergies;
• milk thistle is prescribed as an aid in diseases of the spleen;
• the grass affects the production of bile in sufficient quantities for digestion, which has a beneficial effect on digestion;
• cleanses of toxins, removes cholesterol, normalizes sugar levels;
• promotes hematopoiesis, treats varicose veins and prevents blood clots;
• indications for the use of milk thistle are also colitis and constipation;
• in folk medicine, milk thistle is often recommended for psoriasis, acne vulgaris, red lichen, vitiligo and other types of dermatosis;
• a good result can be obtained in the treatment of alopecia;
• helps with convulsions, radiculitis, joint pain, salt deposition;
• the plant also has an effect on colds, as well as dental problems;
• remedies from Mary's thorn will relieve swelling and relieve urinary retention;
• tea from this herb is recommended as an addition to courses of radiation and chemotherapy, which adversely affect the liver;
• milk thistle is recommended for women for the treatment of gynecological diseases;
• preparations of this plant activate metabolic processes, which allows the use of grass in diets for weight loss.

Homeopaths recommend the use of milk thistle in medical therapy for those who seek to get rid of alcohol or drug addiction. In addition to seeds, you can also use the leaves of the plant - they have diaphoretic and laxative properties.

The seeds are ground to a floury state to obtain meal. It is valued for its high content of vitamins from group B. Raw materials are recommended to be used to nourish the heart muscle, regulate fat metabolism, and improve the functioning of the nervous system.

Schrot is prescribed in the treatment of diseases affecting the organs of vision. The tool has a positive effect on intestinal motility and relieves constipation. It has a choleretic and anti-sclerotic effect, useful in the treatment of skin diseases.

Milk thistle powder is pleasant to the taste, non-toxic, so it is used in the food industry - added to confectionery and made from it a coffee surrogate. At home, it is recommended to brew meal in the form of teas or add powder to salads, using it as an addition to weight loss diets. The antioxidant properties of the plant will not only allow you to maintain an attractive appearance, but also significantly delay the aging of the body.

Although they say that there is no panacea, milk thistle can be safely assigned this status - there are almost no contraindications for its use, but there are some limitations:

• when cleansing the liver, pain often occurs in the right hypochondrium;
• treatment of cholelithiasis, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis should be carried out only under medical supervision;
• with caution prescribe the drug to pregnant women and children under 4 years of age;
• you should not combine milk thistle and contraceptives, as the effect of the latter weakens;
• despite the fact that Maryina thorn is an antihistamine, its preparations can provoke allergic reactions in the form of a rash and asthmatic shortness of breath;
• due to the rich content of phosphorus and potassium in the seeds, people with a sick heart should use the herb with caution, and with shortness of breath it is better to completely exclude from therapy;
• but with epilepsy, severe depression and mental disorders, doctors categorically prohibit the use of milk thistle preparations inside.

It is not recommended to prescribe milk thistle for yourself - a preliminary consultation with a doctor is necessary. If he decides to introduce preparations of this plant into therapy, then this should be done gradually, starting with small doses.

Milk thistle is taken in courses, between which significant breaks should be taken. Otherwise, habituation will occur, which will reduce the effectiveness of treatment.

Medicinal properties of milk thistle: video

The main focus of the properties of this plant is the protection of liver functions. Drugs of pharmacological production and folk formulations help rid this organ of toxic lesions. Milk thistle gives a powerful effect in hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver.

Milk thistle - liver treatment: video

In order for the effect of the treatment of liver cirrhosis to be stronger, folk therapy should also be added to drug therapy - a decoction of seeds should be used. To prepare it, take 2 tbsp. raw materials and boil in half a liter of water until the solution is reduced in volume by 2 times.

After letting it brew a little, the broth is filtered and taken in doses of 100 g at intervals recommended by the doctor - three times before meals or every 12 hours (an individual approach is needed here).

A good result is the powder of the seeds, for which they are ground in a coffee grinder. Due to the neutral taste, the meal will be easy to use in dry form (1 tsp each), washed down with a small amount of water. The duration of the course and the frequency are agreed with the attending physician.

As mentioned above, the plant is actively used in pharmacology. On the basis of milk thistle, various hepatoprotectors are produced in tablets and capsules, in the form of oils and tinctures. The most common of them are Silimar, Silibor, Karsil, Legalon, HepaBene, Sibektan. In addition to milk thistle, there are other herbs in the preparations that have a positive effect on the functioning of the liver.

Recently, dietary supplements "Biokor" have become popular, which are recommended not only for problems with the liver, but also for the treatment of the pancreas. A biologically active food supplement is also good for prevention, as a protective and strengthening agent.

Traditional medicine recipes

Maryina thorn has been used in folk therapy for a long time. Mentions of it are even found in the treatises of the ancient healer Galen and the ancient Greek Dioscorides. In our time, the plant has come back into fashion, and its properties are often compared with echinacea.

Before brewing milk thistle, its seeds should be ground in a coffee grinder (or buy ready-made meal). Half a liter of water should be boiled and pour 30 g of crushed seeds with it. Then the product is half evaporated in a water bath, filtered through cheesecloth, folded in 3 layers, and take 1 tbsp. every 60 min. The broth is drunk from 1 to 2 months, then they take a break for 14 days.

