The nettles appear in the early spring!
It’s good to take advantage of nettles in early spring. Young nettle strains appear during this period and it is beneficial for all of us to make a cure with these wonderful herbs. The nettles are known since ancient times, as textiles, food, but especially medicinal.
The nettles are raw material in the pharmaceutical industry under the name “Herba et Radix Urticae majoris” (large nettle) and “Herba et Semen Urticae minoris” (small nettle). They contain proteins, plant hormones, enzymes, ketones, volatile oil, fatty substances, formic and acetic acid, provitamin A, vitamins B1, B2, C, K, pantothenic acid, folic acid, chlorophyll, protoporphyrin and coprotoporphyrin, betacarotene, tannins, potassium salts, calcium, magnesium, iron, silicon, phosphates.
Fresh nettles contain a green substance for the skin, consisting of an enzyme, a toxalbumin and formic acid. By scalding or drying, these substances lose their greening properties.
The nettles, therapeutic recommendations
Due to the presence of vitamin K and tannins have hemostatic, astringent, hematopoetic, slightly hypoglycaemic, diuretic, antiseptic and stimulating action of the epitalization of damaged skin.
They have diuretic-depurative action, by eliminating uric acid, chlorine and urea. It is used in edema, gout, rheumatism and as a depurative of connective tissue. Nettle is a good food and medicine.
It stimulates appetite, and the secretin content puts it on the same plane as spinach. Stimulates gastric, intestinal and pancreatic secretions. By the high content of chlorophylls, xanthophiles, iron and vitamin C,accelerates hematopoesis, being recommended in anemia deficient in hemoglobin and erythrocytes.
In cosmetics comes into the composition of shampoo, toothpaste, as well as in dermatology. Nettle root tincture is used in mixture with other herbal tinctures, against hair loss.
How nettles are used
Associated with dandelion and salad (lettuce), with a little sunflower and lemon oil, or in the form of cellular juice obtained by strong pressing or mixer. Add water up to 5 times the weight of the plant. Drink 80-100 ml daily.
Prepare as a food, like spinach, with garlic to taste or in the form of soup. An infusion of dried leaves (1-2 tablespoons) can also be prepared in a cup. They drink 2-3 cups a day.
Externally, use against hair loss, a decoction of 250 g root or leaves shredded to 1 liter water. Let them boil over low heat in a well-closed bowl for 1/2 hour. We can add (optional) a few tablespoons of vinegar. With this lotion wash the hair once a week.
Infusion from nettle leaves is recommended in varicose ulcers and in the palliative treatment of rheumatism. Local baths are made or applied in the form of poultices. You can treat stomatitis, treat wounds, speed up scarring. In folk medicine, the infusion of nettles is used to treat digestive, respiratory and renal diseases.