Nettle

Latin name - Urtica dioica

Common names- Stinging Nettle,Common Nettle

Medicinal actions-diuretic,astringent,tonic,styptic,rubifacient,alterative,nutritive,
hemostatic

USES- ( This information comes from my well stocked library of wonderful herbal/health books.)

*Increases fertility in men and women
*Eases leg cramps and other muscle spasms
*Diminishes pain during and after birth dues to its high calcium content
*Prevents hemorrhage after birth.Nettle is an excellent source of vitamin K and increases hemoglobin,both of which decrease the likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage
*Reduces hemorrhoids
*Increases the richness and the quantity of breastmilk.
*Stops external bleeding
*Excellent hair tonic
*Blood purifier....This makes it an excellent remedy for all kinds of skin problems (including eczema and acne)Since the cause of skin problems is often internal we must use blood cleansing herbs to treat them.
*Wonderful for the kidneys/bladder (including kidney stones)
*Headaches
* Helps prevent illness of every kind

MY personal experiences with Nettle......

Nettle is a wonderful,nourishing herb! It contains almost all of the minerals and vitamins needed for good health, especially vitamin A,D,C and K.Calcium,potassium,phosphorus,iron, and sulpher are abundant in Nettle.It is a very good tasting tea.Everyone in my family loves it except for me! It is one herb that I particulary do NOT like the taste of.I think I am the weird one though because I have heard from several sources that it is one of the best tasting herbal teas.It is readily available for gathering by nearly everyone as it grows just about everywhere!
This is the first herb I would recommend for any kidney/bladder problems and one of the first herbs I reach for when feeling run down.It is such a wonderful tonic!I send my husband a big mug of herbal tea everyday to work and it is often Nettle.
Nettle is my very healthy/good looking:) midwife's tea of choice.She drinks it daily and believes it to be a very big part of her good health.She has seen wonderful things happen with Nettle and anemic people.
As stated above, it is a great herb for maintaining health.Keeping healthy should be our goal.Herbs will help us heal ourselves when we are sick but the *best* route to go is to KEEP healthy.Nettle tea is a perfect for this!

Preparations and dosages:

Tea is the only way I have ever used Nettle.With nourishing/tonic herbs teas are the best way to get all the vitamins/minerals the herb has to offer. You can NOT overdose on Nettle tea! To make a good strong tea take a quart jar and put a nice size handfull of dried herb.(If using fresh,use two handfulls.) Fill the jar with boiling water,cover and steep for atleast 20 minutes.I like to let it steep until it is completely cool and then just reheat it if we want it warm.The long steeping time draws alot more nutrition from the herb.I like to get my tea steeping before I go to bed and then it is ready in the morning to strain and drink!

* BE CAREFUL* when pouring boiling water into glass jars.I have been making teas for years and love making it this way but occasionally a jar does bust.I have only had it happen a few times but it has happened.

* If you do not enjoy the taste of Nettle tea (like me!) add some mint.Mint is wonderful for disguising bad tasting herbs.