Stinging Nettles for Stress Support

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Health and Wellness, Immune Health, Nutrition, Prevention, Recipes

Let Stinging Nettles Help You – In So Many Ways

The Nettles plant – Urtica Dioica (commonly known as Stinging Nettles) is an interesting herbal ally. If you look closely, the needles on the leaves will let you know that it WILL sting you, if you are not mindful when harvesting. However, once the Nettles is dried, blanched, or pulverized, the sting is ameliorated. Best harvested with gloves starting in early spring, Nettles can provide us with a treasure trove of support for many conditions. However, regular use provides the biggest benefit in the long run.

This wonderful plant is safe to use, and is high in calcium, iron potassium, phosphorus, chlorophyll, vitamin C, and other nutrients. Nettles support the kidneys and adrenals making it a potent stress fighter when used regularly. It is alkalizing and anti0inflammatory helping us with joint pain, osteoporosis, PMS, hot flashes and skin conditions like Psoriasis. Nettles contains more Calcium and Magnesium than the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance).

Nettles Works Synergistically with the Body

Nettles has an adaptogenic effect on the body. Nettles can simultaneously

Bring Healing to Dryness OR Drain Dampness
Gentle OR Fierce
Hemostatic OR Circulating
Nutritive OR Dispersing
Cooling OR Building Energy

Could Nettles be an Antidote for Coffee?

So much about coffee is alluring. The smell, taste and ritual of morning and/or afternoon coffee. Coffee and conversation with a friend. Coffee is string medicine. Because of this, it takes a toll on us when we consume it regularly.

I would not normally think of using Nettles to replace coffee. When I retreat (yes retreat! ) from my coffee habit, I generally move to Decafe coffee, then black tea, then green tea, and then once I’ve weaned from caffeine and I want that coffee taste, I drink either Dandy Blend or Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom elixir. There are a few to choose from – just don’t choose one with actual coffee in it. These are both fairly good substitutes for the coffee taste. Both are fairly nutritive, especially the mushroom elixir. Yet how can we repair the damage we’ve done with coffee.

Since going deeper into my studies of Nettles, I am convinced that Stinging Nettles power plant ally that can help heal the imbalances we create with regular coffee use. Take a look.

Coffee Vs. Stinging Nettles

Coffee	Nettles
Depletes Minerals	Increases Minerals
Acid Forming	Alkalizing
Stress on the Adrenals	Restores the Adrenals (Especially the seeds)
Liver Toxicity – uses the same path that stress needs to clear)	Liver Supportive
Pregnancy Risk	Pregnancy Supportive
Dehydrating	Helps Hold Hydration

Regular use of Nettles can repair and restore the acidity and depletion that occurs from regular use of coffee.

Stimulating vs. Energizing – You get to Choose

Coffee and other caffeine products don’t really “give” us energy. They stimulate our system – but this is at the high cost of our adrenal glands. While the effect may be what we want (after all, I can get a lot done after a cup of coffee) the toll on our health is too great. When we tax our body this way, we are depleting our “jing” or essence.

Nettles, on the other hand, energizes our body and it’s many systems. It does this by nourishing our system and working synergistically with it. In fact, Nettles seed is considered an adaptogen – working to support the adrenals by nourishing and strengthening the HPA-axis – this is the Hypothalmic-Pituitary-Adrenal relationship. Adoptogens are herbs that help your body deal with stress. Other wonderful herbs in this category include Ashwaganda, Hawthorn, Schisandra, Rhodiola, Ginseng, Gingko, Astragalus, Holy Basil, and more.

70% of people Suffer with compromised Adrenal function due to stress.

Nettles for Women

Nettles can support us through all phases of the moon cycle including menopause.

Helps relieve cramps due to stagnation.
They are loaded with chlorophyl which moves the blood, increasing circulation.
The Hemostatic action also helps regulate and balance blood flow, lightening heavy flow and nourishing light flow.
Nettles supports us with pain during ovulation and helps regulate excess water, relieving bloating.
Excellent for Menopause as they are cooling and anti-inflammatory.
Great for Pregnancy – it’s like a liquid multi-mineral – Best mixed to use Nettels tea on and off with Red Raspberry Leaf tea (tones the uterus).

Other Amazing properties of Nettles

Bone Building Nutrients: Nettles carry 15 out the 18 Bone Building Nutrients including Boron which helps maintain and stabilize calcium in the bone.
High in bio-flavonoids which reduces varicose veins
Nettles is very supportive to all of the tissues and membranes of the body
Replenishes energy and builds you back up

You can use the entire plant. Leaf, seed, stalk and root.

Uses of the Seed:

Supports the kidneys and adrenals
Builds stamina and lasting energy reserves
Thyroid support
Use the seed oil for Alopecia
Also use for Erectile Dysfunction
Makes a great hair oil (crush in oil)

Eat the seeds raw or if using daily – dried (as the raw can become overstimulating).

The seed and Root can be tinctured as well as the leaf.

