STINGING NETTLE (URTICA DIOICA)

I'd like to introduce you to the queen of the plant kingdom, the Stinging Nettle. This plant is truly a miracle of nature. Not only can you make muslin cloths from it, but you can also use it to alleviate and even prevent all kinds of complaints. Let's take a closer look at our beloved nettle in this article!

Origin

The Nettle blooms from July to October and can be found all over the world. You can of course recognize them by their irritability when touching them, but also by their saw-toothed leaf edge. The square stem is 30 to 150 cm high.

Folklore

In old vernacular, the nettle is also sometimes called dangling herb, devil's herb or the devil's tongue. The fact that the devil appears a few times in the old vernacular when people mentioned nettles was because many stories were linked to their irritable side. Some said that a (very big) prominent nettle bush indicates an unsolved murder that happened where the nettles were located. The bush only disappeared when the murderer was known and served his punishment.

In certain gypsy cultures there are hairy earth spirits who, if you could get a hold of a hair from them, they could turn stones into gold. You will also notice hairs on the stem of the nettle, on which the association with earth spirits was based upon. Apparently these earth spirits could also be found in places where nettle could be found (often in front of an entrance for example).

The nettle was not only associated with earth spirits, but also to... love! Women used the nettle for centuries to arouse "burning" love in their favorite man. They did this by boiling nettle seeds and casting a love spell. After this, this decoction was poured over the doorstep of this desired man who would hereafter express his love to the woman that did the spell.

In folklore stories they indicate that the plants are best collected when the moon is waning, and the tea (as a spring cure) is also best drunk when the moon is waning. This is said to purify the blood.

Benefits

I have personally experienced the wonders of nettle and I can confirm that it is, super effective (if you use nettle in time) to relieve hay fever and prevent it as much as possible. This plant reduces histamine in your body. You can best use the plant in a tincture form when you want to use it for thus purpose. You can easily make a nettle tincture at home. If you want to have the best results make sure to use the youngest leaves. You can find the recipe for a home made stinging nettle tincture here. On the other hand, I can recommend the 'Physalis Urtica Dioica Nettle Tincture Bio' if you prefer to buy one.

In addition to the antihistamine effect, nettle also has a purifying effect on your body. It purifies the blood and lymphatic system. Due to this detoxifying effect, it is also beneficial for the liver. This is because nettle contains a number of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, including a high level of chlorophyll (which is why it's amazing for the liver).

Do you suffer from a lack of vitality? Then this queen of plants can also ensure that you get out of that sloppy energy! Nettle is, as mentioned, full of minerals and vitamins, think of; Calcium, Potassium, Iron, phosphorus and magnesium, but also vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, C, K and much more. It is also rich in protein and contains Omega 3. Nettle also helps detoxify the kidneys and is often known for its relieving effect on Arthritis, Rheumatism and Oedema patients.

Urtica Dioica can be used for many different problems. If you want to give your metabolism a boost, nettle can also be very beneficial for that process. It is good to use for skin problems and nowadays you can also find many shampoos that use nettle because of its cleansing effect. The minerals boron, silicon, sulfur, zinc and calcium support our bones, hair and nails. I myself have noticed that a tincture of nettle helps me tremendously with my appetite! I also feel more energetic and less tired. What do you love about stinging nettle? Let us know in the comments below!

Bronnen

Mineral Properties and Dietary Value of Raw and Processed Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) Laban K. Rutto, Yixiang Xu, Elisabet Ramirez, Michael brandt

De Magische kracht van Kruiden en Planten, Gertrud Scherf