Tag: health_awareness

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Prostate Cancer Awareness with Nettle Root

Nettle root (Urticae radix) has specific medicinal properties that are unique from those of the other parts of the plant. It contains sterols (β-sitosterol), lignans, secoisolariciresinol and polysaccharide-proteins.

The perennial roots are creeping, so nettle multiplies quickly. It is quite difficult to kill unnecessary nettles out of your garden. Nettle grows and spreads by stolons, which form a network of yellow, lateral, creeping rhizomes. These rhizomes are double-layered, consisting of an upper layer of young runners and a deeper layer of thicker, more fibrous roots.

These robust roots are easy to harvest and store, and they offer a number of medicinal uses. Nettle roots are usually harvested in autumn, before the soil hardens by winter frost. Nettle is anti-asthmatic: the juice of the roots (or leaves) mixed with honey, will relieve bronchial and asthmatic troubles. 

Nettle root was first used in urinary tract disorders in the 1950s. Stinging nettle root extract is often used in over-the-counter supplements and herbal remedies, particularly those labelled for “men’s health”.

The root extract contains β-sitosterol, a plant phenol that has been shown to reduce urinary tract complications associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – the enlargement of the prostate.

Studies in people suggest that stinging nettle, in combination with other herbs (especially saw palmetto), may be effective at relieving symptoms such as reduced urinary flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder, post urination dripping, and the constant urge to urinate. These symptoms are caused by the enlarged prostate gland pressing on the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). Scientists aren’t sure why nettle root reduces symptoms. It may be because it contains chemicals that affect hormones (including testosterone and estrogen), or because it acts directly on prostate cells. 

It is important to work with a doctor to treat BPH, and to make sure you have a proper diagnosis to rule out prostate cancer.

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Beat allergies with Nettle

If you have seasonal allergies, you know they can be challenging, the symptoms can become difficult to tolerate.

Allergic rhinitis is increasingly common. Although this shares the same symptoms as hayfever, these can occur all year round rather than just through the pollen season. Allergic rhinitis can also be triggered by house dust mites, animal hair, traffic fumes, plant moulds, feathers in pillows, cleaning materials, air fresheners, perfumes, aftershaves and deodorants.

Allergies are an immune response to an otherwise harmless substance that comes into contact with cells in the mucus membranes of your nose, mouth, throat, lungs, stomach, and intestines. In a person with allergies, this ends up triggering the release of the chemical histamine. Histamine is a part of the immune system that causes all the symptoms you associate with allergies. Antihistamines block histamine activity, seeking to stop the allergic reaction.

Many allergy medications on the shelves of the drugstores work as antihistamines. But there are also certain foods and plant extracts that may similarly block the effects of histamine.

Did you know that stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a natural antihistamine?

If allergic rhinitis brings out itchy skin, bumpy red rashes or inflamed skin you may benefit from nettle. Nettle tea and nettle tincture are widely available. But nettle soup made from freshly harvested nettle leaves is also a great help to ease allergy symptoms.

For a nettle tea, measure one teaspoon of dried nettle to one cup of boiling water. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes, then strain and drink. 

3 cups of nettle tea a day gonna blow your allergy away! 🙂

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Nettle in Ayurveda

21 June International Day of Yoga

International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on 21st June. It is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. This 5000-year practise was introduced to the West in the late 1800s, and has gained popularity over the last decade. Today, over 300 million people practice yoga across the globe, although studies show that 50% of all yoga practitioners are of Indian origin.

Yoga brings numerous mental and physical health benefits and promotes mindfulness. It is a holistic approach to health and well-being, it helps create harmony between man and nature. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice.

Yoga and Ayurveda are two interrelated branches of the same great tree of Vedic knowledge, a yogic system of medicine not simply in terms of asana or physical therapy, but also in regards to internal medicine or diet, herbs, and drugs. This holistic yogic system of medicine not simply for treating the physical body but also for treating the mind, emotions, and psychological disorders.

Ancient nettle knowledge

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is used in Ayurvedic treatment to cure various ailments. Nowadays, nettle has drawn a lot of attention, and plenty of research is being done on it. Due to its immense health potential, the popularity of stinging nettle is rising.

In Ayurvedic herbalism, nettle is considered cooling and pungent with an astringent taste. It is best aligned with Pitta energy, helping to gently cool and clear overheated conditions. From an Ayurvedic perspective, nettle is an excellent nourishing tonic and rejuvenative, particularly for the kidneys and adrenals. They increase ojas (the subtle essence of all vital fluids in your body), and are particularly good when run down from stress or illness or needing extra nourishment. 

Nettle tops have been used throughout history in food and drinks as a nourishing and detoxifying spring tonic. Nettle stimulates the action of the liver and the kidneys, thereby helping to clear aama (undigested food or other unmetabolized waste) from the body via the bowels and the urinary tract. According to Ayurveda, aama blocks the body’s channels and organs, preventing the body from absorbing essential nutrients. That’s why detoxification is so important to our health!

Milarepa is one of the most famous saints of Tibetan Buddhism. He is generally considered one of Tibet’s most famous yogis and poets. Traditionally depicted wearing white cotton, his skin was a said to be a slight greenish hue from a constant diet of nettle soup.

