Nettles

Parts Used: Aerial parts of young plants

Main uses

General: In hair shampoos and rinses

Culinary: As vegetable or soup

Medical: Arthritis, eczema, anemia.

Nettles grow wherever human beings disturb the land. Although we may curse the nettle for its sting, it is invaluable as a food, rich in vitamins and minerals, and as a medicine. In spring, the fresh green leaves may be cooked and eaten like spinach, made into a delicious soup or drunk as a Tea.

Nettles, a valuable tonic after the long winter months for them one of the best sources of minerals. They are an excellent remedy for the treatment of anemia of their vitamin C content ensures that the iron they contain is properly recorded.

Nettle has long been one of my favorite herbs. Once you get the last part of stinging, they make a fabulous hair lotion, hair breakage on the practice (a problem that is getting worse for me the longer my hair.)

Hair TonicIngredients:

Fresh nettles

Fresh rosemary

* Fresh sage (for dark hair)

* Fresh Chamomile (for blond or red hair)

Apple Cider Vinegar

(Dried herbs can be used instead of fresh. I am just prefer the fresh.)

Instructions:

Fill a medium pot with water, throw in a few handfuls of: Nettle, rosemary and sage. This is for dark hair. Chamomile substitute for sage, if you have blond or red hair. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heatand let the herbs steep for an hour or so. Remove from heat and cool the mixture. Strain the liquid through gauze or a non-printed paper towel. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar tonic.

Storage:

While this is a great hair lotion, it contains no preservatives and most are stored in the refrigerator.

Use:

Purchase a small to medium-sized spray bottle and fill with tonic. Wash hair as a rule, dry towel, thenSpray thoroughly on hair tonic and comb out. Do not rinse the tonic. The slight smell of vinegar disappears within a few minutes.

Within a week you will be subject to a significant improvement in the gloss, texture and thickness of your hair.