Juniper Berry Benefits

Did you know that juniper berry is one of the main ingredients in the production of gin? There are a lot more such interesting benefits of the juniper berry that most of us are not familiar with. These bitter tasting berries have been used since ages for different medicinal purposes.

Either by preparing a tea using the berries or simply crushing the berries and using the extract as a topical application you can avail the various medicinal benefits of these berries. Some of these beneficial properties have a mention in the following sections of thise. Have a read!

Juniper berries have properties which serve as diuretics. This means that these berries help to increase the rate of urination in the person who consumes it. The berry helps to break down and also extricate uric acid from the body, thus helping the person to urinate.

Also, it helps in the dissolution of kidney stones. People with problems like water retention too can turn to juniper berries because they help in relieving the issue by way of urination. The urinary passages get cleared and thus the kidneys can perform their functions properly.

However, you must note that juniper berries must be used cautiously. Excess and unnecessary consumption of the berries can cause severe damage to the kidneys and also render them useless.

Juniper berry and its extract have proven to be effective in helping with skin problems too. Acne, athlete's foot, dandruff and psoriasis are some of the most commonly faced skin problems.

If you want to get rid of these problems, all you have to do is prepare a local application by simply crushing the berries and using the diluted juice as an ointment on the affected area. It has also been said that using the juice on the face acts as an anti-aging remedy.

You may feel a warm and irritating sensation when you apply it on your skin. You can dilute the concoction until it doesn't sting and then when you feel comfortable, you can increase the level of concentration of the extract.

Juniper berries are a natural storehouse of insulin. This can prove to be quite beneficial to people suffering from diabetes. However, again, extreme caution must be exercised while consuming juniper berry extract. This is generally done in the form of a tea. Diabetics should be careful as excess consumption can lead to excess glucose in the body.

Juniper berries have a lot of volatile oils in them which have the ability to increase the level of digestive acids in the stomach. As we all know, these digestive acids are an integral part of our digestive system and are required for easy digestion.

Hence consuming these berries can help hasten the process of digestion and make it healthy. Plus, it also helps to relieve gas from the system, thus helping people cope with problems of bloating as well.

The next time you have those torturous menstrual cramps, you might want to reach out for a couple of these bitter tasting berries to help ease the pain and give you some respite from the discomfort. Also, juniper extract has known to help tone the uterus and help to bring forward a woman's period if she has problems of delayed periods.

Apart from the ones mentioned above, juniper berries have also been used for other reasons. Some of them have been mentioned below.

➤ Coughs and resultant congested chests can be cleared using juniper berry extract.
➤ Juniper berries are also know to help in weight loss because they have detoxifying abilities which help to cleanse the body.
➤ Caked berries were used in ancient times to prevent hunger pangs.

➤ They also have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which help the body to fight infections from within as well as externally.
➤ Ailments like rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, nerve and muscle tensions, etc. can be treated by using juniper berries. Local application or consumption of the berries, both help for these treatments.

Always consult your doctor before you make any kind of inclusion in your diet, especially if you are pregnant or suffer from diabetes or any other conditions mentioned above. Excess use of this berry can turn out to be counter productive and can lead to some serious health problems. So use it wisely and you'll be able to perfectly tap its health benefits.