Juniper is a native heath plant of the cypress family. It is an evergreen plant with antiseptic properties. Its berries are dried and can be used as a spice or remedy.
Occurrence and cultivation of juniper
Botanically, juniper berries are so-called cones. They are ripe when they have fully developed their blue-black color. Their collection period is from April to July. Juniper is also called Junniperus communis. Usually it grows as a shrub. Only rarely it reaches tree size. It has a columnar, cylindrical growth. It grows on dry limestone soil. It is often found in the lowlands (Lüneburg Heath) or in the low mountain ranges. Juniper is slightly poisonous, especially harmful to small animals. People with kidney damage should not ingest the berries of the tree. Junipers bear needles about 2 inches long and small flowers found in the leaf axils. Botanically, juniper berries are so-called cones. They are ripe when they have fully developed their blue-black color. They are collected from April to July. Juniper berries have a typical spicy taste. In addition to the berries, the plant parts needles, shoot tips, wood and roots are used for their medicinal properties. Ingredients of the plant parts are the bitter substance juniperine, betulin, camphor, citric acid, flavones, zinc, essential oil, pentosan, phosphorus, tannin and tannic acid, resin, linolenic acid, manganese and menthol, terpinen-4-ol, oxalic acid and umbelliferone. Juniper is also called fire tree, kramet tree or incense tree.
Effect and application
Juniper has a digestive effect. It helps with a disease of the urinary organs to respiratory infection. It is also used for infectious diseases. Dried juniper berries act directly on the smooth muscles in the digestive tract. This musculature has the function in the gastrointestinal tract to move the intestinal contents. If it is irritated, it contracts and digestion is disturbed. Juniper berries have an antispasmodic effect on these muscles. Furthermore, they also have a diuretic effect. The kidney tissue is irritated by the ingredients of juniper berries and a stronger blood circulation is stimulated. Thus, juniper berry extracts are diuretic. They increase urine excretion by stimulating the kidneys. The draining urinary tract, bladder and urethra are flushed, so to speak, and thus germs are flushed out. Through this effect juniper can help with an incipient cystitis. Furthermore, juniper berries have an antibacterial, blood-forming and blood-purifying effect. They stimulate the metabolism and are also said to help with rheumatism, gout and arthritis. They are also used for coughs and colds, headaches and migraines, varicose veins and poorly healing wounds. Juniper berries have proven to be an ancient home remedy for a variety of ailments. With juniper essential oil, for example, a steam bath can ease breathing in bronchitis. It reduces the formation of mucus. A juniper syrup helps against bacterial cough. This requires 100 g of juniper berries to 400 ml of water. The water is poured boiling over the crushed berries, then the liquid is passed through a sieve. Honey can be added to this syrup. 4 tablespoons are recommended daily for an adult if he has a bacterial lung disease. Juniper berries can also be brewed as a tea. Juniper tea has a detoxifying effect, stabilizes when concentration is poor and also helps with nervous heart problems. Juniper tincture is very effective for complaints of the digestive organs or urinary organs. Juniper tincture can also be used externally. It helps with joint complaints, rheumatism or gout. The same effectiveness has juniper spirit gel or ointment with juniper extracts. Processed in a herbal powder, juniper helps against functional intestinal complaints. Juniper is also contained in herbal bladder and kidney tea. Juniper is also available as capsules. A remedy for the digestive tract and to stimulate the metabolism. Likewise in the Franzbranntwein gel is juniper contained.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Juniper is diuretic, appetizing and diuretic. It helps with digestive problems in the upper abdomen, called dyspepsia. Health characteristics are discomfort in this area, a feeling of fullness after eating, discomfort and burning in the stomach.In the functional form, the irritable stomach, no organic causes can be identified. In organic dyspepsia, the cause may be reflux disease or a gastric or intestinal ulcer. In addition to its effectiveness in the digestive tract, juniper provides valuable ingredients that serve as a flushing therapy for urinary tract infections. Processed juniper is very useful as a gel, tincture, ointment or juniper spirit for rubbing on aching joints and for treating rheumatic complaints. Furthermore, the health-promoting effect of juniper is also used in food; as a spice, the dried, ripe berry cones – Juniperi pseudo-fructus – are used in marinades for meat, especially game, and in sauerkraut. When using juniper, it is important to note that it is better to avoid its active ingredients during pregnancy and in cases of inflammatory kidney diseases. Also, a cure with juniper should not be used for too long, because with prolonged use, the diuretic effect can cause irritation of the kidneys. Juniper helps to keep people healthy. It is a natural remedy, a popular household remedy for many centuries for the treatment of a variety of ailments and ailments. A simple remedy for the prevention of diseases is the juniper berry cure. For this purpose, the berries are chewed. It is said to strengthen immunization and help against infectious diseases. It also prevents bad breath. It is also important with the juniper berry cure to use it only for a limited period of time. Furthermore, the shoot tips or needles of the juniper tree can also be used pure. They are boiled for a foot bath. Such a foot bath with juniper needles promotes blood circulation and removes congestion in the legs. Against psoriasis helps tar-like Kadeöl from the wood of the juniper tree.
