9. PINE TREE – HEALTH BENEFITS
Pine trees are more than pretty evergreens to brighten up a winter landscape – they’re used for health around the world.
Pine is used for e.g.
- upper and lower respiratory tract swelling (inflammation)
- stuffy nose
- hoarseness
- common cold
- cough or bronchitis
- fevers
- tendency towards infection
- blood pressure problems
- mild muscle pain and nerve pain
Four Parts of Pine Trees That Benefit Your Health
- Pollen
Pine pollen has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. Pine pollen is an adaptogen, supporting the body’s ability to navigate stress, balancing hormones, promoting better sleep and supporting the immune system. Pollen is primarily taken internally, but in China, the pollen is also applied to the face as a beauty treatment.
- Bark
The soft inner bark can be used immediately or dried for later use in tea or as a topical poultice. Internally, it is used for constipation or haemorrhoids. Externally, either the tea or the inner bark itself (well soaked and pounded) can be applied to sores, burns or haemorrhoids.
Taking a patch of bark off a tree will cause serious damage, so try to harvest bark from branches that you need to prune. Strip off the outer bark and harvest the softer inner bark.
- Needles
Pine needles can be used fresh or dried for later use. Pine needle tea is good to break up stubborn congestion in the upper respiratory tract, support healthy digestion, calm the nervous system and act as a mild diuretic.
The needles can be used for making pine needle syrup, which is very beneficial and tasty; it can be added to a bath to soak away exhaustion or ease arthritic joints.
They can also be used in a steam to relieve sinusitis and congestion.
Gather three to four handfuls of fresh pine needles. Crush them lightly between your hands, and add them to almost 2 litres of water. Let this stand for at least an hour. Put the water and needles in a pot and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and add your pine tea to your bath.
- Buds
Collect pine buds in the spring to relieve chronic bronchitis and tuberculosis and to add to baths for skin ailments and arthritis.
Amazing health benefits of pine needle syrup
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- Pine needle syrup has a magical flavour and smell
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- It is an ideal natural remedy for respiratory system problems
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- It is abundant in vitamin C and can greatly help heart diseases, varicose veins, skin issues and chronic fatigue
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- Also an immune system booster
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- Pine needles have a lot of Vitamin A, which is good for your eyesight, hair and skin. It boosts red blood cell production.
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- For thousands of years, people reported that pine needles bring clarity and mental clearness!
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- It is ideal for fighting depression!
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- Pine needles contain antioxidants. They diminish free radicals, which often are causing diseases.
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- There is some scientific evidence that pine needle infusion can slow the ageing process.
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