How to take milk thistle in traditional medicine. Milk thistle seeds - medicinal properties and contraindications, how to use

A fairly tall plant that has large purple or purple inflorescences ( milk thistle), today can often be seen on wastelands, along roads or on railway tracks. Gardeners and gardeners hate this herb because it often "drowns out" useful plants and even small shrubs.

Medicinal properties of milk thistle few people know, but, nevertheless, it should be noted that its seeds, inflorescences and leaves help to fight with liver disease.

As a medicine, this plant was known even in Ancient Egypt and Greece. For the first time, such famous healers and scientists of antiquity as Galena and Dioscorides mentioned milk thistle in their treatises.

Today this plant is used in folk and official medicine in many countries of the world, including Russia. Milk thistle gained immense popularity in the 60s of the last century, when comprehensive studies of its properties began.

As a rule, only milk thistle seeds, from which oils, flour or meal are made. But for treatment, you can also use tinctures from flowers or leaves.

Various parts of milk thistle are actively used in pharmacology, as well as in dietetics. For example, the plant is great for weight loss.

Milk thistle herb: its properties and uses

It can be attributed to the Asteraceae family. Milk thistle is also often called spotted thistle... The use of milk thistle for medical purposes can be different, but it is most often used to treat diseases of the stomach, liver or intestines.

The plant is one or two years old. Its height is quite large, sometimes it can even reach two meters, although most often it does not exceed 150 cm.The stem of the milk thistle is erect, quite branched, the leaves can be dark green or light green with frequent pearlescent spots ( depending on the place of germination). Yellow thistles can be seen on the leaves of the milk thistle.

The inflorescences resemble small baskets of a lilac or purple hue. They can reach 6 cm in diameter. After the flower ripens, fruits are formed in a grayish achene, around which thorny leaves also grow. It ends with the so-called "tuft", which can be twice the size of the achene itself. The seeds do not have a smell, but they taste bitter.

The plant grows throughout South and Central Europe and in the center of Asia. The most valuable for medicine are seeds, although people have learned to use milk thistle for the most unusual purposes. There is, for example, milk thistle honey.

Seeds usually start in August and finish in October. In order not to be mistaken with the ripening time, it is necessary to pay attention to the fluff in the achene, which becomes whitish. If you need plant roots, which are also actively used in medicine, then they must be dug up in the autumn.

Milk thistle photo:

Milk thistle contains a lot of different vitamins, trace elements and other important substances. The most basic ones are:

• Silymarin is a very difficult substance to find in nature. It helps to heal the membrane that envelops the cells of the human body. It also increases the production of bile, improves the process of cell formation, and neutralizes the effect of poisons.
• Various oils - help to improve cell and tissue regeneration, relieve inflammation, and improve wound healing processes.
• Essential oil - helps to normalize the functioning of the central nervous system, increase the secretion of glands in the body, and enhance motor skills.
• Various resins- with their help, wounds are disinfected, the general defense of the body increases, bacteria and microbes are neutralized faster.
• Mucus - eliminates the focus of inflammation, accelerates healing, excretes phlegm.
• Lignans - help to speed up oxygen metabolism, remove toxins from the body, and reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
• Flavonoids - with their help, you can strengthen the capillaries, normalize blood pressure, and stimulate the adrenal glands.
• Saponins - improving the synthesis of corticosteroids in the body, regulating salt and water metabolism, relieving the inflammatory process.
• Organic acids- improve appetite, help in the breakdown of fats, strengthen the immune system.
• Alkaloids - normalize blood circulation, relieve pain.
• Proteins - help the body to provide itself with antibodies, enzymes and hormones, improve hormonal balance, and take part in the transport of hemoglobin.
• Vitamins (B, K, C, E)- add energy to muscles, help to reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood, help with metabolic processes in tissues, strengthen capillaries.
• Selenium - treatment of the liver, normalizes the thyroid gland, accelerates healing.

Take milk thistle it can be in the form of tinctures, decoctions, tea, powders, tablets, syrups, in addition, it is often added to other medicines. If you see milk thistle in a medicine, instructions for use will tell you how to properly take it.

When taking seeds, they must be ground before consumption. The daily rate is 20 grams. note that take milk thistle seeds before meals... It is necessary to distribute the daily dose throughout the day.

If you want to know how to take milk thistle powder for liver, then you can make such an infusion even in the evening, just fill it with water. Remember to use boiled hot water. It is also worth consuming only 20 grams of powder here. This infusion is taken half an hour before meals to cleanse your body.

How to take milk thistle seeds? Video:

Useful properties and contraindications of milk thistle

Speaking about the advantages of this plant, it should be noted right away that it is great for people who suffer from liver diseases... But today, milk thistle is used in almost all areas of medicine, which only increases its benefits.

The most common area where this plant can be used is, of course, in hepatology. Powders, oils, infusions and other medicines are taken by people with hepatitis C, dystrophy, and cirrhosis of the liver. In addition, milk thistle helps with chronic poisoning with drugs, alcohol, food, medicine, it is often prescribed to pregnant women if they suffer from severe toxicosis.

An interesting fact is that milk thistle is, perhaps, the only remedy that will help a person who has been poisoned by a pale toadstool survive.

Milk thistle is actively used to strengthen the cardiovascular system, especially the capillaries. It is used after radiation and chemical therapy, as it helps to remove toxins, radionuclides, radiation and heavy metals from the body.

Milk thistle extract helps to get rid of excess weight, in addition, it removes sugar from the blood, therefore it is actively used by patients with diabetes mellitus. Due to the fact that the plant contains vitamin E, it can be used in dermatology. It helps to get rid of acne, baldness. Milk thistle oil in capsules is actively used in cosmetology.

The main feature of this plant is its antioxidant properties. This is an action that helps to create a high resistance to the oxidative process that negatively affects the functioning of the liver.

These are reactive oxygen species that can damage one of the most important human organs.

For the past several decades, scientists have been trying to fully study exactly how oxidative processes affect the liver. Oxygen production is normal for cells, but it can increase if the body is exposed to drugs or alcohol. When the liver becomes inflamed, oxygen is produced by the inflamed cells, which can cause a large number of cells to die.

Milk thistle for cleansing the liver, video:

Silymarin, as well as the flavonoids found in milk thistle, help to slow down the oxidation process, which has a positive effect on the liver.

Among other things, flavonoids also have excellent immunomodulatory properties. Therefore, if preparations based on milk thistle are taken for at least six months, then you can see a significant decrease in the activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes, which are formed during alcohol intoxication.

Of course, despite all the positive aspects, it is necessary to use milk thistle-based products under the strict supervision of doctors.

This is due large amounts of phosphorus and calcium which, if taken incorrectly, can cause negative effects in the body.

If you suffer from cardiovascular disease, then take milk thistle stands apprehensively. This plant is contraindicated in such cases:

• If a person has individual intolerance, which is very rare.
• Epilepsy and other mental disorders.
• Acute cholecystitis, liver failure, pancreatitis, cirrhotic liver damage, asthma.
• Shortness of breath.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers can only consume milk thistle under the supervision of their doctor.

When taking the plant, side effects may appear: pain in the liver area, diarrhea. If they persist for more than two days, then taking the drugs should be canceled.

Milk thistle oil: features and methods of application

The oil made from this plant is distinguished by wound healing, hepatoprotective and anti-burn properties. It is often compared to, although the former has many more positive characteristics.

