Thyme, or, as this herb is otherwise called, thyme, is popular not only in the medical field as medicinal plant, but also in cooking, churches for decorating icons for holidays and even in magical rituals. This perennial grass, which has small (mostly small) leaves and small pinkish leaves purple tint flowers.
This plant may look like regular flowers or small sizes subshrub. He can be found in his pristine growing wild, and in cultivated. It is most common in Europe, the Caucasus, the Urals, Crimea, and some parts of Siberia and Transbaikalia. 
Thyme “loves” sandy and sub-sandy soil types, although it is also quite often found in deciduous and coniferous forests. Under natural growing conditions it can reach three decades.
In gardens the plant takes root quite easily. In the shady side, its roots will quickly thin out, so it is preferable to take care of sufficient lighting. Does not tolerate stagnant water.
Since thyme grass is quite unpretentious, in addition to open areas, it can also be found at home.
Useful properties of thyme
Thyme is valuable not only due to its effect on the human body. First of all, people noticed that it was very aromatic plant. It began to be used back in Ancient Greece, but at that time it served as a flavoring agent: the herb was used as incense for temples. It was after this that the word “incense” came into use.
But thyme was used not only in Greece in temples. In Rus', it was also popular as a church plant: it was used to decorate halls and icons on holidays. After that, they began to call it Bogorodskaya grass.
Use in the medical field
The medicinal value of the plant is explained by its composition. The grass contains a large number of vitamins, valuable organic acids, minerals, resins, cymol, thymol, gum. The aroma of the herb is memorable due to the presence of thymol and cymol. But the most valuable component is the essential oil, which can be used in the medical field both in combination with other components and as an independent medicine.
U traditional healers most common dosage form remedies from this plant - decoctions and infusions. They are recommended for use in the treatment of diseases such as:
- cough;
- bronchitis;
- asthma;
- whooping cough;
- tuberculosis;
- nervous disorders;
- prolonged depression;
- stress and chronic fatigue;
- neurasthenia;
- spasm;
- increased formation of gases in the intestines;
- dysbacteriosis;
- prostatitis;
- flu;
- migraine;
- painful menstruation;
- baldness;
- alcoholism;
- hypertension.
Thyme - masculine power
In many ancient treatises, thyme is presented as " male plant" This is due to the fact that thyme was very often used to treat men's health. In modern medicine, preparations containing thyme for men are used to treat prostatitis, genitourinary ailments, and problems with potency.
This herb contains substances such as molybdenum and selenium, which have a fairly strong effect on the functioning of the reproductive system. With regular use of thyme, you can cure erectile dysfunction, as well as eliminate premature ejaculations and significantly increase the amount of seminal fluid. 
Since often the reasons for a man’s sexual failure are psycho-emotional state, they also use infusions of thyme. They have a good calming effect, help cope with depressive states and normalize the functioning of the central nervous system as a whole.
The benefits of Bogorodskaya weed for females 
Thyme is no less useful and valuable for females. For example, if a woman has lost consciousness, thyme will quickly bring her to her senses - it is enough to let her feel the aroma of this plant, crushed in the palm of her hand.
In addition, hemorrhoids, bleeding from the uterus, and cystitis can be treated by taking tinctures from this plant in the morning and evening.
Also, thyme is incredibly useful for female representatives for calming nervous system, normalization of sleep. IN modern conditions under constant stress, thyme will help women maintain their health.
Use of the plant in cooking
The area of cooking where thyme is used most often is in heavy dishes. It is added to fatty, meat, and legume dishes that are quite heavy on the stomach. Thyme adds piquancy to any dish, even traditional cutlets, vegetable stews and soups.
At the same time, it is worth remembering that adding thyme to dishes not only improves them taste characteristics, but also contributes to their more long-term storage. The shelf life of dishes is increased due to the antiseptic properties of the plant. The popular Herbs de Provence herb mixture contains some species of this plant.
Weed is also used in industrial production– sausages, bakery products, drinks.
Contraindications
With such a wide range of uses, thyme also has many situations where it is contraindicated:
- individual intolerance to the plant is possible, which may be associated with allergic reactions;
- heart problems, in particular, thyme is not used to treat patients with heart failure;
- because the plant tends to raise arterial pressure, it is not recommended for those people who have hypertension;
- in patients who are diagnosed increased level acidity in the stomach, taking medications or remedies with thyme can lead to gastritis or ulcers;
- for arrhythmia;
- problems with the thyroid gland;
- emphysema;
- in case of malfunction and;
- during pregnancy.
