Many of us love to eat fresh berries, because it is not only tasty, but also very useful. However, not only the berries themselves, but also other parts of the plants, have useful properties. One of these plants is cowberry shrub, the leaves of which are no less useful than the lingonberry itself. Let's find out what healing properties they hide in themselves.
What is rich in leaves?
The leaves of the cranberry shrub very rich in various substances, These include:
- vaccine;
- hydroquinone;
- tannin;
- arbutin glycoside;
- phytoncides;
- B vitamins, ascorbic acid;
- manganese, phosphorus, potassium;
- citric, malic and acetic acid.
Did you know? The Russian name for the berry is “lingonberry” - derived from the Proto-Slavic root “cant”, which denotes red, or, according to the second version, from the word “cant” - scraped, removed (ripe berries).
What is useful and what is treated
A variety of nutrients in the composition led to the fact that the leaves began to be used to treat many diseases. And they are used not only in traditional medicine, but also in the official one. For example, as an astringent, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent (due to the presence of arbutin glycoside, phytoncids and a number of acids).
Phytoncides in foliage have antimicrobial effects and are often used for suppressing the development of Staphylococcus aureus in the body. Tannins have a demineralizing effect, increase the effect of antibiotics and body resistance. Lingonberry leaves well help with gout, prostatitis, pyelonephritis, gonorrhea, as well as in the presence of stones in the bladder. Often they can be found in the composition of many diuretics.
Learn more about the beneficial properties and dangers of lingonberries, as well as how to harvest lingonberries for the winter.
Lingonberry leaves are also used in the treatment of cystitis, gastric diseases and diabetes. In folk medicine, use fresh juice from the leaves for people with high blood pressure, rheumatism and migraine. Apply leaves of lingonberry and to get rid of edema and diarrhea. Often they are prescribed to people after heavy surgeries to enhance immunity or to those who have been taking antibiotics for a long time. Gastritis is also treated by them, preparing broths and infusions that can be taken by people with low acidity in the stomach. 
The pharmacy sheets lingonberry sold as tea, which they drink to stimulate the excretion of nitrogen, creatine and urea. In such cases, the sheet appears as anabolic agent.
A lingonberry leaf is prescribed to children for inhalation, and aerosols made from decoction treat various inflammatory processes in the airways, chronic pneumonia, bronchitis and are used as part of therapy for bronchiectasis.
Use in traditional medicine: recipes
Consider popular recipes that help people alleviate the symptoms of the disease, or even get rid of its manifestations.
With cold and flu
To quickly relieve symptoms of a cold or flu and stimulate the body to fight the disease, do infusion. To do this, pour boiling water (in the amount of 500 grams) two large spoons of lingonberry leaves. Drink this broth warm daily, until the cold retreats.
In the fight against colds used medicinal properties of lime, amaranth, chamomile, elecampane, rowan, catnip, marigold, nutmeg.
If you are sick bronchitis or pneumonia, it is possible to make inhalation from a brewberry leaf decoction. To do this, boil 30-40 grams of raw materials in half a liter of water for 10 minutes. Then put the saucepan in a convenient place, cover yourself with a towel and breathe in pairs of broth until it cools. 
With gum disease
In the inflammatory process in the gums, stomatitis and other diseases of the oral cavity, an infusion of leaves is used. To prepare it a third of a glass of raw materials, put in a thermos and pour 1.5 tbsp. boiling water. Ready infusion use for rinsing.
With kidney and bladder disease
For additional therapy for kidney and bladder diseases, there are several recipes.
Recipe number 1: Take 5 grams of dry raw materials and pour 100 grams of boiling water. Leave it for 60 minutes. Then strain through a sieve or cheesecloth and divide the infusion into four parts. Drink infusion before eating.
Recipe number 2: Take 10 grams of dry raw material and boil them in 200 mg of water for about 10 minutes, cool and strain. Drink four tablespoons a day before meals.
Familiarize yourself with the varieties of lingonberries and the cultivation of lingonberries at the dacha.
If you are worried cystitis, there is a separate recipe for it. You will need a saucepan in which you need to place 1 tbsp. l leaves and pour a glass of boiling water. Boil the mixture on low heat for 30 minutes, then cool and strain. After that, dilute the broth with cool boiled water, green tea or rosehip broth in an amount up to 200 ml. Ready means drink 30 minutes after eating half a cup (in the form of heat). Such a decoction softens the stones and has a diuretic effect. 
Pancreatitis
With pancreatitis, a person develops inflammation in the pancreas, because of this, malfunctions in the digestive system occur. Lingonberry leaf has long been used to relieve inflammation of the pancreas and general healing.
To make a healthy tea, you will need dry crushed leaves and green tea. Mix ingredients in a 1: 1 ratio. For one serving, you will need 2 tbsp. l mixture poured a glass of boiling water. After 15 minutes, you can filter tea and drink.
For broth crushed leaves of lingonberry need to fill a glass of boiled water. Boil for 10-15 minutes on low heat and then strain. Drink a finished product of 1 tbsp. l three times a day.
