Ivan tea: medicinal properties and contraindications for use. Ivan tea - beneficial properties and contraindications. How to properly brew and drink fireweed tea for treatment

Ivan tea (angustifolia fireweed) - beneficial properties, composition, use in medicine. Koporye tea recipe

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What is fireweed?

Prefers sandy soils that are fairly dry. It is found along forests, in thickets of bushes, in clearings and even scorched lands.

Most often, the name "fireweed" means narrow-leaved willowherb, or angustifolia fireweed.

Ivan-tea angustifolia (willowherb angustifolia)

Description of the plant

It has a thick creeping rhizome. Many buds form on the roots, through which the plant reproduces vegetatively.

The stem is straight, round in cut, densely covered with leaves.

The leaves are alternate, sessile, simple, linear-lanceolate, pointed, sometimes almost round, from 4 to 12 cm in length and 7 – 20 mm in width. On the front side the leaves are dark green, shiny, on the reverse side they are dark green, reddish or light pink. The edges of the leaves are glandular-toothed or solid.

The flowers are large, wide-open, dark red or pink, sometimes white, with a double perianth. The flowers have four petals, up to 3 cm wide. The flowers form spike-shaped inflorescences located in the upper part of the plant in the form of a conical raceme 15-50 cm long. Each flower forms both male and female reproductive cells of the plant. A nectar ring develops around the pistil.

Narrow-leaved fireweed blooms from about mid-July to mid-August.

The fruit is an oblong capsule, slightly curved, covered with hairs. Up to 20 thousand seeds are formed in a box. For angustifolia willowherb, unlike other species of the genus Ivan-tea, the seeds are characterized by the presence of the so-called. tuft (down), through which seeds are able to move with the wind over vast distances.

Pollen grains are three-pore, round. They reach 4.8 – 8.4 microns in width. The pollen of fireweed is yellow-green.

Collection and drying

It is recommended to pick flowers when they just begin to bloom, before they are covered with fluff from the seeds. The leaves are placed on fabric or paper in a thin layer and dried under a canopy, out of reach of direct sunlight.

Parts of fireweed prepared in this way are used to prepare decoctions, infusions, tinctures and other plant preparations, as well as for preparing culinary dishes. The traditional drink made from fireweed tea, in turn, requires that the leaves be subjected to a fermentation process according to special rules.

Composition of fireweed tea

Tannins (tannins)

In addition to mucus and tannins, fireweed tea contains the following components:

• Carbohydrates;
• Organic acids;
• Phenolic compounds;
• Pectin;
• Bioflavonoids;
• Traces of alkaloids;
• Micro- and macroelements.

Carbohydrates (saccharides)

• Energy function - the body receives about 56% of energy only from burning carbohydrates;
• Plastic function - saccharides serve as a “building” component of nucleic acids, nucleotides, cell walls, various enzymes, complex proteins;
• Storage function - the carbohydrate glycogen is able to accumulate in the liver and muscles for subsequent consumption by the body.
• Fiber cleanses the intestines and improves its function.

Pectin

• Removes toxins and poisonous substances (heavy metals, pesticides, etc.) from the body;
• Normalizes metabolic processes;
• Reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol in the body;
• Normalizes peripheral blood circulation;
• Improves intestinal motility.

Bioflavonoids

• Reduces fragility of blood vessels;
• Regulate the permeability of the vascular wall;
• Prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
• They have an antioxidant effect: prevent premature aging, reduce the risk of developing cancer;
• Protect cells from destruction due to excessive histamine secretion.

Microelements

Iron

• Necessary for the production of hemoglobin;
• Provides the process of cellular respiration;
• Necessary for the growth process;
• It is a component of many enzymes that ensure digestion and energy metabolism;
• Participates in the synthesis of immune cells;
• Participates in the generation and transmission of nerve impulses.

• Ensures the maintenance of normal blood composition, prevents anemia;
• Plays an important role in the body's absorption of iron, as well as in the synthesis of hemoglobin protein;
• Normalizes the function of the liver, spleen and lymphatic system;
• Helps cope with obesity;
• Reduces the risk of developing hypertension, radiculitis, and cancer.

• Plays an important role in the process of growth and development;
• Provides normal bone structure;
• Participates in the synthesis of thyroxine - the main thyroid hormone;
• Ensures normal digestion;
• Improves memory and muscle reflexes, reduces irritability;
• Normalizes blood glucose levels;
• Necessary for the synthesis of interferon in the body.

Macronutrients

Calcium

• It is one of the most important elements of metabolism;
• It is the most important building element of bones, teeth and nails;
• Ensures the normal functioning of muscle tissue and the nervous system;
• Maintains normal heart rhythm;
• Prevents the development of hypertension;
• Provides blood clotting.

• Provides blood clotting;
• Necessary for the normal functioning of the prostate gland, gallbladder and intestines;
• Participates in the synthesis of estrogens;
• Normalizes the contractile function of muscles, including the myocardium (recommended for arrhythmia);
• Plays an important role in the absorption of ascorbic acid, potassium, calcium, sodium and phosphorus;
• Reduces the negative effects of stress and depression;
• Activates a number of enzymes that provide carbohydrate and energy metabolism.

Potassium

• It is a necessary element for the normal functioning of all organs, incl. hearts;
• Regulates water-salt metabolism in the body;
• Prevents the development of edema;
• normalizes blood pressure;
• prevents the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels;
• eliminates spasms of peripheral vessels;
• By helping to saturate the brain with oxygen, it increases physical and mental performance.

• Promotes normal growth and rehabilitation of the body;
• Stabilizes energy metabolism;
• Helps relieve pain from arthritis of the joints;
• Strengthens teeth;
• Improves metabolism;
• Regulates acid-base balance;
• Participates in the process of transmission of nerve impulses;
• Improves the absorption of dextrose.

Vitamins

Ascorbic acid

• Is a powerful antioxidant: prevents premature aging, reduces the risk of malignant diseases;
• Necessary in iron metabolism;
• Improves muscle tone of the vascular wall;
• Necessary for the formation of bone tissue, as well as red blood cells;
• Regulates the concentration of glucose and cholesterol in the blood;
• Prevents atherosclerosis;
• Breaks down toxic substances in the body;
• Significantly reduces recovery time for most pathologies.

• Plays an important role in redox reactions;
• Participates in the processes of protein formation;
• Improves the functions of cell membranes;
• Prevents premature aging;
• Improves immunity;
• Activates the formation of collagen: rejuvenates the skin, helps eliminate wrinkles;
• Necessary for vision: ensures the synthesis of retinal pigments;
• Has an antioxidant effect, prevents the formation of malignant tumors;
• Inhibits the formation of “bad” cholesterol;
• Normalizes the concentration of glucose in the blood;
• Participates in the formation of steroid hormones and male germ cells.

• Reduces the level of the amino acid homocysteine, an excess of which leads to heart attacks and strokes;
• Provides methionine synthesis;
• Regulates nitrogen metabolism;
• Normalizes the concentration of cholesterol in the blood serum;
• Removes excess lipids from the liver;
• Normalizes the acidity of digestive juice;
• Accelerates recovery from bacterial and viral infections;
• Improves the condition of nicotine intoxication;
• Reduces the negative effects of stress.