The previous recipe can also be used for hepatitis. Or use this recommendation - for 40 days, take dry powder (1 tsp) 4 times a day with warm water 20 minutes before meals. Then they take a break for 2 weeks and resume the course. Treatment usually stretches for 6-12 months - depending on the degree of the disease.

For hepatitis and other liver problems, milk thistle seed sprouts are helpful. It is enough to eat 1 tbsp per day, waiting for 2 leaves to form on the sprouts. Such seeds are the most saturated with biologically active substances.

But for the treatment of joints, it is better to take the root of the plant - it also has many useful elements. The root is crushed and 1 tbsp. pour a glass of boiled water. Covered with a lid, kept in a water bath for about 30-40 minutes, then filtered. During this time, the liquid will boil down, so it will need to be brought to its original volume by adding boiled water. Take three times 1 tbsp.

With burns, milk thistle oil, which can be bought at a pharmacy, will help. The sore spot is pre-treated with an antiseptic, then covered with a bandage soaked in oil. If there is no suppuration, then the bandage can be changed every 2 days until the problem is resolved.

Fresh milk thistle leaves can also be applied to burns (as well as wounds and abrasions). It is necessary to take large ones, from the bottom of the trunk. The thorns are cut off from them, then the leaves are crushed and applied to sore spots. The bandage should be changed 2 times a day.

Depending on the disease that affected the skin, choose the appropriate recipe:

• with a rash, 20 minutes before each meal, take 1 tsp orally. crushed seeds;
• for allergic rashes, they drink a tablespoon of the decoction of the plant (3 tablespoons for 3 cups of boiling water);
• for eczema and other skin problems, milk thistle oil is rubbed into the affected areas; if there are complications, then applications will be needed, which should be changed every day.

The oil can also be taken orally - twice a day before meals, 1 tsp, combined with external procedures. Drinking oil once a day - on an empty stomach, you can get rid of acne on the face that occurs due to a failure of metabolic processes.

For the treatment of varicose veins, herbal tea is prepared - 1 tsp is poured into a glass of boiling water. meal and insist 15 minutes. After straining, the drink is drunk half an hour before meals. And so three times a day - for breakfast, lunch and before bedtime, each time preparing a fresh drink. To enhance the healing effect and improve the taste of tea, you can use mint, which is combined with powder in a 1: 1 ratio.

Milk thistle oil is an excellent cleanser. It is taken half an hour before breakfast and dinner, 1 tbsp. over a long period. The effect of losing weight will not begin to appear immediately - at first the body will be cleansed of toxins, and only then will the gradual burning of fats begin.

For constipation, you can use the same recipe that is recommended for the treatment of gastritis, or drink meal with water 5 times a day. Milk thistle juice made from fresh leaves also gives a good effect. Take 5 large sheets, squeeze the juice and mix it with 3 tbsp. alcohol (70%), and all this is poured into milk (1 l). Take 30 drops before meals.

To remove toxic substances from the body, it is recommended to take not only seeds, but the whole plant - with leaves and roots. Raw materials are crushed, take 2 tbsp. and pour boiling water (3 cups). Insist 12 hours, filter and drink an incomplete glass before each meal.

Children are prescribed raspolet with caution - a quarter cup and only an hour after eating. The product is prepared in hot milk (1 cup), which is poured into 1 tbsp. seeds. The composition is brought to a boil, immediately removed, covered with a lid, wrapped in a blanket and kept for 12 hours. Then boil again, filter and give to the child.

The most valuable form of milk thistle is the oil, which is obtained from the seeds. It can be used externally (for the treatment of wounds, burns, skin diseases), and taken orally. According to its biochemical properties, the product is in no way inferior to sea buckthorn oil.

The product can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared independently at home. For this, 5 tsp. seeds are poured with vegetable oil (half a liter) and steamed in a water bath for 10 minutes. After the oil has cooled, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

Oil, like the seeds themselves, is a good hepatoprotective and choleretic agent. In the product, the whole complex of polyunsaturated fatty acids can be most distinguished. A large amount of fat-soluble vitamins in the product - A, D, F, but I especially want to highlight tocopherol, which gives the oil antioxidant properties.

The composition also contains keratinoids and chlorophyll, which makes it possible to effectively use milk thistle oils for such problems:

• acids bind cholesterol, preventing it from settling on the walls of blood vessels, and contribute to its rapid removal from the body;
• in combination with meal, this remedy helps to effectively treat atherosclerosis.
• milk thistle oil improves metabolic processes, stimulates tissue repair and rejuvenation;
• acting on the body from the inside, stimulates hematopoiesis;
• when applied externally, good anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties are observed.

Oil is not only a therapeutic and prophylactic remedy for diseases, but also an excellent dietary product that promotes weight loss and rejuvenation of the body.

As you can see from the article, milk thistle is an excellent effective remedy that gives results even with severe diseases. Grass seeds are stored for at least 3 years, so you can periodically pamper yourself with healing teas for preventive purposes.

By the way, there will be a remedy after a feast with an abundance of fatty foods and alcohol - it will facilitate the work of the liver and digestive tract. At the same time, you can use milk thistle in any form - dry powders, decoctions, oils or purchased tablet preparations (it all depends on individual preferences).

And it can do this quickly, without having the slightest negative side effect on the body and, which is also important, inexpensively.

