Icelandic moss: medicinal properties and contraindications

It was 1918, a civil war was raging in Russia. The food situation throughout the country was extremely difficult, bread was sorely lacking, especially in large cities. In Moscow, a way out of this difficult situation was found in an unexpected place - in city pharmacies, whose storage facilities were filled with Icelandic moss. He was immediately put into action: he was soaked in a solution of soda, which removed the bitterness, dried and ground to a powder. It was mixed in equal parts with rye flour and bread was baked from this mixture. This method of baking bread was borrowed from the inhabitants of the Far North. So, thanks to the Icelandic moss, in the capital, thousands of lives were saved from starvation.

Chemical composition

Icelandic moss is also called bread moss, Icelandic lichen, thorns, dry moss, scapula, pulmonary moss, although the exact name given to it by botanists sounds like Icelandic cetraria. This plant is quite well studied, since it was not one hundred years ago that they began to develop and, accordingly, apply it. In the countries of Northern Europe already at the end of the 17th century, they began to use extracts from Icelandic moss as an anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of wounds.

Antiseptic properties of the plant are given by its component such as sodium salt of usnic acid (or sodium usninat). In addition, in the composition of Icelandic moss, a number of acids have a high ability to fight microbes - lichesterol, protolichesteric, fumarprotocentric and a small number of others. They perfectly resist streptococci, staphylococci and other microbes, have a tonic effect, but also give the plant a bitter taste.

About 70–80% of the chemical composition of Icelandic moss is carbohydrates, for the most part it is a lichenin polysaccharide, which is capable of forming glucose and water, when isolated in contact with water. In addition, among the carbohydrates contained in cetraria there are monosaccharides: glucose and galactose.

There is ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in Icelandic moss, and in a form that allows the human body to easily absorb it. This property of the plant was also used two centuries ago. In addition, in cetraria there is a crystalline organic compound naphthoquinone (juglon) with fungicidal and antibiotic properties. Proteins, fats, wax, and 3% of pigments and gums, which chemists call soft fiber, can cleanse the body of toxins and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive system, are also contained in a small amount (about 0.5–2%).

How it looks and where it grows

Icelandic moss is not really moss at all. This is a typical representative of the Parmeliev family lichens. Like all lichens, it is not a single organism, but a product of the inextricable coexistence of two types of plant organisms - fungi and algae. Nerds call this union symbiosis.

The basis of the plant is the interweaving of the threads of mushrooms. On the surface they are intertwined densely, and in the lower layers it is more loose. In these layers, algae are localized between the filaments of the fungus.It turns out that algae cells are entwined with fungal threads. Thanks to this close relationship, the mushroom and algae feed each other: the first provides the second with water and mineral salts, and in return receives organic matter - carbohydrates.

Accordingly, in the struggle for existence, the lichen gains the strength of two organisms, which helps it survive in conditions that are unthinkable for other plants. Therefore, Icelandic moss grows on barren sandy soils and dunes, bare rocks, the bark of old trees. Neither strong winds, nor harsh environmental conditions care for him.

From the name it is clear that the first evidence of the plant appeared in Iceland, which, along with northern Scotland, Wales and southwestern Ireland, is its main habitat. But it is also found in pine forests, swamps, forest-tundra and tundra of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, in Russia most often in the European part of the country, but its colonies are also frequent in the Altai and Sayan mountains, in the Far East and on the slopes of the Caucasus Range. It is in Iceland that this lichen can cover the entire territory with continuous thickets, in other places of the planet it usually grows as separate islands-curtains and even single specimens. The plant develops slowly, over the years, and with the necessary prerequisite - clean air and the complete absence of factory emissions.

The body of Icelandic moss, like all lichens, is called the thallus. By its appearance, it is impossible to determine where one organ ends and another begins, like in other plants. For example, in grass, the boundaries between the stem and the leaf or the stem and color are quite distinct. This can not be said about centrality. Outwardly, the whole plant resembles low (not more than 10–15 cm) bushes, consisting of flat twigs, similar to blades of greenish-brown or brown color. These lobes are slightly bent upwards, have an irregularly ribbon-like shape, very soft to the touch, but rather elastic, leathery and cartilaginous in structure. If you turn on the imagination when looking at the plant, it is easy to see that Icelandic moss is very similar to the highly branched deer horns - but in miniature. At the very ends of these “horns”, spores form in saucer-shaped fruit bodies. Horns can be matte or shiny.

