The Benefits & Side Effects of Nettle Leaf Tea

Stinging nettle is a plant in the genus Urtica that originated as a native shrub in colder regions of Europe and Asia and is now found worldwide. It gets its name from the fine hairs on its leaves and stems that release irritating chemicals when they contact your skin. The plant has been part of herbal medicine for centuries. Tea made from stinging nettle contains a number of biologically active compounds with possible health benefits.

Stinging Nettle

For hundreds of years, practitioners of herbal medicine have recommended stinging nettle as a treatment for the pain of arthritis and gout, for anemia, allergies and urinary problems or as a topical treatment for eczema, insect bites and painful muscles. The root and leaves of the plant contain several identified compounds that are biologically active, including flavonoids such as quercetin that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help remove free radicals from your body; these unstable chemicals can damage your cellular membranes and DNA. Nettle also contains several other compounds, including beta-sitosterol, a plant chemical with a structure similar to cholesterol that can benefit your heart by lowering absorption of dietary fats by your blood.

Allergies

Consuming stinging nettle tea may help prevent seasonal allergies, or improve symptoms such as sneezing and itching caused by allergic rhinitis if you already have this problem. The results of a clinical trial of stinging nettle as a possible aid for allergies was published in the journal "Planta Medica." After consuming a dried preparation of stinging nettle for one week, subjects with allergic rhinitis experienced a lessening of symptoms compared to a placebo group. Although this study suggests that nettle tea might be beneficial for allergies, this was a small trial and larger studies are needed to confirm its benefit.

Prostate Benefits

Preparations made from stinging nettle are traditional remedies for urinary tract disorders, especially benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH, in men. This non-cancerous condition causes enlargement of the prostate gland that can interfere with urination. Today, stinging nettle is widely used in Europe to treat the problem. Clinical research supports the herb's usefulness for relief of BPH symptoms. For example, in a trial published in "Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy" that lasted six months and involved more than 600 subjects with BPH, 81 percent of subjects who consumed a nettle preparation experienced lessening of symptoms compared to a placebo group. In addition, Memorial Sloan-Kettering says that nettle may slow growth of prostate cancer in laboratory animals. However, clinical studies with human subjects are needed to confirm this possible benefit.

How To Use

Stinging nettle preparations are available at most health food stores, as dried leaves, tincture or extract made from leaves or roots. Prepare a tea by steeping 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried leaves in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes; to obtain benefits from both the leaves and root, add a few drops of a tincture or extract from its roots to your tea. Stinging nettle is generally considered safe, although it might cause mild stomach upset in some people and it could interact with certain medications. Exercise care when handling nettle since it might cause an allergic rash on your skin. Do not consume nettle tea if you are pregnant and do not use the herb to self-treat for any condition. Discuss its use with your doctor to determine if it might be helpful for you.

The article The Benefits & Side Effects of Nettle Leaf Tea first appeared in SFGATE Healthy Eating.

Source: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-side-effects-nettle-leaf-tea-5401.html

Learn more about nettle tea http://www.nettletea.com/

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http://www.nettletea.com/allergies/ Nettle tea allergies
http://www.nettletea.com/acne/ Nettle tea acne
http://www.scoop.it/t/tealifestyle/p/4054968987/2015/11/11/valerian-tea

Why You Should Start Drinking Ginger Tea Immediately & How To Make Ginger Tea

Ginger is a superfood. It possesses an amazing ability to enhance immunity, improve digestion and reduce inflammation.

Ginger contains several essential oils that make up its distinct aroma and flavor: zingerone, shogaols, & gingerols. These oils are powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic agents. Ginger root promotes healthy digestion, boosts immunity, treats asthma, aids in cardiovascular health, relieves pain and much more.

Ginger Tea Benefits

Ginger is a very effective remedy for headaches, flu, common cold and even sore muscles.  Due to ginger’s unique substances, it is able to naturally stop pain (preventing prostaglandins from setting off an inflammatory response in the body).

Regular consumption of  ginger tea strengthens the immune system. It contains great amounts of antioxidants that boosts immunity and helps fight off infections.

Just one cup of tea a day will minimize your chances of stroke, as ginger helps break down fat deposits that block arteries.

Due to the warming properties of ginger, it improves your blood circulation. Increased blood flow will improve the delivery of vitamins, minerals and oxygen to your body’s cells… aiding in overall health.

Ginger tea helps destroy the virus’ that cause common colds,  cold sores, and influenza.

Ginger Kills 76% of Lung Cancer Cells in Vivo: For the first time ever, researchers have discovered that not only is ginger extract extremely toxic to lung cancer cells, but it’s metabolites (break-down products) are even more toxic! They observed that 6-Gingerol, a major anti-cancer compound of ginger, was metabolized into 6-gingerdiol inside the cancer cells, and that this metabolite killed up to 76% of the lung cancer cells. Ginger extracts have already shown potent activity against prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and leukemia in previous lab studies, and this latest research has shed new light on exactly how ginger kills these cancer cells. And this super-herb’s health benefits extend beyond cancer. A recent clinical trial showed ginger improved insulin sensitivity and lowered insulin levels in adults with diabetes. And another study on middle aged women showed ginger to significantly improve memory and cognitive performance!

Read more information here: http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/why-you-should-start-drinking-ginger-tea-immediately-how-to-make-ginger-tea/

The article Why You Should Start Drinking Ginger Tea Immediately & How To Make Ginger Tea first appeared in Complete Health and Happiness.