In any case, before starting treatment with thyme-based drugs or folk remedies, it is recommended to visit a doctor to clarify the permissible dosages and the required duration of treatment.
Thyme also has age restrictions. In particular, products based on it should not be given to children under two years of age.
How to assemble and the nuances of the workpiece
The most valuable parts of the plant for the medical field are the top of the plant during flowering, as well as the leaves. When collecting, you need to have special scissors. There is no need to pull out the plant along with its roots, just cut it top part flowering grass.
After collection, the grass is selected - parts with defects are not used in further stages of harvesting. The selected herb is carefully laid out on paper and dried in a ventilated room without direct sunlight.
After the grass has dried, it is necessary to remove any stems that are too thick.
Keep this medicinal herb in dried form, it is recommended to keep it in a well-closed porcelain or glass container. The permissible period is no more than two years. At the same time, if during storage it becomes noticeable that the herb has lost its specific aroma, therefore, it is not recommended to use it. The loss of aroma indicates that all valuable essential oils, which have the most pronounced healing properties, have evaporated from the raw materials.
Traditional medicines with thyme
In modern medicine, this plant is used to produce many expectorants and antiseptics. The most popular are:
- various herbal mixtures - with antiseptic, immunostrengthening, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties (such as Alfit);
- expectorants and mucolytics - elixir Codelac Broncho with thyme, Pertussin and many others;
- thyme collection;
- thyme oil, which is used not only to treat various ailments, but also in cosmetology.
Recipes with thyme in folk medicine
When, according to one legend, thyme grew where Elena the Beautiful shed her tears, they began to use it almost immediately traditional healers and healers. It is used to prepare various shapes medicines which are used for ailments respiratory tract, ARVI, problems with men's health, skin, alcoholism and in many other situations.
Recipes for tea with thyme - a universal remedy for prevention
This drink will not only give you strength and vigor after a hard day at work. It is recommended to be used during seasonal influenza epidemics, as well as as an additional medicine for colds, sore throat, cough and other upper respiratory tract problems.
- Option: to prepare, you need to prepare a glass, into which 60-70 ml of water is poured and a teaspoon of pre-prepared thyme is added. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed and put on fire. When the liquid has reached a boil, set it aside and let stand for about 10-15 minutes. After the allotted time, it is recommended to strain the liquid, after which it is diluted with boiling water. After this, the tea can be consumed.
- Option: This option is more “traditional.” It is necessary to prepare an empty teapot, where, in addition to the usual tea that you prefer to drink, add a couple of spoons of dried tea. The herbs are poured with boiling water and infused for a couple of minutes, after which the tea can be cooled a little more and taken.
- Option: Herb tea, where in addition to thyme St. John's wort and lingonberry will be used. All components are mixed in equal quantities. Next, take a spoonful of the prepared herbal mixture and pour boiling water over it. After 10-15 minutes, the tea can be strained and consumed.
In addition to valuable medicinal properties, thyme teas have excellent taste qualities and will be not only beneficial, but also enjoyable.
Recipes for thyme infusion, which are used for coughs
Such infusions are often prescribed by both folk and traditional doctors to treat various respiratory ailments. They are recommended for sore throat, asthma, and the common cold.
To prepare, you need to take about 230-250 ml of preheated water and add to it a tablespoon of dry thyme herb. Next, close the container and leave for 50-60 minutes. After the allotted time, the liquid is filtered. The medicine in this form is taken three times a day in a volume of 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Helps with coughs, asthma, colds, asthma. 
For a stronger effect, the resulting infusion is used together with other medications. In this case, aloe and honey are used, which are mixed in equal quantities. Next, take only one tablespoon of the resulting mixture and mix it with a tablespoon of pre-prepared thyme infusion. The resulting product must be drunk immediately.
The same infusion can be used not only for oral administration, but also for inhalation. In this case, immediately after preparation, the container with the infusion is placed on the table. The patient bends down and covers his head with a towel, inhales the vapor of the infusion. The recommended time for inhalation is a quarter of an hour. After the procedure, it is recommended to wrap your throat with a warm woolen scarf or scarf. Under no circumstances should you go out into cold air after inhalation.
Recipe for a plant decoction for alcoholism
This remedy has the property of causing vomiting. This effect is achieved due to the high content of thymol.
Pour 220-240 ml of boiling water over a spoonful of thyme and place the container on water bath. After a quarter of an hour, the liquid is drained, and the same volume of water is added to the container with the remaining grass.
