Nettle, Nettle properties, Nettle application, Nettle for hair, Nettle infusion, Nettle contraindications

The beneficial properties of nettle are used not only for health, but also in the beauty industry. Nettle can be used internally in the form of teas or tinctures, and externally in the form of ointments or masks.

If you have any medical condition that can be helped by the properties of nettles, talk to your doctor for advice on how to do it right.

For centuries, people have used the beneficial properties of nettle to treat pain and inflammation associated with injury or illness. The substances contained in nettles fight against chemicals that our body produces and that cause inflammation in it. In addition, substances in nettles can interact with nerves that send pain signals to the brain. The use of nettle helps patients with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other conditions that cause joint pain or myofascial pain syndrome.

The properties of nettle can also be helpful in treating high blood pressure. For example, in the United States, pharmaceutical diuretics, that is, diuretics, are commonly prescribed to treat this painful condition. But in Germany, where herbal medicine is more common, the doctor may recommend taking formulations based on nettle. The properties of the herb nettle are also used to treat congestive heart failure.

Nettle: application

The use of nettle is absolutely safe if you follow a number of rules. Nettle leaves are edible and can be dried, boiled or frozen for later use. Stinging nettle is also available in capsule, extract and tincture form. You can buy them at pharmacies. The official medicinal use of nettle is only possible if it is a certified organic leaf product.

Dried nettle leaves are added to tea. You can even brew the infusion exclusively from nettle: just pour boiling water over the leaves prepared in advance, and after 10 minutes you can drink the infusion.

Here’s another recipe for making a nettle infusion: pour one cup of dried nettle leaves into a liter glass jar. Pour boiling water over the jar and cover. Leave the resulting infusion overnight, then strain. You need to drink it within 36 hours.

For long-term storage, dry nettle leaves are crushed in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Store dried nettles in an airtight container. This blank can be used as a seasoning for soup, stews, or added to a salad made from greens.

The use of nettle can also be found in the form of a cream, which is sold in a pharmacy. This cream is used to treat joint pain or sprains. And to relieve the itching from insect bites, it is enough to apply a small amount of such nettle cream to the sore spot.

Nettle for hair

Many women know that the substances that nettle contains have a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair, especially for dry or oily hair and skin. Nettle is beneficial for hair in that it cleanses the hair without removing the natural oils from the scalp. Hair nettle can be used for both acne and dandruff.

Nettle infusion can be used locally, lubricating the acne-affected area of ​​the skin, or you can rinse your hair with this infusion. Here’s the simplest recipe – squeeze the juice of fresh nettle, rub it into your scalp overnight, wrap your hair in a towel and go to bed. Shampoo your hair thoroughly in the morning.

Stinging nettle is good for unclogging pores and helping to loosen the dirt that causes acne. Nettle also helps unclog infected pores. In addition, traditional medicine experts believe that nettle can restore natural hair color. This property is useful for women who have their first gray hair. Talk to your dermatologist before using stinging nettle on your hair or scalp as your skin may react unpredictably to interactions with nettles. An allergic reaction can occur on the skin, which manifests itself in the form of a rash or hives.

Nettle infusion

In addition to being useful for skin and hair, nettle infusion also has beneficial properties for the health of the body as a whole. For example, it can help improve the condition of the cardiovascular system. Nettle infusion can also help people suffering from too frequent and heavy nosebleeds, hemorrhoids, varicose veins. True, one should not hope that all these diseases can be cured exclusively with nettle infusion, its use should be considered as additional help, and serious diseases such as blood diseases, anemia or heavy menstruation should be treated under the supervision of a doctor.

In addition, nettle infusion can help cope with diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder that makes it difficult for the body to control blood glucose levels. Too much glucose, that is, sugar, in the blood for a long period can lead to cardiovascular disease, gum disease, osteoporosis, and damage to the nerves, kidneys, and eyes. Nettle infusion can help the body control blood sugar levels. Back in the early 2000s, scientists discovered that nettle has antidiabetic properties by enhancing the effects of insulin, thereby increasing the body’s ability to lower glucose levels.

Nettle: contraindications

When using nettle, you need to remember about contraindications. This is especially true for those who are undergoing drug treatment: consuming an excessive amount of nettle infusion can lead to undesirable consequences from interactions with medications. Nettle can lower blood pressure, which is sometimes not desirable for a person. Contraindications associated with nettle may also be a possible overlay effect when used together with antihypertensive drugs.

Another contraindication associated with nettle: it can suppress the activity of the central nervous system and increase the effects on the central nervous system of antidepressants, which are used to treat insomnia or stress.

In general, if you are already taking medication prescribed by your doctor for any disease, before, for example, you start drinking nettle infusion or taking nettle-based medicines (there are also such medicines), you need to consult with your doctor.