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Nettle is the herb for masochists! In the past the sharp leaves were beat against the skin, a process called urtication. This painful practice drove the beneficial chemicals of the leaf into the skin for the treatment of arthritis and skin disease. Nettle contains natural antihistamines and anti-inflammatories and these were driven into the skin with this self-flagellation. Fortunately, today you get nettle's gain without pain. Stinging nettle is a perennial. It grows from 2 to 7 feet high and the leaves are serrated and pointed. The small, greenish flowers appear in clusters starting in July. There are many helpful chemicals in nettle: vitamin C and vitamin A, abundant chlorophyll, bio-available minerals, including silicon, calcium, and potassium chloride, dietary fiber and protein. The antihistamines in nettle make it an excellent treatment for hay fever. Nettle is also used to loosen congestion and open the bronchial airways in people with asthma or allergies. In addition it is used to treat inflammatory skin conditions. Nettle may help people with arthritis to reduce their dosage of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Nettle also contains large amounts of boron and silicon, two minerals that help ease symptoms of arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis. Nettle is able to increase the production of urine and treat urinary tract infections. It has a mild laxative effect and has the ability to increase the efficiency of liver and kidney function. Like many bitter herbs, nettle is a blood purifier used to treat asthma, ulcers, bronchitis, jaundice, nephritis, hemorrhoids and spasmodic dysmenorrhea. Nettle's use makes quite an impressive list: dysentery, diarrhea, hemorrhages, gravel, febrile affections, chronic diseases of the colon, nephritic complaints, eczematous affections, eczema of the face, neck and ears, and chronic cystitis. Externally it has been effective in treating burns, scalds, bleeding wounds, nettle rash (yes, you can use nettle to treat nettle pain), nosebleed, and urticaria. Nettle is a key ingredient in herbal treatment of BPH, a urination discomfort in men in which the prostate enlarges and hinders this function. It does this by keeping the body from converting testosterone into 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that causes the prostate gland to begin growing again after 40. It does not decrease enlargement of the prostate but increases the flow through the urethra. Taking nettle in combination with either saw palmetto or pygeum bark extract is, in some men, as effective as the drug finasteride. Nettle is also used in hair tonics because of its purported ability to stimulate hair growth. Nettle is one of nature's diuretics. It aids the body in eliminating uric acid and bacteria both of which cause urinary tract infections and kidney stones. This diuretic action of nettle may also help relieve premenstrual bloating and lower blood pressure. Should pregnant or nursing women take nettle? This is a debated issue. One side says it might cause the uterus to contract. Others say this is not a problem when taken in moderation. Perhaps the safety of this practice is related to when the nettle is harvested. If it is cut before it flowers, it seems to be safe in this regard. Nettle can be grown yourself, or purchased as a dried leaf to make into tea, or as capsules, tablets, and tinctures. Dried root products, often combined with saw palmetto, are also available for prostate treatment. Some just like to sprinkle the powder on their food. If you store the leaves, do so in a dark, dry, and cool place. Due to its diuretic action, prolonged use of nettle can cause an electrolyte imbalance. Also, people who take nettle on a regular basis should make sure they get enough potassium in their diet. For more on nettle leaves, visit More Than Alive, a website dedicated to promoting bulk dried herbs and their benefits to human health.
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