The finished decoction is given to the patient in an amount of 50-65 ml. In this case, after taking the medicine, the patient must first sniff the vodka for about 5 minutes, and then drink 25 g. After 15-30 minutes, a disgust reaction will occur - the patient will begin to experience nausea and vomiting.
Treatment in this way takes place within one or two weeks. Required condition it uses only fresh decoction.
Thyme Cough Syrup Recipe
The product prepared according to this recipe is not at all worse than that, which can be purchased at a pharmacy kiosk.
In preparation, not dried, but fresh, only picked raw materials are used. It needs to be pre-treated - washed thoroughly. Next, the grass is crushed and dries a little. 
Place the raw materials in a small container, then add 430-440 ml of water and cook over low heat. After the liquid boils, you need to monitor the amount of remaining water - it should boil by ½. After this, the container is removed from the heat. After the liquid has cooled, it is filtered. Next, add the juice of three medium cloves of garlic (juice only, no pulp) and about 0.3 kg of honey. All components must be mixed thoroughly.
Recipe for baths with thyme to relieve fatigue
This bath can be taken twice a week. For this you will need to prepare an infusion of thyme. Add 0.1 kg of dry thyme to approximately 5 liters of boiled water. Next, the liquid is infused for about half an hour. After the allotted time, the infusion is ready to be added to the bath.
Recipe for thyme decoction for stomach cancer
The prepared dry collection must be thoroughly chopped with a knife, after which it is poured into a small container, poured with boiling water and boiled in a water bath for about half an hour. When preparing, you need to follow the proportions: there should be 10 times more water than thyme.
The cooled and strained decoction is taken 30-40 ml three times a day.
Divine herb for health
Thyme - incredible useful plant, which is used in cooking, aromatherapy, cosmetology and medicine. Its properties have long been appreciated by healers. And to this day modern medicine actively uses this herb both in the preparation of natural home remedies and for medications.
From time immemorial Thyme was revered as a divine herb, capable of returning a person not only to health, but also to life. The plant is very popular among the people, especially among the Slavs. Even during paganism, our ancestors put Thyme on fireplaces, burning incense to the gods. And now they use it Thyme herb for fumigating premises, for example, cowsheds, after calving cows, for fumigating milk pots, they also smoke frightened children with it.
Names of Thyme
People call Thyme also: Thyme, Bogorodskaya herb, Savory, Incense. Latin name- Thymus vulgaris.
Where does Thyme grow?
Thyme widespread throughout Russia. It also grows in middle lane, and in the Urals, and in Siberia and especially in the Caucasus.
Thyme can be found on open places: Thyme loves meadows, forest glades, forest edges, and also grows in the mountains.
What does Thyme look like?
Thyme (Creeping Thyme ) - a small fragrant subshrub up to 30 centimeters high (usually lower because it spreads along the ground).
Thyme stem thin, brown, creeping, woody at the base, often takes root, forming additional roots.
Thyme leaves small oval, with white cilia along the edge.
Thyme flowers pink-violet or pink, two-lipped, collected in loose heads.
Thyme cannot be confused with another herb due to its special structure and bright fragrant aroma. Once again, you won’t confuse its smell with anything else.
Thyme flowering time
Thyme blooms for a long time - from June to August, giving people its aroma, fragrant tea and healing.
Collection and preparation of Thyme
Collect Thyme, like many herbs better in the morning in dry weather. Thyme grows in dense creeping bushes, so it is not difficult to find and collect.
Use flowering sprigs of Thyme. Collect carefully so as not to pull out or damage the roots. You can cut it, you can use your hands: with one hand you hold the stem from below, with the other you sharply break it and, as it were, cut it. If you accidentally pull out Thyme by the roots, do not throw it away, but plant it in the garden or near the house.
Dried Thyme on outdoors in the shade, scattering a 5-7cm layer on paper or fabric, turning over periodically.
Medicinal properties of Thyme
About the properties of Thyme Theophrastus and Avicenna also wrote. Modern experts who claim that “Thyme helps insecure, sensitive, nervous people to open up; restores strength and awakens emotions...” (annotation to one of the patented tonics). So feel free to add Bogorodskaya herb to your dishes and tea (knowing the limit, of course).
Thyme It is considered a very strong antiseptic. It also has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, expectorant, bronchodilator, antispasmodic, mild hypnotic, anthelmintic and many other properties.
Thyme against cough
Thyme effectively treats lung problems. So, with bronchitis or bronchial asthma, Thyme infusion will help.
