Stinging Nettle - Herbs Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

Stinging nettle has been applied for hundreds of years to alleviate pain in muscles and joints, arthritis, gout, eczema, and anemia. Today, a large number of individuals use it to treat urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate in its early stages (called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). It is also used to treat urinary tract infections, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), and joint pain, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and insect bites when put in a compress or cream.

How does stinging nettle work?

Fine hairs on the leaves and stems of stinging nettle contain chemicals that are irritating to the skin. These chemicals are released when the plant comes in contact with the skin. Stinging nettle hairs, or spines, are usually very painful to touch. When they touch a painful part of the body, though, they can actually make the pain feel better. Scientists think that nettle does this by lowering the amount of chemicals in the body that cause inflammation and by getting in the way of how the body sends pain signals.

Plant description of stinging nettle:

Stinging nettle, or Urtica dioica, is a plant with pointed leaves and white to yellowish flowers. Diabetes is treated with the root and the parts that grow above ground.

The average height of a stinging nettle plant is between 2 and 4 metres. It has ingredients that might make you urinate more and reduce swelling. Sometimes the leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Health benefits of stinging nettle:

1. Rich in nutrients and good for your health:

• Nettle's many benefits come from the fact that it is full of nutrients. It has the easy-to-absorb vitamins A, C, D, E, K, folate, and some of the B vitamins. It also has calcium and iron.
• Some of the other nutrients are potassium, protein, beta-carotene, and chlorophyll.
• There are polyphenols in stinging nettle, and it has a high antioxidant value. Antioxidants help the body fight off free radicals, which can lead to ageing, some types of cancer, and other health problems.
• According to research, polyphenols may help prevent and treat inflammatory diseases like some types of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
• Nettle has a number of minerals and vitamins that can help people who are sick or stressed get better.
• Plants seldom contain vitamins D or K2, which makes nettle unique.
• It has about three times the amount of vitamin A you need in a day in just one cup.
• Iron and vitamin C improve iron-deficiency anemia.

2. Helps in Allergies

• Nettles can reduce inflammation and allergy symptoms, especially in people with hay fever.
• By making your nose stuffy and eyes watery, these substances work against your body's natural response to pollen and other allergens.

3. Gout:

• People with high levels of uric acid can find that stinging nettles help them.
• Gout happens when uric acid builds up and forms crystals in and around the joints. This causes swelling and excruciating pain.
• Stinging nettles can help get rid of too much uric acid and relieve some of the symptoms of gout. The most common way to ease joint pain from gout is to make a cup of stinging nettle tea.
  
  

4. Infections of the urinary tract:

• Along with vitamin C and cranberries, stinging nettle tea can help cure a bladder infection by reducing inflammation in the bladder or urethra.
• Nettle tea makes you pee more, which helps get rid of germs that can cause infections.
• It can be used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
• Studies show that stinging nettle may help people with BPH whose prostates are getting bigger by changing hormone levels or interacting with prostate cells and making other symptoms better.
  
  

5. Fingernails

Since nettles have silica and other minerals that are needed to make nails, drinking a cup of nettle tea every day may help nails grow in a healthy way.

6. Hair and skin

• Nettle tea is a natural way to make your skin and hair look better because it is nourishing and reduces inflammation.
• It has been shown to help get rid of acne and eczema and to make hair thicker, shinier, and grow new hair.
• It gets more blood to the scalp, which helps hair grow.
  
  

7. Boosts the health of women

• Minerals and chemicals in stinging nettle are especially good for women at all stages of life. Nettle can improve the health of a woman's reproductive system in general, and it is often added to blends for PMS, fertility, and menopause.
• Nettle can help women who are tired because they don't get enough iron because they have heavy periods or are pregnant. It can help mothers who are breastfeeding by giving them more nutrients while they are pregnant and while they are nursing.
  
  

8. Blood pressure

They have a lot of good things for your heart that come from the way they are made. They have been used in both traditional and alternative medicine to reduce inflammation and improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, among other things.

9. Takes care of blood sugar

• It protects against hyperglycemia by lowering the amount of glucose in the blood when the person is fasting.
• It is known that nettles make the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas make more insulin.

10. Anticancer properties

• Nettles have chemicals that fight cancer, like lectins and flavonoids (quercetin and beta-sitosterol).
• They help reduce signs of inflammation, which is a way to fight cancer.
  
  

11. Autoimmune disease

• Nettles and nettle extract are often used in topical treatments for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis because they may reduce swelling and pain.
• Research shows that nettles may be a safe and effective way to treat autoimmune diseases that cause inflammation.
  
  

12. Helps keep eyes healthy

• Vitamin A and beta-carotene have been shown to keep your eyes healthy.
• Nettle leaves have 10 times more beta-carotene than wheat and barley flour. This vitamin is important for keeping the retina healthy and making sure the eye responds well to light.
• lowers the chance of getting sick