JUNIPER BERRIES

Juniper berries are packed with antioxidants which can be incredibly helpful in maintaining good cellular function.
Juniper berries also contain volatile oils, vitamin C & flavonoids which can help supplement your diet as well.

Juniper berries act as a diuretic, drive toxins from the blood & encourage digestion.

Juniper berries are useful for digestive problems resulting from an underproduction of hydrochloric acid & is also helpful for gastrointestinal infections, inflammations, gout, palsy, epilepsy, typhoid fever, cholera, urethritis, rheumatism, weak immune system, sciatica & cramps.

The berries may also be crushed & applied topically to slow-healing wounds as they are a powerful antiseptic.
Washing joints with a tea made of juniper berries helps to relieve pain & soreness.

Juniper essential oil has astringent properties & is helpful in treating toothaches & strengthening the gums.
Chew Juniper berries to cure inflamed & infected gums. 

Juniper berries can also be used as a urinary antiseptic.
The juice can also be ingested as a digestive tonic.
Among the many juniper health benefits are its carminative properties which make it one of the best natural cures for flatulence, dyspeptic, colic & gas. Massaging with the essential oil of juniper is the best way to get rid of unwanted aches & pains & skin infections.
They strengthen & cleanse the stomach & digestive tract.
Juniper tea is commonly drunk after meals to help settle the stomach & prevent bladder or digestive problems.
Drinking this tea is also excellent for stimulating appetite which is why it can be enjoyed before a meal as well.
Since juniper tea is also a diuretic, it is often used to help flush out the system & clear up kidney & bladder issues, which can protect the digestive system as well.
Juniper is a detoxification agent that clears uric acid.
It aids in the treatment of urinary infections, water retention problems & gout.
It stimulates menstruation, regulates periods & alleviates menstrual cramps.
   
Juniper berries can also help you lose weight. This is because juniper is a diuretic, depurative & a sudorific. It not only helps to cleanse toxins from the blood, but also helps to increase the frequency of urination & perspiration which can significantly aid in weight loss.
The berries are extremely effective for the treatment of cystitis.

Juniper berries are particularly useful for the treatment of arthritis & rheumatism, neuralgia & muscle aches & pains.
Decoction of the leaves can be used as a poultice to alleviate arthritis & rheumatism.

Juniper is very energizing & restoring & can help coping with nervous exhaustion, mental fatigue & other stressful conditions.
The essential oil is widely used in aromatherapy to reduce stress, depression & cure sleep problems.

The antiseptic properties of the berry are useful to get rid of yeast, bacteria & fungi infections.

It also contains natural insulin which is beneficial for diabetics & in helping the functions of the pancreas.
The tea is a diuretic & is considered to be an excellent remedy for hyperglycemia.

Apply tea on pains, infections or snake bites as an antiseptic.
Juniper oil mixed with lard can also be applied.

Juniper can also be applied topically to treat skin ailments & conditions like acne, athlete's foot, warts, skin growths, psoriasis & eczema.
Cade oil, which comes not from the berries but from the tree's wood, is particularly helpful in treatment of psoriasis on the scalp.

Juniper berries have demonstrated positive results in the treatment of lung disorders as an effective expectorant & decongestant.
Additionally it has been used as a medicinal herb for coughs, bronchitis & upper respiratory infections.
Juniper Berries are beneficial in reducing congestion, as well as treating asthma & colds.
When juniper oil is used in a hot vapor bath, it is useful to inhale the steam for respiratory infections, colds, asthma, bronchitis, etc. The pure oil should not be rubbed on the skin as it can be very irritating & cause blisters.

Juniper berries  are most effective when used in combination with other herbs such as broom, uva ursi, cleavers & buchu.
Dried berries are excellent as a preventative of disease & should be chewed or used as a strong tea to gargle the throat when exposed to contagious diseases.

PRECAUTIONS:

Juniper berries might cause uterine contractions, pregnant women should not use this herb.

Diabetics who choose to try this herb should exercise caution & monitor blood sugar carefully.