Helps with dry throat and laryngitis collection from Thyme with leaves of Chamomile and Plantain flowers.
Thyme against impotence
In the treatment of prostatitis and impotence regular use will help tea with Thyme. You can add it periodically St. John's wort, Linden or Rosehip.
Thyme restores strength
Baths with Thyme will help recover and cleanse the skin. It is enough to boil the Thyme, filter it and pour the broth into the bathroom. You should take a bath for 20 minutes.
Thyme oil You can stimulate biologically active points, thereby adding energy. You can prepare the oil yourself. Why thyme grass should be poured with vegetable or olive oil and left for a month. The longer you wait, the better. Before use required quantity The oils should be filtered and rubbed clockwise into points on the body.
Thyme - external use
Thyme externally used for the treatment of non-infectious skin rashes, psoriasis, wounds, burns;
Thyme is used for rinsing hair anti-dandruff.
Thyme is used for joint pain, rheumatism, bruises and sprains, do baths, wraps, compresses with thyme;
Thyme tincture copes with joint and muscle pain - it should be used as a rubbing. To prepare the tincture, fill half a half-liter bottle fresh leaves and Thyme flowers. Then pour in a couple of glasses of vodka and leave the bottle for 2 weeks to steep. After this, the tincture is filtered and the herb is squeezed out. With this tincture you can not only rub your joints, but also take it orally after meals, 30-40 drops.
Thyme - Contraindications
The active ingredient in Thyme is thymol. In case of overdose, thymol can provoke hyperfunction thyroid gland. You should also not take Thyme for pregnant women. And also for those who suffer from kidney disease, peptic ulcers of the duodenum and stomach.
Application of Thyme
Thyme widely used in both official and folk medicine. The easiest way is to brew Thyme tea(with Thyme).
- extremely useful and delicious drink. Tea with Thyme- a wonderful tool that will help you in the fight against a huge amount ailments. This drink is very good for treating throat problems. You just need to throw a few sprigs of thyme into boiling water. After the tea has brewed and cooled, add honey to your taste and drink this drink little by little throughout the day.
If you feel tired and broken, you are overcome depression, then this aromatic, tonic drink will come in handy. Thyme drink not only can it take a person out out of depression, but is also actively used in rehabilitation after brain injuries.
Thyme tea has a wonderful warming effect in the cold season and is just as good quenches thirst when outside the window there is scorching summer heat.
Water infusion of Thyme: Pour 1 tablespoon of thyme herb into 2 cups of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour, in a thermos;
Alcohol tincture of Thyme: mix thyme herb with alcohol or vodka in a ratio of 1:5, tightly close the container with a lid and leave in a dark place at room temperature for 7 - 10 days. Then the tincture must be filtered through several layers of gauze or through a filter bag. It is better to store the tincture in a dark place. The dose is only a few drops;
Thyme oil (Thyme oil) (not to be confused with thyme essential oil!): pour 100 g of chopped fresh herbs into 0.5 liters of refined oil (preferably olive oil), then leave the mixture in the dark in a closed glassware 14 days;
Thyme Powder: Finely grind the dried thyme herb in a mortar to the consistency of powder. Store in a closed glass container.
Thyme Seasoning
Thyme has a pleasant strong odor, sharp, strongly spicy bitter taste.
The aromatic, vitamin-rich leaves of Thyme are used as a spice. It improves the taste, imparts aroma, and gives a bitterness. Remains one of the leading spices in baking. Improves smell and taste vegetable dishes, especially from potatoes and cabbage.
Thyme How seasoning for fatty foods, it not only significantly improves and enriches the taste, but also promotes its digestion.
Thyme goes well with egg dishes and cheeses. Its popularity for smoking foods is undeniable; no spice enhances the taste of lentil, pea and bean soup like Thyme. In fresh and dried form, Thyme is used for pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, and squash.
Thyme leaves added to salads, borscht, vegetable soups, chicken broths. Thyme is used to flavor cheeses, add it to sauces, marinades, fried foods(potatoes, mushrooms, eggplants), added to spicy mixtures, added to pickling vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.), healing teas and aromatic drinks are prepared with it.
Thyme - interesting facts
Thyme, unlike most antibiotics, is one of the few herbs to which modern microbes cannot develop resistance.
The Slavs used Thyme to appeal to the Gods. To do this, flowering twigs are thrown into the fire, they look at the smoke, and inhale it. Thyme helps to establish a connection with the Gods and ancestors. Thyme is used in many rituals both among the Slavs and other peoples.