They use such a product for diabetes, psoriasis, eczema, liver disease or allergies. If you don't know how to take milk thistle oil then the following information will be helpful to you.

Take 5 teaspoons of ground milk thistle seeds and pour 500 ml of olive oil or any other oil on them. Boil the resulting mixture in a water bath for about a quarter of an hour. Next, the oil must be insisted for half an hour and filtered.

It is worth taking one teaspoon three times a day.

You can also buy ready-made oil at any pharmacy.

Milk thistle oil: benefits and harms

As mentioned above, milk thistle is a practically harmless product. Allergies or individual intolerances to the oil from this plant are very rare.

Milk thistle for the liver is an irreplaceable product, therefore, if you suffer from any diseases associated with this organ, then you should definitely purchase or make your own oil from this plant.

In addition, it can significantly strengthen human immunity, improve the digestion process, raise the tone of the whole body, and improve metabolism. Those who want to lose weight and put their body in order must necessarily have such an oil in their arsenal.

It can be found in many medicines. Especially often it can be found in the complex treatment of cirrhosis. Note that it can be taken as an essential drug supplement without any problem.

Milk thistle meal: features and methods of application

Meal is called the seeds of a plant. (in this case, milk thistle), which are ground to obtain a powdery mass. The main feature of such a powder is the fact that it is cold pressed, due to which vegetable oil is obtained from the seeds.

Fiber, which is contained in milk thistle meal, works great on the intestines, cleansing it. In addition, such a drug helps to normalize the body's work, thanks to vitamins and biologically active elements. Milk thistle liver cleansing will pass quickly and without problems if you use the meal.

Milk thistle meal has many beneficial properties. Among them are:

• The ability to regulate the metabolism of fats, regulation of the central nervous system, organs of vision and skin.
• Improving intestinal motility.
• Restoration, improvement and strengthening of the liver.
• Establishment of the body's defenses against unfavorable environmental factors.
• Improved bile outflow.
• Removal of blood pressure to a normal state.
• Improving metabolism in the body.
• Removal of radionuclides, slags and toxins.
• Removal of glucose to normal levels.
• Improving kidney function.

Milk thistle for the liver is a real miracle cure, especially if it is used in the form of meal. If you want to use this plant for medicinal purposes, then you must remember that meal can be used in the amount of 1 teaspoonful three times a day. At the same time, remember that it can be used no earlier and no later than half an hour before a meal.

You can drink it only with warm water so that the meal has a positive effect on the intestines. The course should be continued for at least 40 days. After that, you can take a two-week break, and then resume the forty-day course again. The frequency of continuation is determined only by the doctor.

For prevention apply meal you can also. But here one teaspoon is taken only once a day, on an empty stomach. The prophylactic course is established by the doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of each organism. As a rule, such a course can last from twenty to forty days.

It is also interesting that milk thistle meal even children can safely accept ( from 3 years old), but for them the use should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

Milk thistle meal: benefits and harms

No side effects were observed when using the meal of this plant. Although some people complained of mild pain in the liver area. If you are going to take milk thistle meal, indications and contraindications for use must be studied.

So, for example, you cannot immediately take a large dose if the patient has kidney stones or gallbladder stones. It is best to take the drug gradually and under the strict supervision of your doctor.

Also, with caution, you need to resort to the use of this remedy for pregnant and lactating women. It is not recommended to use if you have an individual intolerance to the plant.

Other medicines with milk thistle

The best milk thistle-based liver cleanse is tincture. Among other things, such a medical preparation, which can be made without any problems at home, will help to better remove bile from the body, eliminate unpleasant pain in the joints, and reduce pain in the liver.

Many people suffering from skin problems, dermatitis, psoriasis, acne can use a special tincture with this herb.

Interestingly, such means do not need to wipe or cleanse the skin. The tincture is taken orally, helping to cope with many problems at the same time.

Decoctions are also made from milk thistle, which help not only with diseases of the liver and pancreas, but also the kidneys. Some people prefer to use juices, extracts, herbal teas or syrups. The latter can be purchased without any problems in pharmacies. Often these drugs are intended for the treatment of hemorrhoids, colitis, heart disease and respiratory tract.

Folk recipes with milk thistle

Today on the Internet you can find a huge number of different recipes with this plant, the reviews of which are quite positive. Even eating regular milk thistle seeds will already help you to significantly improve your condition, cleanse the liver, pancreas, kidneys.

Patients with hepatitis can eat one tablespoon of seeds ( necessarily germinated) to help your body cope with the disease faster.

Interestingly, you can sprout the seeds yourself at home. But note that milk thistle sprouts take longer to grow than.

The meal can be made by grinding the grains into a powdery mass ( use a coffee grinder for this). It is usually used to improve liver health.

To prepare, you need to grind the seeds of the plant into powder, take 30 grams of this powder and pour it into half a liter of water. Simmer until half of the liquid evaporates. Drink one tablespoon every hour during the day for three weeks, then take a break ( for two weeks). If liver diseases recur, then you can repeat the course again.

If you need to cook milk thistle tincture on alcohol, then you need to take 50 grams of powder ( meal) plants, add to 0.5 liters of vodka. The tincture should be infused for about two weeks. Please note that it needs to be stirred or shaken from time to time. The course of intake consists of 25 drops of tincture, which must be taken half an hour before meals 4-5 times a day.

Milk thistle tea can be freely purchased at any pharmacy, but if you do not trust such drugs, then you can prepare your own. It can be prepared from the powder of the plant or from its leaves.

Take one teaspoon of dried leaves ( or meal), pour boiling water over and let it brew for about half an hour. Then strain the drink.

Drink hot, preferably three times a day: in the morning ( fasting), in the afternoon ( before lunch) and in the evening ( before bedtime). This drink is great for fighting varicose veins.

To make the juice, you need to stock up on plenty of fresh milk thistle leaves. They are usually picked before the plant blooms.

The juice must be fixed with alcohol. The ratio should be 1 liter of juice per 50 ml of alcohol ( 70%) ... You need to store the drink in the refrigerator.

You can also prepare an infusion. To do this, take one teaspoon of dry herb or seeds, pour boiling water over it, leave for about 20 minutes, and then strain. The infusion should be taken orally in small sips three times a day. It is best to work out the following scheme for yourself: half a glass of infusion before breakfast, a quarter before lunch and a quarter before dinner.

Medicinal (pharmacy) preparations with milk thistle

Milk thistle is actively used by manufacturers of various tablets, oils, teas and other similar products. Today in the pharmacy you can buy a lot of various medicines, which are based on this interesting plant. If we talk about the most popular means, then it is worth mentioning:

1. Gepabene is a hepatoprotector, which contains milk thistle as one of the main elements. There is also an extract of the herb of smoke, which helps to normalize the amount of bile secreted, relieve spasms of the gallbladder, and facilitate the work of the liver.
2. Sibektan is another popular hepatoprotector based on milk thistle extract. It is not only an antioxidant and choleretic drug, but also helps to calm spasms, stimulate protein synthesis.
3. Silymar is a modern hepatoprotector, which is also a membrane stabilizer, choleretic and antioxidant. Milk thistle Silymar tablets are the main ingredient, but other herbs can also be found here that have a positive effect on the liver and gallbladder.

Some drugs can be actively taken even for prophylactic purposes.

