dried nettle?

Hi Christine, I've just woken so pardon my yawns...the day time sleeps sure make things feel off to me. A few topics down under peri-menopause, Stella, Zelda and others were discussing Nettle. Stella had to pull back for a bit but she said to email her any questions. I am looking for Nettle. Is your source one that you can share?
Thanks, Kit

Hi -this is funny-I was taking a break here because I am to busy with work to keep up but just popped in and came upon your post. How serendipitous-nettles are my plant ally. There is so much to say about nettles. I borrowed some info from the brilliant herbalist Susun Weed to share with you about them:
Urtica dioica, Urtica urens

Brennessel, Ortie

Some post-menopausal women tell me stinging nettle is so nourishing and energizing they find themselves unexpectedly having a normal menstrual flow after regular use of it.

The more usual effects of nettle are to:

{ Nourish, strengthen, rebuild kidneys and adrenals

{ Ease and eliminate cystitis, bloat, and incontinence

{ Rehydrate dry vaginal tissues

Nettle has a miraculous ability to heal and restore adrenal/kidney functioning. Stories continue to make their way to me of women who have avoided dialysis, gotten off dialysis, and so repaired their kidneys that replacement surgery was canceled, thanks to sister stinging nettle.

Nourish your post-menopausal adrenals with nettle infusion and they'll produce enough estrogen to keep you looking and feeling juicy.

{ Nourish and energize the endocrine glands

{ Nourish and rejuvenate the cardiovascular system

{ Normalize weight

{ Ease and prevent sore joints

{ Relieve constipation and reduce hemorrhoids

{ Nourish supple skin and healthy hair

Nettles' super supplies of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and micro-nutrients nourish every bit of you, encouraging optimal functioning in all aspects of your being. Nettle influences hormones through its wealth of lipids (triglycerides, fatty acids, tocopherols, sterols, galactosyl-diglycerides) and restores health to the cardiovascular system burdened with cardiac edema and venous insufficiency.

{ Create strong, flexible bones

Nettle infusions, vinegars, and soups are fantastic sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium, silicon, boron, and zinc: the strong bone sisters. Nettles are also a source of vitamin D, a crucial nutrient for flexible, healthy bones.

{ Stabilize blood sugar

Rich in chromium, manganese, and other nutrients restorative to glandular functioning, nettles, I suspect, help prevent adult-onset diabetes.

{ Reduce fatigue and exhaustion; improve stamina

Nettles nourish your energy at the deepest possible levels with intense supplies of iron, chlorophyll, and copper.

{ Reduce and eliminate headaches

{ Nourish and support the immune system, prevent cancer

{ Nourish and heal the digestive system

{ Nourish and strengthen the nervous system

Nettles are an optimum source of the vitamins critically important for health: vitamin B complex (especially thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin), carotenes (vitamin A), and vitamin C (ascorbates and bioflavonoids).

Enjoy cooked nettle greens all spring, but be sure to harvest and dry enough for winter-time infusions, too. I pick nettles only before they flower. Fresh leaves steeped in olive oil impart a rich taste and innumerable healing qualities to the oil. Nettles make a great vinegar, too.

Dosage:

Infusion of dried herb, 1-4 cups/250-1000 ml, a day.

Christine,
To answer your specific question about dried nettles, they should be organic or wildcrafted. They should also be stored properly in a glass jar away from sunlight.
Enjoy!

If you are going to be drinking them on a regular basis, I suggest buying in bulk from a reputable herb company. You will save money and probably get a fresher product.

but had no idea just how great this Herb truly is !

Stella ! Thanks a jillion for posting all that. I haven't had the time these days to pore over my herb books. I knew
Nettle was great, but this sounds like a really good tonic for all of us Women. Oh don't I love the wealth of consciousness
around here !!!

An herb I love that isn't very well known is Goldenrod. It is very soothing and promotes a sense of well-being
but must not be steeped very long as it gets bitter. I harvest my own. Another extremely nourishing herb is Burdock
root, I periodically add it to my herbal tea pot. pinch of this and that, you know, as instinct pushes.

I was thrilled to see the Marianne Treben reference - she was a nun in Germany, a brilliant herbalist and a Woman
ahead of her time. I've been to the place she lived along the Rhine river.
Zelda

I'm a getting me some nettles ordered tonight! Kit

Yeah, Goldenrod is one of those good weeds that gets an unfortunate reputation...people think that they are allergic to it but the allergies are actually caused by ragweed (NOT goldenrod)which blooms at the same time. Goldenrod brew soothes allergies and is good for fevers and other maladies.
Burdock is a super blood cleanser and nourisher.
See Zelda, you are an herbalist. I knew when I first met you here that there was something besides prolapse that connected us!