The lower part of the thallus, adjacent to the soil, rock and tree trunk, is much lighter - from light brown to white spots to almost white. Small breaks are observed on it, air freely flows through them.

Collection and storage

Icelandic moss is harvested in summer on dry, warm days. Thalli usually simply tear off the base to which they are attached, carefully select all the debris, and then dry. It is better, of course, to do this in a dryer, but another place will do, perhaps even just in the open, if the weather allows. It is a well-dried thallus that is suitable for further use. If you sniff, you can catch a slight smell with a light bitter note, the same dried Icelandic moss will taste.

When the raw materials dry, they are laid out in cardboard boxes, wooden crates with paper laid on the bottom, wicker boxes or dry cans. Clean the container in a dark, dry, cool room. Under such conditions, it is stored for no more than two years.

It is not difficult to determine how good the dried material is: you just need to fill it with a small piece of cool water. Moss swells quite quickly, turns bright green and begins to emit a pleasant forest aroma. To the touch, a piece of moss should become slightly slippery, and the cooked broth begins to resemble a jelly.

The healing properties of Icelandic moss

Traditional medicine has been using Icelandic moss for several centuries, this is known from treatises of Norway, Sweden, Iceland, where it was widely used to treat colds and coughs. With it, they strengthened the body, treated wounds and burns.

A scientific study of the plant's potential occurred in the 40s of the XX century.It was at that time that the main active ingredients were established, making cetraria a full participant in the treatment process. And the first discovery of doctors and pharmacists was the antibiotic ability of lichen.

During the Great Patriotic War, there were several hospitals where cetraria was used to treat gangrene, and very successfully. Covering gangrene wounds with moss saved many soldiers' lives.

Today, cetraria is included in the pharmacopeia of many countries of the world, including Russia.

Doctors put her ability to cope with serious bronchopulmonary diseases thanks to the proteins, lipids and volatile components that have analgesic, expectorant and soothing effects.

The following sought-after properties of Icelandic moss are healing and regenerating. The healing mucus, of which the plant consists of 70%, is responsible for this. Due to the fact that cetraria contains a large amount of cetrara and usnic acid, it has antimicrobial and regenerative abilities, can reduce the activity and even accelerate the death of cancer cells, inhibiting enzymes that promote their reproduction.

Lichen is endowed with a vivid anti-inflammatory effect due to the presence of lichenin polysaccharide. In addition, it has powerful immunomodulating and antiviral abilities and is a powerful antioxidant that inhibits cell oxidation and premature aging. Tannin components and trace elements give the plant a stimulating and hemostatic effect.

Due to such a rich arsenal of components, doctors learned how to use Icelandic moss to deal with a whole range of diseases of the respiratory tract and nasopharynx, including infectious and viral: laryngitis and pneumonia, bronchial asthma and sinusitis, bronchitis and tuberculosis.

They also treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary tract, intestinal infections, diarrhea, vitamin deficiency, and lichen. It helps people with nervous exhaustion, weakened after operations and serious illnesses, as well as suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis, eczema and various types of dermatitis.

For women

Women always want to be beautiful and slim. Therefore, for most of them, cetraria-based products are interesting as an aid in losing weight or solving any cosmetic problems, which the plant copes well with. In fact, Icelandic moss has a deeper effect on the female body, as it is involved in debugging the precise functioning of the endocrine system.

Also, healing lichen is able to fight mastopathy and toxicosis. It is noted that the use of moss broths during breastfeeding increases lactation.

As a natural antibiotic, Icelandic moss can be used by women to get rid of bacterial inflammation of the vagina and urinary tract.

For men

One of the components of Icelandic moss - usnic acid, which is called a powerful natural antibiotic, effectively copes with the problems of the genitourinary sphere. The bacteria that cause these infections are susceptible to its effects. The healers noticed that a decoction of lichen in combination with lemon mint herb (lemon balm) helps to cure male diseases - prostatitis and prostate adenoma.