After all, most medicinal herbs, including milk thistle, cost mere pennies in a pharmacy. And even more so - they, if desired and possible, can be prepared independently.

Milk thistle herb is very often, and rightly, called the "prickly healer." Among the people, milk thistle grass has been known since ancient times - the era of Dioscorides. This is a famous ancient Roman military doctor, who has Greek roots. He was both a naturalist and a pharmacologist, and he is also known as one of the founders of such a science as botany.

Milk thistle has one very funny name among the people: "spicy-variegated." And it is quite justified. The plant is both sharp, with long spines on the leaves and stems, and variegated, because its leaves have spots and whitish stains.

Milk thistle grass is a member of the Asteraceae family. Coming to us from the very south of Europe, she adapted very well: the plant, under the summer rays of the sun, rages with lush color and greenery, growing up to 130 centimeters in height, and some specimens even higher.

Today, milk thistle is found throughout Europe, and has already spread far beyond the continent. So, it grows in Siberia, and in Asia, on the territory of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and so on. The grass strongly resembles a huge jellyfish in spring, as its basal leaves are large, wide and shiny, with yellow and rather long spines located on inflorescences and on stems.

Milk thistle's numerous buds are formed by dozens of its pink flowers, which can range in hue from almost white to almost purple. Milk thistle blooms at different times, depending on the climatic conditions of the area and the specific weather conditions that occur.

However, as a rule, its flowering period falls at the beginning of August, lasting more than a month. The healing qualities of milk thistle owe their existence to the active substances contained in the plant, the number of which exceeds 350. And they have a very positive effect on the body, protecting it from various ailments and helping to get rid of them!

The unique chemical composition of milk thistle

Few other plants can boast such a wide range of components contained in it. Of particular note are the vitamins and minerals contained in milk thistle.

The main medicinal raw material is the fruit of the plant, which is already quite ripe. But the roots, and stems, and leaves are also used in the preparation of certain healing decoctions, infusions, and so on.

Fruit seeds, in which the main power of milk thistle is concentrated, contain about 300 elements that have a healing effect on the body.

Vitamins:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin F
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin H and others

Minerals (macro- and microelements):

• iron
• selenium
• potassium
• manganese
• magnesium
• calcium and others

A distinctive, even, it should be said, unique, feature of milk thistle is the fact that it contains silymarin in very high concentrations: a powerful complex of natural antioxidants-flavolignans, which are called "ambulance for the liver." But, of course, the plant in question is useful not only for this organ. In fact, it has a beneficial effect on the entire body.

The plant also contains many other substances:

Selenium important for ensuring the normal functioning of your heart and vascular condition. Also, this substance, as has been officially proven, prevents cancer, strengthens the body's defenses.

Silymarin provides protection for cell membranes and acts as a high-quality building material for the creation of new healthy cells during their division. But that's not all! It has a detoxifying effect, helps produce bile and so on.

alkaloids help to pacify pain of various etiologies, adjust blood circulation, put blood vessels in order.

Fixed oils necessary to ensure the normal process of cell division, their protection from carcinogens, have a positive effect on metabolic processes.

Protein necessary for the production of physiologically important enzymes, is involved in the transport of hemoglobin, is essential for the functioning of the musculoskeletal system of the body, and so on.

Essential oils necessary to activate the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, normalize the state of the nervous system.

resins - disinfect, have an antifungal and antimicrobial effect on the body.

Flavonoids - normalize blood pressure, heart rate, adrenal activity, strengthen capillaries, neutralize free radicals.

Lignans - reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, detect, bind and remove toxic substances, effectively regulate hormonal balance, oxygen metabolism, and so on.

Milk thistle - benefit and harm. How to take a medicinal plant

In homeopathy, this herb has found a worthy place. If we talk about its properties in general, then we can highlight its positive effect on:

- Detoxification of the body.

- Stabilization of protein metabolism, and metabolism, in principle.

- Normalization of the level of certain hormones in the blood.

- Strengthening the body's defenses.

Due to this, the use of milk thistle is possible in dozens of the most diverse cases, because it is used.

The melting pot is used for:

✔ With ailments of one of the most important organs - the liver (including hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty degeneration and other diseases).

✔ For problems with the skin (acne, dermatitis, eczema, even vitiligo).

✔ in the field of cardiology. Milk thistle is very useful for the heart and blood vessels, because it perfectly strengthens the former and cleanses the latter.

✔ In diseases of the endocrine system, including diabetes, significantly improving the condition of patients.

✔ With poisoning and toxicosis during pregnancy.

✔ In the prevention and treatment of oncology, as well as after courses of chemotherapy.

✔ With obesity, provoked by various reasons (both banal regular overeating, malnutrition, and problems with the performance of internal organs), in other cases.

For medicinal purposes, milk thistle is taken in various forms, making from it: decoctions, infusions, powders, syrups or meal.

Milk thistle is useful for (for):

- Treatment of colds and infectious diseases, because it has pronounced antiviral and antibacterial properties.

- Improving the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, increasing its peristalsis, clearing toxins, eliminating inflammatory processes, stimulating the production of bile and food enzymes.

- Headache and toothache, as well as pain in the abdomen, with injuries, and so on. It has been proven that milk thistle has a pronounced analgesic effect.