I hope you will tell us more and much. Whatever time you have to spare will enrich us all. I am so eager to learn and try and use...and be thankful, I shant forget. We can only get so much from books. Gaining from your real experience has a beautiful sureness to it.

Zelda, I think you hold more hidden treasures than one could ever open in one lifetime. This side of you is one I hope you wrap your arms around, gather great big armfuls, and share, share, share.

I think this subject is as important as any other we could discuss. This is hopeful stuff is there ever was any. Thanks all. Kit

Thank you for that perspective, Christine, I want to be sensitive as well. It truly never entered my mind that I might be asking for something that I should not. This is what’s so good about the many voices here, one will point to a truth that another might not see. Good stuff.

In another post, Stella said: “Thank you ladies for the kind words. They truly touched me. When I come here and read the posts of so many wise women, I often wish that I had more to offer. Now that I know that I am helping some of you, I will make sure to keep adding! You made my day."

Her own sweet words were my springboard. So my excitement was honest enough. Perhaps my wanting clouded my view. If so, I’m sorry. The Stella’s in the world are gifts, and I never want to take advantage.

In my own work, there is always a percentage I give away. Customers will knock at odd hours for little this or that’s. The little this or that’s are most often free. They come back later, multiplied. When I’m out in public, I look for the sorrowful, the stressed, the broken heart, the one needing a lift, the one recently out of the hospital, and I bag something up and hand it to them as they go their way. I’ve trotted after many fast walkers-- gotten hugs and sweet tears from complete strangers, and sat down on the floor with more than a few to hear their stories. I’ve gotten many lovely letters than mean so much more than dollars this way. If you’ve never sat down on the floor with another hurting heart in a very public arena, I have to say that it is quite the experience. But so much more than often, I’ve found people deeply respectful, if a little curious. I have felt complete privacy and union with another soul amidst the masses. It is as if people can feel the seriousness of the moment and make room and make way quietly. Most people are so very good, and we are all so very much alike in so many respects. Sitting in the floor has taught me that.

Christine, you give so much more of yourself than we pay for. Every day.

Stella, since I’m here, I want to share with you the image that came to me when I first started reading your posts. Last year, in our back garden, we hung several asparagus fern at different levels from a Kousa (sp?) dogwood tree (a tree we had planted from a tiny thing and nurtured along). We would water in the evenings. As the sun rose in the mornings, the water droplets—it seemed like thousands of them—would catch the light in what seemed a sacred way. It stilled my breath. My husband photographed the scene for me one morning. Your offerings give me that sense of sacredness, of light leading us back to a lost way. Little drops of light and pure direction.

I would never want to impose on you or have you risk your livelihood. So sorry if I overstepped. Any little drops of wisdom from you, any of your little this or that's, will be treasure enough. I will email you soon to address the business side. I would love to know what you offer, how you offer it, and how to purchase.

I am going to take a Susun Weed course!! I hope sometime this year. It makes me happy just thinking about it.

I must go, my washer is beeping and the Seven Dwarfs never showed up to help!!

I send a warm hug, from a complete stranger. Kit

Hi ladies,
Thank you Christine and Kit for your thoughtfulness. Honestly, it hadn't occurred to me in any way that I should be compensated for sharing information with you all. On the contrary, I was delighted to realize that I had something valuable and helpful to offer! In my life, I have often been the recipient of the generosity of others' talents and services. I feel that if there is any way that I can make a small bit of difference to anyone who is suffering(or not!)I am grateful for the opportunity to give something back to the universe(and especially to women!) It is my utmost desire to see women nurture and heal themselves and if my posts can shed any insight to help light that path, I am happy to give. I so much appreciate the consideration though of my time. Again, I don't have time to follow all of the threads right now, but I will pop in and I do check my e-mail regularly so don't hesitate to ask questions.
much love,
Stella

Thank you Kit for sharing that lovely image. I truly feel honored that I have made any kind of impression on you or anyone here! And thank you Christine for being one of those generous people that I mentioned in my last post!
hugs hugs hugs

Ladies,

I think everyone will get a kick out of this. I was so excited by Stella's post about nettles today that I copied it off and took it to school to share with my teachers. One of my clients is a kidney surgeon. I shared it with her. She didn't know what to think. She was interested but frightened. It was really interesting to see her discomfort. It was as if she had to climb back over her wall to come down to the dirt where I was playing - a place she thought might make her dirty.

