The stinging nettle is a flowering herb that bears lush green leaves and pink flowers. When touched, it stings and leaves the victim with an itching pain. The nettle herb is native to the cold regions of Asia and Europe. However, it’s now grown all around the world due to its nutritious benefits.
Despite causing a stinging sensation when touched, the stinging nettle actually has anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in the management and treatment of certain ailments. The leaves and stem of this herb are used to make a wide variety of nettle health products. However, stinging nettle root extract also has some pharmacological properties.
What Causes it to Sting?
There are several chemicals located on the surface hairs of the stinging nettle leaves. They include:
- Histamine
- Acetylcholine
- Serotonin
Some of these chemicals can irritate the skin, making it to redden. When you brush against the nettle leaves, the fragile hair tips break off and remain on your skin, piercing it like needles. They then discharge the chemicals they possess into your skin, causing a stinging reaction that is accompanied by pain, itchiness, redness, swelling and even some numbness.
Benefits of Stinging Nettle Leaf Tea:
1. Detoxifying the Body
The stinging nettle contains a range of nutrients that help to kill toxins within the body. This herb is both a diuretic and an alterative. As a diuretic, it neutralizes toxins and ensures that they are rapidly eliminated from the body. As an alterative, it enhances your gut’s nutrient absorption efficiency and also helps maintain a smooth digestive process, ensuring that harmful toxins don’t accumulate.
Apart from providing these amazing health benefits, stinging nettle also helps to flush out excess toxins within the kidneys. It does this by activating the lymphatic system. Try out this effective stinging nettle treatment to detox.
2. Improving Circulation
Organic stinging nettle leaf tea is rich in vitamin C and iron. These two nutrients help to stimulate the production of red blood cells in the body. Iron is essential in the production of hemoglobin, the component in blood that allows it to clot when an artery is cut. Vitamin C helps the gut to absorb iron more efficiently.
An increase in red blood cells results in better circulation and faster healing of wounds. The body’s energy levels also spike due increased oxygenation. People with anemia or general fatigue issues are advised to try out stinging nettle remedy treatments.
3. Improving Bone Health
Although not widely appreciated, boron is an essential mineral that can be found in the stinging nettle. Boron helps your bones to maintain their calcium content, helping to delay the onset of osteoporosis. This, combined with the hormone-regulating properties of the nettle herb, ensures that your bones remain healthy even as you age.
The stinging nettle root extract can give you the boron you require to maintain bone health. You can also try an assortment of stinging nettle remedy teas that are available in the market.
4. Preventing Prostate Growth
The enlargement of the prostate (or prostate growth) is an issue that men face as they age, and so is prostate cancer. Good news is, the stinging nettle has powerful agents that can effectively prevent the growth of men’s prostates.
However, stinging nettle treatment cannot reverse the growth of prostates once testosterone stimulation has ensued. It can only prevent this growth before hormone activation has occurred.
5. Soothing the Symptoms of Menopause and Menstruation
The stinging nettle is also used to improve feminine health. This herb contains active components that ease the painful symptoms of pre-menstruation that include bloating and cramping. The nettle herb also contains astringent properties, helping to reduce blood flow in menstruating women.
Menopausal women can also benefit from stinging nettle treatment. The herb acts as a restorative, helping to make the transition into menopause as smooth as possible. It also prevents the dramatic hormonal shift characterized by this transition.
Stinging Nettle Side Effects
Although the stinging nettle possesses incredible health benefits, it can cause diarrhea, stomach upsets and other mild reactions among first-time users. It’s recommended that individuals start off with small doses of this herb.
Stinging nettle should not be taken by pregnant women, people with low blood pressure and individuals with low blood sugar. Don’t take this herb if you are taking blood thinning drugs or lithium drugs.
To avoid any of these stinging nettle side effects, consult a physician before trying out any stinging nettle treatment.