- Improving the blood formula, in hematology. So, even official medicine recognizes this fact, and doctors often prescribe milk thistle-based products to their patients in order to normalize their condition.

- Elimination of intestinal dysbacteriosis. And this immediately, in a positive way, is reflected in its condition and, accordingly, functioning. As a rule, loose stools, as well as constipation, pass quickly, health improves, the absorption of nutrients, some of them, increases several times.

- Neutralization of skin problems. They can have a different etiology: ranging from fungal and bacterial diseases, ending with burns and cuts.

The medicinal properties of milk thistle can be classified as:

✔ Regenerating.

✔ Painkillers.

✔ Cholagogue.

✔ Anti-sclerotic.

✔ Antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial.

✔ Antioxidant.

✔ Hapatoprotective.

✔ Anti-inflammatory.

✔ Antioxidant.

If you cook about how to use milk thistle, then, personally, I use ground seeds, a teaspoon before meals several times a day, drinking them with water. I do this before meals.

What does milk thistle taste like? I bought very high-quality, already crushed seeds in a pharmacy, they are somewhat reminiscent of crushed nuts. I can’t say that milk thistle tastes like nuts, but still they have something in common.

The taste of the seeds is bitter, but not bitter, which is quite logical, since milk thistle is an herb for the liver. Many herbs for the liver have a bitter taste.

Speaking about the milk thistle plant, the benefits and harms to the body, everything must be taken into account so as not to lose sight of anything.

Harm of milk thistle, contraindications and precautions

Despite the excellent effect of medicinal thistle on the body, there are points that should not be forgotten, namely, those that relate to contraindications.

1. Chronic pancreatitis at the stage of exacerbation.

1. Acute cholecystitis.

1. Chronic asthma.

1. Epilepsy.

1. Cholangitis.

1. Appendicitis.

1. If you have problems with the liver, before using milk thistle products, be sure to consult a doctor: a therapist or a hepatologist. The same applies to urolithiasis - only a professional consultation of a therapist.

If a person who is going to use milk thistle preparations has mental disorders, then consultation with a psychiatrist or neurologist is also highly desirable.

Milk thistle, in the absence of contraindications, is generally very well tolerated by the body. But, if in the process of treatment with it, you feel any undesirable consequences that may manifest as physical or mental discomfort, you should stop using milk thistle.

Many people are interested in: how to take milk thistle correctly. There can be no single and unequivocal answer here, since the way it is used depends on the situation, due to the manifestation of which these funds are used, and also on the form of the drug (this is a decoction, tincture, and so on).

Milk thistle - in what form is it useful to use

So, as already noted, milk thistle can be used in the form of: decoction, tincture, oil, vice, tea, tablets, meal. These are the main forms of its use. Consider examples of some basic situations.

Meal tea

Tea is often used to strengthen the immune system, treat colds and infectious diseases. Meal is best for tea. One teaspoon of it should be poured with a glass of boiling water, insist under the lid (best in a glass or ceramic dish) for 8-11 minutes. Drink half a glass, regardless of the food intake, 3 times a day for 1 week.

Decoction of milk thistle

The decoction is prepared for coughing, including strong and lingering. For his cough, decoctions are prepared, consisting of plant meal. Take about half a teaspoon of milk thistle meal (you can buy it in most pharmacies), pour it in a teapot with half a glass of boiling water, leave for 6-7 minutes. Strain.

When the broth has cooled down (it should be warm) - add half a teaspoon of bee honey or currant, raspberry, viburnum jam. Such a remedy can be used every hour and a half until improvement occurs. But, if a positive trend is not observed after 5-6 days after the start of using the decoction, be sure to consult your doctor.

With a hangover syndrome, a decoction of meal is prepared, but, for 1 cup of boiling water, you should take 1 spoonful of meal, and you need to insist the remedy for at least 10-11 minutes. Take 3-4 times a day. At the same time, you need to drink a sufficient amount of liquid, best of all - high-quality drinking water.

Milk thistle powder

Milk thistle powder, from which the scrub is prepared, in order to cleanse the skin, is diluted with clean water (one tablespoon), stirring to a mushy state of an arbitrary, convenient for use, consistency.

The water used in the cooking process must be warm. The composition is applied to all problem areas, washed off after 30-35 minutes. Such a remedy can eliminate a lot of skin problems, including stubborn blackheads and blackheads.

Meal tincture on vodka

Vodka tincture. Taken, again, meal, vodka home or shop. For 500 milliliters of vodka - 5 tablespoons of meal. It is poured in glassware, infused for 3 weeks in a dark and cool room. You don't need to strain. It is used in half a tablespoon as an immunomodulator, sedative, for colds, joint problems, as a general tonic. The course of admission is no more than 2 weeks. Take after meals, 3 times a day.

Meal is used in all means. It's just the easiest way to get it at a pharmacy. But, if you decide to prepare milk thistle yourself, you can use it, in a crushed form. The dosage is 50% more than when using the meal, because it is in a compressed form, and the crushed dried plant is not, respectively, in order to achieve the desired weight, you need to take a larger volume.

Milk thistle - treatment and recipes

This plant is also used in other cases. For example, for the treatment of allergies and rashes on the surface of the skin, gruel from milk thistle meal is used. How to prepare and use it has already been described above.