Read also about the beneficial properties, preparation and application of leaves of currant, raspberry, cherry, plantain, burdock, beet, as well as the preparation of homemade champagne from grape leaves.
With diabetes
To control blood sugar, doctors use products based on cranberry berries and green mass of this plant - they make an infusion. To cook it, take 1 tsp. raw materials and fill them with 200 grams of boiling water. Let sit for 20 minutes and then strain. To drink the finished product is necessary before each meal, 3-4 tablespoons. 
With arthritis
No matter how sad it may be, but at the moment there are no means that could fully save a person from the manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. However, to reduce unpleasant symptoms, people often turn to folk methods.
To prepare joint pain tea, you will need 1 tsp. crushed lingonberry leaves, which need to pour boiling water and leave to infuse for half an hour. Then you need to strain the tea and drink 3 times a day before meals for half a cup.
We advise you to read about the "relative" of lingonberries - cranberries: medicinal properties and use, recipes for harvesting cranberries for the winter, freezing cranberries, growing garden cranberries.
Use during pregnancy: the benefits or harm
While carrying a child, no one is protected from various diseases and due to the fact that medical treatment is undesirable at this time, doctors turn to natural medicines for help. These include cowberry bush. The fact is that herbal medicines gently affect the body and have a smaller list of side effects.
Cowberry leaves are mainly prescribed as diureticif the woman is suffering from cystitis or edema occurs. Such things often manifest themselves in pregnant women, and lingonberry remedies successfully cope with the withdrawal of excess fluid from the body. 
Also, decoctions and infusions of leaves or berries can be prescribed to remove inflammation, to overcome a cold or flu, as well as astringent and laxative. The nutrients contained in the leaf, strengthen the immune system, thereby speeding up the process of recovery and removing the heat that can badly affect the child.
Important! When taking any medication, even herbal, you must strictly follow the dosage specified in the instructions or prescribed by a doctor. Use the leaf of the lingonberry shrub during pregnancy should be with caution, as it has a fairly strong diuretic effect, and if you get carried away with it, it can lead to dehydration, weakness and dizziness.
It is also worth noting that the opinions of experts about the use of lingonberries in carrying a child diverge. Some consider this plant to be absolutely safe if an adequate dose is observed, while others do not accept its use until the third trimester of pregnancy. In any case, it is imperative to consult with your doctor before using any drug and to monitor your well-being. If it has worsened, then it is necessary to immediately stop taking the drug and inform the specialist who will choose another treatment method. 
Preparation of medical raw materials
To preserve all the beneficial properties and vitamins of lingonberry leaves, you need to know how to properly collect, dry and store these raw materials. That is what we will tell you now.
Find out what is good for health blueberries and blueberry leaf, as well as how to procure blueberries for the winter, properly freeze; what makes blueberries different from blueberries, how to grow blueberries on the plot.
When and how to collect
Lingonberry leaves should be collected immediately. after melting snowuntil the shrub begins to bloom. Usually this time falls on the month of April. There is another time for harvesting - this is September or October, when the fruits of the shrub no longer grow. It is during these periods in the leaves of the most beneficial vitamins and other substances.
Important! Collecting raw materials when flowering or ripening of fruits is not worth it, as it loses some of its properties, moreover, it will not work to dry such material and store for a long time.
How to dry
There should be little time between collection and drying, otherwise valuable properties will begin to fade. Before drying, the leaves must be sorted, removed damaged and removed, if any, excess plants and debris.
After that, place the raw material on a fabric or paper in a thin layer in a dark place. The room selected for drying should be regularly ventilated until the leaves are completely dry. The sun's rays should not fall into the room, it will lead to the loss of all healing properties.
Read also about the healing properties of blueberries, the most popular varieties and the cultivation of blueberries.
Where and how much can be stored
Keep the leaves better in cotton fabric bags or wooden boxesthat need to pre-impale parchment paper. You can also use ordinary bags or bales for storage if you have a lot of raw materials. With regard to storage conditions, the air in the room should be cool and dry. Leaves are stored somewhere. 2-3 years, depending on the condition in which they were collected. 
Did you know? Lingonberry bushes are a long-lived plant, their lifespan is comparable to oaks and can be as long as 300 years.
Contraindications
As with any plant, cowberry bush has certain contraindications. We learn who can not use the green part of this bush.
First of all, it should be said that lingonberry leaves are forbidden to children under 12 years of age, and they can also harm people who have chronic ulcerative diseases.
They are also prohibited to people with:
- gastritis;
- hypotension;
- cholecystitis;
- acute renal failure;
- urolithiasis in the period of exacerbation.
Do not forget about the individual characteristics or the presence of an allergic reaction to this plant. For any unpleasant symptoms, immediately stop taking the drug and seek the help of a specialist. This concludes our story about the wonderful properties of lingonberry leaves. Use them with benefit and do not forget about the dosage. Cheers and do not get sick!
