- Amber tincture: properties
- What the tincture helpsamber?
- How to make amber tincture?
- How to use amber tincture?
- Amber tincture: the most common indications and dosage
- Amber tincture in care
Amber tincture is one of those supposedly magical drinks to which folk medicine attributed a number of truly miraculous properties. How is amber tincture assessed by modern science? Does amber jewelery have healing properties or not?
Amber tinctureand its healing properties have become a subject of many legends. For centuries, ambers have been ascribed healing properties - similarly to almost every gemstone.
Amber was valued not only by the ancient Greeks and Romans (they were admired by Ovid and Aristotle, among others), but also by a number of other peoples: Celts, Germans, Chinese, Arabs and Egyptians - the latter were delighted with the smell it emitted during combustion.
Centuries ago, it was believed that this stone, in its entirety and in the form of powder, ointments and potions, heals many ailments.
He was also appreciated in our territories: Nicolaus Copernicus prescribed amber tincture for heart ailments, and in the case of insomnia, he recommended that the amber powder should be spread under the sheet.
The fossilized resin was also supposed to help in rheumatic diseases, the nervous system and asthma, as well as accelerate the healing of wounds.
Amber tincture: properties
Modern research has shown that the belief in the healing capabilities of amber and the products made from it is not entirely unfounded: amber contains many valuable minerals present in the resin, including:
- magnesium
- calcium
- potassium
- iron
- silicon
- organic compounds
- succinic acid
- terpenes
- phenols
- carboxylic acids
The fact that the substances contained in amber have antibacterial properties was demonstrated, among others, by Igor Kaczmarczyk, laureate of the national stage of the 28th EU Competition for Young Scientists (EUCYS).
In his work, the young scientist recalled that during the plague epidemic those who extracted and processed amber in Königsberg were never infected, he also proved that the active substances obtained from amber, including 1,4-butanedioic acid , are able to fight some pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, without harming the beneficial intestinal microorganisms.
What the tincture helpsamber?
Amber can be used for medicinal purposes in various ways: one of the most popular is the amber tincture. In our country, it has a fairly rich history: in the old days, and now it is used in various ailments, such as:
- colds
- various types of pains, including menstrual and labor pains
- fever
- convulsions
- thyroid problems
- hypertension
- palpitations
How to make amber tincture?
In the season, you can buy amber liqueur by the B altic Sea at almost every souvenir stand. Whether it is worth it is a matter of debate - experts on the subject warn that it is easy to come across a fake that has no healing properties.
So, it is better to make the amber tincture yourself, the more that its preparation is very easy.
Its most important ingredient is amber: uncut, necessarily natural (one that rises in s alt water and sinks to the bottom in fresh water, gives off a resin smell when slightly heated, and when rubbed on a wool blanket, it attracts pieces of paper).
The second ingredient is strong spirit (95% alcohol).
About 25 g of amber should be crushed into smaller pieces in a mortar, put on a sieve with very fine mesh, rinsed with warm water (in hot water the amber will lose its properties) and put into a bottle, then pour 250 ml of spirit and set aside in a warm place for two weeks - shake the bottle from time to time.
The tincture can be used when it has a beautiful golden color. The longer it stands, the more valuable it is for your he alth.
How to use amber tincture?
Folk medicine supporters are convinced that the amber liquid will cope with many he alth problems.
- Amber tincture can be used externally
Rub the chest or back with a small amount of the tincture (this method is recommended for relieving colds, bronchitis and pneumonia).
Rubbing the tincture on the temples and forehead supposedly helps to reduce headache, rubbing the places under the knees - reduces fever, and lubricating the areas affected by rheumatism relieves pain.
Rubbing the tincture into the nostrils helps with persistent rhinitis, and rinsing the throat with it (1/2 teaspoon diluted in 125 ml of water) relieves pain during infection.
- Oral amber tincture
The tincture can also be used orally, but it is worth remembering that most of its composition is high-percentage alcohol, and in moderationgive it to children, and using medications prescribed by a doctor, check whether the amber tincture (and the spirit contained in it) do not cause adverse interactions.
Amber tincture: the most common indications and dosage
- asthma - 5 drops of tincture per cup of warm tea
- frequent infections - 5 ml (small teaspoon) dissolved in 125 ml of water twice a day
- diarrhea - 10 drops of tincture dissolved in a 125 ml glass of warm water
- heart arrhythmia - 3 drops of tincture for each cup of tea you drink
- hypertension: every morning before breakfast, drink 125 ml of water with three drops of amber tincture, increasing the dose to 10 drops every day, then take a 10-day break and return to the cycle of 3 to 10 drops again. Repeat the cycle six times
Amber tincture in care
Amber is a valued ingredient in cosmetics: amber powder and ancient resin extracts are sometimes added especially to shampoos and conditioners.
You can also use amber tincture for beauty purposes.
After diluting it with water (in the proportion of a tablespoon of tincture per 100 ml of water), a liquid is created which, when rubbed into the scalp, inhibits excessive seborrhea and reduces oily hair, also stimulates its growth, as it improves microcirculation in the skin, thanks to why more oxygen and nutrients reach the hair follicle.
Read also:
- Homemade tinctures
- Does alcohol affect the healing properties of tinctures?
- How are medicinal tinctures made? [Recipes]