Vodka tincture is used to improve digestive processes. You can use it in courses: 10 drops per spoonful of drinking water during meals three times a day - course - 3 weeks, then - a break for one week, after which - another course.

Intoxication and constipation should also recede before preparations from milk thistle. For this, either tablets from it are used, which, like any other pharmaceuticals, should be prescribed by a doctor, or milk thistle tea, which was described above.

Tea can also be used for the purpose of losing weight, because it perfectly burns excess body fat and normalizes metabolic processes. To do this, you should drink a third of a glass of tea three times a day, the course is about a month. After a break (1.5-2 months), the course should be repeated.

Elevated blood sugar: powder (20-30 grams), boiling water (500 milliliters). Cook in a water bath, cooking time - about 30 minutes, insist the same amount, strain. Consume 2 teaspoons every 2 hours. The duration of therapy is about 20-22 days. This remedy is sometimes used to improve the composition of the blood, its purification.

How to Take Milk Thistle for Liver Treatment

The plant has a very beneficial effect on the liver. It improves all its functions, eliminates inflammation, promotes renewal and healing.

How to use milk thistle for the liver and how much: for prevention - 1 month, 1 teaspoon of a dry product, or a decoction of it (50 milliliters per 1 dose) twice a day.

For treatment are used:

Tea: on an empty stomach, three times a day, 200 milliliters for 1 dose.

Schroth , in its dry form, on an empty stomach, 3-4 times a day. The dose is about 1 teaspoon. Duration of admission - 38-40 days.

Use this plant carefully and correctly, and then it will only benefit you. Be healthy. And if you have anything to add to this information, then write a comment below, I will be grateful to you.

Milk thistle is familiar to almost everyone and everyone - these lilac flowers on thin stems with whitish leaves grow along roads, and in clearings near water bodies, and in the garden. Many simply remove this weed, without thinking that it is he who can give a person health and harmony!

Traditional healers say a lot of good things about the benefits of milk thistle, but official medicine also recognizes the importance and necessity of using this plant in the treatment of the liver. Many medicines contain seeds and oils of milk thistle, although in folk medicine both flowers and leaves of the plant are used to prepare medicinal remedies.

The seeds of the plant in question contain a whole range of useful substances: flavonoids, vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes, minerals. And the silymarin contained in them makes milk thistle an excellent hepatoprotective agent.

What are the benefits of milk thistle for the liver:

In addition to the fact that milk thistle is actively used for the treatment and prevention of liver diseases, quite a lot of useful properties of this plant can be distinguished. These include:

1. The use of milk thistle in the form of a decoction can alleviate the condition of pregnant women with powerful early toxicosis.
2. If there is a history of diseases associated with disorders of the cardiovascular system, then for the prevention of strokes and heart attacks, the plant in question should be consumed in courses.
3. The use of milk thistle as a medicinal plant will also be appropriate for acquired immunodeficiency, jaundice, cirrhosis of the liver.
4. Drinking a decoction or tincture of milk thistle will also be recommended for those who have recently undergone a course of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or have been exposed to radioactive radiation.
5. The use of medicines based on milk thistle, as well as funds from the category of "traditional medicine", will provide the necessary assistance in case of pathology of the pancreas and spleen, salt deposits, osteochondrosis.
6. Milk thistle is also actively used in dermatological practice - it will become an effective drug for burns, neurodermatitis, trophic ulcers, eczema.
7. Fresh juice is prepared from milk thistle (from leaves and stems) - it is used in folk medicine to treat protracted, and official medicine recognizes the beneficial properties of milk thistle juice in the treatment of colitis.
8. Infusions from the seeds of the plant in question and decoctions can and should be used for pharyngitis, catarrhal origin, with periodontal disease.

When the seeds of the plant in question are pressed, the result of such a process will be the formation of not only oil, but also meal. Meal is a powdered substance that is rich in fiber. It is this substance that is considered the best option for the treatment of intestinal diseases, the meal cleanses it, stimulates normal functioning, and normalizes the microflora.

Milk thistle seed flour is simply a powder made from the seeds, prepared without pre-pressing the oil. Flour is usually used to restore the liver - if you mix flour with the oil of the plant in question, you get an excellent tool for restoring liver cells - even the most popular, modern drugs of the pharmacological industry cannot boast of such active healing properties.

Note:for the treatment and prevention of liver diseases, the benefits of milk thistle meal are very high, but there will be no harm to the body at all - you can safely use it daily and for a long time. The only limitation is that meal cannot be taken in any form by pregnant women and children under 12 years of age. If a person has a diagnosed cholelithiasis, then a consultation with the attending physician will be required.

In addition to the fact that meal actively helps to solve problems with the functionality of the liver, it will be useful to take it for joint pain, migraine, heart disease, hemorrhoids, high cholesterol, diseases of the spleen. It is recommended to take 1 tablespoon of milk thistle meal with food - this will be enough to normalize the functioning of organs and systems.

Often, flour from the seeds of the plant in question is used in cooking - it is added to salads, cereals, pastries, but keep in mind that the product should not contain more than 20% milk thistle flour. Some people use flour at all to make a drink! And all this use will be beneficial for the body, only with existing chronic pathologies it is better to consult with specialists.

