In folk medicine, such a herb as a whitehead, unfortunately, is not used very often. Meanwhile, modern pharmacology considers it one of the most useful plants that have a therapeutic effect on all systems of the human body. The unique properties of meadowsweet deserve detailed consideration.
How it looks and where it grows
The whitehead, popularly called meadowsweet, lungwort or meadowsweet, is a perennial shrub of the Rosaceae family, whose growing area covers forest and steppe areas, marshy territories.
Most often, the plant can be found on meadows, near water bodies, in swamps and in other places with well-moistened soil. Meadowsweet refers to tall plants, its length can reach one and a half meters. It has a straight thick stalk, on which large leaves grow up to 30 cm long.
Did you know? For many peoples (Russians, Uzbeks, Altaians) the whitehead was a cult plant. He was put in the hands of a dead man, since it was believed that grass served as a conductor between the world of the living and the dead. In addition, the ancestors believed that the wilderness frightens evil spirits, fights evil spirits and demons.
The shrub has a large number of small white five-membered flowers with a diameter of 5 to 8 mm. The flowers are collected in a rather large inflorescence, which produces a pleasant, fragrant, pronounced aroma that you will not confuse with anything.
Chemical composition
For their amazing healing properties, the whitehead is called the "cure for 40 diseases." And just such characteristics of the plant is obliged to the chemical composition, which is presented:
- vitamins C, B, A and E;
- salicylic acid;
- flavonoids;
- phenolic compounds;
- fatty acids;
- steroids;
- chalcones;
- tannins;
- organic acids;
- heparin;
- essential oils.
For a large amount of vitamin C in the composition of the grass is called "natural aspirin" and is often used to treat colds.
Medicinal properties
Surprisingly, not only the meadowsweet blossoms have healing properties, but also the root system, the leaves and the stems. Inflorescences have a choleretic, analgesic effect, normalize the work of the digestive system, improve lung function, and fight migraines and headaches.
In addition, flowers are widely used as an antihelminthic drug. They have practically no contraindications, so they can be used by children over 12 years old to strengthen the immune system and enhance the protective functions of the body.
White carrots, centaury, St. John's wort, holly-leafed mahonia, a soft pad, a sedge, wormwood, red currant, plectranthus, dandelion and chamomile also have a choleretic effect.
Due to the huge amount of essential oils, whitehead roots have sedative properties, soothe the nervous system, protect brain cells from oxygen starvation, help with joint pain. 
Broths and teas from the leaves, stems of meadowsweet help get rid of fatigue, depression, insomnia, normalize sleep, treat colds and rhinitis. In addition, the dry aboveground part is used to eliminate skin problems: rashes, burns, wounds, ulcers, boils.
In traditional medicine, the plant is used for the production of drugs, shown in:
- hemorrhoids;
- diabetes;
- thrombophlebitis;
- ulcers and gastritis;
- intestinal dysbiosis;
- rheumatism;
- viral and bacterial infections;
- epilepsy;
- skin diseases.
For the treatment of hemorrhoids in traditional medicine they also use a bathing suit, a bath, a bastard, a creeping couch grass, a cornel, a spurge, black nightshade, medunitsu and savory.
As medicines on the basis of the whitehead use decoctions, tinctures, ointments, teas, extracts and tinctures. 
Use in traditional medicine: recipes
In alternative medicine, all parts of the plant are used to treat various ailments.
For insomnia
The Labaznika tea has a calming, sedative effect, therefore it is excellent for fighting insomnia. Prepare tea as follows:
- 2 tbsp. l Fresh flowers are poured over with 1 liter of water and brought to a boil.
- Boil on low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Cool and filter.
Tea is taken before bedtime. To improve the effect of the tool is combined with honey.
Did you know? In the form of tea, the plant does not have a strong sedative effect, but has a slightly sedative effect. Therefore, to combat more serious nervous disorders, for example, depression, strong anxiety, stress, it is recommended to use an extract from spineweed or alcohol tinctures.
With a cold
Literally in one day, a decoction of flowers and roots of meadowsweet will help to cope with colds and runny nose. For its preparation you will need:
- 0.5 liters of boiling water;
- 1 tsp dry inflorescences and plant roots.
