Corn silk: instructions for use, benefits and harm

Corn: pixabay.com Do you dream of quickly losing those hated pounds without harming your health? Corn silk is a natural remedy that effectively helps reduce hunger and speed up metabolic processes in the body. With this product you can not only lose weight, but also improve your overall health. Find out what the benefits of corn silk are, how to brew them correctly and in what cases it is better not to use them.

What are corn silks?

Ripe corn has high value for the human body. In this case, not only its yellow grains can be beneficial, but also the long thin fibers, or “hairs” located around the young cobs.

Such fibers can reach up to 25 cm in length. Photos of corn silks show that they can only be seen on fresh corn growing in the field. Store-bought cobs are free of hair.

Important! Only the stigmas of young corn that have not yet undergone pollination have medicinal properties. Old corn hairs are unsuitable for medicinal purposes; they have almost no useful properties.

Preventive measures

To prevent incontinence, it is recommended to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. with a dry cough, urinary incontinence most often occurs as a result of smoking - you should immediately give up the bad habit;
2. systematically visit a medical facility to detect the disease at an early stage;
3. monitor your weight, follow the recommendations of proper nutrition;
4. avoid frequent constipation;
5. control the consumption of drinks that have an irritating and diuretic effect;
6. limit physical activity;
7. observe the drinking regime.

Only a competent specialist can assess the severity of the disease and answer the question: what to do in case of urinary incontinence when coughing.

Composition of corn silk

The benefits of corn silk are easy to understand if you study the composition of the hairs. They contain the following components:

• vitamin C, which is mainly responsible for immunity;
• B vitamins, which control metabolic processes and the functioning of the nervous system;
• corn oil containing unsaturated fatty acids and phosphatides;
• glycosides and essential oils, beneficial for digestion and appearance;
• vitamins D and K, which help strengthen bones and improve blood circulation;
• starch;
• saponins and fiber.

Hair also contains minerals, including selenium. Corn fiber is rich in vitamin E; this natural antioxidant slows down the aging process and allows you to maintain youth longer.

Health benefits and harms

Benefit

Corn silk is valued in dietetics because it allows you to lose weight even for those who are contraindicated from taking most weight loss medications and going on diets for health reasons. They are used in official medicine as part of the treatment of certain diseases.

Their medicinal properties, scientifically proven and used in medicine:

• expand the gallbladder, causing its subsequent rhythmic contraction;
• reduce bilirubin levels;
• reduce the viscosity and density of produced bile;
• improve liver functioning;
• accelerate the process of blood clotting;
• destroy gallstones into sand and remove them from the body;
• regulate exocrine and intrasecretory functions of the pancreas;
• lower blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels;
• improve intestinal microflora.

Corn silk owes its medicinal properties to the bioactive components they contain:

• flavonoids;
• fatty acid;
• ethers, resins, gum;
• ascorbic acid, lipophilic (fat-soluble) and hydrophobic vitamins;
• saponins, tannins;
• alkaloids, carotenoids (represented mainly by cryptoxanthin);
• bitterness (glycosides);
• macro- and microelements.

Harm

Like any bioactive material, corn silk, having too powerful an effect on some body systems, can cause harm if used incorrectly.

Firstly, losing weight with their help should be used with caution for people who have serious problems with blood circulation. Yes, they reduce the risk of the formation of cholesterol plaques, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, but at the same time they significantly increase blood viscosity, which in certain cases can lead to complications. Therefore, if you have such problems, you should first consult a hematologist. For the same reason, women should stop taking them during menstruation. When the cycle ends, you can resume.

Secondly, this method of losing weight is contraindicated for those who suffer from anorexia and have poor appetite. Eating corn silk may make the situation worse.

Thirdly, the powerful diuretic effect often results in the removal from the body of not only harmful, but also beneficial substances. And first of all, a lack of magnesium and potassium is detected (fraught with heart problems). Therefore, you need to take care in advance about taking additional medications enriched with these elements.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that due to the presence of glycosides and essential oils in the composition, corn silk rarely, but still causes allergic reactions. In this regard, you should start taking them with minimal dosages.