There is still a belief in Ireland that with the help of Thyme you can see fairies. To do this, you just need to wash your eyes with dew from a Thyme bush at dawn after Walpurgis Night.
Long time Thyme was a symbol of military valor, male power . Thyme baths and thyme tea were popular pre-battle morale boosters for Roman legionaries and Scottish Highlanders. In the Middle Ages, noble knights wore scarves with embroidered Thyme leaves.
For many thousands of years, people have been using thyme as a mystical plant that restores health and even life to a person. Amazing abilities known aromatic herb improve the taste of cooked dishes, treat many diseases, and have a beneficial effect on the energy of space.
The premises were fumigated with thyme in order to expel evil forces and unclean spirits; the smoke from the smoldering plant can relieve fear from a child. Our distant Slavic ancestors brought fragrant branches of thyme as gifts to the gods.
Useful properties of thyme
Modern science notes the ability of the plant to restore strength and awaken positive emotions, and also provide psychological impact on people who are insecure, nervous, overly sensitive. Since the time of Avicenna, thyme seeds, together with parsley, have been found in miraculous medicines prepared on a honey, oil, alcohol or vinegar base.
Even now, the village housewife carefully preserves a dry sprig of divine grass, so that after the successful calving of the nurse-cow, she can fumigate both the room itself and the milk pots. The antiseptic properties of this plant are beyond doubt, along with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant and bronchodilator properties.
A small pillow with a collection of herbs with the addition of thyme makes sleep deeper and more peaceful. A decoction of fragrant thyme will help cleanse the body of worms, and baths with its addition are indicated for joint and muscle rheumatism, bruises, and for the treatment of infectious rashes.
General characteristics of the plant
Thyme contains essential oils, is rich in beneficial bitters and tannins, resins, mineral salts, vitamins C and B, acids: acetic, malic and omanolic, as well as carotene, flavonoids and thymol.
Having seen thyme in a close-up photo, it is difficult not to recognize it later. natural conditions. Thyme (Bogorodskaya herb, fragrant) - quite a long time ago famous plant. Since ancient times, people have known many ways to use thyme.
Besides remedy, thyme was used in cooking and in performing magical rituals. Today, thyme is very actively used in both traditional and folk medicine. Of course, dried thyme herb can be bought at a regular pharmacy, but it is better to collect it yourself by walking in the forest. Once you remember what thyme looks like in the photo, finding the plant will not be difficult.
Appearance of thyme
Thyme is a perennial subshrub with creeping stems, woody in the lower part, with numerous flowering leafy branches. Small, two-lipped flowers of purple-red color are collected in a head and are very fragrant. The leaves are small, elongated or oval.
Thyme blooms from the second half of June to last days August. Fruit - 4 nuts in the remaining calyx. Grows on sandy soils, between bushes, in pine forests, its jackets are clearly visible during the flowering period.
Preparation and storage conditions
Thyme is prepared during full bloom, carefully cutting aboveground part. It is impossible to pull out the plant by its roots, since it slowly recovers, depleting its reserves. Dry the thyme herb in a shady, ventilated place.
Having antiseptic and bactericidal properties, thyme promotes wound healing and is indispensable in the treatment of respiratory diseases (bronchitis, cough, whooping cough, pneumonia, even tuberculosis).
Medicine for men
Thyme contains zinc, which has a positive effect on male sexual function, preventing prostatitis. An infusion of the herb is used as tea with the addition of oregano and mint. A good prevention of impotence are sitz baths with thyme decoction or rubbing oil into the perineal area.
To prepare the preparation, thyme is poured with ordinary olive or vegetable oil, infuse for at least a month. After pouring the required portion, filter it. Another method resembles the process of moonshine brewing: the raw materials are crushed, infused with water and the composition is distilled. Used to stimulate biologically active points and activate internal energy.
Application in cosmetology
Thyme essential oil can be used in medicinal masks to improve hair health and in cases of intense hair loss. For head lice, seven drops of thyme oil per 20 g of any shampoo is enough for washing, or you can lubricate a comb for combing your hair with oil.
When used as food, thyme eliminates fermentation processes and putrefactive phenomena in the intestines, bloating, and promotes the digestion of food. Many recipes can be found for preparing dishes using thyme as a seasoning. Thyme is contraindicated for women carrying a child, in whom the tone of the uterine muscles may increase. But for nursing mothers, tea with thyme improves lactation. In general, the beneficial properties of the plant are difficult to list - it is truly a miracle of nature.