During pregnancy

Preparations based on cetraria are not contraindicated for pregnant women, since it does not contain dangerous, poisonous or harmful components that could harm the baby's health. Moreover, future mothers, having become ill with a sore throat or having a cold, prefer pharmacy synthetic antibiotics to the natural composition, which is lichen. It acts softer and has grown in ecologically sound areas. But the dosage of drugs and folk remedies should be slightly reduced.

The only thing you need to take care of is not to self-medicate. It is necessary to consult a doctor, since each disease during pregnancy should proceed under the supervision of doctors.There is one more remark - individual intolerance to cetraria is possible.

For kids

History knows examples when entire nationalities used Icelandic moss to care for babies - it was used as diapers. Thanks to the antiseptic properties of lichen, the kids grew up healthy and did not know what diaper rash is.

Today, preparations based on Icelandic moss are mainly used for the treatment of pertussis, bronchitis and colds in children of different ages. It is not recommended only for children up to a year, and for the rest you can safely make a decoction and give a cough. Since the decoctions of this plant are bitter, children need to add honey to them. It is better to prepare medicinal compounds not in water, but in milk or kefir to soften the taste.

For example, if you mix a glass of kefir, 2 tablespoons of honey and as much dry medicinal raw materials with a blender, the child will not be capricious and refuse the medicine: it tastes good. Lichen-based syrups are also suitable for children: they drink sweet medicine with pleasure, and the benefits of it are incredible.

In addition, moss-based compounds treat children with scratches, wounds, abrasions, burns, various rashes.

When losing weight

The ability of cetraria to accelerate metabolism and trigger metabolic processes is used when taking funds based on it for weight loss. With a good metabolism, fat does not have a chance to be deposited somewhere on the sides or on the buttocks. Most effective in this case will work jelly made from this plant.

To prepare it, previously moss is soaked for the night in salt water so that the salt removes bitterness from it. 5 liters of water will require 3 tablespoons of salt. In the morning, the water is drained, 2 cups of well water and a half cup of moss are mixed in a saucepan and put on fire. On the stove, this mixture is cooked for a long time until the moss loses its structure and the contents of the pan become homogeneous. Cool and drink 30 ml once a day.

Naturally, with the help of only taking the lichen, weight loss will not be possible. You can not do without sports training and proper nutrition. But Icelandic moss is completely on the side of people seeking to lose weight: it will help to moderate cravings for sweets, and reduce puffiness. Accordingly, it will become easier to engage in physical exercises, which will lead to the purification of the lungs, and this will trigger the desire to increase sports loads. If you follow all the points of this plan, then after a month you can see dramatic changes in the mirror, since moss allows you to throw from 5 to 10 kg during this period.

In addition to drinking kissel from lichen, you can add a chopped plant directly to food. Enough even a small pinch per day to start the process of burning fat.

You can also take a decoction prepared in the following proportion: a tablespoon of moss in half a liter of water. Boil for half an hour, strain, cool. Drink half an hour before meals in the morning and evening in a glass. But tinctures, like alcohol-containing drugs, are not recommended for weight loss.

Icelandic moss in folk medicine

The traditions of the use of Icelandic moss for medicinal purposes come from the XVII century. Then there were no antibiotics and other powerful drugs, and the pharmacists of Iceland and Denmark already used the plant to treat cough and get rid of digestive system problems.

Closer attention and scrupulous study of the action of lichen allowed folk healers to discover amazing properties in it, including the ability to cope with tuberculosis, or, as it was called then, consumption, from which there was no escape. Since that time, recipes for medicinal potions were carefully stored by the sorcerers and passed on to students. To this day, traditional medicine considers cetraria one of the most useful plants.

The mucous broth obtained by cooking lichen can be used in the treatment of literally all body systems - from respiratory and digestive to urogenital, from getting rid of common cold or diarrhea, to solving complex problems such as tuberculosis, oncology, pneumonia, asthma. He also successfully copes with wounds, burns, purulent abscesses on the skin.

