Fir oil is famous for its unique properties that are not found in other types of needles oils. From this article you will learn how it can differ from other similar products, about the healing properties and the spectrum of its action. It is successfully used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases, but it has a number of contraindications, more about which can be read below.
What is the difference between fir oil and essential fir oil
In order to understand the nature of useful properties and to correctly use vegetable oil of fir spruce, it is necessary to understand what is its difference from the eponymous essential. Both that, and another is made from vegetable raw materials. But the esters are obtained by compression, extraction or distillation. It is due to the production method that it, like all such oils, is characterized by poor solubility in water and high volatility.
Due to its high concentration, essential oils should not be applied to the skin, much less taken by mouth. They are in demand in perfumery, aromatherapy and the food industry, but in daily care or medical manipulations are not only not applicable, but also dangerous.
Fir vegetable oil is also produced from needles, young shoots, seeds and even waste, which immediately makes the product more affordable. But the main advantage is the preservation of all healing properties at a concentration safe for the body. This means you can not get burned, harm the mucosa.
Of course, there are limitations, namely:
- Caution should be observed for allergy sufferers, people with impaired respiratory system, children, pregnant and lactating women.
- Contraindication is epilepsy and all types of renal pathologies.
An invaluable supply of triglycerides, phospholipids, fatty acids and other useful substances, as well as the ability to actively influence the nervous system, makes a fir potion a product necessary for every family medicine cabinet.Did you know? In Bashkiria, a fir mill was built, on which needles of trees older than 50 years are processed. About 150 kg of product are produced per month, the staff consists of 25 people.
Fir Oil Composition
The whole range of substances useful to humans that are part of fir oil can be divided into 4 groups:
- tannins;
- carotene;
- vitamins;
- tocopherols.
In addition, it contains bornyl acetate - the most valuable and rare component.
Useful and healing properties
It has long been known and used by people for the antiseptic and bactericidal effect of conifers, which is much stronger in fir oil. Therefore, perhaps the most popular reason for resorting to coniferous medicine is the need to disinfect the wound or neutralize the focus of inflammation.
General strengthening procedures are no less demanded: baths, steam rooms and rubbing with the use of a composition that perfectly cope with stress, overwork, insomnia and even neurosis. Siberian fir, grown in ecologically clean areas, is rich in vitamins and phytoncides, which makes the product from it a popular tool for strengthening and enhancing the immune system.
Cosmetic defects, such as boils, acne, pustular rashes, edema, can also be healed. Cosmetology uses a coniferous drug to fight wrinkles and rejuvenate the skin, restore tone, which allows you to look younger.
The pronounced aroma of pine needles has a vasoconstrictive effect and helps in restoring blood pressure. For the same reason, alcohol, spicy foods, tonic drinks and smoking are prohibited during the use of fir oil.Important! This product has an effect on the mental health of a person and stabilizes the nervous state. It helps to accept reality as reality, not to build illusions and rejoice in simple little things in life.
How and when to use
It is difficult to name the area in which this product is not used. Insect bites, corns and blisters, papillomas, massage and anesthesia of joints affected by arthritis - with all these troubles, treating the corresponding area with fir oil is a relief. Rubbing the heart area relieves angina pectoris, and systematic rubbing helps relieve pain in osteochondrosis.
Fir can easily cope with various fungal diseases due to its pronounced antibacterial properties. It is enough to treat the affected area. The same property helps to relieve toothache, but in order to avoid burns of the mucous membrane, the oil must be diluted in water.
To combat non-serious colds, baths, compresses and inhalations based on an oil solution are effective. The dosage should be determined by the doctor. In rare cases, the doctor may prescribe lubrication of the tonsils and instillation into the nasal passage. But deciding on such a serious intervention is possible only under the supervision of a specialist, since there is a high probability of allergic reactions.Did you know? Cones with seeds form on a tree every 2–3 years. The weight of 1000 seeds is only 7 g.
Fir Oil Production
Herbal medicine is made from fir. Balsamic and Siberian varieties are especially rich in healing properties. A colorless oily liquid, sometimes with a yellowish tint and a pronounced aroma of a tree, is obtained by steam distillation. Due to the fact that the raw material is a plant that is very demanding on the environment, the product is made pure, natural. And the high sensitivity of the constituent components excludes chemical additives and the ability to fake the drug.
How to cook at home
A tool that heals small wounds, heals burns, blisters, insect bites and saves another dozen problems, of course, you always want to have it at hand. If fir needles are available to you, then preparing this product yourself will not be difficult.
Important! You should be prepared for the fact that the house will be filled with a persistent aroma of needles, which means that allergies and people with any pathology of the respiratory tract should not be around at this time.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Cut the needles together with twigs and place them tightly in a 2 liter jar. Please note that young soft shoots are not used as material.
- Pour with any vegetable, you can olive oil so that to the neck there is no more than 5 cm. Close the jar with a metal lid without elastic and rolling.
- Next, you need to organize the process. It is very similar to the sterilization of homemade items. At the bottom of a large pan, lay out branches thicker, place a jar filled with needles so that it does not come into contact with metal, and pour water about half the height of the glassware. Put this makeshift bath on a small fire. As soon as the product begins to boil, reduce the heating to a minimum and leave it for 5 hours, periodically adding hot water to prevent evaporation.
- After prolonged boiling, the contents of the can should be filtered, poured into a clean glass dish, and squeezed used needles thoroughly and discarded.
- Now put new fresh needles and twigs into the boiled oil as tightly as the first time, and extend the boiling process for another 5 hours.
After the oil absorbs all the components of the second portion of needles, it can be filtered and bottled or in small bottles in which you plan to store healing oil. As you can see, the cooking process is simple, although it takes a lot of time. The main thing is to be careful when working with hot liquids.
Contraindications
There is a misconception that natural remedies, in particular, infusions, decoctions and oils prepared from plants, are absolutely safe. But it is precisely due to the rich content of various elements, pronounced effect on the body and high concentration that you need to be especially careful when using such drugs. Natural fir oil, due to its softer structure, is not as dangerous as the essential oil of the same name, but it also has contraindications.
The list of restrictions is quite large. First of all, these are allergies and people with impaired lung function, pathologies of the respiratory system. It is forbidden to use fir oil for pregnant women and mothers during lactation. For children under 10 years of age, the use of inhalation is only as prescribed by the doctor and with preliminary testing of the body's reaction.
The powerful vasoconstrictor effect of such an oil makes it dangerous for people with high blood pressure and excludes its use while taking alcohol, smoking, spicy foods and energy drinks. Also, the tonic effect should be considered when combined with other medicines. With attention to the characteristics of the body and the thoughtful use of fir oil, the forest beauty will give you and your family truly Siberian health.
Now you know about the many beneficial properties of fir oil. This assistant should be an indispensable part of your first-aid kit. It is important to understand the difference between it and essential oil. It is also recommended to try to cook this composition at home, using shoots of needles.