Thyme is a subshrub with thin trunks growing along the ground, 5–40 cm high. The leaves are green, small, oval. The flowers are also small, pink-violet, collected in the form of bunches at the tips of the branches.
Thyme is distributed throughout almost all of Eurasia (except the tropics), in North Africa and Greenland.
Chemical composition
Thyme contains up to 1.7% essential oil with a predominance of phenols - thymol and liquid carvacrol. It also contains cymene, borneol, terpinene, terpineol, although not much. The plant also contains tannins, ursolic, caffeic, chlorogenic and oleanolic acids, flavonoids, gum, bitterness and many mineral salts.
What are the benefits of thyme for the body?
This plant is very useful for both.
For men
Thyme is really valuable for women, as it helps to increase “male strength”, affects potency, improves sperm quality, and treats prostatitis.
In addition, the plant has a healing and expectorant effect. It is recommended to avid people to get rid of the characteristic cough. This medicinal plant is also used in the fight against, to normalize, it helps relieve muscle spasms.
For women
Thyme is highly recommended for non-stress sufferers who suffer from prolonged migraines. Gynecologists recommend thyme for inflamed or painful appendages. Baths with thyme reduce stress and restore strength. 
Mothers nursing their babies also need tea with thyme, because it has beneficial properties for improving lactation and milk quality. But it’s better to reduce the consumption of thyme, as it can cause uterine tone. In some cases, it is generally contraindicated. So be sure to consult your doctor.
Application
Thyme is equally good in folk medicine, cosmetology and, of course, in cooking.
In cooking
In cooking, the herb is used both fresh and dried. This is an excellent seasoning for dishes (especially potatoes or), as well as pea and bean soups.
Adds a slight bitterness and piquancy to fried pork, lamb, duck, turkey, and goose. This spice is added to various cheeses. It is also suitable for pork pates.
Thyme is often added to, because it makes it tastier and gives it an amazing smell. Fresh or dried thyme is added to homemade preserves when pickling tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables.
In folk medicine
Herbal infusion is used for numerous reasons:
- colds, bronchitis, cough;
- heart disease, chest pain;
- illness;
- as a diuretic;
- stomach pain or;
- stomach ulcer;
- low acidity;
- shortness of breath, swelling, tumors;
- nervous diseases;
- anemia;
- goiter (enlarged thyroid gland);
- rheumatism;
- uterine bleeding, before or during childbed fever.
In cosmetology
Thyme perfectly cares for thin and weak nails, damaged due to coloring or curling, strengthens and restores nails. Thyme extract tones and has an antimicrobial effect. It is mixed into creams, lotions, and shampoos. It is also good against acne.
Aroma baths with thyme have a beneficial effect on overall well-being and improve mood. Thyme oil is often used to flavor creams, soaps, lotions, and toothpastes.
Collection, drying and storage of medicinal raw materials
You need to collect thyme while it is blooming - from late June to early August. It is best to do this in dry weather when the thyme is dry with dew. 
Carefully cut off the tops, along with leaves and flowers, and place in baskets or paper bags. It is forbidden to pull out the plant by its roots, as it will no longer be able to reproduce. Moreover, for medicinal purposes you will only need its ground part.
Important!When collecting and storing thyme, make sure that it does not become compressed or wrinkled. Also make sure that the basket does not include rough stems, damaged, unhealthy plants eaten by insects, as well as insects themselves or their larvae.
It is best to dry thyme in the attic or in the shade under special canopies. The main thing is that in this place there is good ventilation. Place it on paper or natural, not very thick fabric. Another option is to tie the thyme into small bunches and hang them.
It is not recommended to use dryers in this case, since accelerated drying the plant will lose such important essential oils. If you can’t do without a dryer, be sure to monitor the temperature inside; it should not exceed +35 °C.
It is necessary to dry the plants until their stems become brittle and the flowers and leaves begin to fall off. At the end of the process, do not forget to remove rough stems, spoiled leaves and other unnecessary impurities from the grass.
Place the thyme in a dry, dark place with access to oxygen. To preserve thyme longer, place it in a glass container, paper or fabric bags, thick carton boxes. Plastic bags are contraindicated! In them the grass will lock up and lose medicinal properties. If you follow all the recommendations, you will have thyme for at least two years.
Folk recipes
Thyme is simply a real storehouse of useful things! Therefore, in folk medicine and cosmetology there is no way without it.