Mild astringency and general nourishing action of nettle, tightens and strengthens blood vessels, helps maintain arterial elasticity and improves venous resilience. By reducing excess Pitta in the blood, nettle helps clear inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. The herb also helps keep Kapha levels in check, improving overall vitality. Its carminative properties relieve intestinal gas, and its capacity to promote peristalsis is helpful for some common Vata-related intestinal problems. But taken in high doses can cause excess Vata. Ayurvedic practitioners also recommend taking nettle to stop diarrhea.

But the short and long for it is, yoga and nettle can help us find balance in our body, mind and soul.

Namaste!

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7th April – World Health Day

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” ~ WHO

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the auspices of the WHO (World Health Organization). The WHO supports traditional healing to keep the population healthy. Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014–2023 was developed. The strategy aims to support Member States in developing proactive policies and implementing action plans that will strengthen the role traditional medicine plays.

The basics of traditional medicine all around the world are herbs. Today, let’s pay attention to nature’s healing products! Medicinal plants are used throughout history, but somehow we forgot about them and replaced natural remedies with synthetic, human-made medicines that do not always show the expected results. Modern studies are rediscovering these forgotten plants and analysing their useful components that support our health.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of the most widely applicable plants in the materia medica. It appears in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as in Ayurveda and traditional European folk medicines. Nettle has been used as food, medicine, clothing, and in ceremonial practice by Native Americans. The herb strengthens and supports the whole body. Nettle is used as a spring tonic and general detoxifying remedy. 

There are many beneficial compounds in nettle. The leaf is a great source of chlorophyll, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K and other nutrients. The seed contains a component of lecithin vital to liver function and the developing baby’s brain, called choline. Nettle root contains sterols (β-sitosterol), lignans, secoisolariciresinols and polysaccharide-proteins which makes this herb efficient against prostate problems. Nettle has several constituents which play a major role in antibacterial effects such as neophytadiene, carboxylic acids, esters, alkaloids, phenols,  flavonoids,  tannins  and  saponins. 

Modern science has proved that nettle deserves special attention in our lives in restoring and maintaining health.

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Nettle for Women’s Health

8th March International Women’s Day

Today, International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.

Women have been the keepers of healing ways and secrets of plant medicines. It is a part of their lineage and a “birthright”. I encourage everyone, especially ladies to learn as much as you can about how to care for yourself and your loved ones using gentle and effective means of treatment with herbs. In women’s health, there are a number of herbs that are essential: raspberry leaf, lady’s mantle, sage, yarrow and most importantly, nettle.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) has traditionally been combined with raspberry leaf in a tea. Nettle leaf is a great source of iron, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K and other nutrients. Nettle was particularly prized by women who wanted to restore and replenish themselves after giving birth. These traditional applications are still resonant among women today.

Numerous studies have found vitamin B6 to be effective for treating symptoms associated with PMS, and B6 has also been shown to help relieve morning sickness during pregnancy. Menstruating women need a constant supply of iron to counter the monthly loss from menstruation, and pregnant women need even more. Iron demands go up in pregnancy—a pregnant woman needs 27 mg per day versus 18 mg for a menstruating, non-pregnant female.

Not the leaf is the only part of nettle that is elementary for women’s health, but nettle seed and root also play an important role. Nettle seeds contain a vital lecithin component called choline, that is important for the developing baby’s brain health, particularly the parts of the brain that affect learning ability.

For women, the health benefits of nettle root and its actions on the body are similar to those of men: optimizing and regulating the endocrine (hormone) system. The active compound ß-sitosterol in the root is assisting the body in finding an optimized, healthy harmony.

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Nettle for Normal Weight

4th March 2021 World Obesity Day

On the occasion of world obesity day WHO (World Health Organization) encourages practical solutions to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight, undertake proper treatment, and reverse the obesity crisis.

Obesity is now a global crisis that affects 650 million people worldwide, but is poorly understood. It is a major risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and various forms of cancer.

People with obesity are constantly shamed and blamed for their disease. This is because many people – including doctors, policymakers, and others – do not understand that obesity is a chronic disease. They see it as a simple lack of willpower, laziness, or a refusal to “eat less and move more“. But like all chronic diseases, the root causes of obesity run much deeper. They can be genetic, psychological, sociocultural, economic and environmental. It is time we break the cycle of shame and blame and revaluate our approach for addressing this complex chronic disease.

The first step would be providing better access to affordable, healthy food and restricting the marketing of food and drinks high in fats, sugar and salt. Taxing unhealthy drinks and food would be another part of the solution. In our cities and towns, we need to make space for safe walking, cycling, and recreation. We must teach our children healthy habits from early on.

Herbs, with the beneficial power of nature, can help in weight loss. Nettle (Urtica dioica) clears the body of toxins. It contains a lot of iron, which protects the body and affects more hemoglobin in the blood. Hence, causes better circulation and better physical fitness, so you can burn more calories and thus lose more weight. Nettle lowers blood sugar, which also speeds up weight loss. In addition, nettle accelerates digestion.

It is relatively cheap, you can buy nettle based herbal teas or you can find it in the wild (basic herbal knowledge needed!). There are hundreds of nettle based food recipes available to cook healthy food for your family and loved ones. It is full of beneficial components to keep you healthy. Use the gift of nature!

Together, we can change the narrative around obesity.