Milk thistle has shown positive effects on the health and beauty of the skin more than once, so if you want to improve your appearance, you need to purchase it at the pharmacy or make your own oil from this plant.

Please note that before taking any herbal remedy it is best to consult your doctor.

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Today we will find out the useful and medicinal properties of milk thistle for healing the whole body, especially the liver, recipes based on it, their use in official and traditional medicine, contraindications for use, find out its benefits and possible harm, read the photo of the plant, watch the video.

By the way, below you can see a photo of what this plant looks like:
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I have a favorite thorn - milk thistle, here is my story about it today. Let's find out the medicinal properties of milk thistle, in what form it can be taken, how to use it correctly and for what problems of the body it is an irreplaceable healer.

The milk thistle plant also has such names as Gostropestria and Mary's thistle, Mary's thistle (Mariendistel), silver tartar.

Spotted milk thistle (holy or milk thistle) has long been revered by many nations of the world as a super useful remedy. Legends say that it was the Virgin Mary who presented people as a gift with healing milk that can cure various diseases (white spots on the leaves of milk thistle). When the stem or leaves break, a white liquid appears, which was previously used by those who did not have milk to feed the baby.

Historical documents say that 2,000 years ago, the Greeks used a decoction from the seeds of this plant in order to treat various diseases. Modern recipes for traditional medicine convey the same information to us. Milk thistle seed flour and meal are especially popular. Meal is the seeds of milk thistle, the pomace that remained after obtaining milk thistle oil ..

It's hard to believe that such a nondescript plant can have such a great restorative effect, but I was convinced of this myself.

I'll tell you how I got acquainted with the effective action of this medicinal plant. In a past life, before blogging, I was engaged in phytocomplexes, which I take to this day. And there is such a phytocomplex, which I often mention in my articles - Lifsafe (from English liver in a safe - that is, protection of the liver).

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It was developed by scientists of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine under the guidance of Professor Lapshin and includes:

• ground milk thistle fruit
• sandy immortelle
• lemon balm
• yarrow
• corn silk

Each of the listed medicinal plants performs its own function, but the main one belongs to the milk thistle - namely the seeds of this herb help to restore the cells of the diseased liver, acting as a phyto-hepato-protector.
Thanks to milk thistle, I repaired a lot of things in my body, which at that time began to lose ground - my health began to bother me (10 years ago).

What I got rid of thanks to milk thistle:

1. my liver started to work normally - I stopped getting sick often, and if it happened to catch something, it passed quickly and without complications, since the liver is our inner healer
2. the extensive light brown spots on the face in the area of ​​the cheekbones, chin and forehead, which appeared as soon as the sun became more active in spring, disappeared - I was pockmarked and hid it in a foundation
3. the surface of the skin itself has significantly improved - it has become smooth and even, without a single pigment spot or pimple
4. emotional outbursts and mood swings have significantly decreased, I have become much calmer and I do not get started half a turn from any nonsense
5. the work of the intestines improved and the bloating disappeared, the rumbling and seething in the stomach and intestines disappeared
6. bitterness in the mouth in the morning is forever gone and my tongue is now never whitish and coated, I also got rid of bad breath

The result that I received is sufficient to recommend this plant to everyone - suddenly you have similar troubles that spoil your life.

Application of milk thistle. In what form can you apply

Milk thistle is an edible medicinal plant. In the pharmacy and retail network, you can buy various milk thistle derivatives:

• seed oil
• milk thistle seed tincture
• syrup
• seeds and flowers, powdered
• meal - the remnants of seeds after squeezing oil
• fresh leaves and flowers - an additive to salads and raw materials for tea

At home, teas and infusions, decoctions are made from milk thistle.

Milk thistle capsules produced by various manufacturers of phytopreparations (food additives). I myself use milk thistle in an encapsulated form.

The oil is used for burns, eczema is treated with it. It softens dry skin well, is used as a remedy for wrinkles in cosmetology.

Meal and leaves, plant stems are an excellent sorbent for any kind of poisoning: chemical, food, alcohol. Restoring and regenerating function, choleretic - is unmatched.

Chemical composition

To find out what medicinal properties milk thistle contains in itself, you need to look at its composition and find out what, according to herbal medicine handbooks, is hidden in the bowels of this green treasure.

Relatively recently, the chemical composition of substances, thanks to which the plant acquires its natural color, was "deciphered". As it turned out, these substances, called flavonoids, have not only a "coloring" effect, but also a therapeutic one. This is achieved due to the antioxidant properties of flavonoids.

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Not only the leaves, but also the tissues of milk thistle also contain flavonoids, including the so-called silymarins, which include silydianin, silybin and silicristin. It is these compounds that give the plant its main medicinal properties.

The plant has a rich vitamin composition, contains rare substances necessary for humans, and many trace elements. Most often, plant seeds or their meal are used for medicinal purposes - as a food additive, it is also used in dietary nutrition.

Silymarin restores hepatocytes - the main building material of the liver. After removing a part of the liver, it is capable of regenerating its own tissue and the first assistant in this is silymarin, which contains milk thistle.

It strengthens the walls of the liver, making them impermeable to various harmful factors and gradually the liver is regenerated. Milk thistle seeds are known to significantly speed up this process. That is, after liver damage, the use of milk thistle preparations leads to the fastest recovery.

Milk thistle has an antioxidant effect: silymarin protects the membranes of liver cells from the aggressive effects of free radicals than prevents the degeneration of cells into cancerous.

Iron, zinc, B vitamins and a large amount of trace elements made milk thistle famous in folk and official medicine.

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The plant has a number of useful substances in its composition:

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Milk thistle contains a large set of micro and macro elements:

Data-lazy-type = "image" data-src = "https://prozdorovechko.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ trace elements.jpg" alt = "(! LANG: trace elements" width="232" height="363" srcset="" data-srcset="https://i2.wp..jpg?w=232&ssl=1 232w, https://i2.wp..jpg?resize=192%2C300&ssl=1 192w" sizes="(max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px" data-recalc-dims="1">!} The presence of vitamins of group B, K, F, E, A, D, C helps to quickly restore vitality and body functions, using milk thistle in any form, especially in the form of meal and meal from seeds.

The leaves and stems of a young plant are similar in composition to vegetables - they contain a large amount of plant fibers, which helps to cleanse the intestines and remove toxins.

Milk thistle seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and can be a worthy substitute for similar fish.

Its most valuable components are: silymarin (flavanoids), silybin and silydonin (flavanolignans), mineral compounds and the presence of unsaturated fatty acids.

Silymarins and other flavonoids are not the only components of milk thistle tissue useful for humans. Here are just some of the most widely represented substances in the composition of this plant, which can significantly enhance the therapeutic effect:

• Tyramine and histamine are substances that stimulate natural biological processes.
• Metals and other inorganic elements such as iodine, selenium, chromium, manganese, boron and the most "weighty" components, copper and zinc. All of these substances are present in extremely small doses, from 0.09 micrograms per gram to 1.16 micrograms. At the same time, the content of components such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and magnesium is measured already in milligrams per gram - from 0.08 mg to 16.6 mg.
• A whole bunch of vitamins - firstly, group B, secondly, A, K, D, F and E.
• The so-called factor T is an enzyme that promotes the resorption of blood clots.
• Phospholipids, tocopherols and acylglycerols, we can talk about a whole complex of lipids.
• Essential and fatty oils (the latter in high concentration, in some cases about 32%).