For hair
A decoction is prepared based on the plant, which is added to products for. It’s very simple to prepare: pour a spoonful of thyme into a cup hot water, bring to a boil, after 5 minutes set aside, let brew for 30 minutes, strain and cool.
The resulting broth is added to:
Rinse for oily hair. After washing your hair, use one of these treatments: - Boil three tablespoons of oak bark, a spoonful of thyme and chamomile in a liter of water for 20 minutes;
- the collection of thyme, linden and yarrow (in equal proportions) pour a couple of cups of water brought to a boil, boil again;
- two tablespoons of crushed dry rowan, pour boiling water over a spoon of thyme, simmer for 10 minutes.
Wellness baths
If you are worried about joint and muscle pain, paralysis, or you are seriously hurt, prepare a strong infusion: 500 g of dry crushed thyme, pour 2.5 liters of boiling water, cover, leave for 30-40 minutes, strain and add to the bath. The water temperature should be +37-38 °C. The duration of the procedure is 10-20 minutes.
For skin rashes, diathesis, for bathing weakened babies, pour 5 tablespoons of dry crushed herbs with a liter of boiling water, close tightly, leave for two hours. Strain and pour into baby’s bath water. 
Thyme has a general strengthening effect, acting as a natural immunomodulator. For this purpose they use medicinal baths with it: boil the plant until you obtain a concentrated infusion, pour into hot bath. Take a bath for a maximum of 15 minutes.
For headaches
If you are worried about frequent symptoms, thyme will also help you. Pour 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves and flowers into 250 ml of boiling water, cover, cook for 5 minutes. Juice, strain, take 20 ml infusion three times a day before meals.
For joint pain
As mentioned above, baths with thyme are good for joint pain. But, in addition, for example, for rheumatism, they also do it with thyme essential oil. 
Mix the oil with cream or ointment (2-3 drops of oil per 5 ml of cream). Massage can also be done with a mixture of essential oils, juniper, eucalyptus, fir, cypress, lavender, rose, rosemary, mint or. They all go well with thyme. But you cannot mix more than three oils and increase the dosage by 2-3 drops. Massage your joints until the skin turns red and you feel warm.
For coughs and colds
When coughing:
- Place a fresh plant with flowers in a liter jar, pour 500 ml, leave for several weeks in a dark place. Strain. If you have a cough, take the infusion 30 drops once a day.
- Mix two or three tablespoons of thyme with a spoonful of oregano and a spoonful of mint, pour boiling water over it, leave overnight. Drink like tea, an excellent cough remedy. For children, be sure to dilute the broth with water.
- They also help with coughing: cover your head with a towel/blanket and breathe over the steam of the hot infusion for 10-20 minutes. After the procedure, wrap yourself up and do not leave the house.
In cases of colds:
- Take 1 tablespoon of thyme infusion, aloe juice, honey, mix and drink.
- By the way, for colds, thyme is mixed with other herbs for inhalation: 1 tablespoon of dry thyme, eucalyptus leaves and sage, pour three cups of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain, breathe over the infusion.
- Thyme essential oil is taken orally, adding 1-2 drops (no more!) to half a glass of tea/milk or dripping the oil onto a piece of sugar/in a teaspoon with honey.
To increase potency
For men suffering from early ejaculation, there is a thyme drink: pour two large spoons of dry thyme into a thermos, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over them, leave for two hours, filter. Drink twice a day for two weeks. Take a break of seven days and take the course again. 
To increase sexual energy and stamina, use thyme oil, rubbing it daily into the groin and perineum. By the way, you can not only buy oil, but also make it yourself: pour a little into 15 g of chopped grass olive oil, leave for a month in a dark place. Treat as much as you like, rubbing in the oil as needed.
Did you know?IN Ancient Rus' wreaths were made from thyme for brides, and on the Feast of the Assumption Holy Mother of God decorated icons with it Mother of God, because they considered the plant sacred.
Healthy tea recipes
Preparation of tea with thyme:
- with thyme soothes coughs and relieves inflammation. If you have a cold, pour a couple of tablespoons of chopped herbs into a teapot and add 250 ml of boiling water. Place in a water bath for 15 minutes. Wait an hour for the broth to cool. Drink a cup of tea three times.
- And this tea relieves pain, calms the nerves, has an anticonvulsant effect, helps men with potency, and treats prostatitis. Pour flowers and thyme herb into the teapot, leaf green tea. Fill halfway with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Add more boiling water and strain.
