Nettles

I think Nettles have gotten a bad rap. I know they
are a little bit hard to pick, but if you do brave the
sting, they are quite a little medicine chest.
This is from my herb book.

"Young leaves and shoots, rich in vitamins and minerals,
are cooked as greens and brewed for beer or an iron-rich tonic tea for anemia.
The leaves are a valuable fertilizer. The plant is a
diuretic, digestive, and
astringent, simulates circulation, and clears uric acid,
relieves arthritis, gout, and eczema. A poultice treats
eczema, cuts, burns and hemorrhoids. The seeds were
given for tuberculosis and to treat the lungs after bronchitis.
(heating or drying removes the leaves sting."

I have had so much luck with this and it is so iron rich.
One thing to remember with herbs, because they are natural
and work with the body's natural healing process, they are not
going to heal like a anti-biotic. It is going to take time
for it to work. In our face-paced society, we just take
our medicine and go on our merry way, when like the
car and it's warning light going on we just unplug the
warning light. When our bodies get sick, it is a signal
to slow down, take some time and let the body heal.

Of course those of you know me will say, " She never takes
her own advise but goes until she drops." I am turning
over a new leaf, I promise. :)

I am trying to write about the herbs that I have just
growing wild around our place. Next week, Mullein.
Another one of my favorites.
Happy Sunday by the way.