And this is only a small part of the composition of the tissues of milk thistle, there are much more useful elements.

Useful medicinal properties of milk thistle and contraindications

Consider milk thistle from the point of view of medicinal and beneficial properties for our body, why it is necessary to introduce it into your diet as a food supplement or in the form of salads from the leaves and stems of the plant.

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Milk thistle: medicinal properties for our health

To find out what medicinal properties milk thistle contains, we examined its composition, described above. According to herbal medicine guides, this green treasure contains more than four hundred beneficial elements.

A plant with a broad spectrum of action to improve human health. It has the following healing properties:

• Antiviral
• Antiallergic
• Antioxidant
• Immunomodulatory
• Hepatoprotective and cytoprotective
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antitoxic
• Antineoplastic (anti-fibrotic)
• Laxative
• Choleretic
• Diuretic
• Wound healing
• Cholesterol-lowering
• Antispasmodic

Based on this list, we can conclude that Maryina thorn is excellent for including her in the complex therapy of many types of diseases. Most often, it is included in mixtures of grass against such ailments:

1. diseases of the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocarditis, varicose veins)
2. gastrointestinal diseases (hepatitis, fatty hepatosis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, colitis, chronic constipation)
3. pathologies of the spleen and pancreas (splenitis, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus)
4. skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema, acne, allergic dermatitis)
5. diseases of the lungs and bronchi (pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema)
6. ailments of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatic arthritis and arthrosis, radiculitis, plexitis)
7. disorders in the genitourinary system (prostatitis, urethritis, cystitis, nephritis)

Also, decoctions and infusions from various parts of milk thistle are used to reduce weight and normalize general metabolism, to prevent or eliminate anemia, to maintain visual health. But the main highlight of this plant lies in its unique and unrepeatable healing power from liver diseases, let's figure it out in more detail.
First, here's a quick video on the benefits of milk thistle:

Healing properties of spotted thistle for the liver. How silymarin works

Hepatoprotective or regenerating liver cells, the property of milk thistle is based on its unique substance called silymarin.

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Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is the only natural, complete product produced by nature for high-quality and comprehensive restoration of hepatic tissues and functions.

It is possible that silymarin is also found in related milk thistle plants, for example, in the common tartar, but this fact has not yet been confirmed. Thus, it turns out that today Maryina thorn is the only comprehensively studied source of silymarin.

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About 60-80% of the liver tissue is made up of cells called hepatocytes. These cells take the blow from the poisonous substances entering the body, as well as aggressive free radicals. Under these influences, primarily the cell membrane suffers. Thus, to save the liver, you need to do the following:

1. Block the entry into cells and tissues of the most dangerous poisons that harm the hepatocytes themselves.
2. Stop further destruction of already damaged membranes and start the mechanisms of natural cell regeneration.
3. Neutralize free radicals and minimize the effect of substances that destroy the membranes of hepatocytes.
4. Relieve painful inflammation of damaged tissues.

The silymarins in milk thistle successfully accomplish all four of these goals. Even such a strong toxin, which contains pale toadstool, is successfully blocked by silymarins. At the same time, RNA polymerase is produced, which, in turn, significantly intensifies the process natural cell regeneration.

Silymarins dramatically weaken oxidation processes, which reliably protects cell membranes.

The wide range of medicinal effects of silymarin makes the use of milk thistle simply irreplaceable for the treatment or prevention of many liver diseases.

Here is a list of these diseases:

• acute and chronic bacterial hepatitis
• fatty hepatosis
• viral hepatitis C
• cirrhosis of the liver of toxic or viral origin
• acute poisoning with poisonous mushrooms, heavy metal compounds, halogenated hydrocarbons, drugs for chemotherapy
• acute or chronic impairment of general or hepatic fat metabolism
• acute and chronic cholecystitis, cholangitis and a tendency to stone formation in the gallbladder and bile ducts

But in a barrel with medicinal honey, that is, silymarin, there was also an annoying fly in the ointment, this component is extremely difficult to dissolve. However, this unpleasant fact was also circumvented by concluding the medicinal capabilities of milk thistle in tablets and capsules.

Saturated and unsaturated fats. Useful and medicinal properties

Milk thistle fruit contains approximately 32% oil, consisting of a unique complex of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

If they enter the digestive system In humans, they provoke a choleretic effect, namely, a choleretic effect (uniform synthesis of bile improves) and, in part, a cholekinetic effect (an outflow of bile improves). This primary action of milk thistle fats contributes to the disinfection of food, its better absorption and a decrease in the manifestations of intestinal dysbiosis.

When fatty acids enter the blood, they have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective activity. They are also used as a source of energy. Since vitamins A and E are an integral part of milk thistle oil, the spectrum of action of milk thistle is significantly expanded. But only if you take milk thistle fruits correctly - at a time about 10 grams of fruit... Then the described effect of the use of milk thistle fruit is invariably achieved.

If you use a smaller amount of crushed fruits of the plant, then these actions may not appear. With dyskinesia of the gallbladder, chronic pancreatitis, the proper effect can also not be achieved from the fruits of the plant, since it is necessary to use certain features in the nutritional system for these diseases.

Milk thistle seed carbohydrates. Useful and medicinal properties

Despite the fact that there are a lot of carbohydrates in the fruits of the plant, according to this indicator, the fruits are not contraindicated even in diabetes mellitus, on the contrary - they are shown. How can this be? Just the main polysaccharide is starch and its content is about 15%.

It is able to slowly convert into glucose in the digestive system and, getting into the bloodstream, does not create problems for either the liver (even with fatty hepatosis) or the pancreas (even with manifestations of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus).

The rest of the polysaccharides that are in the fruits of thistle (mucus, pectins, fiber) are not able to be broken down to simple carbohydrates and absorbed into the blood, causing stress on the pancreas or liver. Moving through the intestines, mucus, pectins, fiber increase intestinal motility, and together with fats, providing a choleretic effect, contribute to the elimination of frequent constipation.

It is not a gross cleansing of the intestines, as some laxatives do, but cleansing of the intestines in the full sense - due to the swelling of mucus. Mucus can swell indefinitely in the aquatic environment. If there is a sufficient amount of water in the diet, then the mucus swells in the intestines and collects not just water, but water with toxic substances dissolved in it. A similar action is performed by pectins and fiber.

On insoluble carbohydrates, the saprophytic (useful) intestinal microflora develops more actively, which produces additional portions of vitamins... By competitively suppressing pathogenic microflora, it helps to improve the intestinal microflora.

And if we remember that the choleretic function of vegetable oils helps our liver to make room in the gallbladder for new portions of bile (and this is the dirt that the liver found in the blood), then there is a global purification of the blood and the purification of our body as a whole. As you can see, the effect of the correct use of polysaccharides - in the presence of a sufficient amount of water - is quite serious and important for health.

Proteins in fruits - useful and medicinal properties

An important health ingredient in thistle is protein. They contain about 6% and according to this indicator, the plant lags behind cereals and cereals by about two times. True, due to the high fat content, the fruits have a high calorie content - about 370 kilocalories.

The presence of protein in milk thistle makes it beneficial for people who have switched to a vegetarian diet. Adding crushed milk thistle seed flour will help to partially replenish the protein deficiency in their body.

We have figured out the useful properties of Mary's thorn, now let's figure out the contraindications and side effects, because they also have a place to be, and they must be known and remembered.

