What are stinging nettles good for? If you asked me that a month a go my response would’ve been to avoid them at all costs. Now I’m making plans to dig some out of the woods and plant them in a container in our backyard!
So what changed? Why am I now drinking nettle tea, putting nettle cream on my arms, and planting it in my backyard?
Long time readers are aware that I subscribe to the Natural Herbal Living Magazine, and that I like to share a little of what I’m learning with you each month. So, you may have already guessed that the herb of the month for March was Nettles. That’s right, nettles!
Stinging Nettles, and Why I (now) Love them:
To begin with, stinging nettles are an amazing source of iron and magnesium. Okay, I’m pregnant, I need iron and magnesium. Sold! But how do I get these minerals from the nettles? Please, oh please do not tell me I have to get it from the nettle’s “sting”!
Nope, getting iron, magnesium, 10 other minerals and a whole slew of essential vitamins is as easy as drinking a cup of tea. That’s it! A simple cup of tea! Other ways include juicing, cooking, infusions and essences.
In the e-magazine I learned how to harvest the nettles, make my own flower essence, make a soothing skin salve, a soap, and even found a couple recipes for eating nettles. As a cook, I found those recipes very interesting and cannot wait to try them!
Because I also subscribe to the Herb Box, I received all the items needed to make a skin salve. Let me back up a bit here. Two weeks prior to receiving my box, I broke out with a nasty rash on the underside of my forearms. A call to the midwife assured me that all was fine and I was advised to run coconut oil on the rash. It worked…. kinda.
Then I get my box in the mail and actually did a little happy dance when I realized I now had all of the ingredients to make that salve! So I made it, and a little tin now sits on my night stand by the bed. Every night I rub that stuff into my arms, and it really works!!! Before, the itching would go away, but the rash was still there. Now the rash is faded way down, and showers don’t even make it bump up any more. At this point I would say the rash is 75% gone, and I haven’t had any itching at all for several days!
I know that several of you are interested in the Herbal Living Magazine, but you haven’t taken “the Leap” yet because most of this info can be found on the web if you look for it. I want to tell you why I find the Magazine so totally worth it.
The herbal living magazine puts everything you could want to know about a single herb into One Place. That One Place becomes your computer. In my case, it actually gets printed and put in a binder. This binder is then kept in an easy to reach place where I can grab it when I want to look up something.
This pdf format can be loaded to your e-reader and go anywhere with you. So if you want to share something you have learned with a friend or family member, you don’t have to search and search through Google to find a post that you read last week. It’s as easy as pulling up a file in your e-reader or computer.
Having info not only on the herb itself, but also info on how to grow and harvest that herb is awesome. Growing and harvesting your own herbs, means less out of pocket cost for you when caring for your family’s health!
Oh, and if you were wondering, here is what came in my herb box.
I love getting my herbal living magazine. I know you will too. I am an affiliate, so you will be helping to support this site if you make a purchase (don’t want to support us? clear your cookies before you order), thanks!
The Stinging Nettles issue and the herb box is available while supplies last. Check out their store for more info. Next month’s focus will be on Dandelion; I figure that one is fitting considering we will be finding those things in our yards!
i have spoken to you once before on facebo0ok, but have just discovered your blog today. and yes, of course, I love it, also! this particular post would prob help me, as i was in the hospital this past weekend getting a blood transfusion because for some reason my blood is low and docs haven’t figured out why, yet. they did tell me to take vitamin B12, folic acid, and gave me a prescription for iron. hoping that because my iron was really low that if it got back to normal then my blood levels will get back to normal. i think i may have try nettle tea.
Awesome! I like to put mint in mine to improve the flavor. Honey would also work if you like your tea sweet.
oh, i’m from the south, i LOVE sweet tea. and honey is so much better than sugar. although i have found a sugar that’s “healthier” than regular sugar. it’s called monk fruit, it’s so sweet you don’t need as much as you would need with regular sugar. and of course there is always agava (sp?).
When do nettles stop stinging? Do you just pick them & boil the leaves to make tea? Will they sting your throat.
Sorry about the late response. I really don’t know when they stop. I do know that I’ve never been “stung” by the dried leaves though. I’ve only used them dry for that matter.