Who and how to use milk thistle

In order for the plant in question to really have a health benefit, you need to understand and know in what cases and in what form milk thistle should be used. There are the following recommendations from experts:

1. If there is excess body weight, then drinking a decoction of milk thistle seeds and adding flour of this plant to food will help normalize lipid metabolism, remove harmful / toxic substances from the body, cleanse the intestinal tract and normalize its work. All this will lead to a natural loss of extra pounds.
2. In diabetes, it is very important to consume fiber - it prevents spikes in blood sugar. A huge amount of fiber is found in milk thistle seed meal, so diabetics need to use it. By the way, the meal contains both minerals and vitamins that are involved in the production of insulin.
3. A decoction of milk thistle seeds, flour from them helps to restore the body after stress and stimulates the production of breast milk. It is not surprising that both the decoction and the oil from the seeds of the plant in question are recommended for use by women in the postpartum period for speedy recovery and during breastfeeding.
4. Douching with a decoction of milk thistle will help to cure vaginitis faster, alleviate the condition of a woman with cervical erosion and colpitis. In the vagina with these diseases, you can also enter tampons soaked in oil from the seeds of the plant in question.

In general, it is believed that milk thistle should be consumed by absolutely all people:

• alleviate the condition of alcohol poisoning;
• help to get a person out of a binge;
• is part of the complex therapy for drug addiction;
• contributes to an easier passage of the rehabilitation period;
• quickly restores the body after chemotherapy and radiation;
• increases immunity and serves as a prevention of various diseases (this is especially important for residents of large cities).

Milk thistle recipes

For the competent use of the plant in question as a medicine, you need to know the recipes for the preparation of medicinal products.

For weight loss

You can dissolve 1 tablespoon of meal in 100 ml of warm water and take 2-3 times a day. Milk thistle seed flour can be added to cereals or pastries, but you will definitely need to adhere to proper nutrition and exercise at least in minimal “doses”.

Another useful tip for using milk thistle for weight loss is to put 1-2 tablespoons of meal on a glass of kefir, drink this mixture at night. Thus, the feeling of hunger will be satisfied, and no fats / carbohydrates will enter the body.

Chronic constipation and intoxication

In 100 g of natural yogurt or kefir, dissolve 1 tablespoon of meal and drink in the morning on an empty stomach. You need to use this remedy every day for a month. If you add 2 liters of clean boiled water per day to this recommendation, then toxins will be actively removed from the body, the intestinal tract will be cleansed.

Varicose veins and high blood sugar (but not yet diabetes)

It is necessary to take 2 tablespoons of milk thistle seeds, grind them into flour (with a blender or coffee grinder) and consume 1 dessert spoon 4 times a day 20 minutes before meals. The course of use is 30 days, then a break is made for 2 weeks and everything is repeated with another monthly course.

To improve liver function and alcohol dependence

You need to take 1 tablespoon of the seeds of the plant in question and pour 200 ml of boiling water, insist for 20 minutes, strain and consume in small sips of 50 ml 20 minutes before meals. It is necessary to drink all the amount of the drug received per day, and the first portion should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning, and the last one - just before bedtime.

Joint diseases, trophic ulcers, purulent wounds

You need to prepare a tincture of 4 tablespoons of milk thistle seeds and 500 ml of alcohol, insist for 2 weeks. Then the agent is taken in 25 drops, diluted in 100 ml of water, before meals. The course of treatment is unlimited - until the condition is relieved.

Liver disease

Every day you need to use 1 teaspoon of flour from the seeds of the plant in question 4-5 times. The course of admission is 40 days, then a break is made for 15 days and everything is repeated again. In general, this way you can be treated for six months - as a rule, this period is enough to normalize and stabilize the liver.

Poisoning

Every 3 hours, you need to consume 1 teaspoon of meal until the symptoms of poisoning disappear.

Note:Whatever recipe is chosen, in the presence of chronic diseases in the body, it is necessary to consult a doctor about the advisability of using milk thistle as a medicine.

Milk thistle - harm and contraindications

It is necessary to use / use milk thistle-based products with extreme caution in the following patients:

• with diagnosed cholelithiasis - treatment should be carried out only under the supervision of a physician;
• with disturbed heart rhythm;
• with bronchial asthma - milk thistle can provoke an attack of suffocation;
• with elevated levels of calcium in the body.

Often, individual intolerance to the plant in question is also detected - in this case, any of its use will be prohibited.

Note:if milk thistle has not been used before, then during the first few uses, a person may notice pain in the anatomical location of the liver - this is considered the norm. If, after 2-3 days of treatment with the plant in question, pain and discomfort have not disappeared, then you need to interrupt the course and seek the advice of a specialist.

In view of what is often used in folk medicine. This plant is especially useful for the liver, which is associated with the peculiarities of its composition. To have an extremely positive effect on the liver, you need to know how to properly take milk thistle.

Milk thistle contains over 400 nutrients that the human body needs to function properly. The main active ingredient that has a significant effect on the state of the liver is silymarin. The plant contains about 12 types of silymarin compounds that positively affect the liver.

In addition, the grass contains a large amount of trace elements - magnesium and iron. In less significant quantities, milk thistle contains serenium, chromium, and iodine. The composition of the plant includes vitamins of all groups, essential oils, and substances responsible for the production of amines.

