Pine

During the early days of European colonization in the New World of America many colonists died due to a severe lack of vitamin C. Native Americans showed them how to make tea from pine needles — now known to have huge concentrations of both vitamins A and C — and saved thousands of lives.

It’s not just pine needles that are bursting with goodness. In 1732 Linnaeus the father of modern botany reported that the Lapps used dried strips of the pine’s inner bark as one of their main winter foods — in addition to its high vitamin C content the bark also contains sugar and starch.

Pine also has a whole variety of medicinal properties. Both the resin and the needles have been used as an inhalant a cough syrup and even as an antiseptic and disinfectant. Essential oil of pine is classified as “middle note” meaning that it neither stimulates nor sedates but rather regulates and balances out. It’s used on acupressure points and dropped into hot water to create a healing vapor. Pine oil is also said to be effective in treating respiratory diseases and for rheumatic and nerve pain. Pine is used for emotional health as well — Bach Flower Remedies recommend pine to treat “despondency despair and self-condemnation.” 

Scientists are also just beginning to discover the many uses for Pycnogenol extracted from the bark of pine trees. New studies show that it’s a powerful antioxidant reduces blood pressure and helps repair damage wrought to kidneys by high blood pressure. It’s also been shown to reduce pain and cramps in the abdominal region of the body.

Today research is ongoing into the use of pine trees as a treatment for burns dysentery swellings wounds itching muscle pain and rheumatism and as a laxative diuretic and expectorant (cough syrup). Truly a medicine chest in one tree! 

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