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Meet horsetail - a plant that strengthens bones, hair, skin and nails

It is specific in that it contains a large percentage of silicon crystals.

By Zorika GracePublished 11 months ago 3 min read
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Meet horsetail - a plant that strengthens bones, hair, skin and nails
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

Silicon is a trace element that is necessary for our body and plays an important role in the process of removing heavy metals from the body, as well as for the proper functioning of bones, cartilage and connective tissue. It is precisely because of it that Horsetail belongs to the very powerful plants.

Equisetum Arvense (lat.) is one of those amazing plants that can be used from head to toe, inside and out, for beauty and health.

Centuries-old tradition has recorded many medicinal uses of horsetail, which vary from nation to nation, depending on the climate in which it grows. Horsetail (commonly known as horsetail) is a dark-green perennial plant that grows in humid areas. It is specific in that it contains a large percentage of silicon crystals.

Horsetail contains high-value silicon compounds, manganese, calcium, iron, flavonoids, phytosterols, glycosides, phenolic and aconitic acids. It is able to absorb unique minerals from the soil like silicon dioxide, which are not easily found in other plants.

It is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including colds, sore throats, and muscle and joint pain.

Equisetum Arvense

Horsetail - medicinal properties

Due to the large proportion of minerals and other nutrients, horsetail is also called a plant that remineralizes the body. It is recommended for restoring bone tissues after trauma or body decalcification. It is especially recommended for menopausal women with osteoporosis, as it significantly improves bone density.

Horsetail helps with stretched ligaments and sprained joints by strengthening connective tissue and cartilage. Due to its anti-inflammatory activity, it is also useful in rheumatoid arthritis. It is also considered particularly effective in case of inflammation or benign enlargement of the prostate. It is also used to dissolve, reduce and expel kidney stones, and is also recommended as an aid in cellulite and weight loss.

Horsetail beautifies and rejuvenates the skin, treats stubborn skin problems and strengthens nails. It belongs to the more well-known plants for the care and treatment of the scalp. It strengthens the hair roots, removes dandruff, promotes hair growth and helps with alopecia (hair loss).

It helps with diarrhea, slow-healing wounds, frostbite and conjunctivitis. Horsetail's anti-inflammatory compounds help reduce inflammation and discomfort caused by sores, injuries, or menstrual cramps.

DEATH TO BACTERIA

The European Medicines Agency has confirmed the use of horsetail for urinary problems, for better diuresis, as well as for complementary therapy with drugs for inflammation and infections of the kidneys and urinary tract. A study that investigated several types of horsetail confirmed its importance in phytotherapy, pharmacy and nutrition, thanks to its ingredients with high antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. The tested extracts showed high antibacterial activity against all Bacillus species.

ESCOP, the European Scientific Organization for Phytotherapy, which confirmed these findings, specifically mentions the antibacterial activity of sedum in the case of Escherichia coli and concludes that this plant has the ability to reduce its survival rate by 82%. Horsetail has a proven strong effect on the following strains: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans.

Equisetum Arvense

How to use

Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of the above-ground part of plant, boil for 5 minutes, cover and leave for 10-15 minutes, then strain. Drink 2-3 times a day, 1 glass after meals.

Ointment for external use

Steam the vegetable mass over low heat until the extract is obtained, after which mix it with vaseline or grease.

Interesting facts

The stems of vegetative green shoots are hard, rough to the touch due to the silicic acid crystals formed in them. In ancient times, they were used to clean dishes, and dried shoots were used to polish wood and soft stone products.

horsetail traces its origins to the end of the Devonian period in the Paleozoic (about 350 million years ago) - the era of the flourishing of the Equisetophyta, plants with an articulated tree.

This is all for now

until next text, stay well...

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