Birch Leaves 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Birch Leaves – 100 g ($12.99), 50 g ($8.99), 25 g ($5.99)

Benefits:
Birch leaf is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic. It also helps diseases of the kidney. In Europe, birch is used to relieve the pain and swelling of arthritis and to heal boils and sores. Recent tests in Finland have found that birch leaf extracts kill the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. One component of birch bark is called betulin, which targets a factor that causes genes to tell the body to make cholesterol, fatty acids, and triglycerides. In one study, mice were fed a high-fat diet that mimicked a typical Western diet. The addition of an extract from birch leaf lowered blood lipids and reduced body fat and the animals’ insulin was more responsive to glucose. More work is needed to see if these favorable changes occur in humans.

Traditional healers have long considered the leaves of the European white and silver birch effective in remedying skin rashes, hair loss, and rheumatic complaints.

Immunity  Birch leaves can be consumed in the form of a tea to help boost the body’s immune system. The leaves contain antiviral and antibacterial properties that help protect the body against infection and also speed up recovery from any infection that you may have.

Birch leaf tea also contains several natural antioxidants in the form of flavonoids and vitamin C which can further improve general health and help to reverse the damage done to the body by free radicals.

Inflammation  Birch leaves also contain high levels of flavonoids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. This makes them helpful for reducing swelling and pain associated with conditions such as arthritis. The leaves and the bark can be used to help make an anti-inflammatory tea to help treat various forms of inflammation. The bark is high in betulinic acid which has potent anti-inflammatory activity. Because of this, birch tea can be used to help treat common joint conditions like arthritis and rheumatism. It can also be used to help alleviate internal inflammation affecting the digestive and respiratory systems.

Pain – Arthritis, Rheumatism, Muscular Sweet birch is thought to be an analgesic (pain relieving) and good for all kinds of muscular pain. For rheumatism and arthritis, it is often used as an adjunct with other therapies.

Digestion  Drinking a few cups of birch tea made with the leaves and the bark can help to stimulate your digestive system and improved overall digestion. Because of its anti-inflammatory nature, it is highly effective in relieving digestive upset. The tea can be used to relieve common digestive complaints like a cramp, abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea.

The leaves also possess mild laxative properties meaning that they can be consumed to help relieve constipation and support more regular bowel movement. It has also been used throughout the centuries as a general digestive tonic.

Experts often recommend that you soak the birch leaves thoroughly in a good quality apple cider vinegar for a few weeks. This process might help release the micronutrients and the minerals meaning that you get more medicinal value from the leaves and also much of the value from the vinegar.

Skin, Hair  Birch leaves can also help to improve the health of your skin. This is due to their high content of vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin and hair. Birch leaves and the bark of the tree contain astringent properties making them an effective treatment for various skin conditions. Birch bark also contains excellent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties making it a good natural treatment for various inflammatory skin conditions. Conditions that birch may help treat include eczema and dermatitis.

To treat your skin with the leaves, you should soak your birch leaves in a jug of water for at least a few hours and then strain the solution. Use the leaf water to wash your skin paying particular attention to the affected areas. Bathing in water infused with birch leaves is another effective way of treating the skin, prevent dandruff and to help strengthen your hair roots.

Birch leaves can also be added to a compress to treat the skin of irritation or to relieve joint pain while you may also be interested in making your own oil. We will take a look at a birch leaf oil recipe later in the article.

Birch tar, used externally, may reduce parasitic infestation on the skin, and help with dry skin (eczema) and psoriasis. It was traditionally used for scabies.

Urinary Tract  Birch leaves can be used to make a tea or juiced to help treat inflammation or infection in the urinary tract. Birch leaf tea may also help treat edema and flush the kidneys. Birch leaves have diuretic properties meaning that a tea made from them can help promote both the volume and the frequency of a person’s urination. This, in turn, helps to flush the system of uric acid, toxins and excess fluids throughout the body.

It can also help maintain good liver and kidney health and may even help eliminate unsightly cellulite.

Insomnia  Like many herbal teas, birch leaf tea may help promote a good night of sleep if you drink a cup or two before bedtime. The effects are probably mild and unlikely to help you overcome more serious sleep issues, but if you are simply feeling a little on edge, it is worth giving it a go.

Detoxify  As well as helping improve kidney health, the detoxifying abilities of birch leaves can help cleanse the blood. This is due to their high content of chlorogenic acid. Regularly drinking birch tea may help eliminate toxins and impurities from the blood supply.

Stress  Birch leaves contain high levels of thiamine, which is known for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. This vitamin is also essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system.

Weight Loss  Birch leaves can also help you to lose weight. This is due to their high content of dietary fibre, which can help to regulate the appetite and promote weight loss.

Cancer  Birch leaves contain high levels of antioxidants, which can help to protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals. This can help to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Recommended Uses
It is preferable to use birch leaf as a tea for all conditions except for bladder and kidney infections. The tea can also be used as a douche. (See DOUCHES in Part Three.) Women with impaired heart or kidney function can experience adverse side effects from this, however, and should avoid birch leaf douches. Birch tar may cause skin irritations, so it should not be used on sensitive areas of the body. Birch leaves should not be used for swelling or edema where there is reduced heart or kidney function.

Botanical Name: Betula alba
English: Common Birch
Also, known as: White Birch, Cherry Birch, Bereza, Black Birch, Spice Birch, Berke, Bouleau, Sweet Birch, Mountain Mahogany
Habitat: Europe, Northern Asia
Origin: Poland
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Leaves

General Information:
Birch is one of the most useful, as well as one of the most graceful trees which has been known as the ‘Giving Tree’ and called the oldest tree in Britain. Throughout history, it has played a huge roll in humans and in the animal world.

Birch is a medium size, an eye-catching tree grows up to 40-60 ft tall. The trunk of this tree is slender and about 35-40 cm in diameter. The bark of this tree is brown, golden-brown, white or yellow, normally smooth in beginning but later this turns to white as a result of papery tissue developing on the surface and peeling off in flakes until the tree gets quite large. The white papery part of the bark is separable into thin layers. This characteristic employed as a substitute for oiled paper and applied to various economical uses. The alternate leaves are simple, wedged-shaped toothed and bright green in color, with pleasant in odor and bitter in taste. Leaves are collected in early summer and in spring.

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How Much To Use:
It is common that 10g of a fresh herb = 1g when dehydrated.
For birch leaves, a recommended amount is 1-3 g as much as 4 times/day for 2-4 weeks or as often as needed.