The stinging-nettle, also called Urtica dioica, grows at sunny as well as at shadowy places. It loves wetness, humous, nutrient rich soil, is nitrogen loving.
There are not mony people who have not gotten to know stinging-nettle and felt the awkward burning on the skin, which is caused by the hackly leafes.

But the stinging-nettle does not only have awkward characteristics, she has got many igridients and is therefor used as medicinal plant.

Ingridients of the stinging nettle
    * flavonoids, here: quercetin
    * kumarins, here: cumarin and scopoletin
    * mineral nutrients, here: potassium, silicic acid, formic acid
    * trace elements, here: iron, magnesium
    * vitamins, here: acetylcholine, vitamin c, pro vitamin A

Effects of the stinging-nettle
    * appetizing
    * blood cleaning
    * hemostatic
    * against diarrhea
    * encourages hematopoiesis
    * encourages growth of hair
    * against hairloss
    * diuretic
    * against disease of the urine system
    * against rheumatism
    * expectorant
    * activation of metabolism

Methods of collecting the stinging-nettle
The time to collect stinging-nettle is from May until July/August. There, the stinging nettles get hung up with or without bloom to dry. After drying the leafes just get stripped off the stalk should be stored closed and dark.
The root of the stinging nettle can be used as well, it also contains many healthy ingredients. You can proceed the same way as you did with the leaves.

It is important to pick the stinging-nettle in your own garden, because she is a "pollutant collector" and wild growing plants possibly contain to much polutants. You can also buy it, if you do not want to pick it by yourself.

Using examples of the stinging nettle
Dried leafes can be used for tea for instance. This releaves rheumatic disturbances and helps against acne.

stingin nettle tea:
for this you pour boiling water in a cup with 1 or 2 tea spoons of dried stinging nettle leafes and leave it to draw for about 5 minutes.

stinging nettle hair tonic:
for this you boil about 250 grams of choped stinging nettle root in one liter of water and half a liter of vinegar for half an hour and rub it on your scalp once a week
You can also use dried leafes as steam bath for your face. That helps against acne and blackheads.

steam bath for the face:
for this you pour one liter water over 5 spoons and let the steam affect steam your your face for 10 minutes. You can also use the leaves for a regular bath which helps against limb pain and skin problems

stinging nettle bath application:
for this you take two hands of stinging nettle leafes and let it boil for for about ten minutes and leave it to draw again 15 minutes, then put the water in your bath.

Side effects
Side effects and incompatibilities are known that at an inner usage through nettles stomach irritations or gastric complaints of the usage the roots are possible.

Autor: Andrea Bracht
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