How can we better nourish our bodies in this crazy busy world?  The answer is really simple!  Slow down and enjoy a  cup of herbal tea.  You'll feel better and be way more productive after your ritual break!  This week's herbal brew of choice is nettles.  One cup of nettles tea a day provides loads of essential nutrients, including calcium, magnesium,  chromium, iron, potassium, selenium, sulfur, vitamins A, B, C, D, and zinc!  According to one of my favorite teachers, Rosemary Gladstar, nettles are one of the highest sources of digestible iron in plant form.  This makes them a wonderful "ally" when dealing with anemia and the fatigue that accompanies it.  These gorgeous "weeds" can be found growing wild in many parts of the world, often near streams.  Nettles are a lovely rich green color, hinting at their high chlorophyll content.

The fresh plants do sting, hence the name.  So be careful if you are picking them fresh to use gardening gloves and snips.   Although in folk medicine, the sting is prized for alleviating arthritic conditions!  It is actually not that bad, as I have been stung before and rather thought it stimulating.  I noticed in the days following, that my fingers felt more supple!  The young, fresh aerial parts of nettles can be substituted in many dishes instead of spinach.  When I have a fresh patch near by, I make soups, lasagna, and spanakopita.  The resulting wild foods dishes are out of this world good!   I do not advise eating nettles raw.  The fine hairs on the stalks contain formic acid which causes the sting and inflammation, while perhaps harmless on the external body, this is not appropriate internally!

If you want a truly nutritious tea, then make it into an herbal infusion!  Do this by pouring boiling water over the dried herbs in a large mason jar and allow to sit for 8 hours or overnight.  This ensures that all water soluble properties have been extracted.  

The attributes and benefits of nettles are endless so it seems!  Nettles tea daily has been known to ease pain in muscles and joints.  This wonderful plant also reduces the production of histamines and is very helpful for relieving allergy complaints.  Nettle have diuretic and laxative properties, relieve intestinal inflammations and   head aches, nourish the adrenals, heal kidney cells, ease all kinds of female complaints,  and even can be used as a hair rinse!  But don't take my word for it.  Try nettles tea today and improve the quality of your life!