Useful properties of milk thistle:

• restorative effect on the cell membranes of the liver
• protection from toxic substances
• strengthening the walls of small blood vessels
• regenerative properties
• strengthening the immune mechanisms of the body
• influence on metabolic processes and normalization of weight

Milk thistle is often used as a wound healing agent. Diabetics are recommended to take medicine with such a plant due to the fact that it is. It can also be used for gynecological diseases.

In general, milk thistle is characterized by many positive qualities, which is explained by the presence of a wide range of useful substances in its composition.

Milk thistle and liver disease

The presented plant is actively used in medicine as a hepatoprotector. Silymarin performs a protective function, protecting liver cells from the negative effects of toxins. The substance also activates the processes of regeneration of damaged tissues, stimulating the production of certain components necessary to strengthen cell membranes. Prostaglandin produced by silymarin is characterized by anti-inflammatory action.

Reception of milk thistle is appropriate for such diseases:

1. . Inflammation in which the gallbladder becomes inflamed. The disease develops due to a violation of the bile outflow. The chronic form is accompanied by the formation of stones. With cholecystitis, patients have increased weakness, an unpleasant aftertaste in the oral cavity, and pain in the right side.
2. . Inflammatory pathology that affects the liver tissue. As a rule, it has a viral origin, but there are autoimmune and toxic forms of the disease. Symptoms appear most often in the later stages. The most common: weakness, nausea, jaundice, pain.
3. Obstruction of the bile ducts. A disorder resulting from improper contraction of the gallbladder and its appendages. It can also occur due to a muscle disorder of the sphincter. Accompanied by short-term pain and delays in menstruation in women.
4. Severe poisoning. Milk thistle is recommended to be taken to restore the liver after severe intoxication. In particular, the plant is used to treat poisoning with alcoholic beverages, plant poisons, fungi, metal compounds and various chemicals. Similarly, the plant can be used for rehabilitation after treatment with drugs that have a negative effect on the liver.

Seeds of the milk thistle plant are rich in flavonoids, micro and macro elements, fiber, which allows them to be used as a healing, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating agent. Milk thistle is able to strengthen cells and restore liver function.

Milk thistle will help strengthen the liver, immunity and digestive tract

Description

milk thistle is a medicinal plant that looks like a thorn from a number of weeds. In the people, the medicinal herb is also called milk thistle. It grows in Ukraine, in the European part of Russia, in the west of Siberia and in the Caucasus.

The plant reaches 2 meters in height. From below, the stem is densely surrounded by fleshy oval-shaped leaves of bright green color with white spots in the middle. The top of the thistle is decorated with small baskets from which purple flowers can be seen. The inflorescences, leaves and stem of the thistle are protected by large sharp spines.

The most valuable part of the plant are grains, which at the time of full ripening have a dark brown color. Fruit picking begins in mid-August. After that, the leaves and roots of useful grass are harvested.

What milk thistle looks like is shown in the photo.

Milk thistle flower is used in various fields of medicine.

The most valuable part of a flower is the grain

Milk thistle flower is rich in fiber

The chemical composition of the plant

Milk thistle contains most of the nutrients in the seeds. Almost 30% is medicated vegetable oil, the rest includes:

• proteins;
• lignans, flavonoids, alkaloids;
• disaccharides, monosaccharides;
• resins, enzymes, saponins;
• micro and macro elements - magnesium, calcium, boron, iron, manganese, vanadium, zinc, potassium, chromium, copper;
• vitamins E, K, D, group B;
• flavolignans - silymarin and silybin.

The unique composition of milk thistle fruits allows using the remedy as an effective hepatoprotector - it protects the membranes of liver cells from alcohol intoxication, the influence of free radicals, toxic substances and poisons.

Useful properties of milk thistle

Milk thistle seeds are very useful for the human body.

Healing properties of the plant:

• improvement of digestion and metabolic processes;
• cleansing of vessels from sclerotic plaques and preventing their appearance in the future;
• improvement of blood circulation and elimination of stagnant processes in the vessels;
• strengthening immunity;
• reduction of inflammation in tonsillitis, tonsillitis, periodontal disease, stomatitis;
• acts as a mild diuretic, normalizes the functioning of the kidneys and bladder.

Thanks to special compounds - flavolignans - the medicinal properties of the fruits of the plant are replenished with hepatoprotective, antioxidant and choleretic effects. Liver cells are strengthened, the growth of new hepatocytes is stimulated, the supply of tissues with useful components is improved, fatty degeneration of the organ is prevented.

Benefits for Women

The medicinal properties of milk thistle for women are:

• increase in lactation during feeding;
• improvement in well-being during menopause - hot flashes, headaches, nervousness and irritability decrease;
• stimulation of the normal process of blood circulation and strengthening of the venous walls with varicose veins;
• reducing inflammation and fighting infections and bacteria in diseases of the genitourinary system - cystitis, colpitis, vaginitis, cervical erosion;
• increased pressure with hypotension;
• getting rid of bad cholesterol;
• restoration of skin cell regeneration processes in eczema, vitiligo.

Milk thistle is applicable for rapid skin regeneration after eczema

Regular intake of decoctions or infusions from milk thistle seeds has a positive effect on sleep, normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, relieves fatigue and drowsiness.

