Many people talk about the magical properties of mint.the fair sex knows firsthand. Healing tea with this plant calms, stabilizes blood pressure, improves mood. Plus, the unforgettable taste of this drink will leave few people indifferent. But, as in any case, there are a number of indications and contraindications that women who are preparing to become mothers soon should familiarize themselves with.
Mint: what is this plant
First, let's look at the chemical composition.mint, which determines its beneficial properties. As you remember from biology class, peppermint is included in the category of medicinal plants that have a positive effect on our body. This effect is due to the following substances: essential oil, fenlandrenes, pinene, yasmon, piperitone, menthofuran, tannins, flavonoids, bitters, etc. Of course, the above elements mean little to ordinary people. But, according to scientists, all this helps us strengthen our immune system. Thus, this plant is used not only for complex treatment, but also for the prevention of certain diseases (both local and local). Therefore, mint during pregnancy can be used by girls in the form of decoctions, infusions, drops, and in the form of lotions, rubs. And so on down the list. In addition, it should be noted that peppermint is an excellent cosmetic product. With its help, you can get rid of flabby skin, dryness, acne.
Useful properties of mint for pregnant women
As scientists have established, mint is equally goodaffects both the body of the pregnant woman and the fetus itself. It is widely used in alternative medicine by girls who prefer to be treated with folk methods. This is due to the fact that in most cases mint does not have a negative effect on the unborn child. However, expectant mothers should always take care of the safety of the baby. Therefore, do not experiment with homemade medicines. Always consult with the specialist you are seeing beforehand. Now let's take a closer look at the beneficial properties of mint to know when and under what circumstances it can be used in everyday life, during pregnancy, and after childbirth. So, this plant was used by our mothers and grandmothers for:
- Fighting colds
Since mint has pain-relieving properties,antibacterial, diaphoretic properties, it has been used for many centuries to combat colds and viral diseases. Patients with high fever were given tea, then they were wrapped in a blanket. The person with a cold sweated, and after a couple of hours there was an improvement. On the second or third day, almost everyone recovered.
- Fighting cardiovascular diseases
In some cases, mint is recommended for use,as a vasodilator. But pregnant women should not abuse the concentrated drink, as it can end badly, including miscarriage.
- Elimination of gastrointestinal problems
Stomach problems?No appetite, suffer from bloating, are you constantly tormented by nausea, constipation? Just 20-30 years ago, both adults and children drank mint when they needed to get rid of the listed symptoms. Now it has been proven that choleretic drinks (which is what mint decoction is) are not always useful. They also wash out the microelements necessary for normal functioning from the body. Therefore, it is not recommended to constantly drink mint tea even in everyday life, not to mention pregnancy. Be sure to take breaks.
- Sedation
Also, don't forget about sedatives,tonic properties of mint. If you are constantly nervous, worried, unable to collect your thoughts, you should drink a glass of this magical drink. However, do not forget that in case of depression and nervous breakdowns you need to be treated by a specialist, and not suppress the symptoms with improvised means.
Indications for taking peppermint during pregnancy
Please note:Often, mint during pregnancy is recommended for use by doctors themselves. But not as a substitute for medications, but as an addition to the prescribed treatment. If you only drink decoctions, without listening to the advice of specialists, you can harm your unborn baby. The use of peppermint during pregnancy (both systemically and locally) is indicated in the following cases:
- if the girl is constantly tormented by nausea and vomiting (toxicosis of the first half of pregnancy);
- if a pregnant woman has a vegeto-vascular dystonia;
- if the future mother is tormented by meteorisms, intestinal colic, diarrhea, hiccough, dyskinesia of bile ducts by hypotonic type;
- if sometimes there are pains in the heart (due to nervous tension, stress), insomnia begins, there is increased psychoemotional agitation;
- if there is a headache, colds are diagnosed, accompanied by fever;
- if inflammatory skin diseases occur, etc.