• Normalizes metabolic processes in the body;
• Participates in the formation of red blood cells;
• Supports immunity, participates in the formation of immunoglobulins;
• Increases visual acuity, relieves eye fatigue;
• Stimulates brain function;
• Increases resistance to stress;
• Normalizes the function of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Improves the absorption of vitamin B6.

• Ensures normal tissue growth;
• Optimizes lipid metabolism;
• Reduces bad cholesterol levels;
• Eliminates headaches;
• Reduces the risk of diabetes and arterial hypertension;
• Increases joint mobility;
• Helps form a number of hormones.

• Ensures complete absorption of proteins and fats;
• Helps cure a wide range of nervous and skin pathologies;
• Relieves nausea;
• Provides the formation of complete nucleic acids that prevent aging;
• Helps with night muscle pain, leg cramps, numbness in the hands, etc.;
• Acts as a natural diuretic.

• Regulates the maturation of red blood cells, ensures normal hematopoiesis;
• Plays an important role in the formation of hemoglobin;
• Provides good digestion;
• Has a positive effect on the state of the nervous system and a person’s mood;
• Necessary during the formation of most fetal organs (therefore necessary during pregnancy).

Properties of fireweed tea

• Antimicrobial;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Antipyretic;
• Anticonvulsant;
• Enveloping;
• Astringent;
• Sedative (calming);
• Hypnotic;
• Pain reliever;
• Antioxidant;
• Vascular strengthening;
• Hemostatic.

Ivan tea is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent used for a number of inflammatory diseases. Among them, we should highlight male and female inflammatory pathologies of the reproductive system, as well as inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system, digestive tract, and urinary system. Angustifolia fireweed also helps with colds and acute respiratory infections, but only if taking the plant’s medications was started in the first two days after the first symptoms of the disease appeared. If you start drinking fireweed later, then either there will be no effect, or it will be the opposite.

Angustifolia fireweed has a pronounced enveloping and astringent effect - therefore the plant is recommended to be used for pathologies of the digestive tract - gastritis, colitis, peptic ulcer.

Like motherwort, fireweed has a mild sedative and hypnotic effect.

The antioxidant property of angustifolia fireweed is ensured by the content of plant phenolic compounds, which are especially strong antioxidants, as well as vitamins A and C. Due to this property, fireweed is often recommended as a means of prolonging youth.

The vascular-strengthening property of angustifolia fireweed is due to the content of bioflavonoids, which strengthen the walls of capillaries and blood vessels, making them less fragile, more elastic, and also protects them from the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

What does fireweed tea treat?

• nausea, vomiting ;
• peptic ulcer;
• decreased visual acuity;
• BPH;
• atherosclerosis;
• heart and vascular diseases;
• migraine;
• insomnia;
• arterial hypertension;
• neuroses;
• inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
• anemia;
• bronchitis, pneumonia;
• acute respiratory infections, influenza;
• menopause, menopause;
• irregular, heavy periods;
• leucorrhoea;
• oncological diseases;
• intoxication, including alcohol;
• smoking (helps to quit).

Ivan tea: composition, properties, preparation - video

Koporye tea

Story

At the end of the 19th century, fireweed began to seriously compete with Indian tea, which was monopolized by the British East India Company. Great Britain, owning huge tea plantations in South Asia, regularly purchased thousands of tons of Russian tea, since it was very popular among the inhabitants of the island. Subsequently, under the pretext that Koporye tea producers add white clay to it, the import of the product was stopped. Koporye quickly fell into decay.

Beneficial properties of Ivan tea (Koporo tea)

Dentists recognize its anti-inflammatory effects as well as its ability to prevent tooth decay. Therapists note that when drinking fireweed, the body's resistance to respiratory viral infectious diseases increases, liver and kidney function is normalized, and potency increases. When drinking fireweed, the body begins to cleanse the blood and optimize its composition. Thanks to this, the drink is used in the treatment of food, alcohol and nicotine intoxications, and accelerates the recovery of patients. Even Tibetan monks use angustifolia fireweed to treat skin, and Chinese healers use it for certain bleeding. There are references in medical sources to the ability of fireweed to increase fertility. In Soviet times, fireweed was used to prepare the antitumor drug Hanerol, which has proven its effectiveness in studies.

Withering

Twisting

Fermentation

Important! The leaves should not be placed in an environment with too high a temperature, or fermented for longer than the recommended time - in this case, fireweed tea, as a rule, acquires an unpleasant odor and loses its positive taste.

Drying

Important! Do not leave tea in the dryer. If fermented fireweed is dried for too long, or at too high a temperature, the tea will taste like paper.

Storage

Reviews about Koporye tea

Most herbalists and herbalists agree that in order to prepare truly high-quality fireweed, all manipulations with the leaf of the fireweed angustifolia must be done manually.

Therefore, in order to appreciate angustifolia fireweed tea, it is extremely important to follow all the rules for collecting, fermenting, drying and storing the leaves of the plant.

Connoisseurs of Koporye tea unanimously claim that a properly prepared leaf of angustifolia fireweed allows you to prepare a drink that is superior in taste to the best varieties of ordinary tea. Well, as for health benefits, ordinary tea prepared from the leaf of Camellia sinensis cannot be compared with fireweed.

Recipe for Koporye tea: collection, fermentation and drying of Ivan tea - video

Which tea is healthier: Ivan-tea or “Indian” tea

The consequences of such a massive passion for foreign teas are not always positive. Many nutritionists and doctors are confident that this hobby is to blame for the increase in the number of strokes, myocardial infarctions, and nervous breakdowns. And all this is due to the fact that tea from the leaves of the tea bush (Camellia sinensis) contains a large amount of caffeine. The human body, which in the process of evolution has never encountered so much caffeine entering it, simply cannot absorb and utilize it completely.

Everyone knows that caffeine increases activity and activates excitation processes in the cerebral cortex, and also increases motor activity. The alkaloids contained in the leaves of Camellia sinensis, and subsequently in the drink, have a stimulating effect on the heart. Contractions of the heart muscle become more frequent and intensified. Subsequently, the person feels a certain surge of strength. However, such an unnatural “warming up” of the body is accompanied by large energy costs. With regular consumption of caffeine in large quantities, nerve cells are depleted, and over time a person will feel tiredness, which will last much longer than the short-term burst of energy after a cup of tea. Therefore, doctors and nutritionists increasingly agree that camellia sinensis leaf tea should not be consumed regularly - this drink will be useful once a week, and for some - once a month.

Caffeine is contraindicated in many pathologies: insomnia, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, glaucoma, heart and vascular diseases. Excessive consumption of drinks rich in caffeine causes exacerbation of diseases of the digestive tract. Tea tannins also activate the excretion of elements such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus from the body. Thus, tea, just like coffee, depletes people who consume it daily, and in large quantities. However, moderate consumption of tea, especially green tea, is considered beneficial.

Ivan tea, in turn, does not contain caffeine. It contains substances that bring only benefits to the body. Therefore, for most people, Koporye tea, in comparison with ordinary tea, is a healthier drink.

Ivan tea for prostate adenoma

Regular intake of fireweed tea, as well as a capsule preparation of the plant, allows many patients to avoid surgical intervention, since the gland stops increasing in size. German herbalists claim the following: “the aqueous extract of fireweed has been proven to have a powerful anti-inflammatory and healing effect in acute and chronic pathologies of the prostate gland in the first and second stages of adenoma, in cystitis, and can also be used in combination with other drugs after surgery on the prostate. gland. For pathologies of the prostate gland, in addition to fireweed, eating pumpkin seeds helps, which speeds up the healing process.”