Lifehack. Those who are losing weight know how sometimes they feel dizzy and have a headache from hunger. To relieve these unpleasant syndromes, brew corn silk, soak gauze in the resulting chilled infusion and place it on your forehead. After 10 minutes the symptoms will disappear.

Properties of corn silk

Due to its rich internal composition, corn hairs have numerous medicinal properties. In particular, they:

• eliminate inflammatory processes;
• heal wounds on the skin and irritations on the mucous membranes;
• help normalize weight and regulate appetite;
• strengthen the skeletal system;
• have a beneficial effect on the nerves and emotional background;
• have a positive effect on blood vessels and cardiac activity.

Eating stigmas is useful for the prevention of cancer - substances in the hairs prevent the growth of harmful tumors.

Indications and contraindications for corn silk

The medicinal properties of corn silk are officially recognized by medicine. Therefore, there is a whole list of indications for the use of young cob hairs. It is recommended to take products based on them when:

• cholecystitis and urolithiasis;
• gynecological inflammation and bleeding;
• obesity and excess weight;
• swelling;
• pancreatitis and atherosclerosis;
• prostatitis in men and problems with libido;
• low blood sugar levels;
• liver ailments;
• circulatory disorders.

However, corn cobs also have strict contraindications. You should avoid using decoctions and infusions based on them:

• with thrombophlebitis and thrombosis;
• with varicose veins of the legs;
• with underweight and poor appetite;
• with serious impairment of kidney function, for example, with renal failure.

Corn hairs should not be taken if you have an individual allergy, in which case they will only be harmful.

Urinary incontinence: clinical picture

Involuntary discharge of urine (incontinence) is a completely uncontrollable process and occurs without any warning. The provoking factor for such an act of urination is most often physical stress caused by coughing, sneezing or laughing. The sudden release of urine occurs regardless of human biological rhythms.

Urinary incontinence in women due to coughing is much more common than in men. The disease mainly spreads among pregnant women and women who have undergone menopause. Men may suffer from sneezing and urinary incontinence after 60 or as a result of a previous disease of the genitourinary system.

What are the benefits of corn silk?

Corn cob hairs can be especially beneficial for children and adults. But you need to know some precautions associated with their use.

The healing properties of corn silk for women

The medicinal properties of corn silk are used to improve women's health. Corn hairs are especially beneficial during painful periods. Infusions and decoctions based on stigmas relieve pain, relieve irritability and help make menstruation easier. It is very useful to use fiber as an additional treatment for gynecological bleeding; the product helps stop the bleeding.

Stigmas promote weight loss, so with their help, women can get rid of fat deposits and swelling. The product helps speed up digestion and removes toxins and excess fluid from the body. Fibers have cosmetic value; their use has a beneficial effect on the condition of hair and skin.

The healing properties of corn silk for men

Men can use corn hairs to restore weakened libido and restore normal potency. Stigmas improve blood supply to the pelvic organs and also help relieve inflammatory processes. It is useful to use the product for prostatitis and adenoma, and for genitourinary infections.

Hair strengthening agents have a good effect on the functioning of the liver and blood vessels. Taking fiber-based products is useful once you reach middle age; infusions and teas will help prevent the development of liver diseases and atherosclerosis.

What does corn silk help with?

Young corn hairs benefit the entire body. But usually they are used for specific purposes, to treat certain ailments and to lose excess weight.

Corn silk for weight loss

Corn silk has several beneficial properties that help you lose weight. First of all, corn cob hairs reduce appetite, accordingly, sticking to a diet becomes much easier, and the temptation to eat forbidden foods disappears. In addition, fiber serves as a natural diuretic and removes fluids and waste from the body, which also promotes weight loss. Stigma-based products improve fat metabolism and help eliminate cellulite crust on the thighs and abdomen.

A classic infusion for weight loss is prepared as follows: place half a glass of dry stigmas in 500 ml of hot water and leave for 2 hours. Then filter the infusion and drink 150 ml on an empty stomach, about 20 minutes before eating.

