Stinging Nettles
At a prenatal appointment this morning, a sweet client and I were discussing the powerful benefits of NETTLES. Our conversation inspired me to share some info about this nourishing herb.
As a live plant, nettles (urtica dioica) can cause a stinging irritation on the skin, but when the fresh leaves are cooked OR when the leaves are dried and prepared as a strong infusion or tincture, nettles can be an amaaazzzing tonic, mineralizer, antihistamine, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory agent for the body! Nettles are RICH in chlorophyll, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, D, & K, phosphorus, sulfur and more!
Photo of nettles courtesy of The Herbal Academy
Nettles are often found in pregnancy tea recipes, snuggled right up with alfalfa and red raspberry. (More on those herbs in another post perhaps?)
So, why are nettles recommended during pregnancy specifically? Well, let me tell ya!
I’ll start with what might be an unassuming or less-known benefit of consuming nettles:
Nettles combat varicose veins by strengthening venous tone! Woah! Yes please!!! For mamas with varicose veins, whether it be hemorrhoids, vulvar varicosities (which tend to flare up during/after sex!), or varicose veins in the legs... nettles can be part of an active and positive treatment protocol.
The most common reason mamas consume nettles is to treat iron-deficiency anemia. Nettles are rich in chlorophyll, which aids in boosting iron stores in the body. Floradix, a popular liquid herbal iron supplement, uses nettles as a main component of the recipe.
Another common use for nettles during pregnancy is the treatment of PUPPP due to it’s significant anti-inflammatory properties. Awesome!
What else can nettles do? Prevent leg cramps! Prevent postpartum hemorrhage! Treat fatigue during pregnancy! Ease afterbirth pains! Encourage abundant breast milk supply!
Moral of the story? Go get yourself some netttttlessss! I added some extra info about sourcing and dosages at the bottom of this post.
Love,
Carly Bev Robertson LM, CPM
p.s... As I was looking through illustrations of stinging nettle, I realized that people make nettle PESTO. Whaaaaat?! Check it out here! You want to know another amazing fact? People also use nettles as a natural dye!! Yassssssss. Check it out here!
(Photos used in this post were found through The Herbal Academy website— much love to the resource that it is!)
A bit more info on sourcing and dosages:
Where to get nettles? Ask around locally first. Ask your midwife if she can connect you with an herbalist near you. If you don’t have access to a local herbalist, I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs:
Standard recommended dosing:
Infusion: Adult PO: Use 1 oz. of dried nettles per 1 qt. boiling water. Steep for at least four hours in a covered, nonmetal container. Add honey or lemon to taste.
Tincture: 2-6 mL/3x/day
Other mentions in this post:
Floradix (You can typically find it at HEB, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Walgreens, Amazon…)
Pregnancy tea including nettles, alfalfa, and red raspberry … and more :)
