There is no end to the incredible health benefits nettles provide for you.
Now let’s focus specifically on how nettles can support you to overcome your allergies:
This one prickly green herb is the cure-all for almost everything that ails you.
If there’s one plant to have on hand at all times that provides a natural treatment for allergies, a cure for arthritis, hair loss, celiac diseases, bladder infections, skin problems, neurological disorders – it’s the stinging nettle leaf.
Urtica dioica or stinging nettle is a perennial plant that’s medicinal use can be traced back to Ancient Greece. The stinging nettle origins are in the colder regions of Europe and Asia, but nowadays it can be found all over the world. The plant grows between two to four feet high and blooms all year round. It grows in all types of soils, has heart-shaped leaves, and flowers in white or pink.
The University of Maryland Medical Centre states stinging nettle has been used throughout history as a diuretic medicine and for treating painful muscles aches, eczema, arthritis, gout and anaemia. Today, it’s used most commonly for allergies, urinary issues and joint pain.
Let’s have a look what stinging nettles can do to relieve you from your allergies
Stinging nettles contain biologically active compounds that reduce inflammation.
If you are suffering from allergies the histamine production is high. Your immune system works 24/7 to fight off the “dangerous” invaders like pollen or pet dander by releasing more and more histamines.
This causes uncomfortable symptoms of congestion, sneezing, itching and stress.
The stinging nettle has anti-inflammatory qualities that affect key receptors and enzymes in every allergic reaction. For example by using nettles when your first experience hay fever symptoms can preventing the symptom cascade effectively. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19140159)
Nettle top parts reduce the amount of histamine that is produced by the body in response to an allergen. An allergen is a substance such as pollen that provokes the overreacting immune response in people who are sensitive to it.
If you suffer from allergies in addition, it’s most important to support your body to detoxify.
This somewhat plain-looking herb has excellent natural detoxifying qualities. It helps to stimulate the digestive system, increases the secretion and flow of urine, purifies the blood flow and stimulates your intestines.
As a diuretic, nettle helps cleanse the body of metabolic wastes and prevents the buildup of toxins, thus effectively fighting off parasites and damaging bacteria colonies.
The easiest way to use nettles is as tea
Nettle leaf tea is an excellent, extremely healthy herbal treatment. Use it as an effective spring tonic and cleanse your body from toxins and other metabolic waste.
Nettle tea contributes to the elimination of excess fluids from the body, balances your digestive system and provides you with a most needed natural energy boost.
Prepare your nettle infusion by pouring boiling water over the nettle leaves. Let them stay covered for circa 5 min. Take your tea slowly over one or two hours.
Nettle leaves should not be cooked as they lose some of their most valuable nutrients during the process.
Do not sweeten your tea. The best health benefits are achieved by doing the tea pure, best as early morning tonic before your breakfast. For the sake of a pleasing taste, you can add some mint leaves to your tea.
Ideally, you harvest fresh nettles yourself. They grow everywhere around you and are especially in spring full of bursting vitamins. Choose places that are away from traffic so you get the purest leaves possible.
Nettle Leaf Tea (use 1 tbsp per cup of tea, let steep for 5 min+ )
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Take a handful of leaves, no need to cut them and pour half a litre boiling water over them. Then let them sit for about 5 minutes.
I recommend you pour the tea into two big mugs. Drink one in the morning and one before you go to bed to get the most out of your nettle remedy.