The substance contained in angustifolia fireweed that provides the main therapeutic effect is called beta-sitosterol. In the treatment of prostate adenoma, beta-sitosterol plays an important role, since it reduces the likelihood of hyperplasia of the gland, as well as malignant degeneration of its cells. This substance also reduces the concentration of cholesterol in the blood plasma and normalizes metabolism. German pharmacists B. Theis and P. Theis proved that preparations from fireweed angustifolia inhibit inflammation in the prostate, which makes it possible to use it in the treatment of adenoma.

When used together with other plants, for example, as part of herbs, the therapeutic effect is complementary and enhanced. Infusions of such preparations should be consumed in courses.

Collection 1

• Angustifolia fireweed - 3 tbsp;
• Stinging nettle root - 2 tbsp;
• Goldenrod - 2 tbsp;
• Horsetail, hop cones and tsminnitsa - 1 pc.

Collection 2

• Fireweed rhizome and licorice root – 10 parts each;
• Echinacea purpurea root – 3 parts;
• Schisandra chinensis leaf - 2 parts.

Collection 3

Infusion for prostate adenoma

Ivan tea can be brewed as usual - one teaspoon of tea per 200-250 ml of boiling water. This drink eliminates inflammation of the prostate, stops further hyperplasia of the gland, and improves the readings of urological tests. In addition, this drink reduces the risk of malignant neoplasms.

Modern research into the properties of fireweed tea allows us to recommend it to all men over 50 years of age, since this medicinal herb does not cause any harm, while calming the nervous system and normalizing sleep.

Ivan tea in the treatment of cancer

However, the benefits of fireweed in the treatment of oncology do not end there. There is scientific evidence about the antitumor properties of angustifolia fireweed. These properties are ensured by the content of the active substance chanerol in the plant, which has antitumor activity. Back in the 80s, Soviet scientists developed the drug "Hanerol", which, according to research results, turned out to be an effective antitumor agent for certain types of cancer. However, for a number of reasons, production of the drug was closed.

Ivan tea for excess weight and double chin

Salted fireweed tea is similar in composition to kelp. Therefore, steamed tea can not be thrown away, but eaten like greens for meat and fish dishes.

Honey from willowherb tea (fireweed honey)

This predilection of bees is quite understandable: fireweed is an excellent honey plant. Thanks to its wonderful scent, it attracts bees from great distances. The collected nectar produces very aromatic, tasty and healthy honey.

Fireweed honey has earned its popularity among lovers and connoisseurs of good varieties of honey. However, it has not yet gained mass popularity, perhaps due to its specific appearance.

Honey from fireweed is yellowish or slightly greenish, with a consistency like cream. It quickly sugars, so clots are formed in it, resembling grains or snowflakes. When honey is candied, it takes on a lighter color, which puzzles many people. Many begin to suspect that they were sold low-quality honey, or it was diluted with sugar syrup. However, only a few connoisseurs of this product know that honey from Ivan tea is one of the most common in Russia.

As a result, uninformed people, wanting to purchase high-quality, natural honey, often opt for a beautiful but useless fake. Dyes and other food additives, not always of natural origin, are added to it, which make it possible to turn honey into a beautiful, uniform mass. It is very difficult to obtain benefits from such a product, but you can be poisoned by it, since it is not always possible to find out in advance what substances were added to it to create the ideal color.

In addition to poisoning, allergic reactions can develop to fake honey. But natural honey from fireweed tea can rarely cause allergies. As a rule, it helps the human body get used to various foods in the diet, and also increases its resistance to external factors. Of course, only natural fireweed honey has this effect, which, if desired, you can easily learn to distinguish from the best fakes.

Properties and application

Scientists are still only studying the properties of this type of honey. However, today it is used as a cosmetic product. It is added to scrubs and creams to make the skin softer and healthier. In recipes that have come to us from time immemorial, you can find many interesting ways to use fireweed honey. For example, they smeared themselves with it in a bathhouse, then removed it, after which they washed the body well - this procedure cleanses, nourishes and rejuvenates the skin, eliminating wrinkles. Such properties of honey were noticed by cosmetics manufacturers, and they began to add it to many cosmetics to act on the skin using natural methods.

The practice of using honey from fireweed in the treatment of pathologies of the skin and mucous membranes is of great interest (only natural honey is used, without any additives). Many experts did not immediately believe it, but scientific data have shown that such therapy is effective. People use fireweed honey to successfully treat abscesses, boils, acne and other problem areas of the skin. Just like fireweed itself, honey from it has antiseptic properties - it destroys pathogens, cleanses the skin - and the disease recedes.

Of course, fireweed honey is not a panacea for all skin diseases, so you shouldn’t count on miraculous healing. If, for example, the origin of a skin rash is associated with some internal disorders or pathological processes, honey will not be effective in treating it. Therefore, doctors recommend starting to practice honey therapy only after examination by a dermatologist. If you start treating a skin disease with honey without finding out its cause, you may even worsen your condition.

There are still discussions among nutritionists and other doctors about the properties and range of uses of honey from Ivan tea. Among the people, it is used not only for skin problems, but also for pathologies of internal organs. Moreover, the range of recommendations for its use in folk medicine is so wide that sometimes angustifolia fireweed was considered a witch’s potion. However, it can be said without a doubt that fireweed honey helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For this, 1 tsp. honey is diluted in a cup of warm boiled water and drunk in the morning on an empty stomach. Such a pleasant medicine will stabilize the intestines, destroy pathogenic bacteria and reduce the acidity of gastric juice. Due to this property of fireweed honey, it is often used in the treatment of hyperacid gastritis. Accordingly, for gastritis with greatly reduced acidity, it is not recommended to use fireweed honey.

Also, nutritionists and traditional medicine specialists recommend eating 1 tsp. fireweed honey, as it saturates the body with vitamins and also increases its defenses. However, you should not eat it in excess, since with daily and excessive use, fireweed honey can negatively affect your health, simply because any substance that in adequate quantities only brings benefits can cause intoxication.

The medicinal and preventive properties of honey from angustifolia willowherb tea have been appreciated in cardiology and psychotherapy. Natural fireweed honey improves the condition of the walls of blood vessels and capillaries, normalizes the functioning of the heart muscle, and has a positive effect on blood and intracranial pressure. If a person has insomnia, you can eat a teaspoon of honey before bed and wash it down with cool water (you should not drink honey with hot water, as this significantly reduces its beneficial qualities). This recommendation also applies to persons who have any disorders of the nervous system.

Thus, moderate and proper consumption of natural fireweed honey can only strengthen your health, give you vigor and fill you with strength. And before bed, on the contrary, it will help you relax and enjoy a restful, restorative sleep.

Contraindications

According to popular beliefs, men should not drink fireweed in large quantities, as this can lead to a decrease in potency. However, this belief is not scientifically confirmed, so whether to trust this recommendation or not is an individual matter.

Since the use of fireweed honey leads to a decrease in the acidity of gastric juice, it is not recommended for gastritis with low acidity.