My personal opinion - for what it's worth - is that anything natural that serves us naturally is the penultimate in medicine, so perhaps the doctor was really climbing up the wall where I was playing.

On the other side...

I'm recovering from an abscessed tooth with an infection that landed in the bone so I'm not shunning meds right now, but the first round about killed me. I kept thinking if only there was something I could have done naturally; something peaceful to take, something that didn't jar me like... I loved someone's post about drugs being like a sledge hammer ... Then the hamster moved into my jaw. It was my own fault. I let the thing go too long. The pain was ouch, and the infection made me as sick as I've ever been. Folly, folly. But I did save the tooth, and I'm recovering PBTG.

So keep up the good work, Stella. I think you're marvelous dahhling. I love your work. Rather go to Stella with her nettles than the doctor with the needles and her pumps and her sledge hammers.

Love you,

Judy

Judy:
I'm sorry to hear about your tooth and the resulting bone infection. I just had to post, because about 20 years ago I developed a bone infection in my jaw as a result of a pulled wisdom tooth. I was diagnosed with osteomyelitis and was hospitalized for 6 weeks in order to receive intervenous antibiotics. The drugs saved my jaw bone from certain bone death and permanent disfigurment. I'm glad to hear that you did receive treatment and are recovering. Thank God we have these drugs when we need them.

Take care - Goldfinch

Goldfinch,

If I had not been such a moron, I would have gone to the dentist in an appropriate time. Apparently, when your tooth is sensitive to cold, the nerve and hence the tooth is dying. When it is sensitive to heat, you're already in trouble. I waited six weeks beyond that. I deserved everything I got. I don't mind the dentist; I just hate putting the time into it. Now the doctor is an entirely different matter - they try to kill you - dentists just try to annoy you.

Did you get the headache diet after all? Does it makes sense? I hand copied it quickly.

Judy

the way you look at things fills me with glee. Funny lady.
I'm so very glad you're O.k. I've gotten quite fond of you !
Your irreverence tickles me !
Love,
Zelda

Sorry about your tooth. Thyme oil is great for nasty kinds of infections but it is pretty intense.

I liked your analogy about the surgeon!

The nice thing about herbs is that they are best used to promote and maintain good health.

love you!

PS-Christine, I did have a little herbal business years ago but now just try to help out where I can.

Stella,

So now the question is about this Hammacher Schlemmer distiller that makes perfume out of flowers. How ingenious would this thing be for making oils and refinements of other wild things?

I mean how does one get Thyme oil? It would be ultra wonderful to be able to distill this kind of thing myself at home. It runs on a candle.

Just a report in that my business partner tried the sage tea and saved getting a cold. It works wonders. She said it made the heaviness in her chest go away, and she felt really good after drinking it, so she had another cup. She's 67. I think she was trying to avoid my homemade cough syrup - soy milk and curry powder.

I have one of my teachers on turmeric for her psoriatic arthritis and one on nettles for her headaches. The question usually arises, "What are we drinking this morning, or do I want to know?"

"Well, try it; it probably won't kill you, and who knows, you might like it and better yet, you might be cured."

"That's what you said the last time I threw up."

"Well what's a little vomit between friends?"

"If it makes me sick, can I give it to my husband?"

"Better yet, you can give it to mine,"

And so the morning goes. We have such fun at school. The nice part is, we are learning and it's hilariously funny. It builds trust and a wider scope and is developing a real sense of curiosity and informational exchange among us.

Love to you all,

Judy

Hi Judy:
No, I never got the diet from you. Did you email it? I don't think I missed a post from you... I'm sorry - please let me know. Thanks heaps!!!

Goldfinch

FANTASTIC!
That was funny.
I have never heard of that machine. I'll take a look into it and see what it is. Can you send me a link to my e-mail?

Goldfinch,

I'll post the headache diet today on this forum, since diet is so important in maintaining good health. Maybe we can get some discussion about it.

Judy

Hi Judy

Are you familiar with Ms Frizzle and her magic school bus? http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/books/

Judy, you remind me so much of Ms Frizzle, who was one of our favourite eccentric book characters when our kids were little.