Corn silk for the liver

The healing properties of corn silk for the liver help restore the health of the organ, since they take on part of its functions and remove toxic substances from the body. In addition, corn hairs lower cholesterol levels and improve the functioning of blood vessels - this also has a positive effect on the liver.

As a treatment and prevention, it is useful to use the following medicinal infusion: pour 150 ml of boiling water over a small spoon of hairs, cover with a lid and wait 20 minutes. Then the infusion is filtered through thick gauze and taken a few sips before meals.

Corn silk for kidneys

The diuretic medicinal properties of the product allow you to get rid of swelling, remove fine sand from the kidneys and relieve minor inflammation. For medicinal purposes, an infusion is prepared from 30 g of dry fibers poured into a glass of hot water. Infuse the remedy for 3 hours, and drink 1 large spoon on an empty stomach three times a day; you need to take the remedy for 5 days in a row.

Corn silk for pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas is a very unpleasant disease that requires complex treatment. In the first days of an exacerbation, it is recommended to adhere to a strict diet and completely abstain from almost any food.

After the pain subsides, you can use a remedy based on corn silk for treatment. For medicinal purposes the following collection is prepared:

• dandelion root, corn fiber, celandine and tricolor violet are mixed in equal proportions - 10 g of each ingredient;
• add the same amount of anise and knotweed herb;
• pour the collection with 500 ml of hot water and place on low heat;
• After boiling, cook for only 3 minutes and then cool.

You need to drink the product on an empty stomach three times a day, several sips, in total, treatment is continued for 2 weeks. The herbal mixture has a beneficial effect on the pancreas and promotes rapid absorption of food.

Corn silk for arthrosis

Since corn cob fibers strengthen bone tissue and eliminate inflammation, taking them is useful for joint ailments, in particular arthrosis. The healing properties are used internally - 4 small spoons of fiber are poured into 500 ml of water, boiled, and then poured into a thermos and left for another 4 hours.

You need to drink the infusion on a full stomach up to 5 times a day, a single serving is 1 large spoon. The infusion not only relieves pain and improves joint mobility, but also helps achieve long-term remission of the disease.

Corn silk for the gallbladder

Choleretic corn silk can alleviate the condition of gallbladder ailments. Fiber-based products accelerate the outflow of bile and thereby prevent the formation of stones in the ducts and the appearance of inflammatory processes.

For prevention and treatment, you can prepare a simple decoction:

• a small spoonful of fibers is poured into a glass of just boiled water;
• the container with the hairs is placed in a water bath and heated for half an hour;
• The broth is cooled and filtered through folded gauze, and then topped up with clean water to the initial volume.

You need to drink the product shortly before eating, only 150 ml. In general, it is recommended to continue treatment for no longer than a couple of weeks at a time.

Basic admission rules

Before using the herbal composition, you should definitely consult with your doctor, who will rule out possible contraindications.

Basic recommendations for using herbal medicine:

1. It is important to strictly adhere to the instructions and not increase the dosage of the decoction or infusion.
2. During the treatment process, it is necessary to take breaks for several weeks.
3. The herbal medicine may reduce the effectiveness of some medications, so this combination is a contraindication to folk remedy therapy.

The beneficial properties of stigmas help diabetics - they improve the functioning of the pancreas and normalize blood glucose levels. For this purpose, a natural extract is used, sold in the pharmaceutical network. It is consumed once a day, 4-5 drops, after diluting it in half a cup of water. The duration of therapy is 4 weeks, then you need to pause for the same period.

Contraindications to the use of a pharmacy extract: children and adolescents 14 years of age, all trimesters of pregnancy, breastfeeding, blood clotting pathologies, thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, varicose veins. Hypersensitivity to the active components contained in the herbal medicine is also a contraindication.

Harvesting corn silks

Since corn hairs can only be found for sale in special stores, it is recommended to collect them manually. Stigmas are harvested in August and early autumn, during the period of so-called “milk maturity” of corn. The collection itself looks very simple; the stigma fibers are carefully separated from the cobs, if necessary, first separating the green peel.

Once collected, the fibers should be dried for storage. To do this, they are laid out in a thin layer on a flat substrate in a place that is protected from drafts and direct hot sun. You can tell that the fibers have dried when they turn yellow-brown in color. If desired, you can dry the fibers in the oven. But at the same time, the temperature should not exceed 40 ° C, the oven door should be kept open, and the fibers themselves should be constantly turned over.

Preparation and storage

Vegetation harvesting is carried out during the period when the crop changes from milky ripeness to waxy ripeness. At this time, the cereal grains harden, the silk changes color from milky white to yellow-brown. Depending on the region and variety, harvest times differ. In Central Russia, harvesting occurs approximately in the third ten days of August.

Keep in mind! Dry and black tips are not used for blanks.

You need to clean the threads carefully, trying not to damage the fibers.

The product is then left in the air to dry and reduce the risk of rotting. Air flows help destroy pathogenic fungi, so this point should not be neglected.

Next, the raw materials are dried. This could be a warm place in the house, an oven or special dryers. The stigmas must be spread in a thin layer on paper, a baking sheet or cotton cloth. The thickness of the layer should not exceed 2.5 cm. Then the raw materials are placed in a ventilated place for a period of 3 days to one and a half weeks. Direct sunlight should not fall on the threads.

Dried corn silk

If you are going to dry in an oven, then select the convection mode and the temperature is no more than 40°C. The plant must be turned over regularly to ensure even heating. The readiness of the stigmas can be determined visually. They should break easily, have no odor, and their color will turn copper-brown. If the plant turns black during the drying process, then it is not suitable for treatment.

Corn silks are stored in fabric bags or craft bags. Polyethylene or a closed plastic storage container is not the best option, as there is a risk of mold. Shelf life is from 1 to 2 years.

Corn silk tea

How to brew corn silk

The decoction has strong medicinal properties; it is considered a classic drink based on stigmas. It is prepared like this:

• in an enamel container, 40 g of crushed fibers are poured with 200 ml of water;
• Bring the mixture to a boil in a steam bath, and then simmer over low heat for another 15 minutes;
• The finished broth is filtered and topped up with plain water to the volume of a full glass.

Important! The decoction retains its medicinal properties only for 2 days. Therefore, there is simply no point in preparing it in large quantities.

How to drink corn silk

It is recommended to drink infusions and decoctions based on corn fiber in small quantities so as not to cause harm to health - no more than 150 ml per dose. It is advisable to use the products warm, as they bring the greatest benefit.

You are allowed to take fiber products no more than 3-4 times per day. Usually, decoctions and infusions are drunk on an empty stomach shortly before eating, but in some cases you can drink a medicinal drink on a full stomach. The average treatment period for corn silk is 2-3 weeks, after which it is recommended to take a break for at least a week.

How to take corn silk for weight loss

In order to get rid of excess weight, they take both water infusions and decoctions based on corn fiber, as well as strong tinctures. But in any case, when using it, you need to follow the basic rules.

• Corn fibers for weight loss are taken strictly on an empty stomach; the beneficial effect of the fibers is that they speed up the digestion of incoming food and stimulate the rapid elimination of toxins.
• When taking fiber on a diet, it is necessary to consume foods or dietary supplements high in potassium and magnesium, otherwise there is a risk of flushing these substances out of the body, which will certainly be harmful.
• The total period of taking medications should not exceed 21-28 days. You should not drink stigma all the time; this will negatively affect your appetite and intestinal function.

Important! Although it is necessary to consume fiber in courses with breaks, taking infusions and decoctions based on stigmas should be regular - you need to drink the product daily throughout the diet.

Possible contraindications

At first glance, it may seem that the product has only a positive effect on the body. But it is not so.

There are a number of restrictions under which raw materials are prohibited.