In addition to performing medical tasks, Icelandic moss is used by traditional healers for preventive purposes: it strengthens the body, gives it strength, and boosts immunity. It is especially useful for emaciated, weakened people.

With diabetes

Studies conducted by scientists in Yakutia indicate that people who have been using Icelandic moss for hundreds of years have never had diabetes.

Researchers attribute this phenomenon to the ability of lichens to remove from the body not only poisons and salts of heavy metals, but also cholesterol, as well as excess glucose. For those who live far from the places of growth of Icelandic moss and therefore excommunicated from its presence in the daily diet, it is important that it not only helps lower blood sugar, but also has a diuretic effect. And this is essential for diabetics, since in this way edema decreases, blood flow improves, and accordingly, the risk of the formation of trophic ulcers characteristic of this disease on the legs decreases.

For those who have developed such ulcers, lichen will help to heal them and reduce the risk of streptococcal or staphylococcal infection entering these wounds.

With pancreatitis

Cetraria drugs can be used in the complex treatment of chronic pancreatitis, but do not do this at the time of exacerbation of the disease. It is useful to use the drug as a prophylactic composition, especially in cases where the synthesis of gastric juice is reduced.

To prepare such a remedy, 1 tablespoon of dry lichen is stirred in 250 ml of kefir, 1 teaspoon of honey is added, mixed well again and allowed to brew for 15 minutes. Drink the composition during dinner. It contributes to the healing of not only the pancreas, but also the intestinal and liver microflora.

When pancreatitis is complicated, stones can form in the pancreas. Doctors call this condition pancreatitis. It is characterized by severe girdle pain in the abdomen, which is felt both dull and acute. She is able, as patients usually say, to “give” to the right or left side, or even to the lower back.

With the help of the infusion of Icelandic moss, stones can be broken. For this, several tablespoons of dry raw material are poured into a glass of apple cider vinegar, mixed and left to brew in a cool dark place for two days. Take an infusion before bedtime, diluting 1 teaspoon of the product in a glass of water.

With gastritis

Icelandic moss with little effort helps with problems with the digestive system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. To do this, you can use both traditional decoctions of the plant, and delicious breakfasts based on it, which you need to take in courses of 30-40 days. In the prepared compositions inherent in the lichen bitterness is not felt.

1. Muesli with cetraria. In 1 kg of ordinary storey granola (you can take any that you are used to and who like) add a glass of dried and crushed medicinal raw materials in a blender, mix. Each morning, a portion of such a mixture is poured either with milk, or cream, or fermented baked milk and eaten for breakfast.
2. Yogurt with cetraria. To prepare healing yogurt, a tablespoon of Icelandic moss is put in a glass of kefir, mixed and waiting 5 minutes. A useful product is ready. You can add 1 teaspoon of honey or five-minute jam from blueberries, currants - it will generally be very tasty! Drink in the evenings, about an hour before bedtime. By the way, this tool, in addition to improving the pancreas, will also help in losing weight.

Against cough

Cough formulations are prepared from both Icelandic moss and combine it with other herbs.

1. Cough Remedy. It is cooked in an enameled ladle, where a glass of milk is poured.Put on low heat and fall asleep 1 tablespoon of dried lichen raw material. For half an hour, keep the mixture on a plate closed with a saucer or plate (a metal lid is not recommended), stirring it if necessary. Take the composition hot, before going to bed drinking 2-3 sips.
2. Composition with thyme. Take quite a bit (about half a teaspoon) of lichen and thyme, pour 250 ml of boiling water. This composition is insisted for 5 minutes, after which it is filtered and drunk 3 times a day in a glass.
3. With the addition of honey. Pour 200 ml of cold water into a saucepan and pour 2 tablespoons of dried moss, bring to a boil and keep on low heat for an hour. By the end of this time, the contents of the pan should look like jelly. To the composition is not bitter, add 1 tablespoon of honey. Drink the finished medicine warm, 2-3 sips. During the day, you need to drink all the cooked portion.

With tuberculosis

With such a serious and dangerous disease as tuberculosis, compositions based on Icelandic moss can not only weaken a strong debilitating cough, but also have a general strengthening effect and support the body's immune forces. However, these funds can only be used as additional and in full compliance with the doctor’s prescription.

