Useful for all drops

The rapid development of medicine in the 20th century has surpassed all expectations. This created a belief that medicine is always ready to help us out of trouble. Soon it became clear that modern medicine can save from epidemics, from many previously fatal diseases and injuries, but for some reason it fails to rid us completely from all sorts of ailments. In these cases everything depends on us, on our consciousness and self-discipline.

How not to lose a good chance at work because of a cold, how not to cancel a trip overseas, which you were dreaming about, because of a suddenly caught virus? The answer is simple – this should not be allowed to happen. You should take care of your health, lead a healthy lifestyle and carry out preventive measures in proper time. The ancient Greeks, for example, didn’t ail a lot and lived for a long time. Why were they so lucky? It is really simple. Food was mostly vegetarian, they ate little meat and they didn’t know about tobacco, it was allowed to drink wine only at a mature age and only diluted. But the most important factor was that from early childhood to old age they were tempered and constantly stayed in motion.

Nowadays people have access to everything that the ancient Greeks knew and in addition to this there are a lot of other things in their arsenal that they did not have in ancient times.  There are high-tech diagnostic services at their disposal as well as special tests for food intolerances and the presence of micronutrients, certified medical and cosmetic centers and labs, sports complexes and SPA salons, pharmacies with hundreds of offers for specially designed food supplements and vitamins. All this helps to strengthen the protective system of the body and to prevent the development of the disease, and if you already have a chronic illness - to make life easier by not allowing the disease to become acute.

Today we will talk about medicinal herbs, or rather about special tinctures which are prepared from them. To learn more about how to properly use tinctures for health The Baltic Times asked Natalia Mazharova, Ing.Chem., representative of the company “L.E.V.”/Ekstraktu rupnica/ - the manufacturer of plant extracts and end products from them.

- Natalia, what is a tincture?
- In medicine a tincture is an infusion of medicinal substances in water, alcohol or ether prepared in a certain manner. In the factory of extracts “L.E.V.” plants with medical properties are used for making the tinctures. Therefore, our tinctures are made from extracts of active substances of a plant, transferred into a form that can be easily and quickly absorbed by the body. Tinctures can be in a form of a mono-preparation, which consists of one plant, as well as in formulas. To prepare the formulas, additional plants are used which contribute to improvement of the therapeutic effect of the main plant.

- Why do you choose tincture, not capsules or tablets?
- The assimilation of capsules or tablets requires a good state of the digestive system. Otherwise, the body can absorb 10-15% of the contents of the capsule, while a tincture is immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. Assimilation begins immediately in the mouth, because nutritional receptor signals of the central nervous system immediately start to work.

In comparison with teas and syrups, tinctures also have a number of indisputable advantages, because many biologically active substances of plants do not dissolve in water.
Tinctures are also good because they contain all active plant substances, which enhance the properties of the main substance and a fuller expression of therapeutic effect. Selection of one of the active substance from the plant is not always justified. For example, until recently it was believed that the main active ingredient of St. John’s wort is hypericin. According to the latest studies, hypericin is an antibacterial component. What determines the properties of St. John’s wort as a natural antidepressant has not yet been defined.

- How many types of tinctures does your factory produce?
- Many, around 70 different types. We produce tinctures from natural raw materials: propolis, mummy, echinacea, golden root, St. John’s wort, Leonurus, hawthorn berries, rose hips, hop cones, linden flowers, leaves of Ginkgo biloba, the root of Siberian ginseng and other plants.
Tinctures can be used against colds, diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, urinary systems, for the digestive system, to strengthen the immune system, for musculoskeletal system, for oral care, as well as a positive influence on metabolism and adaptation of the organism. There are also tinctures for external use.

- Can tinctures be considered as medicine?
- To a certain extent, yes, but if you have a serious illness, then you certainly should not rely only on tinctures, and in this case, you must follow the recommendations of your treating doctor. Tinctures are very good as a preventative measure. Take the series for the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system for example. In the preparation called “PumpHelp” the main active ingredients are hawthorn fruit, raisins and rose hips. “PumpHelp” has beneficial effects on heart function, reduces nervous tension. The plants that are in this preparation contain natural antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative damage. Raisins - a natural source of potassium, which is essential for the normal work of the cardiovascular system. Or in the tincture called “VenoHelp” active ingredients are the leaves of Ginkgo biloba and horse chestnut fruits. Together they have a beneficial effect on venous circulation, especially on the circulation of blood in the vessels of the legs, help improve the peripheral microcirculation, reducing capillary permeability, improving the tone of blood vessels, reducing inflammatory processes in them.

- Can you give tinctures to children?
- Yes, from the age of 7, reducing the dose by 2-3 times and dissolving in water, but, of course, before doing this you should consult a pediatrician.

- And what about animals?
- This is also possible. But, the tincture should first be dissolved in water, and the dose should be reduced depending on the weight of the animal.

- Is a visit to a vet mandatory?
- Of course. Only a doctor can determine the causes of the poor state of health of your pet.

- What is the correct way to use tinctures and where can I buy them?
The bottle contains 30 ml. and is designed for 7-10 days. Recommended duration of use is 3 weeks. Next comes a week long break and then, if necessary, the course may be repeated. “Help” tinctures can be purchased in pharmacies and shops, that offer products for health improvement, at the moment only in Latvia and Lithuania, but we are always open for cooperation with other countries.