Uses of the Root:

Anti Inflammatory for Prostatitis
Great for gout- clears uric acid

Stinging Nettles is a smart plant and it helps your membranes be smart as well. It increases the health of your blood and helps revitalize you and flush out old patterns. It is commonly advised to brew

How to Start using Nettles Daily

You can purchase a tincture at your local health food store. Another easy way to start with Nettles is using it as a tea.

Nettles Tea (Infusion Method)

Nettles tea works best as an infusion

Keyword Adrenal Fatigue, Health, Menopause, Nettles, PMS, Stress

Ingredients

2-6 TBS Dried Nettle Leaf You can purchase online or directly through us at the office
1 Quart Filtered or Spring water - NO fluoride or Chlorine Feel free to make more - adjusting the nettle measurement
Organic Milk or Non-dairy Alternative
A few drops of liquid Stevia

Instructions

Add the nettles in the jar
Fill the jar with hot water just off the boil for tea
Tightly close the lid and allow to steep for at least 8 hrs up to 24 hrs. - I make this at might and let sit over night. I also make more in the morning for the evening.
Strain the plant material out squeezing well
Enjoy warm or over ice. We enjoy it With organic milk or non-dairy milk of choice and a few drops of liquid stevia.
Refrigerate and drink/use within 24 hours

Other Ways to Take in Nettles

The following are best for fresh spring nettles. Be sure not to eat fresh nettles after it has gone to seed – this can be too taxing on the kidneys.

Nettles Soup
Nettles Pesto
Juicing the Nettles – You can drink the juice or use it directly on the skin
Add it into Smoothies
Nettle Chips (make like Kale chips)

How Positivity Positively Affects You

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Integrative Therapy, Prevention

There is nothing more important than having a positive attitude. The attitude you display toward your day-to-day activities can make a huge difference in improving the quality of your life. Positivity helps to ensure everything functions harmoniously.

Here’s how to allow the enhancing effects of positivity to start impacting your day as soon as possible. Start your day by letting small amounts of sunlight into your room, enjoying a cup of warming herbal tea and just reflecting on what it is you plan to accomplish today. A simple morning routine such as this can boost productivity and positivity throughout the day. (more…)

Meridian Point for Winter: Large Intestine 4

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Education, Illness, Immune Health, Pain Management

Large Intestine 4 is one of the most important and influential points in the entire body.

The Chinese name for Large Intestine 4 is “He Gu” meaning union valley or converging valley. The point is located on the hand in the web between the thumb and index finger, also described as the depression where the index finger and thumb bones part. This area of the hand is often described as “valley like” hence the name converging valley.

The large intestine has many important functions in the body. Connected to the Western medicine function of the large Intestine, it is vital in digestion and bowel regulation, but it also has many functions above and beyond that in Chinese medicine. The large intestine is associated with the emotions of sadness and grief, it can help build immunity as it works as a paired channel to the lung meridian and has a big effect of the flow of Qi and blood in the body.

Large Intestine 4 is a strong point for building the immune system and can be used for when someone has a cold or the flu. It can be used to treat febrile illnesses, rashes from wind or heat, allergic reactions causing rhinitis, as well as sore throat and difficulty swallowing. It is the command point of the face, nose, jaw and mouth and can be used to treat many problems associated with those. Toothaches and TMJ can be painful, but Large Intestine 4 can reduce the pain without even going near the affected areas. It is one of the main points for headaches and many people instinctively press it on their hand when they have a headache, without even realizing it is an acupuncture point. If someone has suffered a stroke, this point can help with paralysis and aid in recovery.

The large Intestine has a great effect on the flow of qi and blood in the body and Large Intestine 4 is a very strong point to get everything moving. Pain, in Chinese medicine, is often when the Qi and blood are stuck and Large Intestine 4 is critical to move this stagnation, especially when coupled with another point called Liver 3.

Coupled with Liver 3, this pair of points is called The Four Gates and together they are a powerhouse in getting the Qi and blood circulated.

They can effectively treat pain, depression, constipation, promote labor, expel retained placenta and help alleviate menstrual disorders caused by stagnation such as endometriosis.

Large Intestine 4 is contraindicated in pregnancy because it is so powerful and moving, but it can be effectively used to induce labor. Used in conjunction with another powerhouse acupuncture point Spleen 6, these two points are commonly used together to start labor, often with electroacupuncture to stimulate the points even more than needles alone.

Once labor has started, Large Intestine 4 can be used if labor is stalled or prolonged as well as used after childbirth to expel the placenta, decrease postpartum bleeding and decrease the time between childbirth and the discharge of the placenta.

Large Intestine 4 is an exceedingly influential point and one of the most commonly used points in acupuncture treatments.

It can also be effective in treating a range of emotional issues such as depression, insomnia, stress, irritability and severe PMS. This point should not be underestimated and its alternative name of Tiger’s Mouth is barely descriptive of its strength in acupuncture treatments.