People with kidney problems should avoid Juniper berries.
Juniper berries or essential oil may be irritating to the kidneys. If the urine begins to smell of violets, the dose is too high or the herb has been used for too long & kidney damage is a danger.

At high doses or over long periods of time, juniper berries can cause digestive distress, blood in the urine, or irritability & jitteriness.
A single large dose can cause diarrhea.
As a topical treatment for psoriasis, juniper tar may increase the risk of skin cancer.
People sometimes develop allergies to juniper pollen or juniper berries. Such allergies are more prevalent in those who handle these plant materials.

RECIPES:

Juniper berries should be collected only during the end of summer when they have ripened fully. After picking the mature berries they should be spread out sparsely on a tray & left in the sun to dry. Alternately, the ripened berries may also be kept in a shady location where there is plenty of air for dehydration.
Once the berries have dried & shrunk, they are stored in hermetically sealed containers for use when necessary. In order to avail the utmost essence from the dried juniper berries, they need to be used within a year's time from when they are harvested.

Pounded juniper berries, whether fresh or dried, are superb for marinating meats or conserving them to be served cold. The aroma as well as the resinous essence of juniper berries contributes to the delight of beef, goose, pork, pickled fish, wild game, casseroles, pate, stuffing, gravies .

Juniper is much used in the traditional cuisine of Central Europe, e.g. for the Southern German specialty Sauerkraut.
Fresh cabbage is preserved by lactic fermentation & seasoned with juniper, caraway & with few bay leaves.
The taste then develops during aging in large wooden barrels.
Sauerkraut can either be eaten raw as a kind of salad or be cooked or fried, often together with smoked ham or bacon, to be served as a side dish.

Juniper's main application is, however, meat; it is felt indispensable for venison & combines well with black pepper, marjoram & laurel berries.
The berries give a taste of game to tame meat. Add a dozen or so berries to the stewing mix when you cook your steak until tender. This works nicely with lean beef, which you can then serve as moose to unsuspecting foreigners.
Juniper berries, properly called cones, should be crushed immediately before use.

It's also nice to make a bed of juniper twigs to put your fresh & freshly gutted wild salmon on, before you bake it in the oven. Put a bit of dill & salt, pepper & lemon juice inside & add some lemon & salt on top. Serve when done.

Dried berries: Chew a few a day.

Use Juniper berries as whole, ground, or rubbed through a sieve.
To prevent loss of essential oil, juniper berries should not be ground, crushed, or rubbed until just before use.
The herb can be combined with birch leaf, horsetail, parsley seed or restharrow in herbal diuretic teas.

Juniper  Tea:

Add 1 -2 teaspoons of freshly crushed, dried juniper berries to 1 cup of water, bring to a gentle boil & simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Strain & drink a cup 3 times a day.
If desired, sweeten with 1 tsp. honey unless used for gastrointestinal problems.
A tea made from the berries is very useful in the treatment of urinary inflammations, bladder disorders & water retention.

Lemon & Juniper Marmalade:

3 tbsp juniper berries
6 unwaxed lemons, ends trimmed
320 ml water
80 ml gin
1kg caster sugar
Put 1 tbsp of the juniper berries in a spice or coffee grinder & blitz to a very fine powder.
Crush the remaining berries roughly in a pestle & mortar, put them inside a square of muslin & tie into a little bundle with string.
Cut the lemons in half length-ways, then cut each half width-ways into 1-2 mm thick slices.
Pick out & discard the seeds, then put the slices in a large saucepan for which you have a lid.
Add the water, to cover the lemons, then add the gin & the muslin-wrapped juniper berries.
Bring to a boil on a high heat, then turn down the heat to medium-low, cover & simmer for 40 minutes, stirring a few times; press the muslin bundle against the sides of the pan now & then, too, to help release the juniper berries’ flavor. The lemon skin should by now be very soft.
Lift out & discard the bundle of berries, then raise the heat to medium.
Stir in the sugar & the powdered juniper berries & continue cooking for 20 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved & the jam has slightly thickened.
Remove the pan from the heat & set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully pour into sterilized jam jars, seal & store.

Kidney Stone Crushing Decoction:

1 tsp juniper berries
2 tsp parsley root
1 tsp angelica seeds
2 tsp horsetail leaves
2 tsp marshmallow root
1 liter water
Boil all the plants in the water for 7 minutes.
Infuse 30 minutes & strain.
Drink all the liquid in 3 servings, before meals & extend the cure from 7 - 21 days to pass kidney stones & to relieve all types of water retention & rheumatism.

Juniper Berry Ointment Recipe:

1 cup ripe juniper berries
distilled water
2 cups oil (such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil)
2 – 3 tbsp beeswax
Soak the juniper berries in distilled water for several hours or overnight.
Lightly crush the berries  & place them with oil in the top of a double boiler (bain-marie) over low heat.
Bring the water to a simmer for several minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat & strain the juniper berries.
Discard the berries & preserve the oil.
Put the strained juniper berry oil back in the double boiler & put it back on a low heat.
Stir in the beeswax & allow it to melt.
Pour the juniper berry ointment into sterilized airtight jars & allow to set.
Massage the juniper berry ointment as needed into sore joints & muscles.

BEAUTY:

Juniper has antiseptic & astringent properties which explains why it has been used to treat acne & other skin blemishes.
It has also been used in combination with other herbs to treat psoriasis affecting the scalp.
It can be used to stop hair fall.
It can also cure dandruff.
Cade oil is used for skin problems & for loss of hair.

MAGIC:

The spicy warmth of Juniper berries purifies the aura, clarifies thought & protects from negativity.
In aromatherapy, juniper berry is used against anxiety, to improve memory & mental clarity & for sedation.
Juniper Berries can be used for protection, mental health, love, increasing psychic powers & breaking hexes. It is strongly protective & dispels negative energies & entities.
It is often used as incense in healing rites & to purify the sick room.
During meditation it helps focusing & concentration.
It has also been associated with prophecy & divination.
Juniper can be used in rites of passage & as a protector on shamanic journeys to the Otherworld.
It is an excellent herb for getting in touch with the deities & spirits of nature.
The berries of this herb, if added to sachets, will protect the wearer from accidents & theft, as well as from attacks from wild animals & snakes & to increase male potency.
Hung at your door, it’s said to protect you & your home from evil forces, evil people, ghosts & sickness.
It can also be used to keep bad spirits away.
If Juniper is grown by your doorstep, or hung at your front door it is said that the home will be protected against evil forces & persons.
Juniper is said to have the power to ward off evil. No demons or devils could withstand its power, not even the demons of disease: fumigating a space with Juniper will kill off germs & purify the air in a sick room.
Juniper is also considered a guardian of the threshold between this world & the next. Like Yew, it is thought to nurture the souls of the dead until they are ready to reincarnate. For this reason they are often planted on graves.
Juniper has been used as incense for a very long time & used in exorcisms, to help psychic powers, to break hexes & curses & to attract good, healthy energies & love.

In Europe the berries were burned for the last 3 days in April as a cleansing ritual & protection against sorcery.
It was also believed that if juniper was planted beside the main door it would prevent a witch to enter if she could not count all the needles correctly.
In Iceland it was traditionally believed that juniper & rowan could not grow together because each creates so much heat that one or other of the trees would be burn up.
For the same reason it was considered not a good idea to bring sprigs of both woods into the house together unless you particularly wanted your house to burn down.
Another Icelandic belief has it that if you are building a boat, you must either use both juniper & rowan wood or use neither of them in the boat, otherwise it will sink.
All sorts of magical powers were ascribed to it in Egypt: It was said to retrieve lost objects, protect against venomous beasts & guard against spells of faintness & weakness.
The Juniper berries were pierced by the Native Americans & used as beads. They placed the ripe berries over ant hills, scattered about, the ants ate out the sweet streak near the seed, leaving the desired perforation by which to string the beads.

Juniper has long been associated with ritual cleansing. It is burned in temples as a part of the regular purification rites.

It can be used to cleanse ritual spaces or magical tools.

If you add the wine or vinegar soaked berries to your bath & then sprinkle the used bath water & berries in your yard, you will soon meet someone who will become close to you.