1. In a coffee grinder or blender, dry medicinal raw materials are turned into powder, 30 g are taken and poured with boiled water (250 ml). After 5-10 minutes, cook the mixture on a small burner flame. Remove from the stove, cover tightly with a lid, you can even cover with a towel on top for more heat. Insist half an hour. Drink 2 tablespoons before each meal, for 25-30 minutes.
2. A glass of boiling water is poured 2 tablespoons of dried chopped Icelandic moss. Then the container is closed and half an hour waiting for the readiness of the infusion, after which it is filtered and drunk. Norm - 2 tablespoons at a time, you need to drink before meals 4 to 5 times a day. It is necessary to conduct three such course receptions of 10 days, taking breaks of 4-5 days.

From allergies

A decoction will help to cope with allergies, which can be taken orally, and wipe them with irritated places on the skin.

A good handful (approximately 40-50 g) of dried medicinal raw material is poured with cool water for 2 hours. Then the water is drained and poured into the same container with swollen raw materials 500 ml of boiling water and boiled for 25-30 minutes with a gentle flame. Drink in the morning, on an empty stomach, 100 ml.

For constipation

For constipation and intestinal problems, traditional medicine recommends preparing a healing extract from lichen.

100 g of crushed dry moss pour 1 liter of water and leave for a day. After 24 hours, drain the water into an enameled pan and place it in a water bath. Keep until the volume of water is halved. Store the resulting extract in the refrigerator and drink 1 tablespoon half an hour before meals.

You can normalize the stool with the simplest infusion, when the crushed moss needs only to be poured with boiled water (2 liters of water per glass of raw materials). You can drink it already in a day - 3 times a day in a small glass (200 ml).

With asthma

Icelandic moss is also recommended for patients with bronchial asthma, but not at the time of exacerbation. Regular intake of lichen decoction will help strengthen immunity, help cleanse the body, as a result, it will positively affect the course of asthma.

For such a healing composition, you just need to fill the medicinal raw material with hot water and boil a little. For 3 tablespoons of dried moss, take 600 ml of water. The resulting broth is the daily norm, it must be drunk in three divided doses during the day.

With a cold

With colds, when it runs out of the nose, perspires in the throat, coughing begins, timely use of Icelandic moss can affect the whole complex of symptoms and prevent the disease from developing. To avoid complications after a cold, Icelandic moss is brewed in milk, for which 1 teaspoon of raw material is boiled with a glass of milk for 15 minutes and drunk hot.You need to repeat this procedure at least 2 times a day, and in the morning you can feel much better. Such a composition will help children get rid of cough faster.

With angina

Icelandic moss helps people cope with tonsillitis in two ways. Firstly, it enhances immunity and multiplies the body's defenses. Secondly, it has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. If you have a sore throat, it is easiest to put a small piece of moss in your mouth and nibble it lightly, and suck and swallow the resulting juices a little. Traditional medicine considers cetraria one of the most effective remedies for angina.

With sinusitis

To get a good, high-quality remedy for the treatment of chronic runny nose, which is characterized by sinusitis, in addition to Icelandic moss, Japanese sophora, St. John's wort and sage are required. Take 2 tablespoons of sage, all other plants, including moss - 1 each. Boil the mixture in 1 liter of water for half an hour, cool and only then filter the broth. Before going to bed, the nasal passages are washed with the obtained product using a rubber bulb.

With prostatitis

The ability of cetraria to treat prostatitis has been known for a long time. Just as long ago, both traditional medicine and official medicine have recommended Icelandic moss not as an independent tool, but as part of a comprehensive treatment of the disease, which helps to accelerate the restoration of normal body functions. For this purpose, it is not necessary to take large volumes of healing broth, just 2 tablespoons before each meal. It is not difficult to prepare the broth: pour 2 tablespoons of lichen into 700 ml and boil for 10 minutes.