Dry herbs are poured with boiling water and heated for 30 minutes in a water bath. Give the broth to infuse, then filtered, supplemented with water to the original volume. Take the drug 15 ml before meals, three times a day.
In case of flu and cold, raspberries, anemone, marigolds, amaranth, double-leaved lyubku, sour, meadow sage, black cumin, onions, cranberries, garlic, cardamom, catnip, purple and rosehip are also used.
With edema
When edema traditional medicine proposes to use medicinal tincture of meadowsweet flowers:
- 1 tsp dried flowers pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, insist about one hour.
- Infusion filter and take on ½ tbsp. l three times daily before meals. It removes excess fluid, which allows you to quickly remove edema.
Perfectly help to remove puffiness compresses, which are prepared from a diluted tincture.
For herpes
Medical ointment based on whitehead helps to get rid of skin diseases, wounds, herpes. To prepare it, mix 20 g of crushed, dried roots with 100 g of pharmaceutical petrolatum. Apply the tool on the affected areas several times a day until complete healing.
For pain in the joints
When diseases of the joints is recommended to use infusion of roots of meadowsweet. For this take 1 tsp. Powder from the roots of the whitehead, pour 1 cup boiling water and insist in a dark, dry place for 8-10 hours. You can use a thermos.
Use this infusion for one day, dividing the dose of 100 ml. For arthritis and arthrosis, apply compresses from the leaves and stems of the plant. They have anti-inflammatory effect, reduce pain. 
For skin diseases
Meadowsweet is often used to treat skin diseases: rashes, acne, acne, boils, ulcers, dermatitis. To do this, prepare an infusion of herbs: 5 tbsp. l dry flowers and roots pour 1 liter of boiling water and insist for several hours. Infusion wipe the skin several times a day.
To keep it longer, add a little alcohol. To get rid of rashes and ulcers helps mask: 1 tbsp. l dry inflorescences mixed with 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. lemon juice.
If you are allergic to bee products, they are replaced with oatmeal. Make this Masochka every other day, until the desired effect. Powder of the meadowsweet is sprinkled with wounds, boils, acne.
Preparation of medical raw materials
In order for the plant to retain all its healing properties, it is necessary to properly collect and dry it. Collection of raw materials begins in July and August. Young shoots and leaves are harvested a few days before the beginning of the blooming of flowers or at the very beginning. Inflorescences should be collected during the period of their active flowering. 
The above-ground part is formed into bunches and dried on the street, in the shade, after removing rotten and damaged parts. When the plant will break, not bend, then it can be removed in linen bags or glass jars.
As for the rhizome, it is dug out in late autumn, when the entire above-ground part will die. The roots are cleaned of dirt, dried and only then crushed. Keep dried raw materials for 2 years. However, it has the greatest benefit during the first year.
Can I use pregnant
Treatment with spiderman pregnant requires high caution. The use of herbs can lead to constipation, which is highly undesirable for women who carry a child, because of the risk of hemorrhoids.
Important! Despite its low toxicity, the plant belongs to the category of potentially poisonous herbs. Some of its components can cause allergic reactions, manifested in the form of rashes, nausea, dizziness, vomiting.
In parallel with this, meadowsweet can become a full-fledged source of vitamin C, beneficial to the health of the baby and the future mother, micro and macro elements. In this case, it is recommended to take it in minimal doses, after prior consultation with the doctor.
Contraindications
Algae, along with multiple healing properties, has contraindications that need to be remembered so as not to harm health. It is not recommended to use the herb hypotensive, because it has the ability to reduce pressure.
Accepting infusions or tea from meadowsweet will complicate the problems of chronic constipation due to its astringent properties. The same applies to people suffering from poor blood clotting, thrombophlebitis, thrombocytopathy.
People with hypersensitivity to the plant and individual intolerance should refuse to use drugs based on workstation. Contraindications also relate to taking the drug during the exacerbation of gastritis, gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers. 
Important! It is strictly forbidden to use labaznika products for children under 12 years old. Children over 12 years old can use the plant with great care. If there is a possibility, then it is better to replace it with other medical preparations.
The whitehead is an amazing healing plant that in some cases can fully replace qualified medical aid. Therefore, if there are no contraindications, you should definitely try it in the treatment of ailments. The one who chooses health and well-being is awaited by the truly unique and multifaceted world of meadowsweet and its impressive beneficial properties.