Medicinal properties for children

Milk thistle is recommended to be given to children for coughs that are caused by bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, or are the result of frequent colds. The fruits of the plant fight inflammation and strengthen the immune system by creating a barrier against viruses and bacteria.

The seed of a medicinal herb has a positive effect on the digestive tract of a small organism, helps to get rid of constipation, removes toxins and toxins, and improves appetite.

For men

Replenishing the male body with the missing substances, milk thistle products increase potency, help eliminate the manifestations of gout, and stop premature baldness.

Milk thistle is widely used for liver problems and for the prevention of diseases associated with it.

The beneficial effect of milk thistle on the human body is achieved by cleansing the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, blood vessels from toxins and toxins, as well as maintaining their normal functioning.

How to prepare a remedy from milk thistle?

In folk medicine, meal is most often used, which is produced in the form of a powder, and flour from seeds. Flour and meal are different concepts. The first product is easy to prepare at home using a blender or coffee grinder, and the second is obtained under production conditions from oil cake after squeezing the seeds to obtain oil - you can actually buy it in specialized stores and pharmacies.

Decoctions, tinctures, infusions and teas are made from milk thistle. Raw materials from seeds are used exclusively, in rare cases, the root and leaves.

milk thistle recipe

In 1 cup boiling water, brew 1 tsp. flour from seeds or meal, cover and leave for 15 minutes. Before drinking, be sure to strain the drink and add the required amount of boiled water to replenish the required volume.

A decoction of crushed fruits

The most commonly consumed decoction of milk thistle seeds

Flour from seeds in the amount of 3 tbsp. l. mix with 0.5 l of boiling water and cook in a water bath until half of the broth boils away. Separate the cooled medicine from the thick sediment with gauze.

A decoction of meal

In 200 ml of boiling water, brew 1 tbsp. l. powder, place everything in a water bath and simmer for 20 minutes. 10 minutes after removing from heat, filter the broth and combine with boiled water in the amount missing to the initial 0.2 liters.

Meal tea

To prevent gallbladder disease, drink ordinary milk thistle tea.

Pour 1 tsp into a mug of boiling water. powdered mass and leave for 20 minutes, strain.

Vodka tincture recipe

Meal or flour from seeds pour vodka - 50 g of raw materials per 500 ml of alcohol liquid. In a dark place, the agent should be insisted for at least 14 days. Store the strained tincture in the refrigerator.

Milk broth from meal for children

In a glass of hot milk, brew 1 tsp. powder and insist in a closed container for 30 minutes, then strain.

Milk thistle seed oil

On low heat, boil for 20 minutes a homogeneous mass of 6 tbsp. l. crushed seeds and 500 ml of olive oil. Strain the product half an hour after removing from heat. Store the product at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees.

For the preparation of medicines from milk thistle, ripe seeds are suitable, which are pre-ground into flour using a blender or coffee grinder, as well as ready-made supplements purchased at a pharmacy. In pharmacies, preparations based on milk thistle are sold in the form of:

• powder (meal);
• seed flour;
• dragees, tablets, capsules;
• oil extract from fruits.

Milk thistle can be made into butter

Before using milk thistle medicine, be sure to read the instructions for use and follow the daily doses, as well as methods of application. This will help to avoid side effects and get the maximum effect from the folk medicine.

How to use milk thistle?

In order for folk recipes to help cope with a particular disease, you need to know from what and how to properly take the crushed fruits of milk thistle.

Table "Indications for the use of milk thistle and doses"

Milk thistle infusion is prepared from fresh and dry herbs.

When using milk thistle in treatment, it is important to observe the dose, frequency and duration of use of the drug. Violation of the instructions for use can lead to adverse reactions and be harmful to health.

Side effects of the medicinal plant

Uncontrolled intake of milk thistle seeds is very dangerous for the body - it leads to malfunctions in the internal organs, which manifests itself in:

• intestinal disorder;
• spasms or aching pains in the stomach;
• skin rash;
• asthmatic manifestations - shortness of breath, cough.

Intestinal upset is one of the side effects, in case of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it is better to consult a doctor

If after the use of milk thistle side effects appear, it is better to stop treatment with a folk remedy.

Overdose

Long-term use of milk thistle or exceeding the permissible dose often provokes an overdose, which manifests itself in:

• aching pain in the right hypochondrium and stomach;
• nausea, bloating, diarrhea.

Be prepared for diarrhea if you overdose

With such signs, you need to stop taking milk thistle, use enterosorbents, rinse the intestines. In the future, you should not use the fruits of the plant for medicinal purposes without prior agreement with a specialist.

Alcohol compatibility

Drinking alcohol while treating milk thistle is acceptable. The plant reduces the load on the liver and reduces the harmful effects of alcohol.

Milk thistle will reduce the harm from the effects of alcohol on the body

The compatibility of a medicinal herb with alcohol does not mean that you can drink alcohol in uncontrolled doses. To achieve the greatest therapeutic effect at the time of treatment with milk thistle, completely exclude alcohol from the diet.

Contraindications

Crushed fruits and preparations based on milk thistle should not be taken by people suffering from:

• the presence of stones in the gallbladder - with urolithiasis, there is a risk of provoking a blockage of the bile ducts;
• allergy to the components of the product;
• epilepsy;
• severe depression;
• ulcerative processes in the digestive system.

The presence of gallstones is a contraindication