Side effects

This is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Fireweed (Onager) family. In the language of botany, the herb is called "», « chamerion fireweed ”, and popularly received many names: Koporye tea, weeping grass, skrypnik, downy grass, willow grass, Mother of God grass, hoof grass, fire grass . The name “Ivan tea” is associated with the role of the plant in the history of trade, in the era when “ Russian tea

", made from fireweed grass, was one of the most exported products from Russia to the countries of Albion and Europe. The traditional and popular Russian name “Ivan”, with the help of foreign businessmen and suppliers, was firmly entrenched in the name of the then popular drink, which became famous on the world market.

Types of fireweed

1. 1 Science knows 8 types of fireweed. The most common ones are: Ivan-tea (fireweed) narrow-leaved
2. 2 – has extensive medical applications; productive honey plant and plant cultivated for decorative purposes; Fireweed grass is used to make the famous Koporye tea. Grows in the temperate climate zone, in Siberia, in coniferous forests of the European part of Russia; Broadleaf fireweed
3. 3 – endemic to the North, found in the Arctic and subarctic parts of the Northern Hemisphere. One of the national symbols of Greenland; Ivan-tea Colchis (Caucasian)
4. 4 – a creeping subshrub, the habitat of which is the Alps, subalpine region, mountain slopes of the Caucasus; Ivan-tea Dodoneya

Fireweed is a herb with a height of 0.5 to 1.5 m. The stems are straight, round, densely dotted with leaves. The rhizome is creeping and large. The leaf arrangement is alternate, the leaves are lanceolate, sessile, shiny, dark green on top and bluish on the reverse, underside. The flowers are collected in elongated brushes and come in different shades: from pale pink and fuchsia to rich purple and red. There is also fireweed with white flowers. The fruits are elongated capsules. Flowering period is summer months. Willow-herb grows in well-lit forest areas with dry and sandy soil, along crops and railway embankments, on forest edges, on cleared and scorched soils, and in dried-out swamps.

Conditions for growing fireweed

Ivan tea cannot be called a demanding plant in terms of cultivation and care. But the most suitable for it will be loamy, sandy and sandy soils and open areas with maximum sunlight. The plant produces seeds in huge quantities, the area of ​​which is spread by the wind is very extensive. The optimal way to plant fireweed during cultivation is propagation by dividing the creeping rhizome.

Harvesting fireweed grass begins at the flowering stage. Cut off the tops of the stems with flowers and leaves or just the leaves. Dry the grass in a room with sufficient ventilation, spreading it in a thin layer on a fabric or paper base. The drying process should not be long, since changes in temperature deteriorate the quality of raw materials that are not collected in special paper bags in time and the herbal mixture partially loses its healing properties.

Power circuit

Fireweed is often used to enrich the composition of green food in the diet of domestic animals.

Useful properties of fireweed tea

Chemical composition and presence of nutrients

What exactly is used and in what form

An infusion or decoction based on the leaves and herbs of fireweed is prescribed for both internal and external use - in the form of rinses and lotions. The infusion is also used for medicinal rinses, compresses, and when treating wounds. A decoction of fireweed flowers is also used both internally and externally.

Medicinal properties of fireweed

According to the chemical composition, fireweed leaves contain: carbohydrates, mucus, pectin, triterpenoids, oleanolic, ursolic, hydroxyursolic and hydroxyleanic acids; caffeic, coumaric, eladic and phenylcarboxylic acids;

flavonoids: sexangularetin, kaempferol, quercetin, myricitin;

rhamnoside glucoside and quercetin arabinoside; kaempferol rhamnoside;

tannins, alkaloids, ascorbic acid and carotene.

The components of fireweed leaves also include mineral salts: iron, copper, manganese, nickel, titanium, molybdenum and boron. Fireweed flowers contain anthocyanins, roots contain proteins, phosphorus, calcium and cobalt salts. The seeds contain fatty oils. The composition of fireweed roots includes organic acids, polysaccharides, and starch. A significant amount of tannins and mucous substances explains the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of willow tea. The plant is used for catarrh of the stomach with high acidity, and for lung diseases; for rinsing with sore throat, inflamed gums; for otitis media, inflammation of the middle and external ear canal; for nosebleeds and sinusitis. A water decoction is used to treat eczema, burns, and skin rashes. Ivan tea is effective for migraines, insomnia and oligomenorrhea.

The substance hanerol, contained in fireweed inflorescences, actively affects tumors and, having low toxicity, suppresses their growth.

• The use of fireweed in official medicine
• Among the pharmaceutical products that contain fireweed, there are herbal raw materials produced under the name “
• For inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, steam 3 tablespoons of chopped herbs in 200 ml of boiling water. Prepare the decoction in a water bath for a quarter of an hour, let it brew, cool, and strain.
• Prescribe two tablespoons three times a day before meals.
• For prostate adenoma, a decoction of 1.5 tablespoons of dried fireweed leaves and flowers per 200 ml of boiling water is recommended. Take 1 glass in the morning and at night.
• For headaches, pour 3 tablespoons of dry herbal raw materials into a glass of boiling water. Cook in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Drink 2 tablespoons three times a day.
• For chronic fatigue syndrome, pour 2 tablespoons of fireweed herb into 400 ml of boiling water and bring to a boil over low heat. Take a third of a glass three times a day before meals.

• To improve intestinal function, pour 2 tablespoons of crushed fireweed roots into 400 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 3 hours.
• Take 3 tablespoons of decoction on an empty stomach in the morning.
• For anemia, steam a tablespoon of fireweed herb in 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for 2 hours. Take a tablespoon three times a day.
• In combination with anti-cancer therapy, the following collection is recommended: fireweed flowers, St. John's wort herb with flowers, plantain leaves, white acacia flowers (in proportions 2:2:2:1). Brew a teaspoon of the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain and take a glass a day.
• For insomnia, pour a tablespoon of crushed fireweed roots with a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, strain. Drink a tablespoon three times a day before meals.
• For hypertension, the famous fireweed honey is recommended, which normalizes blood pressure and is also useful for insomnia.
• For sinusitis, brew two tablespoons of fireweed herb in 0.5 liters of boiling water, bring to a boil and leave for half an hour. Drink a third of a glass three times a day half an hour before meals.
• For pneumonia, brew 15 g of fireweed herb in 1 glass of boiling water and leave for 60 minutes. Drink a third of a glass three times a day 20 minutes before meals.
• For adnexitis, pour 200 ml of boiling water over a tablespoon of a mixture of dry fireweed leaves and fern, and cook for 10 minutes in a water bath. Drink a quarter glass three times a day before meals.
• For menopausal neurosis, tea made from leaves of fireweed and blackberries is useful. A teaspoon of chopped dry fireweed and blackberry leaves is brewed in 200 ml of boiling water, infused and drunk a cup three times a day.

• For bedsores, steam 2 tablespoons of chopped fireweed leaves in a glass of boiling water. Cook the broth over low heat for a quarter of an hour.
• Let it brew, strain. Use as a liquid for washing bedsores.
• For conjunctivitis, steam a tablespoon of crushed leaves and flowers in 200 ml of boiling water. Cook the decoction over low heat for a quarter of an hour.
• Let it brew. In the strained and cooled broth, moisten a cotton swab and wipe your eyes.

For psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema, prepare a bath: 0.5 kg of dry fireweed herb and oregano are steamed in a bucket of boiling water. Leave for about an hour, the strained infusion is added to a full bath. Take a bath for a quarter of an hour.

To prepare a decoction for lotions, rinses, compresses, take 2-3 tablespoons of herbal raw materials per 0.5 liter of water.

Use of fireweed in oriental medicine

Tibetan doctors recommend fireweed tea for insomnia, headache attacks, and attribute to it the properties of a drug that suppresses the activity of cancer cells.

Ivan tea in scientific research

The study of angustifolia fireweed remains relevant for scientists, since the medical potential of this plant has not been fully revealed.

Fireweed is a highly productive honey plant. The honey made from it has a greenish tint, and after crystallization is complete it turns white.

Fireweed flowers are the official emblem of the Canadian state of Yukon. Fireweed is called a colonizing plant, since this bright and beautiful herb is one of the first to sprout in fires, lands mutilated by human intervention. There is a saying: “The earth does not like fires and immediately calls its children for help. Ivan-chai comes running first.” Initially, fireweed gained fame as a substitute for traditional Ceylon tea. To prepare the so-called “

Koporye tea “The fireweed leaves were dried, lightly ground, then fermented in tightly closed boxes and finally dried. Leaves treated in this way were brewed as a regular tea drink.» folded the American Indians. A girl, whose lover was wounded and captured by an enemy tribe, tried to save her beloved. She set fire to the grass around the enemy’s camp, and, taking advantage of the confusion during the fire, carried the groom on her shoulders into the nearby forest. The fugitives were tracked down, and when there was no hope of salvation, a miracle happened - the ground burst into flames where the Indian woman’s moccasins touched it. The flames prevented the pursuers from capturing the young people. And in those places where the saving fire arose, grass grew with amazingly beautiful flowers.

Dangerous properties of fireweed and contraindications

With prolonged and continuous use of willow tea, disruptions in the functioning of the digestive tract are possible. Age restrictions for the use of fireweed-based products apply to children under the age of six. Ivan tea during pregnancy and lactation excludes self-medication and its use should be agreed with a doctor. There may be cases of individual intolerance. For those suffering from thrombophlebitis and thrombosis, it is better to refrain from treatment with fireweed.

Ivan tea: medicinal properties and contraindications

Nowadays, the wonderful medicinal drink Ivan tea is becoming increasingly popular. Our great-great-grandmothers, who lived several centuries ago, knew about the medicinal properties of tea, what benefits the drink brings, and in what cases you should not drink fireweed. Before tea was brought to Russia, the population of Rus' preferred to drink medicinal and fragrant infusions and decoctions from collected herbs.

The time has come when special attention began to be paid to traditions. People nowadays prefer to prepare tea with their own hands. This is a favorite pastime for many. It’s good that they didn’t forget the useful herb. Our ancestors loved to drink it when many people gathered. There was a custom in Rus' to drink tea when a large number of people gathered at the table. The tea ceremony was an important event at that time.

What is Ivan-tea?

The plant grows large, reaching a height of 2 meters. Outwardly, it is very attractive, since the inflorescences of fireweed are colored in a rich pink or purple hue. After flowering, the flowers must be collected, dried, and fermented. Then brew and drink. Our great-grandmothers prepared a lot of herbal tea so that they could enjoy this wonderful drink all winter.

The largest number of fireweed lovers turned out to be among the hardworking residents of the village of Koporye (today it is a district of St. Petersburg). People called Ivan tea “Koporo herbal tea”. This is one of the naming options. Fireweed tea became so popular in Rus' that overseas merchants had every reason to fear such a serious competitor.

Fermentation of fireweed - how to collect and dry medicinal fireweed

Not all people are informed about how to properly ferment fireweed at home on their own. In order for the product from the leaves to turn out to be truly authentic, every effort should be made to properly prepare it, or rather, ferment it.

If you have the necessary knowledge and skills, you can make it yourself at home. If you simply dry and brew tea leaves, you will not get the taste or the desired result.

How to collect and dry leaves

Collecting raw materials for preparing proper medicinal fireweed must be done during the period when the plant is blooming. This time falls in June, and the harvest ends at the end of August. It was noticed that as soon as the fireweed bloomed in a beautiful pink color, people went to collect the leaves.
The leaves are torn off before the plant begins to bloom. During this period, the plant weakens and loses strength.

You should not pick tea leaves if the plants grow near highways or the weather is humid.

It is necessary to look for shady places, along the edges of clearings, in forests. It is there that the foliage is green, tender and juicy. The leaf will curl easily, make it easier to prepare, and the tea will be many times more fragrant.

• Tearing off fireweed leaves must be done correctly.
• Supporting the stem near the peduncle with your left hand.
• The right hand is passed along the stem from top to bottom to tear off the leaves.
• Do not tear the leaves that are below. They are not suitable because they are very hard.
• You need to leave 3 or 4 tiers under the flowers to take care of the plant. This way, it can continue to receive moisture from the root system, and it can collect dew, and bloom on time, and form seeds.

The plant thanks the person with its height. People can tear it without bending their back.

Experience shows that it is advisable to collect fireweed tea in batches of up to 1.5 kg. You need to process it first, and then go collect another one. And the flowers must be dried separately in order to add them to tea.

It is impossible to do without drying the raw materials. This will make it possible to curl the leaves well. All foliage that has been collected must be checked. If there are or damaged leaves, they are removed. Everything needs to be thoroughly inspected. If there are snails, remove them like other insects.

The leaves are not washed so that all beneficial microorganisms remain.

They are the active participants in the fermentation process. Experienced people place linen or cotton towels on the ground, in shaded areas. Raw materials are laid out on them in 3 or 5 layers. In dry and sunny weather you need to dry for 4 hours. If it rains. And it’s cold – then it’s 8 o’clock.

After a certain period of time, the leaves need to be stirred so that the tea leaves dry evenly. The crunch of the central vein will be a signal that the leaves are ready. You need to bend one sheet in half. If it crunches, then you should increase the time. Softness and lack of crunch indicates readiness for the next stage.

How to Roll and Ferment Leaves

It is necessary for the green, dried mass to release its useful components to the maximum. For this to happen, the structure of the leaf is destroyed so that juice is formed. There are three ways to process fireweed. You can choose any of them.

• Twisting by hand, independently. You need to take 3-5 tea leaves, roll them between your palms, and make a straw. They will become darker in color and juice will appear. This is how small rolls of grass are formed, the length of which is about 10 cm and the thickness is about 1.5 cm.

This method of rolling tea leaves will take a lot of time. If many people participate in this work, then good.

• Grind the raw materials using a meat grinder. If the household appliance has a large grille, then everything can be done easily and quickly.
• Freeze in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. Tea leaves are poured into a dry plastic bag and placed in the freezer.

In the freezer, they are evenly destroyed and the tea leaves release juice. After defrosting, it will be easy to curl the leaves.

The main stage is the fermentation of the plant. The taste and benefits of fireweed will depend on the quality of this process. When everything is done according to the rules, the result will be impressive!

Prepared fireweed leaves are placed in a plastic container or enamel saucepan. Lightly press down and cover with a cotton or linen cloth previously moistened with water. Place in a warm place for a while to allow the fermentation process to begin.

