Witch Hazel 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Witch Hazel – 100 g ($17.99), 50 g ($11.99), 25 g ($7.99)

Benefits:

Witch hazel is a valuable cooling topical astringent for various ailments, including varicose veins, hemorrhoids, abrasions, bruises, and other skin irritations. It is also good for clearing up the redness produced by eczema and for smoothing wrinkles. Witch hazel is used in pads to help soothe discomfort from rectal and vaginal surgery and stitches. The bark decoction also is useful as a gargle in relieving sore throat. There are homeopathic remedies for hemorrhoids, varicose veins, skin inflammation, and bleeding of the mucous membranes. The German Commission E has approved its use for minor injuries of the skin (burns and wounds), local inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes (mouth and pharynx), hemorrhoids, and varicose veins.

Cuts and scrapes, insect bites and stings, and sunburn. Witch hazel helps to relieve the itching of poison ivy and helps to dry out cold sores. It relieves the itching and burning of insect stings. A tannin found in witch hazel, hamamelitannin (5 percent), has been shown to constrict blood vessels and stem bleeding from abrasions due to shaving nicks. Other tannins in witch hazel help to keep wounds clean, prevent swelling, and combat infection. Witch hazel can cool sunburn and other minor burns. A commercial witch hazel lotion marketed as Eucerin has an anti-inflammatory effect on sunburn. In one clinical study, Eucerin helped reduce sunburn inflammation by 20 percent after seven hours and by 27 percent after forty-eight hours, as compared with 11 to 15 percent, respectively, for other lotions.Diarrhea. Both witch hazel bark and witch hazel leaf teas are effective against diarrhea, but the gentler witch hazel bark teas are better for use in treating diarrhea (and stomach upset) in children. Check with a pediatrician before giving this tea to a child.

Eczema. A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical test found that witch hazel cream was not as effective as hydrocortisone, but offered a mild yet unmistakable anti-inflammatory effect for eczema, without the side effects of prednisone.

Hemorrhoids and varicose veins. Laboratory experiments have confirmed that witch hazel leaf tinctures (at least if they are injected) increase the tone of the veins. The compounds that perform this function are not found in witch hazel teas or steam-processed witch hazel “water,” but rather in alcohol tinctures of the herb. Witch hazel poultices prevent bleeding and weeping from external hemorrhoids. Witch hazel is used in several commercial over-the-counter (OTC) preparations for hemorrhoids, including Tucks and Preparation H. Other commercial products for these conditions frequently combine witch hazel with horse chestnut. (See HORSE CHESTNUT.)

Periodontal disease. Witch hazel leaf gargles and mouthwashes form a protective lining over the mucous membranes of the gums and mouth. These products may be useful for sore gums that are accompanied by sore throat.

 

Recommended Use

Witch hazel is available as creams, teas, and tinctures; it can also be made into poultices. Do not use the commonly available witch hazel water. While witch hazel water has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), its healing benefits derive from the alcohol rather than the witch hazel itself.

Witch hazel bark teas are intended for treatment of acute rather than chronic diarrhea. If diarrhea persists longer than three days, consult a physician. Always be sure to replace fluids lost during diarrhea by drinking adequate amounts of water.

Witch hazel may cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, or constipation, and in rare cases the bark may cause liver damage if too much is absorbed. The volatile oil contains a known carcinogen (safrole), but in small amounts it is unlikely to pose any risk. Due to its high tannin content, witch hazel should not be used over long periods of time. Do not use the commercially prepared witch hazel water internally.

Botanical Name: Hamamelis virginiana
English: Hamamelis, Virginian Witch Hazel, Witchazel, Winter bloom, Hazel nut, snapping hazel, tobacco wood, hamamelis water, spotted alder
Also, known as: Amanielide, Amerikamansaku, cortice de hamamelis, feuilles d’hamamélis, feuilles du noisetier de la sorcière, folhas de hamamelis, hamamelis, hamamélis de virginie, Hexenhasel, magician’s rod, noisetier de sorcière, oczar, pistachio nut, snapping hazelnut, spotted alders, striped alder, tobacco wood, varázsdió levél és kéreg. vilin virginsky, virginische Zaubernuss, virginischer Zauberstrauch, white hazel, winter bloom, witch hazel. Zauberhasel, Zaubernuss, Hamamelide, Zaubernuss, Amamelide. Hamamelis, Chin-lu-mei
Origin: USA
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Leaves
General Information:

Witch hazel is a leathery-leafed shrub native to the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. The upward-facing surface of its leaves are shiny green, but the bottoms of the leaves are dull gray. Witch hazel trees stand out in the forest in the autumn because as other trees are losing their leaves, the witch hazel is covered with golden-yellow, threadlike flowers, thus making it appealing to landscapers as a desirable ornamental plant. Both the bark and the leaves of the plant are used medicinally.

Native Americans introduced witch hazel to early European settlers. The Native Americans applied a strained decoction of the leaves and twigs to small wounds, insect bites, sore muscles, and joints. They also sipped witch hazel tea to treat bleeding, inflammation, and hemorrhoids. In the nineteenth century, an alcoholic extract of witch hazel was one of the most popular herbs in the United States.

Hamamelis virginiana prefers northern-facing slopes, riverbanks, fences, and other places with shade and well drained soil This plant ranges all over the lower 48 states of the U.S. and up into Nova Scotia and Ontario in Canada. Witch hazel is a deciduous shrub that boasts compact clumps of yellow or orange-red flowers with long, thin petals and hard, black seed pods. The plant reaches about 15 feet in height and flowers in the fall or winter. The flowers are pale to bright yellow, rarely orange or reddish, with four ribbon-shaped petals 10-20 mm long and four short stamens and grow in clusters, flowering begins in about mid fall and continues until late fall

How to use:
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. Hot water is needed to draw out the antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, flavonoids, and volatile oils from the botanicals. Strain and squeeze out as much as liquid as possible and enjoy!

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal tea with a bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder and of licorice root powder.
You can make ice cubes or pops by freezing tea in ice trays or pop molds

Precautions: