Nettles - A True Herbal Friend

Stinging Nettle
(Urtica dioica)

I’m thinking that this series of articles aught to be renamed “Weeds to Know” for the fact that most of them are written to clear up the horrible slander imposed on our leafy green friends. I am in love with Nettles. Some call it “Seven-minute-itch” for the itchy rash the plant’s stinging hairs cause on the skin; this rash is quickly cleared up by applying the crushed leaves of curly dock, plantain, jewelweed or violet. An old rhyme is a reminder of the cure for nettle-itch: “Nettle in, Dock out. Dock rub Nettle out!” Many people avoid it like the plague while out hiking, but most folks aren’t even aware of it at all. This is heartbreaking because Nettles are the most fabulous remedy for seasonal allergies, make a delicious herbal tea, are a fantastic cooked green vegetable, have sturdy fibers for making superior cloth and rope, and are really gorgeous (in my opinion). No kidding, I am in LOVE with Nettles!!!!

Okay, okay, so they sting a little. This is due to the small amounts of formic acid in the tiny glass-like stinging hairs found all over the leaves and stem of the plant. Once these beautiful greens are cooked, dried, or cut and stored in the refrigerator for a day or so, they lose their venom. Some people claim to never get stung by them at all; according to Stalking Wolf, a legendary Apache scout and medicine man (known to the fans of Tom Brown Jr.’s books as Grandfather), if you show no fear and talk to them, the nettles won’t sting you. I sing songs of gratitude to the nettles when I pick them and I don’t fear them, but that doesn’t stop me from wearing gloves…just in case!!

The sting isn’t even all bad; people have used the topical application of the stinging plant (called urtication) to treat arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatism and numbness. It was often used by warriors to encourage circulation in order to help keep them warm in cold, damp environments or to keep them awake if need be. According to the Doctrine of Signatures which shows us how the “personality” of a plant will dictate its uses, the stimulating effect of Nettles on the skin reflects its invigorating effect on the internal organs. It has been long used as a spring tonic that jump starts the organs and promotes energy after a long winter’s rest or general fatigue. It is very helpful for stimulating the thyroid, libido and the brain, encouraging hair growth and building tissue strength. It removes old, stagnant mucous, uric acid, stones and other wastes from the body while improving liver function and regulating metabolism. It’s like an herbal “kick-in-the-pants.”

As a potherb, Nettles easily rivals spinach in taste, texture and nutrition. It has very high protein content for a vegetable- up to 24%, plus significant amounts of iron, silicon, potassium and other minerals, as well as heart-healthy fats, chlorophyll, vitamins A, B and C. It is best eaten in the spring when the leaves are still tender, but when the leaves are tougher before flowering, cut the plant tops on an arid day after the dew evaporates to hang dry for nutritious teas… you may even be rewarded by tender new growth for another chance at a culinary treat. Its flavor pairs well with eggs, leeks, mushrooms, goat cheese and potatoes, and when combined all together, make a savory quiche. You could also opt to make a creamy nettles soup, or saute with garlic, mushrooms and white beans for a hearty side dish.

 Nettles tea is also delicious; it’s like a meal in a cup. Medicinally, this is the best form to take it in, other than freeze-dried capsules. I have often prescribed Nettles for all types of allergies, including some types of dermatitis. Nettles taken medicinally naturally decongests the sinus, opens the lungs to stop wheezing asthma and shortness of breath, and acts as an expectorant. It helps rashes that are red and itchy; it’s especially helpful for eczema that causes fingers to swell.

Nettle has an impressive record. It is frequently and successfully used for the treatment of gout, gangrene, chronic cystitis, dysentery and various ulcerations and is recommended in the treatment of tumors and cancer. In cases of “Blood Heat” in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where blood appears inappropriately in the stool or urine, nettles controls bleeding when taken internally; the juice or powder is applied topically, as with nosebleeds or bleeding hemorrhoids.

For women, nettles can also be used to promote the menses, for excessive menses, post-partum hemorrhage, or in a formula for bleeding associated with endometriosis. Wise women will also find it to be a useful galactagogue when nursing, helpful for regulating milk when weaning a child and supportive for building blood post partum or in cases of anemia. It is also valuable in the treatment of leucorrhea, edema and various types of urinary dysfunction.

Men need not feel left out, the root is effective for prostate health; the high amount of sterols improves the white blood cell count, which in turn reduces infection and inflammation of the prostate. As a remedy for alopecia, comb in nettles juice daily and wash the hair with nettles tea. If you’re brave enough, urtication of the scalp stimulates the follicles and is sure to impress the ladies as well!

Though often associated with simple country folk, nettles was prized as a home remedy, as food or beverage (including the famous nettles beer), for its strong rope and waterproof netting and rivaled flax in durability and smoothness for linens and cloth. It was cut and added to fodder for all manner of livestock to improve their coats, their health, milk production in heifers and egg production in fowl, and it made all the animals fatter and happier.

Each year, I gather shopping bags of these goodies to feed my family, friends and give away to clients. I harvest a lot, and I always think that there will be plenty dried to last over the winter for tea. That almost never happens; come February, there is never a surplus. Imagine my delight when I discovered  two new patches in the fields around the property that were only a small handful of plants last year. Now I will certainly be able to gather enough to eat AND dry!!!

Did I mention that I am in LOVE with Nettles? I hope that you, gentle reader, will find some to strike up an affair with and then, you too, will fall head over heels.

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG) is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Lisl is also a certified Medicinal Aromatherapist, a level II Reiki practitioner, an Acupressurist, an Auriculotherapist, a photographer, a renowned diagnostician, a teacher and a published writer in private practice for over a decade. She is available by appointment. HerbaLisl.com

Please call 8 6 0 - 4 8 0 - 0 1 1 5 or email HerbaLisl@hotmail.com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes.

Burdock - Free Health for All!

Burdock
(Arctium lappa)

If there was ever a nice, local herb to get to know better, it’s Burdock. She has a wide range of medicinal uses and is also a tasty wild food that grows just about everywhere. Every part of the plant is used medicinally and the long taproot is also a delicious vegetable known in Japan as Gobo. However, it is mostly known for its sticky burrs that attach to clothing earning it the moniker “Beggar’s Buttons.” To children of all ages, this provides hours of endless amusement having “burr bomb” fights or spelling out their initials on woolen sweaters in the fall.

Arctium lappa is a biennial plant that produces thistle-like flowers followed by the famous burrs in its second year. The taproot is harvested in the autumn of its first year, or very early the following spring just after the ground thaws. It was once colloquially known as Lappa, but the name Arctium comes from the Greek word “Arktos,” meaning bear, a reference to its bristly fruit; lappa is from the Latin “lappare” which means “to seize” because it clings to everything that contacts it. In fact, the tiny hooked spikes on the burdock fruit was the inspiration for Velcro. This is a very clever method of seed dispersal, and is the reason this wonderful “weed” is so plentiful.

Burdock is found in waste ground where its sturdy taproot reaches deep into spent soil and pulls up nutrients buried deep within the earth in order to support its large lush leaves and produce prolific fruit. This is not just a metaphor for its effect on the human body, burdock has a solid reputation for stimulating worn out metabolism, rallying the immune system and repairing damaged tissues. As a spring tonic, few herbs compare to her “get-up-and-go;” as a winter vegetable, she assists the liver with digesting fats and the rich, heavy foods of the season.

The root is extremely nutritive due to its high oil content; it is the oil that stimulates the liver to produce more bile, which in turn increases absorption of fats in the small intestine and improves gall bladder function. Its stimulation of the liver and gall bladder makes Burdock quite an asset for the detoxification of excess wastes and even heavy metals in the body. For such purposes, it is often combined with Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) and the leaf and root of Dandelion (Taraxicum officinale). This combination is also used very effectively for acne, gout and purulent outbreaks.

Burdock is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as being a good source of niacin, riboflavin and thiamine. It has an impressive array of minerals including calcium, iron, sodium, iodine, magnesium, silicon, zinc and selenium. A German study in 1967 and a Japanese study in ’86 demonstrated that the polyacetylenes available, especially in the fresh root, are strongly antibiotic and antifungal. The root also contains protein, lignans, bitter glycosides and the flavonoids arctiin and arctigenin- the latter having profound anti-tumor properties. Arctium lappa contains up to 5% of the polysaccharide inulin, a blood sugar stabilizer, making it an ideal choice for diabetics. Consuming it regularly can help control sugar cravings, and combined with its detoxifying ability it can be a great help in treating alcohol addiction.

As an ingredient in herbal formulas, Burdock will help to harmonize the prescription by addressing the lymphatic aspect of an illness. Lymph congestion can contribute to a host of imbalances including candidiasis, chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism, or even skin ailments. Lappa is restoring and nutritive as well as being regulating and detoxifying. Its anti-inflammatory action eases muscle aches, joint pain and stiffness, fevers, headaches and can even calm allergy symptoms.

Burdock is famous for being a superior remedy for many types of inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema. Taking the root medicinally over the long term can help all types of dermatitis, particularly if it is dry, scaly and irritated. Not only does the herb help clear the symptoms, but it also cleanses and nourishes the blood, encouraging healing and the regeneration of new tissue. Large “elephant ear” leaves that boast an enormous surface area remind us of Burdock’s affinity for the skin.

The leaf itself is used in herbal medicine, primarily as a topical remedy for skin irritations such as rashes, burns, boils, or hives. If you have the misfortune of being stung while enjoying your nature walk, look for Burdock’s distinct rhubarb-like leaves, crush them until juicy (or even chew it) to form a quick back-country poultice. The relief to your bite or sting will be immediate.

No discussion of Burdock would be complete without mentioning the seeds, a time-honored treatment for kidney stones. Here, the resemblance of the seeds to actual urinary or gall-stones is another reminder of the gifts of healing that Burdock offers. The regular medicinal use of Burdock seeds can help to treat frequent urinary tract infections, ovarian cysts and urinary or kidney stones. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the seeds are used to “relieve the surface,” meaning it will treat rashes and itchiness as well as stopping the onset of pathogens.

The young stalks when scraped and cooked as well as the young tender leaves are often recommended as survival food, but some people have adverse reactions to those parts. Sometimes eating the root raw can cause gastric upset in sensitive individuals, so when incorporating a new food into your diet, it is wise to introduce it slowly and give your body a chance to acclimate. Cooked Burdock root has a pleasant flavor that is very satisfying and consuming it regularly can help ease the symptoms associated with food allergies.

Burdock can be taken as a capsule or a tincture and is mild and safe for long term use. The root can be purchased in the produce section of most health or gourmet food stores, particularly when it’s out of season. Although the wild variety will retain more medicinal value than the tamed selections, the taste may be slightly bitter. Soaking the peeled, sliced root in cool water will leach out its bitterness; it can then be added to stir-frys, soups or cooked as desired. Do yourself a favor and learn to identify Arctium Lappa; gathering the root from the wild is a great way to build a personal relationship with this amazing plant friend that’s provided by Mother Earth…free of charge.

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG) is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Lisl is also a certified Medicinal Aromatherapist, a level III Reiki practitioner, an Acupressurist, an Auriculotherapist, a photographer, a renowned diagnostician, a teacher and a published writer in private practice for over a decade. She is available by appointment. HerbaLisl.com

Please call 8 6 0 - 4 8 0 - 0 1 1 5 or email HerbaLisl@hotmail.com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes.