The slender birch tree is able to reach a soaring one hundred feet in its mature stages. Just about every part of the birch is used for natural medicines including the bark, sap and flowers. However, it is the birch leaves, which sprout in varying shades of green and have a slight aroma that are most often associated with healing.

Specifically, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved birch as a legitimate treatment for warts. The bark contains betulin, betulinic acid and salicylates. These compounds are heavily active with antiviral properties, which can combat the viral infection that produces warts. If you have access to fresh birch bark, a wart can easily be removed from the skin by taping the bark directly to the affected area.

Additionally, birch is considered a stalwart analgesic. This makes it appropriate for the treating of various contributors of muscle soreness. Included are rheumatism and arthritis, which both induce a tender stiffness in the joints and muscles. The use of birch gets to the root of the resulting pain and inflammation by drawing out the harmful toxins that cause these issues.

The leaves of birch can be made into a tea, which is effective in the urinary tract. The leaves’ flavonoids are able to stimulate urination. It can also avert any inflammation and spasms that might occur due to disorders in the urinary tract. These include pyelonephritis, ureteritis and urethritis. However, any severe infection might not be wholly treated by the birch alone.

Birch has also been used to heal boils and sores in European societies and is a traditional method of treatment for skin rashes and hair loss. Finland researchers cite the extracts of birch leaves as a killer of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium. The betulinic acid within birch is proven to restrain the growth of melanoma cells, which are the cause of skin cancer. Finally, birch can also treat cellulite by destroying the toxins and relieving the edema through its diuretic action.

To obtain birch, one must look to locally run herbal stores or wildcrafters. It is not a known item in mainstream retail chains. Birch leaves used in teas are preferable to treat most ailments with the exceptions of bladder and kidney infections. It can also be turned into a douche. However, women suffering from damaged heart or kidney functions should avoid their use due to possible side effects.