Nettle: medicinal properties and use in traditional medicine, how to brew, how to drink

Content

1 The value and chemical composition of nettles
- 1.1 What vitamins are in nettles
2 What properties does nettle have?
3 Why nettle is useful for humans
- 3.1 For men
- 3.2 For women
4 How to brew nettles for drinking and more
5 The use of nettle for human health
6 Nettle application
7 Limitations and contraindications for use
8 Conclusion
9 Reviews on the use of nettle for medicinal purposes

The healing properties of nettle is an interesting topic for connoisseurs of folk health recipes. The well-known plant is used to treat a wide variety of ailments.

The value and chemical composition of nettles

Nettle is highly prized due to its rich chemical composition. The leaves and stems of the plant contain:

vitamin C;
tannins;
flavonoids;
copper, iron and magnesium;
phytoncides;
calcium;
chlorophyll;
glycosides and phytoncides;
tanning components;
organic acids.

The herb also contains natural sugars, starch and ash.

What vitamins are in nettles

The medicinal properties of the plant are due to the high content of vitamins. In addition to ascorbic acid, the herb contains:

carotene - 101 mcg;
B1 - 0.008 mg;
B3 - 0.388 mg;
B9 - 14 mcg;
beta-carotene - 1150 mcg;
vitamin K - 498 mcg;
B2 - 0.16 mg;
B4 - 17.4 mg.

Important! The plant contains more vitamin C than black currant and lemon - 333 mg.

What properties does nettle have?

Nettle has numerous medicinal properties. When used correctly, the plant:

normalizes metabolism and accelerates bowel function;
increases blood clotting;
fights inflammation;
improves cardiac and respiratory activity;
accelerates tissue healing;
has a stimulating and tonic effect;
normalizes hemoglobin levels.

Decoctions and infusions based on the plant have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and contribute to the prolongation of youth.

Nettle is diuretic and can help relieve swelling

Healing properties of nettle leaves

Nettle leaves contain a high amount of B vitamins and ascorbic acid, as well as chlorophyll. The healing properties of plant materials help to strengthen the immune system and protect the vessels and heart from ailments, get rid of excess weight and improve digestion. The skin is treated with infusions and decoctions, nettle tea is used for gout, nervous disorders and colds.

The benefits of nettle juice

Fresh juice from the stalks and leaves of nettle is used to stimulate digestion and in the treatment of kidney and pancreatic diseases. In addition, it can be used externally, for wipes and lotions for skin diseases and injuries.

Useful properties of seeds and roots

Nettle roots have a mild laxative and choleretic effect, are used for constipation and liver ailments. The beneficial substances in their composition contribute to the production of interferon and provide protection against viruses.

The seeds of the plant are high in linoleic acid and flavonoids. Their medicinal properties can be used to improve potency, stop bleeding and increase overall tone.

Why nettle is useful for humans

Useful properties of nettle for the human body are used:

with constipation;
with allergies and itching;
to improve kidney function;
to increase the elasticity of the vascular walls;
to improve uterine tone;
with delayed production of gastric juice;
with pain in the intestines and increased gas production;
with inflammatory diseases and cough;
with gastritis and pancreatitis;
with a weak production of bile.

You can use the healing properties of nettle for respiratory ailments - bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis. Herbal raw materials help eliminate bacterial processes and promote the elimination of phlegm.

For men

It is beneficial for men to take nettle-based products to improve the functioning of the reproductive system. The medicinal properties of the plant increase potency and relieve inflammation of the urogenital area.

For women

For women, it is recommended to use nettle for skin care and curls, for weight loss and relieve PMS symptoms. The medicinal properties of decoctions and infusions of the plant help with heavy periods and hot flashes during menopause.

Attention! During pregnancy, the herb can negatively affect the fetus, it is better to refuse it at least in the first trimester. But during lactation, nettle will contribute to the production of breast milk.