1. There are cases of individual intolerance to the product . If, after taking tea, decoction, tincture or extract, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, redness or other ailment appears within 5-15 minutes, then this is a negative reaction to the plant. Its further use should be discontinued.
2. For persons with bleeding disorders (hypercoagulation), the product may cause significant harm, leading to thrombophlebitis. The plant thins the blood and increases platelets, which is life-threatening in this disease.
3. Taking the plant is prohibited if there are large stones in the bile duct . Frequent urination can lead to the movement of stones, which in turn block the bile ducts.
4. Anorexia or low body weight . The property of reducing appetite in such diseases will aggravate the problem.
5. Hypotonic patients need to be careful when taking the plant, as it lowers blood pressure.

Any illness in the acute phase must be treated under the supervision of a specialist.

The use of corn silk in folk medicine

The benefits and harms of corn silk are fully revealed in several fiber-based medicinal drinks. Traditional medicine offers recipes for water and alcohol remedies made from corn silk; when preparing them, it is important to follow proven proportions.

Corn Silk Extract

An extract based on corn fiber is a very concentrated product that is made from the female inflorescences of the crop in a factory setting. Corn fiber extract can be easily purchased at a pharmacy, but it cannot be prepared at home; this requires expensive industrial equipment.

Pharmaceutical extract from stigmas is used for a wide range of ailments - for diseases of the gallbladder and urinary tract, to relieve inflammation and improve blood composition. The exact dosages are indicated in the instructions for the drug, but on average a single dosage is 30-40 drops of the medicine three times a day. It is prohibited to use the extract in large volumes; the concentration of active substances in it is very high, and an overdose will be harmful.

Corn silk tea

Tea made from stigmas has a good effect on digestion and weight loss. Tea is prepared in two ways:

• add a small spoon of corn fiber to regular tea and brew the drink in the standard way;
• Herbal tea is prepared from corn fiber, yarrow, currants, mint and thyme, taken in equal proportions.

It is especially useful to take tea in any of the options for prevention - the concentration of the drink is low, and there will definitely be no harm from it.

Corn silk infusion

A simple and effective remedy with strong medicinal properties is an aqueous infusion of corn fibers. To do it, you need:

• pour a large spoonful of fiber into a glass of boiling water;
• close the container with a lid and wait 2 hours;
• strain the infusion and dilute with water before use.

Use the product to lose weight and treat the gastrointestinal tract for 2 weeks in a row, and you can drink it four times a day.

Corn silk tincture

Corn silk is used in medicine in the form of a strong alcohol tincture. This product enters the blood faster and, accordingly, has an almost instant effect.

To prepare the tincture you need:

• Pour 100 g of corn silk with 500 ml of vodka or 70% alcohol;
• close the container and put it in a cool and dark place for a month;
• Strain the finished drink.

You can take just 1 small spoon of the tincture shortly before meals, so as not to cause harm to the body by overdose. Typically, the medicinal properties of the tincture are in demand for acute inflammation and joint ailments, when unpleasant symptoms need to be relieved as quickly as possible.

Features of use

Frequent use of corn silk has a positive effect on the central nervous system. The instructions for the herbal medicine indicate that it has a mild sedative effect, improves sleep and helps solve the problem of insomnia.

Stigmas are used to prepare oils and alcohol tinctures, the use of which is approved by official medicine. Corn silk is used to accelerate metabolic processes, detoxify, strengthen the body's immune forces to actively fight viruses and infectious agents. The herbal medicine has contraindications for use, listed in the instructions for it.

Corn silk in cosmetology

The beneficial properties and contraindications of corn silk have also found their application in home cosmetology. First of all, the anti-cellulite properties of fibers are well known; if you take drinks based on them regularly, you will be able to get rid of the “crust” on problem areas.

Corn fiber also has a beneficial effect on hair condition when applied externally. It is recommended to rinse your hair with decoctions and infusions based on them every time after washing if your hair is brittle and your scalp is dry.

You can also make a nourishing mask for curls from the stigmas. About 3 large spoons of fiber are mixed with 50 ml of burdock oil, and then rubbed into the hair and scalp. Then you need to wrap your head warmly and sit like that for 20 minutes, and then wash off the mask.