Lingonberry during pregnancy: the benefits and harm

When a woman bears a child, the use of some drugs is highly undesirable, and their number is significantly limited. Therefore, various means of traditional medicine, which do not have a negative impact on the development of the fetus, are used.

The beneficial properties of lingonberry known since ancient times. Even our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used this herb to get rid of various ailments. In this article we consider the beneficial properties of lingonberries and the possibility of its use during pregnancy and lactation.

Lingonberry leaf and berries of this plant are widely used in alternative medicine, because they have a large number of useful properties. They reduce the proportion of sugar in the blood, and in fact its high content in the blood of a pregnant woman can lead to a developmental pathology of the fetus, and therefore it is recommended to use the cranberry leaf.

A large amount of vitamins and trace elements contained in the berries of this shrub, allows you to cope with vitamin deficiency and strengthen the immune system of the body. This property is very relevant both for pregnant women and for breastfeeding, since vitamins must be supplied not only to the mother, but also to the baby.

Since all the forces of the mother’s body are aimed at carrying the child, the young lady “in position” can very easily get SARS or a common cold. Thanks to the ability of lingonberry to cope with pathogenic microbes, the process of recovery and recovery is much faster. With its antipyretic properties, lingonberries can cope with high temperatures along with other drugs that are prohibited during pregnancy.

This plant also acts as an excellent diuretic, which allows a pregnant woman to cope with the swelling of her arms and legs, because it removes excess fluid from the body.

The wound-healing property of the lingonberry leaf is used so that a variety of wounds, cuts and abrasions are more likely to heal, and the skin to be restored without leaving scars.

The choleretic effect of this shrub on the body is used to combat biliary stasis, therefore, collecting lingonberries is recommended for women who suffer from obstructed outflow of bile.

Lingonberry juice contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals, among which it is worth mentioning:

• B vitamins allow the body to cope with psycho-emotional and physical overload in the period of carrying a child;
• vitamin E allows the fetus to fully grow and develop, in addition, it has an antioxidant effect, improving metabolic processes and protecting the body from the negative effects of toxins;
• vitamin p removes excessive swelling;
• carotene - helps to improve visual function in a pregnant woman, and also contributes to the development of the fetal brain;
• iron helps to cope with anemia, which is very common in women who have children. This element is involved in the formation of hemoglobin.

To evaluate the benefits of using lingonberries during pregnancy can be calculated by counting the number of ailments with which such a plant can cope.

Freshly squeezed cowberry juice is distinguished not only by its pleasant taste and refreshing effect, it also allows to overcome various diseases, among which the following should be noted:

• Heart disease or pain that appears in his area. It is recommended to use the juice daily, as it is enriched with chromium, copper and manganese. These trace elements have a positive effect during the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
• High blood pressure.Many future mothers are faced with a similar problem, and the use of juice from the fruits of lingonberries on an ongoing basis will allow to cope with such difficulty without taking medication.

• It is useful to use an infusion of these berries for constipation and problems with the stool, as it has a mild laxative effect.
• The problem of the formation of edema accompanies many women throughout pregnancy, it may appear both in early and later periods. Vitamin P contained in the cranberry fruit helps to get rid of excess fluid and, thus, remove puffiness.
• It is recommended to use lingonberry juice and with the development of anemia, because it contains a large amount of iron. A similar problem can occur in both a pregnant woman and a nursing mother.

Lingonberry leaf is used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for getting rid of colds, as an additional component of complex treatment. Cowberry leaf decoctions and infusions can help to cope with a number of diseases.

1. Cystitis. The structure of the leaves of lingonberry includes arbutin glycoside, which is characterized by excellent anti-inflammatory properties, besides it helps to remove excess amount of urea and nitrogen from the body. Due to this effect, the intake of infusion from the leaves of this plant allows you to cope with cystitis and avoid the use of antibacterial drugs that are extremely undesirable during pregnancy and lactation.
2. Pyelonephritis. Tincture based on lingonberry leaf helps to cope with such an illness, without taking breaks in breastfeeding.
3. Many young ladies awaiting the appearance of a baby may face such a problem as heartburn. It can manifest itself both in the first months of pregnancy and in the last periods. If a woman has low acidity, then she can fearlessly use cranberry tinctures. With increased acidity in the stomach taking such a remedy is contraindicated.

Studying the positive reviews that leave the young ladies who are in an interesting position, we can conclude about the benefits of this plant during pregnancy.

Lingonberry is used to treat a variety of dental diseases, can cope with diseases of the lower extremities, it is recommended to use it for arthritis, hepatitis and gastritis. The healing properties of such a shrub are used to strengthen the capillaries and vessel walls.

Despite the abundance of useful properties that characterize lingonberries, pregnant women should use it with caution, being attentive to their own well-being and state of health. Restrictions on the use of parts of this plant apply to a number of cases.

• Young ladies who have a tendency to hypotension (low blood pressure) should use the cranberries with caution, especially for cranberry juice. Berries can reduce the pressure very much, as a result of which the blood vessels in the placenta will not be fully absorbed, and the fetal saturation will be disturbed with useful substances.
• Making a diuretic effect, this plant can harm a pregnant woman, as it can provoke the movement of stones that are present in the kidneys. This can result in renal colic, and in severe cases, internal bleeding is possible.