For the uninitiated, Ms Frizzle took the children in her class on excursions all over the world (universe?) in her magic school bus (via places that school buses don't usually go!) to teach them about science and the natural world. She is a Bett Midler lookalike, with a mop of outrageous curly ginger hair, and attitude, as well as whimsical taste in clothes and accessories.

Now I have made acquaintance with a real live Ms Frizzle, and I am so happy!

Cheers

Louise

Cheers

Yes, Louise,

The connection has been made before. Many of my parents call me Miss Frizzel. Unfortunately, I can't sit long enough to watch TV, so I've only seen her once or twice. I wish I had the curly hair! Mine is waist length, straight, and the natural blond is turning gray. And my school bus is driven by Miss Sandy a driver and friend we have had for 12 years.

OK - the Headache Diet:

This diet works for a lot of people who have severe migraine headaches. It's meant to be a detective not a habit. That means, you remove these things from your diet for about ten days. Then you ween them back in one at a time. If you discover that there is pressure in your head when you eat a food, that's usually your trigger. FYI - Mine was yogurt. I used to make and devour yogurt. Stopped eating yogurt 23 years ago, and I haven't had another migraine. My migraines were TIAs. I lost all feeling on my left side, couldn't coordinate my speech, and I lost vision on the left side, and my think pattern was not in the normal range.

My son also has problems with yogurt. He was found in the fetal position not breathing, and after a battery of tests were done on him at Yale University, they said, "migraine." To this day, he cannot eat even frozen yogurt.

It's not forever - it's for ten days. Of course you will intro your favorite foods first. One of my teachers has horrible migraines and will not do this diet because she can't give up her favorite foods. I think that's a shame.

Remove:

Ripened cheeses like cheddar, groyere, Stilton and brie

Herring

Chocolate

Vinegar except white vinegar

Anything fermented, pickled or marinated

Sour cream

Yogurt

Nuts

Peanut butter

Hot fresh breads, raised coffeee cakes and doughnuts

Pods of brad beans, lima, navy, and pea pods

Any food containing mono sodium glutamate

Onions

Canned figs

Citrus foods

Pizza

Pork

Avocado

Fermented sausage like bologna, salami, pepperoni, summer sausage and hot dogs.

Chicken livers

Avoid all alcoholic beverages

Good luck with it,

Affections,

Judy

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm going to give it an honest try (although cutting out even some of these foods would mean half my diet right now.)

I am pretty convinced that these headaches I canNOT get rid of are hormone related, as they only come during the last part of my cycle and end within hours of when I start bleeding. Of course, I should consider that perhaps I eat something during my 'pms' time that gives me the migraine. I'm willing to try anything---and at least that way if I go to the doctor to ask for help I will know I tried other things.

I do have to say that since I started eating the flax seed I have had NO hot flashes and while I still have a nasty headache I am here typing and not in bed with a hot-pack on my face trying to "play dead" until I get my period. So that's an improvement right there~~smile~~

I've stopped eating yogurt because I noticed every time I ate it I would get flushed in the face (looked/felt like sunburn) and my head/neck would feel really hot. (different than a hot flash---more like an allergy.) It's wierd because I've been eating yogurt for almost 30 years and never had a problem.

Again thanks for the headache list of foods. I'll let you know...

Peace,
S&G

The wild foods class I took used a lot of nettle, we'd go gather it ourselves. It likes to grow in damp and shady places and will sting if you touch the leaves. We'd pick it with gloves and scissors and then use it like spinach in early spring recipes where you want gresh greens. It was especially good with brown rice, just chop it and mix it in with the rice as it cooks. To dry, just place on paper towels and leave out in a single layer. Now, enjoy. You know your tea isn't full of additives if you've picked it yourself. Traditionally nettle has been used for "female problems."

discouraged

Just thought I might add that during crazypause and since I've had a lot of trouble with cholesterol. I went on Glucosimine for arthritis pain, and the Glucosimine shot my cholesterol up to 267. Talk about being discouraged. Stella told me about nettles. I have done nothing different with my diet except for drinking nettle tea and my cholesterol dropped 60 points in two weeks. I was thrilled.

Judy

Hello, everyone,
I've recently come across 'arctium lappa', commonly known as burdock, heralded as the 'uterine magnet' and a 'cure' for prolapse. Does anyone believe this? Has anyone here tried it? Has it done any good? Did you buy it or grow your own? What would be the best form of it - roots, leaves, infusions? How much of it, how often, for how long, have you tried it? Can any herb really make weak, stretched ligaments spring back to their former tautness, or am I just day-dreaming? I look forward to hearing from you.