Stinging Nettles: How to Harvest & Use Today

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Have you ever wondered how to harvest and use stinging nettles? This common weed grows throughout the world and is super packed with vitamins and minerals. Did you know that stinging nettles are one of the only plants that are a rich source of Vitamin D?

Stinging nettles are by far, one of my most used herbs.  We eat them and make medicines from them.  If there were one herb I couldn’t live without, stinging nettles would be it.

Nettles are super rich in minerals, vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, and helps the body metabolize protein.

Medicinally I use nettle tincture for:  allergies, arthritis and joint pains (as it promotes the relief of uric acid), and for its incredible powerhouse of nutrition.

Other Medicinal Qualities of Nettles

Scientifically, stinging nettles are an astringent, diuretic, tonic, anodyne, pectoral, rubefacient, styptic, anthelmintic, nutritive, alterative, hemetic, anti-rheumatic, anti-allergenic, anti-lithic/lithotriptic, haemostatic, stimulant, decongestant, herpatic, febrifuge, kidney depurative/nephritic, galactagogue, hypoglycemic, expectorant, anti-spasmodic, and anti-histamine.

What does all that mean?  It means nettles could help you with the following health concerns:

Congestion
Joint and Muscle Complaints
Allergies
Neurological Disorders (like MS)
Circulation
Kidney Stones
Internal Bleeding
Skin Complaints
UTI’s
Women’s Issues
Metabolic Disorders
Weight Loss
Prostate Health
Lupus
Gingivitis
Celiac Disease
Purifies Blood
and so much more!

Now do you love nettles as much as I do?

Using Stinging Nettles

Before you run out to pick your nettle patch (or a neighbors), there is a trick to harvesting nettles without gloves or equipment.  The stinging parts of the nettles are on the underside of the leaf and the stalk.  If you place your thumb and forefinger on the top of the leaf, close the leaf together and pull, you won’t be stung.

Create tinctures of nettles by filling a jar half full of fresh nettles. Then fill the jar to the brim with 100 proof alcohol. Shake daily for at least 2 weeks, strain, and bottle for use.  I use tinctures in my herbal infusions, teas, and sometimes just straight under the tongue.

Make nettle apple cider vinegar by filling a jar half full of fresh nettles. Then top the jar off with an organic apple cider vinegar, making sure all the plant material is covered.  Shake daily for at least 2 weeks, strain, then bottle for use.  You can either make an elixir with the vinegar or even a salad dressing.

Saute nettles with a little coconut oil, lemon, and garlic for a delicious and nutritious side. When you cook nettles, they lose their sting.

Add nettles to soups or casseroles.  Think about how you cook spinach, and replace it with nettles.

Take a Pacific Northwest traditional hot bath with nettles.  It has been a long native tradition to soak in a tub of nettles to relieve muscle and joint pain.

Did You Know……

Nettles relieve uric acid and are fantastic for the kidneys and joints?

Nettles are anti-allergenic and can knock your seasonal allergies down?

Nettle roots make fantastic medicine for prostate health?

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herbymama
Wendy is an herbal mentor who teaches the simplicity of herbs. Find her herbal lessons at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HerbyMama