- , contained in thyme, improves the functioning of the heart and genitourinary system. Pour the herb of oregano, mint and thyme in a ratio of 1:1:3 into a thermos, pour boiling water over it and wait 12 hours for it to brew.
- To make your skin better, brew regular tea, adding thyme, sweet clover, lavender, rosemary, chamomile, lemon balm and coltsfoot (all herbs should be in the same amount). Drink 150 ml tea several times a day.
Thyme tea has a lot useful properties, but it also has contraindications that you also need to be aware of. Family Lamiaceae - Labiatae.
Thyme (marshal's thyme; lat. Thymus serpyllum ) is a perennial rhizome that creeps along the ground herbaceous plant with a strong aromatic odor, forming tufts. The stems are numerous, thin, erect. The leaves are small, opposite, oblong-oval, with prominent veins and glands. The flowers are small, two-lipped, mauve, collected in axillary half-whorls, forming a discontinuous cylindrical inflorescence. There are four stamens, a pistil with a bifid stigma. The fruit of thyme is four nuts sitting at the bottom of the cup. Very polymorphic species (represented by numerous similar forms). Plant height 5-25 cm.
Common names: Bogorodskaya grass (Astrakhan region), upland pepper, savory (Voronezh region), flypalm (Leningrad region), thyme (Ukraine), Matserzhanka (Grodno region).
Flowering time: June July.
Spreading: thyme is found in forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Western Siberia and Transbaikalia.
Place of growth: thyme grows on sandy soil on dry open slopes, steppes and forests.
Applicable part: grass (stems, leaves and flowers).
Collection time: June July.
Chemical composition: thyme herb contains tannins and bitter substances, gums, resin, flavonoids, malic, ursolic and oleanolic acids, mineral salts and essential oil (0.1 - 0.6%). The composition of the essential oil includes thymol (up to 30%), carvacrol (up to 20%), n-cymene, α-terpineol, a-terpinene, zingiberene, borneol and other substances.
Collection and preparation: Leafy twigs (thyme herb) are used as medicinal raw materials. Thyme herb is collected during the period of full flowering, without pulling it out by the roots, dried outdoors in the shade, spread in a layer of 5-7 cm on paper or fabric, stirring frequently. They are then threshed and sifted to remove the thick woody stems. Store raw materials in a dry, ventilated area for 2 years.
Contraindications: You should not use thyme if you have cardiac decompensation, cardiosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, or cerebral atherosclerosis. Thymol, which is part of thyme, has a harmful effect on the liver and kidneys (you should pay close attention to the thymol test in tests). Thyme is contraindicated if you have low thyroid function. Even if you do not have this disease, long-term use of thyme can lead to hypothyroidism. Thyme is contraindicated during pregnancy.
Application:
Thyme is an ancient medicines. It is known that the ancient Greeks used powdered thyme as snuff for fainting. The plant is widely used in folk medicine various countries for the treatment of many diseases.
An aqueous infusion of thyme herb has an expectorant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, mild hypnotic and anthelmintic effect. An infusion of the herb is taken orally as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent for colds, coughs, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The infusion is also used for insomnia in adults and children, shortness of breath, women's diseases, chest and toothache, for abdominal pain and is used as a remedy for binge drinking and an anthelmintic to remove tapeworm.
In German folk medicine, a water infusion of the herb is used for whooping cough, severe cough with irritation of the mucous membranes, bronchial catarrh and bronchial asthma, with various gastrointestinal diseases: gastric catarrh, heartburn, stomach colic and cramps, duodenal ulcer, bloating from the accumulation of gases.
Baths and compresses made from thyme infusion, as well as herbal pillows as poultices, are used as an anesthetic for joint and muscle rheumatism, paralysis, bruises, and tumors. Wash your hair with an infusion of herbs for headaches and dandruff and rinse your mouth to eliminate bad odor. The herb is also used for refreshing aromatic baths.
Thyme herb is used to prepare the drug pertussin, used for coughs.
Mode of application:
1) Infuse 1 tablespoon of dry thyme herb for 1 hour in a closed container in 1 cup of boiling water, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
2) leave 4 tablespoons of dry thyme herb for 1/2 hour in a closed container in 1 liter of boiling water. Use to wash your hair for dandruff once a week and to rinse your mouth after meals.
3) Boil 3 tablespoons of thyme herb with boiling water and wrap in gauze. Use hot pads as a poultice and as a pain reliever.
Liquid extract (Extractum Serpylli fluidum) no 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day. Liquid thyme extract is produced in 100 ml bottles.