The main contraindications for the use of milk thistle

Although most users of milk thistle-based medicines claim that there are no contraindications to the use of the plant, they still exist.

Here are the contraindications for taking spotted thistle:

• individual intolerance to the components of the herb
• the presence of serious mental illness (epilepsy, depressive-manic state, lingering neuroses)
• exacerbation of gallstone disease, when the risk of stone movement is high, or stones are large
• heart disease, where the level of calcium and phosphorus plays a leading role (more often it concerns the work of the heart valves)
• bowel disease, accompanied by diarrhea, and generally a tendency to loose and frequent stools

According to some reviews, when taking oil or meal, pain in the liver, bloating, and mild nausea may occur. But in most cases, all these phenomena disappear in a couple of days after the start of taking.

With great caution, it is necessary to treat preparations from Maryina thorn for pregnant women and nursing mothers, since this spotted herb can cause expulsion of the fetus or cause severe diarrhea in the baby.

Contraindications to the use of milk thistle for the liver relate mainly to the use of alcohol tincture. It is worth supplementing this list with only an indication that milk thistle for the liver is unsuitable for nursing mothers, pregnant women and "heart".

It is undesirable to use any parts of milk thistle for children under 12 years old, this contraindication is associated with the instability of the young body and the danger that the beneficial effects of the plant will turn into troubles in the form of diarrhea, heartburn and upset digestion.

In pharmacies, you can buy pills and capsules made from milk thistle that are more familiar to many patients. Medicines "Legalon", "Gepabene", or "Fosfontsiale" are presented in capsules protected by a layer of gelatin, inside of which there is a powder.

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Tablets look no different from any other medicine. It can be Sibektan, Legal, the more familiar Karsil and Karsil Forte, as well as Salimar. All tablets are sold with precise directions on how to use them.

In addition, meal is also on sale - essentially a prepared powder from milk thistle seeds.

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Experts believe that in this form, the plant will not bring benefit, since silymarin is easily destroyed by exposure to light, oxidation in air, and also by heating. So that making decoctions and brewing "healing tea" is absolutely pointless(this is the opinion of pharmacists).

The listed medicines (medicines) can be easily found in any pharmacy, the price of tablets with the medicinal properties of Maryina thorns varies from 250 to 900 rubles per box, designed for a monthly course. The drugs are collectively called herbal hepatoprotectors.

All drugs of the group of herbal hepatoprotectors work in a rather interesting way. Once in the stomach, they are absorbed into the bloodstream and then travel through the bloodstream to the liver.

There they are taken by hepatocytes in about half of their total volume, and the rest of the drug goes into bile. From the gallbladder, the remainder of the drug is thrown into the duodenum, enters the small intestine, where it is once again absorbed into the bloodstream and goes to the liver, where it is absorbed.

It turns out that one herbal tablet provides 2 times more benefits than a synthetically created one. By the way, herbal tablets are popular only in Russia and the CIS countries, and in Western Europe and the USA they are practically not used due to insufficient research on the composition of raw materials.

Of course, the doctor should prescribe the dose and the period of taking pharmaceutical drugs, based on the individual condition of the patient and the indicators of the tests taken from him.

Inflammatory processes are stopped due to the fact that the body, under the influence of fatty acids contained in milk thistle, produces prostaglandins.

Self-production of medicinal products at home

Milk thistle for the liver is used in various forms, and the simplest options allow for self-preparation of the medicine. Actually, there are basically two such options:

• tincture
• powder.

In both cases, crushed milk thistle seeds are used. The only difference is that to make the tincture, the powder is poured with vodka (ideally alcohol) and infused for a week. The vodka should be five times more than the powder.

The convenience of the tincture in comparison with the powder is that the tincture can be stored and consumed gradually, but the prepared powder must be taken immediately and prepared in single doses each time.

The effect of the tincture is more pronounced, so it is best to take it only with the consent of the doctor. The tincture is contraindicated for those who cannot drink alcohol. So with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, this method is unacceptable. The use of tincture is also excluded in the presence of acute cholecystitis, pancreatitis and liver failure.

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The dosage for milk thistle tincture is- from one to 20 drops (it is better to find out the exact dosage from the doctor after all), and for powder- one tablespoon a day. Take the powder before meals.

Overdose can cause pain in the right side... It can be caused by blockage of the bile duct with stones. Also, overdose can cause movement of previously static gallstones. Therefore, remember the recommended dose of milk thistle tincture or powder above.
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Milk thistle for the liver: how to take

The liver will not malfunction if you eat foods that increase the secretion of bile. Milk thistle will help out - an excellent choleretic agent. It will cleanse and restore liver cells.

It is a powerful weed that is cultivated in many countries of the world. It is used not only in traditional medicine - the plant provides the necessary raw material for the medical industry. It is a part of choleretic agents, food additives known all over the world.

It is known that the liver is an important multifunctional organ. It is like a small laboratory where enzymes are constantly being created, which are important for the functioning of the whole organism.

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• find and remove toxic substances from the body, purify the blood
• break down fats, ensuring the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• control, maintain the energy balance of the body
• the liver is a kind of storage for all the substances necessary for nourishing various cells of the body

At the first signal of a lack of any element, the liver immediately replenishes it - but only if it is not weakened and can react quickly.

Any malfunctions in the liver can be identified by such unpleasant symptoms:

• flatulence, constipation, or diarrhea
• constant weakness, drowsiness
• irritability, emotional leaps for no apparent reason
• cardiopalmus
• a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood
• blurred vision

Digestion is a complex activity. Poorly digested food products cause metabolic disturbances. Digestion is impossible without the participation of the liver.... A healthy organ produces about a liter of bile per day.

What is bile for?

For the daily production of a bitter-yellow liquid - bile, minerals, proteins, water are consumed. Bile is stored in the gallbladder.
During digestion, food flows from the stomach into the duodenum to continue the process. At this moment, the required amount of bile is released from the bladder - provided that at least small portion of fat.

This liquid helps to process food, assimilate all useful substances from it. Bile removes toxic compounds formed in the body or received from the external environment.
Bile stimulates the intestines, destroys putrefactive processes in it. If the outflow of bile is disturbed, digestion deteriorates, the work of the whole organism is disrupted:

1. food is poorly processed, absorbed, metabolic processes are disrupted
2. there is an increased formation of gases
3. constipation appears
4. lack of bile impairs the functioning of the pancreas, which can cause its disease.
5. papillomas, spots appear on the skin
6. accumulated toxins, excess salts are not excreted in urine, feces. This leads to joint disease.
7. more frequent pain in the temporal part of the head

Stagnation of bile in the gallbladder causes stress, fears, irritability, a sedentary lifestyle, infections, fatty foods.
Due to the fact that the bile has become thick, there is no outflow of it, sand appears in the bubble, stones begin to form. Painful sensations appear in the right side.

Cleansing and restoring the liver

Milk thistle preparations improve liver function. The secretion of bile increases, the ducts are cleared, sand comes out of the gallbladder.

The chemical composition of milk thistle includes a rare compound that easily decomposes toxins, preventing them from entering the liver - silymarin. This substance helps the liver to form new cells instead of those destroyed by disease or alcohol.

Oil, milk thistle tincture cleanse the liver, blood, removing toxins and excess sugar from it. The intestines are also cleansed, constipation disappears. Joint pains disappear. The work of the pancreas and kidneys improves.