From worms

Eskimos and other northern peoples with the help of Islan moss not only healed wounds, burns or got rid of abscesses, but also fought inflammation and even used lichen to expel intestinal worms and other parasites. However, modern researchers are confident that cetraria itself does not have a decisive effect on eggs, larvae and adult worms, which allows us to claim the ability to expel parasites. But you need to take them for this purpose, because in combination with the anthelmintic medicines that the doctor prescribes, the moss will speed up the elimination of the "settlers" of a person, because it has an enveloping property that will improve the intestine.

With cystitis

Cystitis is known to every woman. Many people know how hard this disease is tolerated, how much pain and unpleasant minutes it delivers. To alleviate the condition, you need to make a product based on milk and Icelandic moss. Darken 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of cetraria for 10 minutes on low heat on a stove. Insist an hour, then strain and drink hot. After such a remedy, the night will pass quietly, the pain will gradually subside, and the constant urge to urinate will stop. This method will help with other diseases of the genitourinary sphere - pyelonephritis and urethritis.

Types of healing compounds

Infusion

In the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system, including severe, dangerous and chronic (such as bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, whooping cough and pneumonia), traditional medicine suggests using Icelandic moss infusion as part of complex therapy.

To prepare it, in a glass of boiling water you need to brew 2 teaspoons of dried lichen and insist under the lid for half an hour. Take 1-2 tablespoons before meals, about 5-6 times a day. It is better to be treated with 10-day courses, after which take a break for 3-4 days, and then repeat the treatment. Take three courses.

The same infusion can be used externally. Workers of logging organizations, far from civilization, have learned to use it successfully for the treatment of ulcers and purulent wounds. To make the wounds heal faster, they are washed and irrigated with the infusion of this lichen.

Tincture

Traditional healers offer to take alcohol tincture from Icelandic moss, not only as a remedy, but also as a preventive. In order to prevent tincture, drink the course. In a year, you must complete 2 courses lasting two to three weeks each.Also, healers say, this is an indispensable tool for treating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, improving appetite, getting rid of a strong, suffocating cough. To prepare a healing tincture, 40 g of moss is poured into a glass of 60% alcohol. Insist the drug in a dark place for 7 days. Take 2 times a day: 10-15 drops are dripped into 1 tablespoon, diluting them with water to the brim.

Decoction

1. To restore the tone of the stomach. For half an hour put 750 ml of water on a small fire, adding 3 tablespoons of dry moss to it. When the broth cools down, it will look like jelly. Drink all this dose of this jelly at a time. Repeat taking the broth for 3 to 5 days.
2. Universal broth. This tool is suitable for oral administration for any health problems that Iceland moss can solve. In addition, it can be used externally - to lubricate the skin. You need to hold for 5 minutes in a water bath 2 cups of boiling water, into which 1 tablespoon of dried lichen is poured. After straining, drink 30 ml from 3 to 5 times a day.
3. With oncological diseases. This decoction is indicated as an adjuvant in the complex treatment of cancer and for the prevention of cancer problems. It will require celandine, knotweed, St. John's wort, Icelandic moss - these plants need to be chopped and put in a spacious dish in two parts. Supplement the container with taken in three parts and also with crushed water pepper, leaves of plantain and nettle. Pour green tea into this dry mass - 100 parts. Stir all herbs, take 4 teaspoons of the mixture from there, pour 1 liter of hot water. Get the daily rate of decoction. Insist it for an hour, after filtering and drinking it warm 4 times a day in a glass.

Tea

Drinking a cup of tea from cetraria is useful for colds, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, bronchitis and asthma (outside the period of exacerbation). This healing drink will help restore appetite, boost the body's defenses. It has a general strengthening effect, therefore it will be very useful as a prophylactic. To cook it, you need to pour 0.5 liters of water in a small metal teapot 2 teaspoons of chopped cetraria. Put on the stove and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove the kettle from the stove, wrap it and hold it for at least ¾ hour. You can drink like regular tea - several times a day in small cups.

Ointment

Ointments with Icelandic moss can be made both hydrophilic (i.e., water-soluble), and on fats or on a more complex starch-glycerin base. Fat-based ointments must be used quickly, since they tend to deteriorate. Water-soluble are essentially decoctions that have cooled down and therefore have taken the consistency of jelly. They create thin elastic films on the skin that hold fairly well.

