Everyone knows nettles. Some are furiously destroying them in the garden, and others (like me) are resolutely defending it from the mower. It can be quite laborious to prevent the nettle root system from taking up the entire area of the garden. So it is often easier to look for nettles in the wild away from the road or the popular path used to walk dogs.
The healing properties of nettles have been known since ancient times, but unfortunately few people know how beneficial they are. It could be said that the whole body of nettle is healing, we also use the root and stem. We get more medicinal substances from fresh nettle, especially from young plants.
If you prefer comfort to crawling groves and meadows, you can also buy dried nettle at the pharmacy. You will find the use of this “annoying weed” not only in the kitchen when preparing spring dishes, but also in cosmetics.
Nettles for health problems
If you are taking blood thinners, talk to your doctor before using nettle. Nettle finds application in problems with menstruation, congestion, inflammation of the urinary tract, fatigue. You will appreciate it for the prevention of colds, it also cleanses the blood (detoxification), supports the production of breast milk and helps with headaches and back pain. Overall, it supports immunity.
Nettles can be used to treat the following health issues:
- diabetes and hyperglycemia, insulin resistance – a beneficial effect on glucose utilization in tissues; delays the need for oral antidiabetics
- urinary and kidney stones
- diseases of the liver, gallbladder, stomach, spleen and blood vessels
- high blood pressure
- nail mold
- acne
- swollen prostate
In all the above problems, nettle could help. For more serious or long-term problems, be sure to consider a doctor’s appointment.
Most people would not call drinking nettle leach a gourmet experience.
Nettles for cosmetics
Healthy hair and a head without dandruff may no longer be just a wish. And it doesn’t even have to mean a complicated preparation of guaranteed homemade recipes. During the winter, the hair is stressed much more than in the summer, suffering from transition from cold to warmth, frost, wind and wearing hats.
Early in the spring, we can look for nettles, find a pot to prepare the extract in, and a bottle of tincture. Fresh young nettle can do a miracle.
Don’t be afraid to bathe in nettles, you will get more elastic and firmer skin, and you will also reduce the risk of bruising.
Hair washing and bath
Put 4-5 full handfuls (fresh or dried) into 5 liters of cold water and slowly heat until boiling. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes.
If you use root, use one extra full handful hand and leave to infuse in cold water overnight. After heating, infuse for 10 minutes.
Tincture
It is best to dig out the root in spring or autumn. We clean the rhizome (root) with a brush, finely cut and fill the bottles up to the neck. Pour 30-40% alcohol (rye). Leave to infuse for 40 days.
Harvesting nettles
The whole plant is medicinal, but we most often use leaves collected before May, and the root (it can be dug even in autumn). It is good to equip with gloves before harvesting. However, if you get stung by nettles, use sorrel to neutralize.
When stewing nettles, they can withstand higher temperatures than other herbs (up to 60 °C). Steamed leaves turn black. Properly dried leaves retain their original color, are odorless and slightly bitter in taste. Nettle stew was actually eaten back in the Bronze Age.
Please note that the information provided on this site is not in the nature of medical advice or treatment advice. Modern medicine is based on good scientific practice and more serious problems cannot be solved by alternative natural methods. When treating health problems, always follow your general practicioner’s advice and consult the treatment procedures with him/her.