To protect the body from intoxication with poisons in hazardous industries, it is recommended to use milk thistle preparations for prophylactic purposes. The use of these drugs gives good results in the treatment of hepatitis.

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Crushed milk thistle flowers and seeds can be consumed in a dish, not requiring heat treatment... Add to salads, sandwiches.
Or, a few minutes before meals, eat a teaspoon of the product with water. This will enhance the choleretic effect. After a month of taking drugs, take a break.

Self-administration of choleretic agents is recommended if the gallbladder is clean, without stones. In the presence of stones, it is necessary to consult a doctor and observe the behavior of the stones during the appointment.

How to take milk thistle seeds for liver disease

The greatest healing power of the whole milk thistle plant is possessed by its seeds; their beneficial effect on the liver and other organs was used many centuries before the birth of Christ. It is from the seeds that tablets and extracts are made that lie on drugstore shelves. It is this part of the milk thistle that has been carefully and repeatedly subjected to various experiments and studies.

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In the process of processing, three main products are obtained from seeds, which are used in cooking, folk and official medicine - these are:

1. butter

Seed oil Virgin Mary herb can be added to baked goods, seasoned with salads and drunk to treat or prevent liver and pancreas diseases. For preventive purposes, use 1 teaspoon of oil - on an empty stomach 15-30 minutes before breakfast, doing this every day until the entire bottle ends, repeating such courses every six months. With a therapeutic purpose, between the described courses, take a break of 1 month and drink oil again until the next bottle runs out. So the reception and breaks alternate until the disease disappears or stops.

The flour is obtained from the unsprung mature seeds of the plant.... They are most often used for baking bread and adding to dishes and some confectionery products intended for people with diabetes and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

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Flour, as well as butter, is useful to take 1 teaspoon 15-30 minutes before meals, the allowed amount is up to three times a day. The course, depending on the state of health of the liver and other organs, can be from 10 to 30 days, it is advisable to consult your doctor about the time of admission.

And a special place in this trinity is occupied by meal - a flour-like powder from pressed milk thistle seeds... It is believed that it contains a concentration of the healing properties of Maryina's thorn. On my own behalf, I will say that this statement is by no means an exaggeration, I was convinced of this from personal experience and the example of one of my friends, who suffers from sharp jumps in blood sugar and a state of prediabetes.

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At one time I took meal courses, completely cleansed my liver and for many years I have not gone to the clinic, I do not get colds, I don’t get fat and I look great for my age. And my friend, having experienced clinical death a year ago, found out on one of the tests that her blood sugar was 2 times higher than the norm. I recommended her to take milk thistle meal, and after a week, she boasted to me that the sugar had dropped from 13.7 to 8.5 units.

I believe that every person, especially a city dweller, both sick and healthy, should include butter, flour or meal of Mary's thorn in his diet. You must admit that preventing a disease is much easier than treating it, especially since the price of oil, flour and milk thistle meal is only 80-120 rubles per box or bottle for a monthly course, and their medicinal properties are truly priceless.

How to treat milk thistle herb: decoction, juice, tincture

Milk thistle herb, like its seeds, is widely used to treat diseases of the liver and other digestive organs. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from it, both for drinking and for external use in the form of lotions, compresses and baths for skin diseases.

Also, a juice is prepared from the leaves of milk thistle, which is not inferior to the aerial part of the plant in terms of healing effects. And now - a few recipes.

Herbal decoction for oral administration

Take 1 tablespoon of chopped milk thistle herb and pour a glass of boiling water over it. Then heat it in a water bath for 15 minutes, then remove the broth from the heat and let it stand for another 45 minutes, wrapping the container in a towel. When the broth is infused, strain it and take a third of a glass 3 times a day half an hour before meals, the course lasts 30 days.

This broth helps not only to heal the liver, but also to improve metabolism, normalize stools and cleanse the skin of acne. It can also be poured into ice cube trays and, after freezing it into cubes, wipe the face with them after morning and evening washing to eliminate acne and oily sheen.

To get juice, the leaves are passed through a meat grinder, and then placed in cheesecloth, rolled into 3-4 layers and carefully twist the liquid into an enamel bowl. Another, easier way is to run the leaves through a regular household juicer. Marina's thorn juice is used for many diseases of the liver, skin, constipation, hypovitaminosis, digestive and metabolic disorders.

Jpg "alt =" (! LANG: Juice Treatment Recipe" width="300" height="218" data-recalc-dims="1">!} The classic use is to drink 1 tbsp of fresh juice. spoon on an empty stomach 30 minutes before breakfast. If it is difficult to drink pure juice, it is mixed with 50 ml of water, the course of treatment is 15-30 days.

Juice can be preserved by making a tincture from it. To do this, take 100 ml of 70% alcohol or good vodka for 1 liter of fresh squeezed juice, mix thoroughly and let it stand for 3-7 days. The resulting tincture is taken in 1 teaspoon per 50 ml of water on an empty stomach - 30 minutes before breakfast, the course is 30 days. Tincture is used to treat the skin with wounds, sores, abscesses and other inflammatory processes.

Blossoms and spotted thistles have considerable healing power. For the treatment of ailments of the liver, gallbladder, intestines and skin, decoctions and infusions are prepared from them. To obtain an infusion of 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of flower baskets with a glass of boiling water, wrap and leave overnight.

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Prepare the broth: take raw materials and water in the same proportions as for infusion, and boil over low heat or in a water bath for 10-15 minutes. The finished medicine is filtered and taken in a third to a quarter of a glass 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

By the way, hardworking little bees collect amazingly tasty honey, the medicinal properties of which are used in medicine, and in cooking, and in cosmetology. It should be eaten 1-2 tablespoons a day, preferably in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast and lunch.

This honey can also be added to tea or milk, just make sure that the temperature of the liquids does not exceed 40 degrees. In drinks that are too hot, honey quickly breaks down and loses its healing potential and can even decompose into harmful and dangerous carcinogens.

If you are worried about acne, acne and oily shine of the skin of the face, then an excellent mask can be made from thistle honey. Without further ado, apply the product in a thin layer on the face, hold the mask for 10-15 minutes, and then wash with warm running water without soap. Do this procedure 2 times a week, and in a month you will forget about the mentioned skin troubles.

Attention, milk thistle honey, like any other honey, is an allergenic product. If you have an individual intolerance to beekeeping products, then you will have to refuse the treatment with thistle honey, and how it looks like, look at the photo.

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Milk thistle root - how to apply

Does not lag behind in healing properties from the rest of the Maryina thorn and the root of the plant. It is also used to prepare infusions, decoctions and tinctures for the treatment of the above-mentioned diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Here's how to properly prepare a medicine from the specified part of the plant:

1. Take 1 tbsp. l. chopped roots, place them in a refractory enamel container and pour one glass of boiling water.
2. Then, for 30 minutes, heat the infusion in a water bath, and then, wrapping it up, insist the medicine for about an hour.
3. When this time is up, strain the infusion through a four-layer gauze and bring its volume to the original.

Take 1 tbsp of root infusion. l. 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals, the course is from 15 to 30 days. By the way, when preparing medicines, you can mix any parts of milk thistle with each other, For example, seeds and roots, or grass and flowers, so the effect will be even brighter. Now let's see when what parts of the plant need to be harvested.