How to brew nettles for drinking and more

Basically, traditional medicine uses nettle-based water remedies:

Decoction for internal use... Dry nettle leaves are crushed in the volume of a large spoon, pour 300 ml of water and warm up over low heat for a quarter of an hour. Cool the finished product, filter and add 200 ml of liquid. You need to drink the broth three times a day, 100 ml.
Decoction for external use... A skin and hair care product is also prepared from the foliage of the plant. 500 g of dried raw materials are placed in a saucepan, poured to the top with water and brought to a boil, and then immediately removed and cooled. Before use, the product can be diluted 1: 1 with clean liquid.
Infusion... If you need to prepare a medicine for external and internal use as soon as possible, you can simply pour a large spoonful of dried nettle with a glass of boiling water. The drug is kept under the lid for 40 minutes. The dosage of the infusion depends on the specific recipe, usually 100 ml of the product is used up to three times a day.

Before processing, the leaves of the nettle are washed from dust and scalded with boiling water

Important! In most cases it is recommended to use nettle continuously for a month. After that, a pause of the same duration is made and the course is repeated.

On the basis of nettle, you can also prepare an alcoholic tincture with medicinal properties. There are two recipe options:

On young leaves and shoots... Crushed raw materials in a glass vessel are poured with vodka to the top and removed in a dark place for a week, and then filtered.
On the roots... The washed and crushed parts of the plant are combined with alcohol in a 1: 1 ratio and left in a darkened cabinet for a month.

You can take the tincture internally three times a day or externally to rub the skin and joints. It is recommended to use the medicinal properties of the drug without interruption for no longer than ten days, so as not to harm health.

A single dosage of nettle tincture should not exceed 5 ml

In all cases, for the preparation of medicinal compositions, traditional medicine advises taking young leaves and stems, their medicinal properties are above all. Nettle roots must be harvested in the fall, when they have time to accumulate a maximum of valuable substances. Raw materials are collected exclusively in clean places with good ecology.

It is not customary to boil nettles for more than 20 minutes. Excessive heat treatment negatively affects the composition of the plant and leads to a decrease in medicinal properties.

The use of nettle for human health

Nettle is very common in folk recipes for health promotion. Its medicinal properties are used locally and internally according to proven schemes.

For hair

You can use the healing properties of nettle decoction with weakened curls. The herbal remedy strengthens the hair follicles, eliminates dandruff and helps to normalize the oiliness of the scalp. The broth is simply rinsed off the strands after washing.

With anemia

With reduced hemoglobin and anemia, the medicinal properties of a decoction of young nettle are used. It is necessary to warm up four large spoons of dry raw materials on fire for no longer than ten minutes, and then insist for another half hour. The filtered product is drunk three times a day, 100 ml each.

With diabetes

Among the indications for the use of a decoction of nettle inside is diabetes mellitus in a mild form. For treatment, use the usual decoction:

a large spoonful of dry raw materials is poured with 300 ml of water;
boil over low heat for 15 minutes;
cool the product and filter through cheesecloth.

The finished drink needs to be topped up with 200 ml of pure water. Take a decoction of 30 ml three times a day on an empty stomach.

With pancreatitis

The healing properties of nettle help with chronic pancreatitis. For therapy, you can prepare the following infusion:

two large tablespoons of dry leaves are crushed;
pour 500 ml of hot water;
insist under the lid for an hour;
filtered through cheesecloth.

The infusion should be consumed 50 ml up to three times a day.

Important! Use the healing properties of nettle should be during the period of remission of the disease. With an exacerbation of pancreatitis, natural acids in the composition of the infusion can cause harm.

Nettle infusion improves the production of enzymes by the pancreas

When coughing

For a cold cough and bronchitis, a simple syrup can be prepared from the stalks and leaves of nettles. The recipe looks like this:

a large spoonful of raw materials is finely chopped;
pour 200 ml of water;
add 200 g of sugar;
boil the product for 15 minutes.

Sweet syrup is taken 10 ml up to four times a day until the condition improves.

For constipation

Nettle infusion helps with constipation, as it has a laxative effect. The drug is done as follows:

a large spoonful of raw materials is poured with 200 ml of boiling water;
insist closed for half an hour;
filter from sediment and cool.

You need to drink half a glass twice a day on an empty stomach. In total, treatment with nettles continues for ten days.