You need to keep an eye on the matter. It needs to be wet all the time. If necessary, the material is removed, moistened, and again placed on top.

It is difficult to determine how long the fermentation process will take. The number of hours depends on what the temperature in the room will be. The higher the temperature, the faster the tea will ferment. The temperature should not be allowed to be very high, nor is it advisable to overcook the raw materials. This will affect the taste and aroma of the tea.

As soon as it became clear that the tea mass darkened and turned black. And the aroma acquired clearly defined floral and fruity notes, which indicates successful fermentation. There are three types of tea fermentation.

1.First. It is called “light” - before the first signs of aroma appear. It is carried out within 6 hours.

• mass of green tint;
• fireweed will be light in color;
• the aroma is expressed;

2. Second – average. It takes about ten to sixteen hours.

• the aroma is well expressed;
• Ivan tea has a rich red-brown tint;
• the taste is tart, with a slight sourness.

3. The third one is deep. Twenty to thirty-six hours are required.

• tart drink;
• no sourness;
• Ivan tea with a light aroma;
• black in color.

Which type of fermentation of medicinal herbal tea to choose is up to everyone to decide. As an option, healthy teas of varying degrees of fermentation are prepared and then combined. The most important thing is not to miss the moment when fermentation ends and so that the mass does not begin to mold.

Drying fireweed and storing raw materials

When drying a healthy drink, adhere to the following rules:

1. As soon as fermentation is complete, the tea mass must be carefully fluffed, avoiding lumps.
2. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the prepared mixture for making herbal tea on it.
3. Turn on the oven at 100 degrees and dry the tea mass for 2 hours. The oven door should be slightly open. For complete “release” of moisture. The temperature, after some time, must be reduced to 50 degrees. After a certain period of time, the mass must be mixed and its structure must be felt.

The tea leaves signal that drying of fireweed must be completed. If you squeeze them, they should break when pressed, but not color. The color will be the same as regular tea.

Take the dry fireweed out of the oven and let it cool. Pour the dried tea into a cotton bag. Even a regular pillowcase will do. Then they are hung in a dark place, well blown by air masses.

Video: Making fireweed tea at home

How to brew and drink Ivan tea correctly

Let's say that a person has fireweed tea, prepared according to all the rules. He should not relax, believing that success has already been achieved. This medicinal tea should be brewed differently from the way people are used to doing it.

When dealing with black or green tea. Even the customs of the traditional tea ceremony have nothing to do with it when it comes to brewing fireweed tea.

How to brew correctly:

For these purposes, take the most ordinary ceramic or glass teapot. In a glass teapot, when brewing fireweed tea, you will be able to get double pleasure. From the delicious taste and the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent color of this drink.

The dosage must be observed. This is important when it comes to proper brewing.

Fireweed leaves that have undergone fermentation have strong biological activity. An adult should not consume more than two tablespoons of tea leaves per day. This is 5 grams. If the teapot is designed for 0.5 liters, 2 tsp will be enough. dry fireweed leaves.

The taste of the drink is influenced by the quality of the water. It must be purified and drinkable. Distilled water will not work in this case. Water from a well is perfect, as is water from a spring.

Boil water and pour it into the teapot where the tea leaves are already located. Be sure to cover with a lid. Do not additionally cover with something warm.

After 10 minutes (or 15), you need to shake the Ivan tea a little, but do not open the lid. This action helps to mix the contents of the teapot. Essential oils will begin their activity. All! Properly brewed medicinal fireweed tea can be drunk.

Due to the presence of essential oils, the drink can be useful for two whole days. They drink it cold and warm it up. Whoever likes it.

Important! If you heat a fireweed drink, do not bring it to a boil. And it is not advisable to put sugar in Ivan tea. If you want something sweet, you can eat various dried fruits with it.

Ivan tea beneficial properties and contraindications

The drink has a unique taste and aroma, and is very pleasant. It tones the body, charging it with energy. In general, it has a positive effect on all organs and systems. If a person is thirsty, then fireweed is the best option, regardless of whether the drink is cold or hot.

People who lead an active lifestyle love this aromatic drink. Because its composition is more beneficial than that of coffee.

Useful properties of fireweed tea

It lacks purine bases. Also, fireweed tea does not contain oxalic acid and caffeine.
The circulatory system, as a result of drinking the drink, works better if you drink it constantly. The blood hemoglobin level will increase, and the pH of the environment will normalize.

What else is Ivan tea useful for?

• It contains B vitamins (which support the function of blood formation) and vitamin C.

Medicinal fireweed tea, when used regularly, takes part in the processes of food digestion and metabolic processes (this applies to carbohydrate metabolism, as well as lipid metabolism).

• Ivan tea is a powerful antiphlogistic agent and antiseptic. It can be used as a prophylactic or in the treatment of inflammation and various infections. Leaves and flowers of willow tea have strong properties in comparison with such natural antiseptic preparations as white willow bark and oak bark, bearberry.

This is due to the presence of tannins, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid in the plant. In addition, it also contains: carotenoids, acids of organic origin, trace elements, triterpenoids.

• Enables representatives of the stronger half of humanity to prolong their sexual activity. Sexual performance is maintained and improved. The entire male body has a positive effect. Erections are getting better.

Even in ancient times this property was noticed. Maybe that’s why fireweed got the name “male” herb. By the way, Pyotr Alekseevich Badmaev, the famous doctor who treated the entire family of Tsar Nicholas 2, studied fireweed and the properties it possesses, and became a happy dad for the last time when he was a hundred years old.

Ivan-tea began to be called “Badmaev’s Elixir”. The doctor drank the drink every day and believed that it gave him heroic strength. The famous doctor died a short time before his 110th birthday.

• Ivan tea has a mild diuretic effect. The drink normalizes the water-salt balance, and at the same time, the blood pressure decreases.
• Herbal tea from fireweed is a sedative with a hypnotic effect. It has a good effect on the psyche, helping to reduce excitability and nervousness. An excellent remedy for headaches. Makes you sleep soundly.
• Due to the fact that Koporye tea contains mucus, tannins, pectins and other components, it normalizes the functioning of the digestive organs. Eliminates constipation, relieves heartburn and dysbacteriosis.

This all happens thanks to its enveloping, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory effects. Due to the presence of organic acids, as well as magnesium and flavonoids, it has a choleretic effect.

• It is the “enemy” of viruses and allergic reactions.
• Used for healing damaged skin, due to the presence of tanning mixtures, chlorophyll, and carotenoids. These components help the epithelium to quickly recover.
• Helps to gradually reduce pain due to the fact that the flowers contain alkaloids, mucus, magnesium, and flavonoids.
• Helps increase the amount of milk in the mammary glands and its quality. It turns out that Ivan tea also affects the health of the unborn child. Nursing mothers should take note of this fact.
• Pectins and flavonoids are considered natural absorbents. They are contained in the leaves of fireweed and help effectively cleanse the body of unnecessary substances.
• Fireweed normalizes the functioning of the endocrine glands.
• The herb fireweed has antitumor properties, since hangrol and other components - carotenoids (flavonoids, tannins, acids, copper of organic origin, potassium permanganate, ascorbic acid, magnesium) have antioxidant qualities.

Scientists and researchers have also found that fireweed has low-toxic and high-molecular substances that begin to fight cancer cells. And one of the first mentions of “heroic tea” can be found in the Novgorod chronicles of the 13th century.

Ivan-tea: indications for use

In order to have no doubt that fireweed tea really has medicinal properties, you just need to familiarize yourself with the list of diseases for which doctors advise drinking Koporye tea.

A person can drink this type of tea if he is sick:

• one of the types of neuroses;
• anemia;
• otitis;
• laryngitis;
• sinusitis;
• conjunctivitis;
• prostate adenoma and prostatitis;
• atherosclerosis;
• scrofula;
• gastritis, pancreatitis, ulcers, or there are problems with the functioning of the biliary system;
• infertility. This can apply to women and men;
• kidney inflammation;
• tuberculosis;
• inflammation of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract;
• psycho-neurological disease;
• epilepsy;
• mental disorders;
• alcoholism.

• disorders of the endocrine system in women (which occur during menopause);
• reduced immunity and vitamin deficiency;
• tumors (malignant and benign);
• menstrual irregularities;
• high blood pressure;
• diseases of the spleen;
• chronic fatigue;
• when headaches cause discomfort and a person suffers from insomnia.

Contraindications of fireweed tea

There is very little information about what contraindications exist for drinking fireweed. Typically, this is a standard set of recommendations that is suitable for any plants that have healing properties.

For almost all herbs and herbs, the following rule applies: do not drink drinks made from medicinal herbs for more than 3 weeks. This applies to Ivan tea, too.

1. Personal intolerance.
2. When a woman is breastfeeding, drinking fireweed tea is also not recommended.

Important! In folk medicine, it is not recommended to drink fireweed if there is a high probability of blood clots. In this case, it is necessary to use fireweed tea for medicinal purposes, two to three times a week.

Ivan tea during pregnancy

When a woman is preparing to become a mother and is expecting a child, she must carefully monitor what foods she eats and what drinks she drinks. Can pregnant women drink Ivan tea?

If the raw material is unfermented, it contains alkaloids. Pregnant women should only drink fermented fireweed tea.

When there is toxicosis or swelling, low hemoglobin, or a tendency to bleed, a healthy drink made from fireweed herb will help. In these cases, he is a “friend”. And if the tone of the uterus is increased, or there is a threat of miscarriage, then there is no need to drink Ivan tea. Kapor tea can harm a pregnant woman.

What medicinal properties does fireweed tea have?

For men

For representatives of the male half of humanity, this drink is important. It increases the tone of the male body, and how does it affect potency! If a man has infertility, sexual impotence, or impotence, tea will “come to the rescue.”

Fireweed is an excellent remedy for preventing prostate inflammation, as it has antitumor properties. Men often experience insomnia, and Koporye tea effectively combats it.

Ivan tea is a good prophylactic (and treatment) for kidney stones. This problem happens to men more often than to women.

How to give Ivan tea to children

If babies are teething, fireweed tea will help reduce pain. Infusion of fireweed is used to wipe children's gums.

Please note that fireweed should not be given to children under 6 years of age.

If the drink is not brewed very strongly, then it can be given to children. If a child is too excited in the evening, a glass of warm fireweed tea will help calm him down. In addition, the protective properties of the child’s body are also strengthened.

Schoolchildren should be given a medicinal drink made from the herb fireweed, because their workload is often increased.

If a child has a cold and his temperature has risen, give him to drink fireweed, as the decoction effectively reduces the fever. Tea is a good way to prevent skin rashes. It has a strengthening effect on the endocrine system and has a positive effect on the digestive process.

What are the benefits of fireweed for women?

Ivan tea effectively fights aging and promotes skin rejuvenation. It is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. If you brew the drink Ivan tea in the evening, you can feel a surge of strength and calm down.

If you are worried about pain during “critical days”, or during menopause, a medicinal drink made from the herb Ivan tea will become a “friend”. Women who are on diets should consume fireweed. It contains protein and a large number of useful components.

Ivan-tea is a “helper” in the desire to remain beautiful. It has a beneficial effect on the skin and hair structure. You can make masks from the herb and drink them as a drink.

Application in cosmetology of fireweed tea

Mask for acne and rashes

Chopped dry grass (2 tbsp) of fireweed tea, pour 250g of vodka. They insist for 7 days.
Make the mixture: Mix oatmeal with a pinch of fine salt and infusion (1 dessert spoon).
The mixture should be thick, like sour cream.

A mask of fireweed is applied to a previously cleansed face. They wait about fifteen minutes. Wash it off. Apply cream.

How to make a decoction for compresses to remove acne

Take dry grass. Brew 250 g of boiling water 3 tbsp. l. Ivan-tea. Let it sit until it cools down. Every day, you need to apply fireweed compresses to damaged skin for 2 hours, every 15 minutes, dipping a cloth into the infusion.

In this way, you can relieve inflammation from the skin, because fireweed tea has healing properties. On the places where pain is felt, you need to put porridge from the grass and flowers that have been collected.

Ice from fireweed decoction for the skin

Ivan tea leaves, brewed. They are used both dry and fresh. They insist. When the decoction of fireweed has cooled, pour it into molds. Sent to the freezer. After waking up, you need to wipe your face with an ice cube (which has slightly melted).

First you need to put ice on the saucer, and only after that, use it, after 2-3 minutes. This will allow the pores to narrow, and the skin of the neck and face will tighten and wrinkles will disappear.

Ivan tea for strengthening hair

Those with oily hair, as well as those ladies who want to have thick hair, should do this. Fireweed flowers, only collected, are infused for 21 days in a dark room.

Before going to bed, you will need to rub the tincture of fireweed flowers into the roots of your hair, twice a week. In the morning, rinse your hair using a decoction of dry fireweed tea (2 teaspoons of herbs per liter of water). You can notice, after a month, how the hair loss has stopped, and the curls have become thick and acquired shine.

If the hair is dry, two (or three) times a week, apply fireweed (strong) to the roots of the hair. It is done like this: take 2 tsp per 250 ml of boiling water. herbs. They insist for two hours. After each wash, you can rinse your hair with a decoction of fireweed.

Video: Fireweed kvass (Ivan-tea) - quenches thirst, ideal for okroshka

Probably every person has heard about such a plant as fireweed. However, not everyone knows about the healing power of the plant. Infusions from its leaves are used to treat migraines, normalize metabolic processes, and even treat peptic ulcers. In addition, plant preparations also have a wound-healing effect.

“Ivan-tea” is an ancient Russian name that has survived to this day. There are many legends about this plant. One of them says: once upon a time there lived a guy and his name was Ivan. He always wore a red shirt and spent almost all his time among flowers. He adored flowers and was constantly studying their healing properties. Local residents, who constantly saw the red color flashing among the plants, said: “But it’s Ivan, tea, walking!”

When exactly Ivan disappeared, none of the locals noticed. The only thing that people noticed was the appearance of previously unseen beautiful scarlet flowers. And so a new flower appeared - Ivan-tea.

Botanical characteristics

Otherwise, the plant is called fireweed. It is a perennial root shoot rather tall herbaceous plant of the fireweed or aspen family, reaching a height of sixty centimeters or more. Fireweed is equipped with a thick creeping rhizome, erect, sparsely branched, densely leafy cylindrical stems, numerous alternate whole sessile leaves with protruding dark green veins.