• Increased acidity in the stomach during peptic ulcers and gastritis is a contraindication for eating cowberry berries that contain abundant amounts of fruit acids.
• Since lingonberry is able to thin the blood, its use is not recommended for young ladies who are prone to bleeding and have low blood clotting.
• Lingonberry broth can be harmful if taken immediately after eating food - it can provoke indigestion. In case of active secretion of gastric juice, this shrub can cause diarrhea.

The use of this plant in medical therapy must be coordinated with your doctor. When excessive use of berries, fruit drink and decoction of the leaves of lingonberry can increase the tone of the uterus and miscarriage provoked. Only a doctor will be able to choose the appropriate dosage to avoid adverse effects.

The expected effect will depend on the correct application. When purchasing a package with a ready dried lingonberry leaf in a pharmacy, you should make sure that you have detailed instructions. Not only the dosage is prescribed in it without fail, but also the methods of preparing decoctions and tinctures based on such a plant.

Regardless of which way you use cowberries: eat fresh berries, drink lingonberry juice or juice, or make decoctions and tinctures from the leaves of this plant, be sure to watch your well-being. If any deterioration of the condition or the occurrence of an allergic reaction, the medication on the basis of this scrub should be stopped and consult your doctor.

Consider the most popular recipes for lingonberries.

To prepare the broth will require 2 tablespoons of crushed lingonberry leaves. They must be poured into a saucepan and pour 200 milliliters of hot water. The tank is placed in a steam bath and “languishes” with the lid closed for 25–30 minutes. After this time, the decoction is removed from the heat and infused for another 15–20 minutes. After this time, the tincture is filtered. It must be consumed 30-40 minutes before the main meal.

To prepare lingonberry juice, 350–400 grams of the fruits of this shrub, 3-4 tablespoons of honey and 1.5–2 liters of water are required. Do not forget to thoroughly wash the berries and select the spoiled fruit before preparing the Morse. Lingonberry is placed in boiling water. After 5–6 minutes, the berries become soft and crack, giving the drink a brighter and more saturated taste and aroma. Boil them will need another 5-6 minutes, after which you should strain the juice through a sieve or colander with small holes.

Lingonberry can be brewed and consumed in the form of tea. To prepare a similar drink, you need 1 teaspoon of dried lingonberry leaves, pour 1 cup boiling water. Such a drink should be infused for 30 minutes. The easiest way to cook lingonberry tea is to throw a few leaves of lingonberries in a teapot and drink like regular herbal tea.

Compote from lingonberries is also easy to prepare - it will require 250 grams of fruit, 200 grams of sugar and 2 liters of water.

Fresh berries should be carefully selected, separating the garbage, and then thoroughly rinsed under running water. Washed cowberry berries remain in a colander to glass excess liquid.At this time, sugar syrup is prepared: sugar should be added to boiled water, gradually stirring, until it is completely melted. Cranberry berries are placed in the resulting syrup and after 3 minutes after the drink boils, it is removed from the fire. Compote cover with a lid and give it a little brew.

Since this drink is subjected to prolonged thermal exposure, it retains all the useful qualities and properties of lingonberries. To use the resulting drink can be both warm and cold, and if the cranberry compote is planned to be harvested for the winter, then immediately after it is turned off, it is necessary to pour it into glass jars and roll it up.

Lingonberry berries are considered the most useful, especially if consumed fresh. The main disadvantage is that this plant produces fruit for a limited time. Those lingonberry berries that can be found in supermarkets throughout the year, will not bring benefits to a pregnant woman, as they are grown with the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Therefore, it is better to take care of harvesting this plant in advance.

Due to the fact that benzoic acid is a part of the cowberry fruits, they can be stored in the refrigerator for some time. To do this, thoroughly washed berries should be placed in a jar and filled with cold water. It is necessary to ensure that the water does not stagnate, and periodically change it.

Alternatively, you can cook the jam from the fruit of this plant and use it not only as a medicine, but also as a delicacy. Please note that excessive consumption of sweets is not recommended for pregnant women.

You can preserve the lingonberry juice or juice and use it as an alternative to freshly prepared drinks.

If you plan to use broth from the cranberry leaf, then harvest the young leaves. It is better to collect them on shrubs that grow far from the roadway. Dry the leaves in a dark place, avoiding direct sunlight. It is possible to store such raw materials in linen bags.

Many young ladies also recommend purchasing ready-made dry cowberry leaves at the pharmacy. They are sold in a box, and can also be packaged in individual bags, by analogy with tea.

Despite the fact that the latter option will seem more convenient to use, such raw materials contain less nutrients and vitamins. Therefore, it is better to purchase blanks placed in cartons, and use the required amount of lingonberry leaf for the preparation of medicinal drugs.

If you are harvesting a lingonberry leaf yourself, do it in early spring, not waiting for the shrub to bloom and fruits appear on it. Lingonberry berries, on the contrary, should be harvested at the very end of the autumn period, when they are ripe and will be rich in useful vitamins.

note that A plant grown in a more arid climate is characterized by a large number of beneficial properties than a shrub that was abundantly watered.

It is not for nothing that lingonberries are referred to medicinal plants, because not only berries, but also leaves have healing properties. Like any other drug, during pregnancy, lingonberries should be used cautiously and only as a prophylactic. If you decide to take it for the treatment of some diseases, then you need to coordinate the reception with your doctor.

About what other properties cowberry has, see below.