With gout

In case of salt deposits, nettle juice gives a good effect. To obtain it, you need to grind a few fresh washed leaves of the plant and push the gruel through cheesecloth. Take the remedy three times a day, a small spoonful.

With hemorrhoids

The healing properties of nettle are good for hemorrhoids. The infusion on the leaves is prepared as follows:

10 g of dry raw materials are poured with a glass of boiling water;
stand under the lid for about half an hour;
passed through cheesecloth.

It is necessary to consume the infusion 50 ml three times a day. You can also use the product for microclysters and lotions. The infusion is allowed to be added to sitz baths and taken in the evenings on a daily basis.

For the liver

Healing nettle decoction helps to restore and cleanse the liver. Prepare it like this:

two large tablespoons of dry leaves are poured into 500 ml of water;
boil after boiling over low heat for five minutes;
passed through cheesecloth and cooled.

Add 15 g of honey to the finished product. You need to use the medicine four times a day, 100 ml.

Nettle tea helps remove toxins from the body and reduces the burden on the liver

With cholecystitis

The choleretic medicinal properties of nettle are beneficial for cholecystitis. For medicinal purposes, a decoction from the roots of the plant is used. They do it like this:

two large spoons of raw materials are finely chopped;
pour 250 ml of boiling water;
for a minute, heat over low heat.

The broth is infused under the lid for another hour, after which it is filtered. You need to take the product up to four times a day before meals, 50 ml.

With bleeding

With uterine bleeding and too heavy menstruation in women, you can take nettle juice. They drink it in a small spoon up to five times a day, diluting it in 50 ml of pure water.

With colitis

The medicinal properties of a collection of several medicinal herbs help well against colitis. Do it as follows:

mix 50 g of nettle leaves with an equal amount of pharmacy chamomile;
add 50 g each of dried blueberries and peppermint;
measure out three large spoons of raw materials and pour 750 ml of boiling water;
kept in a thermos for 5 hours.

Then the product is filtered and drunk warm, 250 ml just once a day.

With diseases of the genitourinary system

With prostatitis and a decrease in potency in men, nettle infusion is beneficial - a large spoonful of raw materials is brewed with 1 liter of water. The product is kept for 30 minutes under the lid and taken in 100 ml three times a day.

With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Nettle is able to regulate stomach acidity and intestinal peristalsis. With gastritis, sluggish digestion and pain, it is taken in the form of an infusion. The recipe looks like this:

a large spoonful of leaves is poured with a glass of hot water;
kept closed for 20 minutes;
filter;
add 5 g of natural honey.

You need to drink the infusion for 1/3 cup three times a day on an empty stomach.

Nettle helps with increased gas production in the intestines

For skin diseases

For furunculosis, abscesses, acne and pimples, fresh juice of a medicinal plant is useful. It is squeezed out of young leaves and taken 15 ml every day until the condition improves. You can also wipe the affected skin with juice to relieve inflammation.

For muscle and joint pain

The anti-inflammatory and revitalizing properties of nettle are beneficial for rheumatism, arthritis, bruises and sprains. Medicinal infusions and decoctions of the plant are used for compresses and lotions. Also, once a day, you can take 15 ml of fresh juice from the leaves.

To improve kidney function

Nettle has diuretic properties and improves kidney function. For medicinal purposes, a decoction of the plant is prepared:

30 g of dry leaves are poured with 200 ml of boiling water;
simmer over low heat for 15 minutes;
strain through cheesecloth.

You need to drink the product 150 ml three times a day on an empty stomach. In the broth, you can dilute a small spoonful of honey to improve the taste.

For the healing of burns, wounds and frostbite

To quickly repair damaged skin, you can use the healing properties of nettle stem, root, or leaf powder. Dry raw materials are ground with a mortar or ground in a coffee grinder. The resulting powder is diluted with water until a slurry is obtained and sore spots are treated up to three times a day.

When losing weight

The cleansing and decongestant properties of nettle help you shed excess pounds faster. On a diet, you can use the following infusion:

30 g of finely chopped leaves are poured with 300 ml of boiling water;
kept closed for half an hour;
filtered.

You need to take a drink in a small spoon four times a day. The tool will speed up the metabolic processes and contribute to the removal of toxins. To lose weight faster, you need to combine the intake of nettle with a healthy diet and exercise.

