Stinging Nettle - Urtica dioica

[Creator]

Stinging Nettle

Latin name: Urtica dioica (medical name for hives: urticaria)

Medicinal Properties:

Diuretic
Tonic
Astringent
Anti-allergenic

Nettles main use is as a cleansing, detoxifying herb. It has a diuretic action, due to its flavanoids and high potassium content and increases urine production and the elimination of waste products.

It helps many skin conditions such as eczema and arthritis, especially when poor kidney function and fluid retention are a key factor.

Nettle slows down bleeding from wounds, nose bleeds and heavy menstrual bleeding. Make an infusion using 25g of fresh Herb per 750ml water and drink 4 times a day.

Nettle's anti-allergenic properties make it ideal for treating hay fever, asthma, and insect bites. Ironically, the juice from the stems can be used to treat Nettle stings!

The Leaves help anaemia as they are high in Iron and also improves breast milk production. You can cook the fresh young Leaves and eat them like you would with Spinach.

CAUTION: Do not eat uncooked Leaves, they can cause kidney damage and poisoning!

Magical Properties

Nettle can be used to remove a curse and send it back, by stuffing a poppet with it or carrying it in a sachet. A pot of freshly cut nettle placed beneath a sickbed will aid in recovery. Used in purification sachets.

[Thorn]

I use capsules of freeze-dried nettles as an anti-histamine.

The young leaves are full of all kinds of vitamins and minerals, not just iron, and are an excellent food source. (Or rather, they're reputed to be - I've never tried them myself.)

[casilda]

if you suspend a hessian sack of stinging nettles in a vat of water it makes a great plant feed for gardening!!

(not sure if that is relevant in this thread - please delete if not appropriate)