Icelandic moss aka Cetraria islandica is not a moss, but a lichen that has no root system. So it gets everything it needs to live from the ambient air. According to my observations, some part of these substances Cetraria receives from the accompanying plants: heather, blueberry or lingonberry shoots, other mosses, to which it, literally, adheres with all its stems.
Icelandic moss in a pine forest
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Icelandic moss absorbs harmful as well as beneficial substances. During long-term storage it is better to pack in insulated containers: for example, in glass jars, which must necessarily be buried away from light and even better to pack moss in vacuum bags – there are now many different kinds. By the way, I mostly keep my billets in Karelia, bringing them to Petersburg as needed and for short periods of time.
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Dried Icelandic moss is alive and well after two or three years! Just throw a sprig of dry moss in fresh water and it immediately comes to life: it will take on a brighter color, starts giving off odors. And in its native soil it will be ready to continue its vegetation. It’s the power of nature!
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Icelandic moss is a treasure trove of various substances and compounds, useful for humans. However, some of them can be extracted for medicinal purposes with cold or hot water, and often using an alkaline environment or even ethyl.
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Icelandic moss is not allergenic and no side effects have been identified. Nevertheless, after three or four months of the course it is worth taking a break for two or four weeks – for insurance, and at the same time during the break you can have control tests, which is especially important for serious illnesses.
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Grind the moss down to a 1-2 mm particle size. As shown by experiments conducted at the St. Petersburg Chemical-Pharmaceutical Academy, it is the best size for the extraction of useful substances in various media. In cases where the healing power of Icelandic moss is required for young children who can not drink bitter decoctions or infusions, it should be ground to a powder and in this form given to children, drinking something tasty. Just do not grind with a large stock – for a week at most. Ground moss is no longer alive!
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Icelandic moss contains lichen acids, including usninic acid. It is these acids that are the main “fighters” against various mycobacteria, including tubercle bacillus. However, such useful forest acids are very difficult to extract from the moss with ordinary water – hot or cold. But alkaline solutions do the job just fine. And how to create them at home? Very simple: let’s take baking soda and dissolve it in warm water, as before gargling your throat against sore throat.
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The effect of medicinal plants is strictly individual. Before starting a course based on home infusions from forest gatherings, it is best to consult with a doctor-phytotherapist: how long, how often and how much to take a folk remedy of its own production.
Good health to all!
Sincerely, Tofik Askerov.
I would be very grateful to those who send me their feedback on the results of treatment – asker56bek@mail
I found your article on Icelandic moss very interesting and informative. As a reader, I am curious to know if Icelandic moss can be commonly found in areas other than pine forests. Are there any specific regions or climates where this moss thrives? Additionally, I would love to learn more about the traditional uses of Icelandic moss and any potential health benefits it may have. Thank you!