1. Jelly ointment for skin problems. It is simple to make a concentrated decoction of lichen: add 1 kg of chopped (not very finely ground) cetraria to 1 liter of water. Boil for about 15 minutes, cool. Smear scratches, burns, cuts, you can apply to acne, acne and other problem areas of the skin.
2. Ointment on a starch-glycerin basis. Take 7 g of water and wheat starch, mix, add 93 g of pharmaceutical glycerin. They are heated in a water bath with constant stirring until a light translucent homogeneous mass is obtained (its weight will be 100 g). When it cools down, add 1–1.5 teaspoons of icelandic moss crushed into dust to this volume and mix. The ointment is ready. It will be slowly absorbed, therefore, it is able to effectively solve problems with spider veins, burns.

Syrup

In the autumn-winter period, when colds are common, syrup with Icelandic moss will help out. It is used for coughing, and is prepared on the basis of an extract of cetraria, adding additional components. An extract is a saturated mucous decoction of a plant. It is mixed with honey or sugar. The result is a pleasant taste with a high concentration of nutrients that can cure a cough in 7-10 days.Honey for the preparation of a medicinal product is more useful than sugar, since it also has an antimicrobial effect. But it should not be given to children under two years of age.

Cough syrup
To make syrup with Icelandic moss, you need to prepare a decoction: add 250 ml of water to 1 tablespoon of dry raw materials and boil for 15 minutes. Strain the broth hot, cool slightly and stir with honey: for 1 part of the broth, take 3 parts of honey. Heat the mixture in a water bath, stirring constantly, until the honey becomes completely liquid. The syrup is ready!

Pharmaceutical preparations with Icelandic moss

On the shelves of pharmacies there are many preparations made on the basis of Icelandic moss. About how to properly and in what dosage to use it, be surely told in the instructions. Although these drugs are dispensed without a prescription, before going to the pharmacy, you need to ask the doctor for an opinion on their use. Real dry lichen is also sold in pharmacies. It is packaged in cardboard boxes and can appear as a simply dried medicinal plant or as tea of ​​the same name.

Under the name “Icelandic Moss” you can buy anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, warming and analgesic cream, which is shown as an external remedy for skin injuries, bruises, dislocations, wounds, colds, cough, joint pains.

Men can purchase vitamins "Men-s formula prostate forte", one of the components of which is a healing lichen. They are designed to normalize metabolic processes in the prostate gland, relieve inflammation and swelling of the prostate, eliminate discomfort and pain during urination.

But the largest group of preparations based on Icelandic moss are medicines for the treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases, colds and coughs. These are syrups and tablets.

1. Herbion syrup is used for dry cough, dry mucous membranes and loads on the vocal cords. The drug can be given to children after a year.
2. Syrup "Pectolvan C" treats acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory tract, is effective in the formation of intractable viscous sputum. It smells like strawberries. It is impossible in the first trimester of pregnancy because of the additional components contained in the preparation.
3. "Pectolvan Fito" is a phytopreparation, alcohol extract. It is used in the form of drops, which are dissolved in water before administration. More effective than the previous drug, but it can not be for children under 12 years old.
4. Pills "Isla-moos." In fact, these are lozenges for resorption. They are used for bronchitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, hoarseness of the voice. They are also useful for singers and lecturers - those people who have an increased load on the vocal cords. Can be given to children over 4 years old.
5. Syrup "Bronchical plus for children." The name speaks for itself. In addition to Icelandic moss, it is enriched with vitamin C. It is taken for colds and flu, bronchitis.
6. "Sodium will fall asleep." In pharmacies they sell in different forms: powder, oil and alcohol solutions, with glycerin or as part of fir balm. The powder can be taken orally, solutions and balm are used for external treatment of wounds, burns and cracks in the skin.

Application in cosmetology

Icelandic moss can be used for cosmetic purposes by everyone, there may be only one contraindication here - individual intolerance. It is rare that the skin is hypersensitive to drugs based on cetraria. In this case, their use must be abandoned.