Milk thistle for other internal organs

Milk thistle is used primarily for therapy and restoration of liver cells. The liver, as you know, suffers greatly from poisoning of various types, as well as from hepatitis. It is these diseases that are "profile" for milk thistle. However, silymarins help to regenerate cells and other internal organs:

• kidneys, which allows the use of milk thistle for nephrolithiasis;
• pancreas, which indicates the possibility of treating cholecystitis;
• ureters and biliary tract, indicating the use of milk thistle against diseases such as uraturia and dyskinesia (for the biliary tract).

Since some drugs have unpleasant side effects in the form of effects on the tissues of the kidneys and liver, milk thistle should be used in these cases as a rehabilitative agent in parallel with drug treatment.

When to collect seeds. Instructions for collecting different parts of the plant

I want to warn you right away that if you do not know the appearance of a plant well, live in a polluted area and do not have the opportunity to leave for an ecologically clean area, then it is better to buy raw materials in pharmacies. Fortunately, the prices for dried grass, meal and milk thistle oil are budgetary, and even grandmothers with a small pension can afford such drugs.

But if you know the plant well and still decide to pick it yourself, here's a little instruction on how to collect different parts of milk thistle.

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Adhering to it, the medicinal properties of the plant will reach you in the fullest possible composition:

1. The aerial part, that is, the grass, is harvested when the plant is in bloom;
2. Flowers are harvested when they are fully open;
3. The leaves are torn just before the beginning of flowering, when the buds have already swollen as much as possible, but have not yet opened;
4. The seeds are removed after they are fully ripe, around the end of August - the beginning of September;
5. The roots are dug up in the fall after October 15, or in the spring after April 15.

Now you know at what period of the growing season it is better to collect the different parts of the milk thistle in order to maintain their greatest usefulness.

It remains to find out how practicing doctors and ordinary people respond about Maryina thorn.

The debate about how beneficial this plant is for health has not subsided for many years. Some talk about the exceptional, others refer to the fact that it is not worth idealizing milk thistle and that, in certain cases, it is capable of causing harm to the body.

But how really? I already have many articles on my site where this topic is revealed in one way or another, but I think that another one will definitely not be superfluous. As I write, I will put links to other articles that cover the topic more extensively. Do not ignore them, go on and learn a lot of interesting things!

Milk thistle benefits - myth or reality

It is used for chronic, drugs, food, drugs, accompanied by intoxication.

Milk thistle is perhaps the only herbal remedy that ensures survival even in the event of severe toadstool poisoning. In a word, if, during mushroom poisoning, you immediately take milk thistle seeds, even if just in ground form, then it will take the brunt of the blow, and you will remain alive. It sounds unlikely, but it is a fact!

In cardiology, this plant is used as a prophylactic agent that strengthens the entire cardiovascular system in general, and capillaries in particular.

Another useful feature of milk thistle is that it normalizes lipid metabolism, removes toxins and toxins, and thus, indirectly, contributes to the loss of extra pounds. For this reason, it is highly desirable to use it.

This plant is capable of lowering blood sugar levels and is therefore used in some cases for treatment.

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Milk thistle should also be used with caution in people with severe shortness of breath. Often in such people it provokes attacks of severe coughing, but this is more likely not a contraindication, but a warning.

Well, of course, you should always remember about contraindications. There are not many of them, but they are also there. These include:

• Individual intolerance
• Epilepsy
• Chronic diseases - cholecystitis, pancreatitis
• Age up to 12 years (children are allowed to drink a decoction in milk prepared according to a special recipe)
• Cholelithiasis (in case of large stones)

If you have not found anything of the described above, feel free to use milk thistle. You will not get any harm from taking it, but there is a lot of benefits!

Milk thistle can be taken in different ways:

• In the form of a decoction
• Powder
• Meal
• Tinctures
• Syrup
• Pills

All forms of application of this plant are described by me. Milk thistle can also be a part of other medicines.

Among the variety of medicinal herbs, milk thistle stands out for its healing properties (it is popularly called milk thistle, Mary's thorns, etc.). The herb is used not only in folk medicine - pharmacology uses raw materials for the production of various drugs.

This grass is found everywhere, but most aggressively takes possession of dumps and wastelands. In addition, Mary's thorns are also cultivated in specialized farms in order to have a sufficient amount of medicinal raw materials.

The plant lives up to the name of the owl - its large, pinnately-lobed green leaves are covered with white spots. At the edges of the elliptical shape, the shiny leaves are framed by teeth with yellowish thorns.

The height of the erect thick stem reaches one and a half meters. It is ribbed, with tomentose pubescence. But the white, yellowish, pink, purple or lilac flowers are very small, collected in apical baskets. 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 a long hairy crest crowns it.

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

The main composition of milk thistle seeds

Milk thistle also contains mucus, resins, biogenic amines, a large composition of vitamins. The herb is also prized for the fact that it contains a substance rarely found in nature - silymarin and its derivative flavonoid silybin.

Due to its 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 the effects of plant seeds on the body, the following can be distinguished:

• silymarin is a biologically active ingredient 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, it has various negative effects on the organ, therefore, milk thistle is the strongest hepatoprotector;
• milk thistle is also good as a remedy after taking medications that negatively affect the liver;
• with the help of herbs, dysbiosis 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 herb affects the production of bile in an amount sufficient for digestion, which has a beneficial effect on digestion;
• cleanses from 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 dermatoses;
• a good result can be obtained in the treatment of alopecia;
• helps with convulsions, radiculitis, joint pain, salt deposition;
• the plant also gives an effect for colds, as well as dental problems;
• means from Mary's thorn will relieve swelling and relieve urinary retention;
• tea from this herb is recommended as an adjunct 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 makes it possible to use the herb in slimming diets.

Homeopaths recommend using 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 crushed to a flour-like 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.

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

Milk thistle powder is pleasant to the taste, non-toxic, therefore it is used in the food industry - added to confectionery and made from it a substitute for coffee. 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 cleaning the liver, pains often occur in the right hypochondrium;
• treatment of gallstone disease, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor;
• with caution, the remedy is prescribed for pregnant women and children under 4 years old;
• you should not combine the reception of milk thistle and contraceptives, since the effect of the latter weakens;
• despite the fact that Maryina prickle is an antihistamine, her 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 heart disease should use the herb with caution, and in case of shortness of breath it is better to completely exclude it 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 on your own - a preliminary consultation with a doctor is required. If he decides to introduce the preparations of this plant into therapy, then this should be done gradually, starting with small doses.

Milk thistle is taken in courses, between which you should take significant breaks. Otherwise, addiction will arise, which will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.

Medicinal properties of milk thistle: video

The main focus of the properties of this plant is the protection of liver functions. Pharmacological preparations and folk compositions help to rid this organ of toxic lesions. The sturgeon gives a powerful effect for hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver.

Milk thistle - liver treatment: video

To make the effect of treating cirrhosis of the liver stronger, folk should be added to drug therapy - use a decoction from seeds. For its preparation, take 2 tablespoons. raw materials and boiled in half a liter of water until the solution decreases in volume by 2 times.

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

A good result is obtained with seed powder, for which they are crushed in a coffee grinder. Due to its neutral taste, the meal will be easy to consume dry (1 tsp each), washed down with a little 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, other herbs are also present in the preparations, which have a positive effect on liver function.

