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Urtica dioica - Nettle 

Stinging Nettle

Parts Use:  Entire Plant

Medicinal Properties:  

Pectoral - Relieves disorders of he chest and lungs, such as an expectorant. 

Diuretic - Promotes the production and secretion of urine

Astringent - Herbs that are drying and drawing.  Externally astringents can be used to ease bug bites and burns and infections from a wounds. Internally, they work to help tone mucus membranes and dry up conditions of excess, like diarrhea or too much urine.  

Tonic - Herbs that restore and strengthen the entire system  

Styptic  -  Astringent, arrests hemorrhage and bleeding 

Rebefacient - An agent that reddens the skin by increasing the circulation when rubbed on the surface. 

Nettle is a weed most people dislike because when they touch it, it stings, but what some don't know is that this is a wonderful plant with medicinal and nourishing properties.  Handel with care or she will let you know.   Nettle has small sharp spurs that can cause stinging and irritation.    When you harvest nettle leaf make sure they are new plants not old.  

A rhyme from the book Garden of Eden, by Jethro Kloss

"Tender-handed grasp the nettle

And it stings you for your pains.

Grasp it like a man of mettle

And it soft as sil remains." 

Stinging Nettle is a super tonic herb, a blood purifier.  It is consider the "long life" herb and is a vitamin factory, rich in iron, calcium, potassium, silicon, magnesium, manganese, zinc and chromium as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals.   It even makes a great hair tonic! 

Cooked you can use them like you use spinach.  You can use them to make a tea, pesto, infused vinegar, steamed  and they taste really good..  

Stinging Nettle activates the metabolism by strengthening and toning the entire system.  Great for growing pains in young children.  Nettle is used for alleviating the symptoms of PMS, menopause, and is excellent for making a  reproductive tonic for men and women.  Rosemary Gladstar says "it is a superb herb for the genitourinary system and will strengthen weak kidneys, essential for vitality and energy".  Also great for liver problems and is excellent for allergies and hay fever. 

Here is a list of things Nettle can do.  Of course this also means changing your eating habits and life style habits to.  To achieve great health one must seek balance in all areas of their life.  

Nettle Can Be Used For: 

Spring tonic

Daily infusions for better health, increase energy

Eczema

Tea made from the leaves of the nettle will expel phlegm from teh lungs and stomach.  

Tea hair tonic, massage into scalp

Excellent for kidney troubles and kidney tonics, use in formulas to expel gravel from the bladder and to increase flow of urine. 

A poultice of the green steeped leaves can relieve pain, but can raise blisters if kept on too long. 

For liver disorders

To tone the nervous system, make a lemon balm and nettle tea

Reduce allergy and hay fever symptoms (with dietary changes to)

Drink 3 cups a day for edema

And so much more. ....

Information about Nettle Seeds: 

http://whisperingearth.co.uk/2010/08/23/harvesting-nettle-seeds/

Now is the time of year to go look for it and harvest some.  I also like to dry it for future use.  Remember wear gloves! Make sure you do not collect Nettle where someone has sprayed chemicals!  

How to harvest: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eth05p_UYh8

How to make a Nettle infusion.  I really recommend this! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRoMWmQaWvU

 Of course you cook Nettle, there are some who eat it raw, but if eating it is new to you I do not suggest doing this yet.  Here are just a few great recipes that you can make using  this wonderful plant.  

Nettles Pesto

2 cups stinging nettles leaves, packe

1 cup basil leaves, packed

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons organic olive oil

2 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

“Let Food Be Your Medicine and Your Medicine Be Your Food”  Hippocrates

“DON’T BE A DIETARY FADDIST, It’s NEVER a good idea to base your diet on just a couple of foods, vary your diet, your food sources, your type of preparation and

even your company when you eat”

Food Chart– Most Important Foods Listed First

The More Servings The Better:  At least 5 servings—minimum 3 cups a day :

Super Foods: First Choice Foods- The More Servings The Better: 

At least 5 servings—minimum 3 cups a day :

Beet greens, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, endive, dandelion greens, escarole, turnip greens, chicory, all lettuce, (except ice berg), cabbage all types, bok choy, argula, brussel sprouts, asparagus, beets, bean sprouts, sprouted seeds, pumpkin, winter squash, sweet potatoes, yams, radishes, turn ups, celery, celeriac, artichokes, green beans…..

Second Choice

Carrots, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, (never eat green bell peppers, they are not ripe), summer squash, egg plant, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli,  swiss chard, spinach.

Herbs To Use Daily/Immune System Builders

Mint, caraway, ginger, onions, horseradish, cayenne, thyme, cilantro, lemon balm, oregano, cinnamon, garlic, basil,  parsley, rosemary, turmeric, sage, cloves, fenugreek, chives, dill, fennel,

Muscle Builders/Brain Power Group

 Organic or grass fed beef, Organic or pasture raised chicken, organic pork, wild salmon, safe fish tested mercury free, organic or pasture raised lamb, nuts and seeds (preferably soaked and dehydrated, nut butters, organic peanut butter, temph, quinoa, organic eggs,

Quick Energy/First Choice fruits:  One to two servings a day

Coconut,  olives, organic blue berries, organic strawberries, organic raspberries, organic black berries, organic papaya, organic cranberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, peach nectarine, plum, apricot, kiwi, lemon, lime, organic cherries, pomegranate, guava, pineapple, mango, other berries

Quick Energy/Second Choice:

Grapes, watermelon, oranges, bananas, apples, tangerines,

Quick Energy Grains: Three Servings a day

Real white rice, sushi rice, brown rice, rice pasta, rice cakes, non fried rice products, spelt products, heirloom wheat, rye, buckwheat, oats,

Or

No More Tummy Troubles: Gluten Free: Three Servings A Day

Soy free, corn free potatoes free gluten free products non fried rice products 

Special Foods/Dairy: Two to Three Times A week;

Raw cheese, Raw milk or raw yogurt.  If you can not find it raw, then do not eat dairy

Quick Energy/ Three Times a Week:

If you are a vegetarian or vegan I suggest looking into fermenting foods and soaking methods

Black beans, kidney beans, chick peas, lentils, yellow split  peas, green peas, black eyed peas, lima, mung, navy, pinto, white beans etc.

Forbidden Food, Eat Plenty Of These:

Organic grass fed or pasture butter, coconut oil for cooking, and olive oil cold, real krill oil, fish oil that is mercury free, avocados,

One last factor:

An important factor is that we all have different nutritional needs.  Everyone needs the basic nutrients of fats, protein and carbohydrates, but the ration of these will vary from person to person based on their personal biochemistry, or simply “nutritional type”

There is no one –size fits all diet.

A simple way to ascertain how well-suited your diet is for you, is to evaluate how you feel after eating.  If you fell hungry, irritable, sleepy or sluggish after you eat, it’s a sign that your are likely not giving your body the fuel that it needs to do its job.

A Shoppers Guide To Pesticides In Produce:  

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/

Pictured below:  Nut and seed spread on a rice tortilla, kale, celery, lots of garlic, onions and half of an avocado 

 Recipe for nut and seed spread: 

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/nut-s

 Homemade Veggie Broth

Ideas For Ease and Convenience 

A Great Desert With Good Fat,  Chocolate Avocado Pudding