In general, this plant does not give side effects that can harm the human body. Moreover, its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties are indispensable for soothing skin irritations, are very effective in getting rid of acne, blackheads and combating skin infectious diseases, work well for healing skin lesions - diaper rash, scratches, abrasions, burns and even wounds.The vasoconstrictor properties inherent in Irish moss help to cope with the latter task. This ability to “tighten” the vessels is also based on its use to reduce the intensity of the so-called vascular asterisks, or, scientifically, rosacea and eliminate the symptoms of certain forms of chronic facial redness, or rosacea.

Ridding the face of edema and removing bags from under the eyes, Irish moss works as a decongestant. Because of its same features, the plant is used after wounds and cuts to reduce the formation of scar tissue. Thanks to the tannins contained in the plant, it is used to reduce gum inflammation and oral care.

Cetraria is used by pharmaceutical companies in the production of dermatological preparations and medical cosmetics to solve vascular problems and get rid of inflammatory problems. Icelandic moss is also included in hair care products, deodorants and antiperspirants, used in shower gels. In accordance with the Regulation of the European Union, cetraria makes up 5% of the volume of components of finished cosmetics.

Wraps

You can prepare a skin-friendly composition at home, and then wrap them in problem areas. It will take only 3 tablespoons of Icelandic moss, which must be brewed with a small amount of boiling water to make gruel. It would be nice to add a little mint to it, as well as a couple of drops of orange or lemon oil (you can buy them at any pharmacy). Apply the resulting composition to the skin, wrap with cling film and lie down for an hour and a half. Then take a shower. Such wraps are effective in courses of 8-10 procedures. The skin becomes noticeably smoother, more even and supple. Those who used this method note that excess fluid leaves the tissues, the body will even decrease in volume.

Elixir for youth

Most women dream of finding a recipe for a magic elixir that would allow them to remain young and beautiful for many years. Residents of the harsh northern countries have long practiced for this the composition of the Icelandic moss. To prepare it, they took 1.5 tablespoons of dry raw materials, poured it with 0.5 l of cold water and brought to a boil, but did not boil, but immediately turned off. They were filtered after cooling and drank three times a day.

From blackheads

You can fight acne by applying a decoction of Icelandic moss in the form of an external agent, wiping problem areas with it, and inside. To do this, boil 2 tablespoons of a dry plant in a glass of water over low heat for 10 minutes. Drink the resulting composition cold - half a glass 3 times a day before meals.

For dandruff

Brew 1 liter of boiling water a third of a glass of dried Icelandic moss, let it brew for about half an hour, strain. Add water to 3 l, rinse hair after washing. If you do this procedure at least once a week, then dandruff will soon disappear.

Cleansing Soap

Grate a piece of baby soap. Melt the resulting chips in a water bath. While the soap is melting, make a decoction of 0.5 cups of milk and a handful of crushed dry cetraria, pour the resulting broth into melted soap shavings, mix. Take silicone molds for baking cupcakes and pour into them the resulting mass, after adding a couple of drops of any essential oil and glycerin to it. Sprinkle a little alcohol on top of the mass in the molds. When it cools, it can be used to cleanse the skin.

Contraindications

There are not very many contraindications to the use of inside medicines and folk drugs based on Icelandic cetraria. You should not drink such funds if your body temperature has risen above 39 degrees, as well as with exacerbations of chronic diseases such as cholecystitis, pancreatitis, ulcerative colitis and bronchial asthma.You can not use them for people suffering from gastric ulcer and gastritis with high acidity, liver pathologies.

But even if a person does not have these contraindications, it must be remembered that they are not recommended to be too zealous in taking the means of Icelandic moss. It has been experimentally proved that daily intake of 0.1–1 g of sodium usninate in the plant does not have any negative effect. With an increase in dose to 3 g, pain appeared in the region of the liver. With a decrease in dose, the pain ceased.

For children under one year of age, it is better not to give funds from Icelandic moss inside. Outwardly, these procedures are harmless.

In addition, we must not forget that you can not be treated with lichen alone. It is necessary to combine the reception of funds based on it with the treatment prescribed by the doctor, especially for such serious diseases as pneumonia, tuberculosis, oncology.

Photo of Icelandic Moss