Nettle application

The healing properties of fresh and dry nettle are widely used in medicine, pharmaceutical industry and cosmetology. You can even use environmentally friendly raw materials for adding to culinary dishes.

In folk medicine

Traditional medicine uses the healing properties of nettle most of all. Decoctions and infusions, alcohol products are prepared on the basis of the leaves, stems and roots of the herb. Nettle is used to stop bleeding, inflammation and cough, gastritis and pancreatitis. The plant is added to medicinal baths, lotions and compresses based on decoctions are made. The crushed leaves are used to make homemade ointments and balms.

Fresh nettle juice is used to relieve itching from insect bites

In cosmetology

Young nettle can significantly improve the condition of problem skin. Its medicinal properties are used in the form of decoctions and lotions for acne, acne, rosacea and irritation, early wrinkles. The plant can be found in store-bought lotions, tonics and masks.

Use herbal remedies to restore dry and brittle hair. With nettle infusion, you can regularly wash the curls so that they acquire a pleasant shine, silky structure and volume.

In official medicine

The medicinal properties of nettle are recognized by official medicine. Herbal raw materials are included in the composition of domestic and foreign medicines. The herb can be found in preparations for stopping gastrointestinal, hemorrhoidal and pulmonary bleeding. The rhizomes of the plant are present in the composition of anticancer drugs, as well as in ointments for treating wounds and burns.

Important! Nettle extracts are found in many drugs for hepatitis, since the plant contains chlorophyll, which improves metabolic processes.

In pharmacology

The benefits of nettle for the body are actively used by the pharmaceutical industry. In pharmacies you can buy:

liquid nettle extract - for external and internal use;
Nettle extracts are alcoholic and aqueous
medicinal tea in filter bags;
Tea in filter bags can be brewed as usual directly in the cup
dried seeds and roots.
Seeds and dry nettle roots are often used to make hair rinses.

The laxative and choleretic drug Allohol, consisting of a plant extract with animal bile and garlic, is very popular. Also widely known is the "Nettle" shampoo, designed to treat problem and weakened curls.

In cooking

Young nettles are high in ascorbic acid, carotene, antioxidants and acids, and they also taste good. In the kitchen, it is used along with other herbs, often in combination with sorrel. Fresh herb can be added to salads and soups, and the dried plant is used as a seasoning for first and second courses.

Nettle salad has a pleasant, slightly sour taste

Advice! Since fresh nettle leaves are quite pungent, scald them with boiling water to soften them before use.

Limitations and contraindications for use

The benefits and harms of nettle are ambiguous, like any plant. It is not recommended to use the medicinal properties of the herb:

with severe hypertension;
with atherosclerosis;
with varicose veins and a tendency to thrombosis;
with chronic kidney ailments;
with malignant tumors.

An individual allergy is a strict contraindication to the use of the medicinal properties of nettle. Herbal remedies are not recommended to be used continuously for a long time. You can drink nettles for 30 days in a row, but not more. It thickens the blood, and excessive consumption increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders.

Conclusion

The healing properties of nettle are very diverse. The herb is widely used in medicine and cosmetology, has valuable nutritional qualities. Although in general the plant is considered safe, when using it, you need to observe small dosages and carry out therapy with mandatory breaks.

Reviews on the use of nettle for medicinal purposes

Egorova Nadezhda Vladimirovna, 45 years old, Krasnogorsk

I suffer from chronic gastritis, several times a year I suffer from heaviness in the abdomen, nausea and pain. At the very beginning of an exacerbation, a decoction of nettle helps well, if you drink it for at least a week every day, the symptoms quickly subside, and the condition returns to normal. It is especially valuable that the plant can be taken at high acidity.

Krivtsova Elena Igorevna, 36 years old, Tver

I use nettle broth as a mild laxative - the healing properties are good, but there are no side effects, like from pharmaceutical preparations.Additionally, the plant regulates the production of bile, with which I have chronic problems. I also rinse my hair with nettles, the grass has already helped to cope with the consequences of constant staining.

Nettle: useful properties and contraindications, recipes for decoctions, infusions