Recently, dietary supplements "Biocor" 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 prophylaxis, as a protective and strengthening agent.

Traditional medicine recipes

In folk therapy, Mary's thorn has been used for a long time. Mentions of her are even found in the treatises of the ancient healer Galen and the ancient Greek Dioscorides. Nowadays, the plant is back in vogue, and its properties are often compared to echinacea.

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

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

Milk thistle seedlings are helpful for hepatitis and other liver problems. It is enough to eat 1 tablespoon a day, after waiting until 2 leaves are formed on the seedlings. 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 contains many useful elements. The root is crushed and 1 tbsp. pour a glass of boiled water. Covering with a lid, incubate in a water bath for about 30-40 minutes, then filter. During this time, the liquid will evaporate, so it will need to be brought to its original volume by adding boiled water. Take three times 1 tbsp.

For burns, milk thistle oil, which can be bought at the pharmacy, will help. The sore spot is pretreated with an antiseptic, then covered with a bandage soaked in oil. If there is no suppuration, then the dressing 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. Thorns are cut off from them, then the leaves are crushed and applied to sore spots. The dressing should be changed 2 times a day.

Depending on the disease affecting the skin, choose a suitable recipe:

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

The oil can 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, arising from the failure of metabolic processes.

For the treatment of varicose veins, herbal tea is prepared - 1 tsp is poured with a glass of boiling water. meal and insist 15 minutes. After straining, drink the drink half an hour before meals. And so three times a day - for breakfast, lunch and before bed, 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 tablespoon each. over a long period. The effect of losing weight will not begin to manifest itself immediately - first, the body will be cleansed of toxins, and only then will the gradual burning of fat 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 has a good effect. Take 5 large sheets, squeeze the juice and mix it with 3 tablespoons. 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 glasses). Insist 12 hours, filter and drink an incomplete glass before each meal.

Children are prescribed raspotropsha with caution - a quarter of a glass and only an hour after a meal. The product is prepared in hot milk (1 glass), 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 they boil again, filter and give to the child.

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

The product can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared by yourself 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. A whole complex of polyunsaturated fatty acids can be most distinguished in the product. There is 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 oil for such problems:

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

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, spit is an excellent effective remedy that gives results even in severe diseases. Herb seeds are stored for at least 3 years, so you can periodically indulge 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 gastrointestinal 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).

Milk thistle (popularly called milk thistle) is an amazing creation of nature. This is not only a tall plant with beautiful flowers, which is planted by amateur florists in whole plantations, but also an incredibly useful medicine. The rich chemical composition of the plant includes from four to five hundred active substances! Thanks to him, milk thistle is capable of cleansing blood vessels, liver, intestines, stomach, skin and many other problems no worse than expensive drugs. True, only dry plant seeds are used for treatment.

Healing properties of milk thistle seeds

Why is milk thistle so useful? Milk thistle powder is prescribed to patients to improve the functions and cleanse the liver, neutralize toxic metabolic products, treat the intestines and stomach. Milk thistle is also used in combination with other medicinal plants, because it goes well with almost all types of medicines.

Other actions of milk thistle:

• complex cleansing of the body,
• weight loss,
• prevention and treatment of the liver,
• in cosmetology (most often for the preparation of decoctions for hair and body).

Tinctures prepared according to folk recipes will help the skin effectively eliminate acne, constipation, and also for safe weight loss. Even official medicine has recognized the unique healing properties of the plant. Increasingly, doctors use milk thistle in combination with antibiotics and even hormones to treat the liver, for the skin (its purity and even color, the treatment of subcutaneous diseases).

Milk thistle herb comes in the following form:

• oils,
• extract,
• as well as in capsules and tablets.

Each of the forms is used for different functions. For example, seed oil and powder are the most useful, they are used both for cleansing the body and for enhancing immunity and preparing cosmetic mixtures. A decoction is prepared from the roots of the plant, which needs to be rinsed in the mouth for toothache and gum disease. Oil is also used to lubricate skin rashes, burns, and is taken orally for alcohol abuse.

Instructions for use

Depending on the disease, the dosage of the milk thistle preparation is different, in no case do not take arbitrary doses, remember that this is a very powerful medicine!

To eliminate toothache 1 tsp. of dried leaves and flowers, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour and rinse your mouth for 5 minutes.

With convulsions, urinary retention, diarrhea 10 gr. Pour the roots with hot water and simmer in a water bath for half an hour. Drink 1 tsp before meals. three times a day.

Milk thistle leaf juice is taken in the same dosage as a choleretic agent.

Meal - seed powder, the most popular - "Borodinsky", as well as from the firm "Biokor" and "Altai". These enterprises produce a product in accordance with the requirements of GOST. Take before each meal (20 minutes) 1 tbsp. spoon with water to treat varicose veins, cleanse the liver and lower blood sugar.

It might be interesting:

Milk thistle is taken with honey to enhance its effect by adding carbohydrates (the mixture should not be swallowed completely, but chewed). The shelf life of such a mixture is no more than a week, storage is allowed only in the refrigerator.

For vaginitis and inflammation of the internal genital organs in women, milk thistle oil is also used. It must be injected into the vagina (up to 1 ml) with a sterile syringe without a needle in a supine position. After the procedure, it is undesirable not to get up for at least 2-3 hours. The course is 2 weeks of daily use.

The daily dose of milk thistle oil should not exceed 20 grams, seed powder - no more than 15 grams.

The benefits and harms of the plant

The unique composition of milk thistle contains silymarin. This substance is quite rare in nature. Silymarin tones and protects the cells of the body, promotes their strengthening and the formation of new ones, neutralizes the harm of toxins taken with food or alcohol.

Remarkable! Some traditional medicine doctors believe that milk thistle seeds can even cure cancer.

Elements present in the herb:

• normalize metabolic processes,
• improve the condition of the skin,
• promote wound healing and weight loss,
• milk thistle essential oil has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the stomach and pancreas, intestinal tract,
• milk thistle resins absorb and cleanse the liver, blood and skin,
• acids put in order the metabolism and improve appetite, strengthen the immune system and remove toxins.

In addition to the benefits, the plant can also harm.

This is most often due to improper dosage or use without proper indications. Therefore, the consultation of a doctor or an experienced herbalist is necessary before starting treatment.

It is better for patients with cardiovascular diseases to refuse treatment for milk thistle, as well as for people with an excess of calcium and phosphorus in the body. For epilepsy, depression and other mental illnesses, it is also highly undesirable to take milk thistle preparations.

Contraindications

Let's see who is absolutely contraindicated for treatment with milk thistle seed:

• It is strictly forbidden to be treated with milk thistle for lactating and pregnant women.
• In people with severe shortness of breath, the plant can provoke an attack of a lingering cough.
• It is also necessary to use milk thistle preparations with great care in patients suffering from cholelithiasis.

Before starting treatment, it is highly advisable to do an individual tolerance test.

Remember that every, even the most useful plant can do much harm if you break the rules for its use, which cannot be said about nutrition. Proper nutrition helps to lose weight and improve the health of the whole body. Therefore, do not self-medicate and be healthy!

As you can see, milk thistle seeds can do a lot when taken correctly. But they can also cause significant harm if mindlessly self-medicate. Therefore, use the drugs strictly according to the instructions so that the medicinal properties do not turn into poison. And before using, always pay attention to contraindications, certain medications and reviews of people and doctors.

You can ask me any question.