Pharmaceutical industry and mint
As you already understood, mint is used not only intraditional medicine. Usually doctors prescribe not herbal decoctions, but drugs that include this ingredient. Medicines are available in the form of mint drops, stomach tablets, various ointments, cosmetics, etc. So you can buy ready-made dosage forms at the pharmacy, rather than mess around with making decoctions, tinctures, etc. yourself. Why is it better to buy pharmacy products? The fact is that manufacturers test drugs, conduct clinical studies. And only after they are convinced of the safety of that very pill, they begin mass production. If the results are negative, the tablets and tinctures will not hit the shelves of pharmacies.
Tea with mint during pregnancy
Tea with mint is especially useful in the firsttrimester, when pregnant women have reduced immunity due to hormonal imbalance. In addition, such ladies are prone to constant hysterics and mood swings. And this drink, as you remember, not only kills germs, but also fights depression. Thus, it is good to drink it when you can no longer take serious medications, as they can negatively affect the development of the embryo. Also, mint tea is an excellent remedy for nausea and vomiting. Unfortunately, almost all pregnant women experience toxicosis. Only a few do not know what it is. Plus, mint tea is very tasty.
- Means for fighting nausea and vomiting
You need to take 2-3 tbsp.l crushed (dry) mint leaves. They will need to be rubbed between your palms first, then poured into a faience teapot. Pour 200 g of hot water. You should not use boiling water, as it immediately destroys all the useful microelements and vitamins! The decoction should be infused for 30 minutes. It is recommended to cool this tea a little (to room temperature). Use half a glass three times a day. It is advisable to drink it 20 minutes before meals.
- Treatment of colds during pregnancy
To prepare tea against colds, take onetablespoon of mint leaves, pour boiling water over everything and let it brew for 10 minutes. Drink throughout the day. To improve the effect, it is necessary to do inhalations with essential mint oil. Add a few drops to an inhaler or hot water, then inhale the vapors for several minutes.
- Fighting a headache
To cope with headaches duringduring pregnancy, you can use two proven remedies. The first option is to take fresh mint leaves and apply them to your forehead. After half an hour, all symptoms will disappear as if by magic. But in this case, this remedy will help if the pain is not severe. The second option is to make a tincture of mint leaves in alcohol and rub it into your temples. It is recommended to resort to such methods when the pain is dull and pulsating, radiating to the frontal or temporal part. Often, such symptoms appear due to the weather. Weather-sensitive individuals should stock up on this remedy in advance.
- Treatment of skin diseases
Inflammatory processes on the skin associated withthe appearance of fungi and other microorganisms, are perfectly cured with the help of ordinary mint. This approach is justified, since the use of any, even the lightest medications during pregnancy is sharply limited. This also applies to antibiotics, which can lead to mutation, affecting the development of the fetus. Mint does not have a negative effect on the embryo, so it is used successfully in the initial stages of inflammatory skin disease. To do this, you need to take fresh mint shoots, grind them in a blender or meat grinder. The resulting gruel is applied to the sore (affected) place. The course of treatment lasts on average from seven to ten days.
- Mint for the treatment of digestive diseases
As mentioned above, mint helps to copewith such problems as bad breath, abdominal pain, acidity disorders, constant nausea and vomiting. By the way, it is also used to neutralize toxins that have entered the intestines. Regardless of what toothpaste a woman uses, a couple of hours after brushing, she may have an unpleasant odor from the mouth. In this case, it is recommended to rinse the mouth with a non-concentrated infusion of mint leaves. You can also use a solution made from water and mint drops. To normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, you need to take two tablespoons of crushed leaves, pour them with a glass of hot water. Remember that boiling water cannot be used. Let the resulting decoction brew for two hours. After this, the liquid must be filtered through gauze folded in several layers, or through a sieve. The infusion is ready. It should be taken one tablespoon at a time during meals. Please note: a pregnant woman is recommended to eat five to six times a day, and the portions should be small. So, as you understand, mint teas, tinctures and decoctions help to get rid of many problems that pregnant women often face. However, this only applies to those cases when the expectant mother feels great for all nine months. If there is a threat of miscarriage or the lady experiences unpleasant sensations after taking such drugs, you should not experiment. And always inform doctors about such a reaction.