Fireweed flowers are four-membered, large, somewhat zygomorphic, and have a bright pink, lilac or purple color. Inflorescences are terminal sparse long tassels or spikes. The fruits are long, pod-shaped, four-leaf capsules with numerous oblong-oval seeds.

The plant blooms throughout the summer, and the fruits ripen by September. Light pine and birch forests, edges, clearings, wastelands, dried peat bogs, roadsides are the places where the plant grows.

Collection, preparation and storage

Leaves, rhizomes, stems and flowers of fireweed are used for medicines. It is recommended to harvest the above-ground parts of the plant during the period of intensive flowering, and the underground parts at the end of the autumn period.

Flower brushes must be carefully cut. Then the raw material is spread in a thin layer on a flat surface, rolled into a roll and squeezed out (you need to squeeze out the juice). Such a twist is placed in a dry, well-ventilated room, and then dried in dryers or ovens at a temperature of one hundred degrees.

As for harvesting rhizomes, after collection they need to be cleaned of leaves, soil and various impurities, washed, cut into small pieces and dried. It is better to dry raw materials outdoors, under a canopy or in a well-ventilated room. From time to time stir and turn the raw materials. This way it will dry faster and more evenly.

The preparations must be stored in tightly closed glass or wooden containers. The shelf life of rhizomes is three years, the above-ground part is two years.

Medicinal properties

This miraculous plant contains a significant amount of useful and nutrients:

• fiber;
• mucous substances;
• carbohydrates;
• tannins;
• organic acids;
• phenolic compounds;
• bioflavonoids;
• pectin compounds;
• alkaloids;
• vitamins A, B;
• micro- and macroelements: copper, iron, manganese, zinc, boron, molybdenum, titanium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus;
• ascorbic acid;
• starch;
• carotenes;
• coumarins;
• carotenoids.

The rich chemical composition gives the plant not only a lot of medicinal properties, but also some contraindications. Fireweed has: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant, enveloping, sedative, analgesic, hypnotic, hemostatic, vascular-strengthening, astringent, antioxidant, antipyretic, wound-healing, diaphoretic effects.

Plant preparations contribute to:

• removing toxic substances from the body;
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• lowering cholesterol levels;
• normalization of peripheral blood circulation;
• improving intestinal motility;
• preventing premature aging;
• reducing the risk of developing cancer;
• maintaining normal heart rhythm;
• normalization of the central nervous system;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• preventing the development of atherosclerosis;
• reducing the negative impact of stress;
• strengthening the immune system.

It is recommended to use fireweed tea for the treatment of: nausea, vomiting, stomach ulcers, vitamin deficiency, prostate adenoma, atherosclerosis, prostatitis, migraines, insomnia, arterial hypertension, neuroses, sinusitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, cancer, alcoholism, anemia.

Folk recipes

Migraines, insomnia, peptic ulcers: infusion therapy

Grind dry fireweed herb and steam twenty grams of raw material in 200 ml of boiling water. Close the container tightly and store in a warm, dry place for several hours. Strain and consume two spoons of medicine four times a day.

Colitis, gastritis: use of decoction

Take dried fireweed leaves, chop finely and add 300 ml of water. Place the container on the stove, boil and leave to simmer for ten minutes. Then filter and take a spoonful of the drug three times during the day. The same product can be used to treat wounds, burns, ulcers, and bedsores.

Flu, anemia: treatment with a healing decoction

Take the dried rhizomes of fireweed, chop finely and pour 15 g of raw material into an enamel pan, then fill with cold water, approximately 300 ml. Place the pan on the stove, wait for the product to boil, reduce the heat and leave the product to simmer for thirty minutes. Cool, filter and consume 10 grams of the drug no more than four times a day.

Pancreatitis: infusion therapy

Steam fifteen grams of dry, finely chopped leaves of the plant in 300 milliliters of boiled water. Leave the container in a warm place for about forty minutes. It is recommended to take fifty milliliters of the drug five times a day.

Allergies, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema: use of infusion

Combine dry, finely chopped fireweed roots with leaves and flowers, mix and brew twenty grams of raw material with half a liter of boiling water. Close the container well and put it in a cool, dry place for seven hours. Strain and use the product throughout the day.

Prostate adenoma: therapy with infusion of the herb Ivan tea

Brew 30 grams of dried crushed raw materials in four hundred milliliters of boiled water, Let the product sit for a while. Drink the medicine twice a day: after waking up on an empty stomach and before going to bed.

Heavy menstruation: use of a healing drink

Brew a couple of tablespoons of dry, finely chopped fireweed leaves in three hundred milliliters of boiled water. Place the composition in heat for sixty minutes, filter. Drink 60 ml of the medicine three times a day.

Elimination of oncological diseases of the bladder and kidneys

Combine dried fireweed flowers with yarrow, marsh dried grass, celandine, rose hips, chop and mix the ingredients. Brew a couple of spoons of raw materials in two hundred milliliters of boiling water. Let the product sit a little. Then filter and consume 1/3 glass three times throughout the day.

Infertility: infusion therapy

Mix equal proportions of fireweed leaves with lemon balm, peppermint, wild strawberries, parsley and mantle. Finely chop all the ingredients and mix well. Brew 15 grams of raw material in four hundred milliliters of boiling water. Place the mixture in a warm place for 20 minutes, strain. Drink one hundred milliliters of the drug four times a day, instead of water.

The herb Ivan tea occupies a special place among medicinal plants. It is chosen for its ease of preparation and numerous healing properties.

Medicinal properties of the herb Ivan-tea

A drink made from the herb fireweed is effective in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. It is also used for:
- normalization of immunity;
- increasing the production of thyroid hormones;
- treatment of colds;
- removal of heavy metals from the body;
- alkalization of blood;
- treatment of prostatitis and other diseases of the genitourinary system;
- rapid scarring of ulcers in the stomach and intestines;
- treatment of gout (regardless of the stage of the disease);
- strengthening blood vessels and normalizing the functioning of the circulatory system;
maintaining dental and oral health;
- decrease in body temperature;
- treatment of stressful and nervous conditions;
- elimination of pain syndrome due to migraines;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- strengthening hair;
- treatment of inflammatory processes;
- neutralization of food and alcohol poisoning;
- dissolving stones in the bladder and so on.

In addition, this herb is effective for short-term or persistent headaches. It can also be used to wash wounds, as it has an antiseptic effect.

Method of preparing the herb Ivan-tea

Preparing a healing drink based on this herb is extremely simple. You need to take a teapot, pour boiling water over it and pour in a few spoons of Ivan tea. Then pour hot water into it, cover the container with a lid, wrap it with a warm cloth and leave to steep for 15-20 minutes. Then stir the contents with a wooden spoon and leave for another 5 minutes.

Drinking Ivan tea is required according to a special scheme. So, to treat serious diseases, you need to drink 2 glasses of the drink before each meal. To increase immunity, it is enough to drink 200 ml of it after meals. Otherwise, drink 300 ml of this drink three times a day. To enhance the healing properties, you can add lemon balm, mint or rose hips to it.

Please note that Ivan tea has a number of contraindications. It is not recommended to drink it for those who have the following diseases:
- cholelithiasis;
- kidney degeneration;
- gastrointestinal disorder.

This herb should also not be used if you have an individual intolerance, while pregnant or breastfeeding.